Car Stereos: Troubleshooting Faulty Stereos

If you have a little understanding of electrics then you can use this basic troubleshooting guideline to help you to fix problems with your stereo system. You should incorporate these steps when you encounter a variety of problems including a loss of sound, crackling sound and power drainage. These issues can often arise directly following installation, although they can also happen as a matter of routine.

There are a number of different reasons why car stereos go wrong, ranging from faulty wires to broken speakers. We have created this guideline as a way of helping you to fix such routine problems. However, occasionally, the problem may be something much more complicated than that which we have addressed here, and as such, there will be times when you need to consult an audio specialist.

Finding the Source of the Problem

Clearly, you cannot fix a problem until you know what that problem is. This is the hardest part of the process and you need to adopt a technique of trial and error and try to isolate different parts of the system so that you can establish in what area the problem has arisen.

The first thing you should do is check to make sure that all the wires are properly connected. Sometimes the problem is as simple as a wire not being connected properly, or working itself free. If this fixes the problem then great, if not:

Disconnect the wire that links the amplifier and the stereo, but keep all other wires plugged in. Does the problem continue, or has it stopped? If it is stopped then you know that it is probably a problem with the amplifier – although it could be a problem with the stereo.

Next, reconnect the amp and stereo, using car stereo fitting kits if you have one, and disconnect the speakers from the stereo. Is the problems gone? Or is it still there? If it has gone, and you had the problem with the amp, then you now know that it is the amp with the problem. If it’s there, but there was no problem with the amp, then you know it’s the speakers. If the problem persists then it is probably a problem with the stereo itself.

If you have found a problem, then first thing that you should do is replace the connecting cables. If this has solved the problem then good, but if not, then you may need to check the fuses. Change the fuse in the area that you found the fault. E.g., change the fuse in the amp. If this works, great, if not, then you may need to replace the amp/speaker/stereo, depending on where you found the problem.

If the system is a new system you installed using car stereo fitting kits, and you found that the problem was with the speakers or amps, then it may be a power-supply issue. If the car battery cannot produce enough energy to drive the speakers or amps, then they won’t work. Use an auxiliary power supply to check if this is the problem. If it is, you need to buy a better battery, or buy a less powerful amp/speaker combination.

We hope that you have found this article useful, but if you would like further information, including information about car stereo fitting kits, then please visit our website.