A car stereo is one of the most critical components for any car audio system.
This is why seeing that the car stereo has power but still won’t turn on can be frustrating.
You wonder if it is dead and you’d need a new one altogether. Fortunately, that’s not the case most of the time
and can happen due to a variety of other factors as well.
Below we’ll discuss some of the common reasons why car stereos don’t turn on even when they have power, and how you can solve them.
1. Fix Anti-theft Protection Mode
Many car stereos come with a security feature known as anti-theft protection mode that gets automatically activated in case of a power interruption. This is like a kill-switch that is supposed to make a car stereo useless in case of theft.
The implementation of this feature varies from one model to another.
In some models, there’ll be a message displayed on the screen such as “code”. You’ll have to enter that specific code to get it out of the protection mode. So check the owner’s manual to see if your car stereo has any such mode.
On the other hand, the blank screen is a sign that the problem lies somewhere else.
2. Replace Blown Car Radio Fuse
A fuse is an electrical component designed to protect the car audio equipment against overcurrent and short-circuiting. A power surge can cause a fuse to blow which, in turn, doesn’t not allow the car radio to turn on.
That’s why now we’ll check if the fuse is blown and replace it if it is.
First, we’ll have to find the location of the fuse(s). In older car models, it’s located on the back of the radio and you’ll have to remove the entire unit and access its rear area to replace the fuse.
In new models though, this fuse can be found alongside other fuses in the fuse box. This box is usually located behind the dashboard.
In the fuse box, look out for the radio fuse and replace it if blown.
To verify if it’s actually blown, you can use a multimeter. Some manufacturers have combined radio fuses with those of other areas of the vehicle and labeled them as “Accessories” or “Interior Lights”. That’s why make sure to check your vehicle manual for more info.
Ideally, though, you should replace any blown fuse you find in this box, whether it’s related to your issue or not, as it’s considered one of the most essential car maintenance practices.
Similarly, if you’ve installed an inline fuse on the power wire, you’ll need to inspect that as well since it can cause the amplifier to go in protect mode.
3. Replace Pigtail Connector and Wiring
Up next, we’ll check the pigtail connector and the wiring to see if they’re working properly.
For the pigtail connector, you’ll need to take out the head unit and access its rear. Once there, you’ll need to physically inspect the connector and make sure it’s connected properly to make a good contact.
If you’re unsure about it, replace the connector with the new one and then see if anything changes.
For the latter, we’ll particularly inspect the red-colored 12-volt ignition wire, yellow-colored 12-volt battery wire, and the black-colored ground wire.
These wires are colored in this manner for factory stereos only. If you’re using an aftermarket stereo, these wires can have different colors depending on the manufacturer.
The yellow wire should have 12 volts even if the car is turned off, while the red wire should have 12 volts only when the car is powered on.
Lastly, check the ground connection to make sure there’s no rust and the connection is secure. Poor ground connection generally doesn’t cause the stereo to not turn on but a disconnected one can.
4. Replace the Car Stereo
If you’ve tried all of the steps above and the car stereo is still not turning on, maybe the problem is with the unit itself. In order to confirm this, replace the existing car stereo with a spare unit without changing anything else. If you see it turning on, then all you need now is getting a new unit for your car audio.