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Radios in cars have been around for a while. It’s so valuable that there’s now a huge industry devoted to improving car audio systems. Today, radios are getting more sophisticated with features like Bluetooth and navigation as standard equipment. There are even subwoofers built into some models.
What will happen if the radio doesn’t work after you start your car? Maybe you’re just doing your business and something happens to the radio. It just goes off and never comes back on. Here are some more reasons why car radios don’t work and how to fix it.
Fuse Requires to Be Replaced
To safeguard the device against things like sudden power or other electrical problems, a vehicle radio will typically feature at least one fuse. These fuses will blow out and cut off the circuit if the audio system receives an excessive amount of electricity, protecting the main radio.
There are many fuses for the audio system on later models. It’s not too difficult to check the fuses if you are familiar with a simple voltage or electrical connection meter. Often, the issue may be resolved by just changing the defective fuse. A different issue with the power system will have to be fixed if the replacement fuse blows out soon after being placed.
Wiring Issues
If you have the original radio in your car, problems with the wiring are much less likely to occur. But we often see cars that have faulty wiring because of the wrong way the wires are connected to the system. Sometimes aftermarket car stereos don’t work correctly, or the system isn’t tested to work with the specific vehicle that it’s being used in. All of the wires that are used to power the car, as well as power the antenna, and control the speakers are all necessary for the radio to work properly.
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Some car audio systems have issues like a short ground wire, a bad ground wire, and loose or inconsistent wire connections. Even if your car stereo is working correctly, it is better to use radios that have been designed and approved by the original equipment manufacturer.
Checking your wiring can often be done by checking for loose connections or broken wires. If there are broken wires, a technician may be able to replace them without having to remove any parts from the car.
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Ask a Mechanic Live NowAntenna or Tuner Issues
You might remember when cars used to have a lengthy antenna fixed on the fender or somewhere else on the outside of the car. These were prone to disappearing mysteriously or being pushed off in car washes. Other components of the system, such as the CD player, will function if an antenna in your car is the issue, but the standard radio won’t. The radio’s tuner not working will cause the same symptoms to appear. The easiest method to determine who is at fault is to leave it in the hands of the factory-trained experts at your nearby dealership. To fix the issue, they may need to replace the entire tuner unit.
If you’re experiencing problems with your bolt’s radio, it’s important to try to troubleshoot the issue before calling a mechanic. Sometimes simple fixes like changing a fuse or replacing a wiring harness can resolve the problem.
Max Anthony
Max is a gizmo-savvy guy, who has a tendency to get pulled into the nitty gritty details of technology and cars. He attended UT Austin, where he studied Information Science. He’s married and has three kids, one dog and a GMC truck and a Porsche 911. With a large family, he still finds time to share tips and tricks on cars, trucks and more.
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