A car stereo system is one of the most important features of a vehicle, and it goes a long way to make your drive more fun. 

Unfortunately, car stereos develop problems just like any other machines; and may prove difficult to solve, especially if you don’t know your way around a car’s electrical system. 

Various problems may arise, and these need to be addressed in good time before things get out of hand. 

This article considers the common problems that affect car stereo systems, their symptoms, and proposed solutions.

A car stereo system is one of the most important features of a vehicle, and it goes a long way to make your drive more fun. 

Unfortunately, car stereos develop problems just like any other machines; and may prove difficult to solve, especially if you don’t know your way around a car’s electrical system. 

Various problems may arise, and these need to be addressed in good time before things get out of hand. 

This article considers the common problems that affect car stereo systems, their symptoms, and proposed solutions.

No Power to Radio/Radio not Functioning

Typically, the car radio may fail to work due to issues affecting the power sources or areas where the current is passing through. Wiring is an important part of the electrical system, and any problem with it can easily result in a car radio failure. 

This is because the radio is connected to the speakers and power source through wires, so any issues that arise in the wiring will cut off the supply of power to the radio. Furthermore, the car radio uses a fuse to avoid damage as a result of excess power. 

So, in case something happens to the fuse, the audio circuit is interrupted with no power getting to the radio. Another issue that may cause car radio failure is ground connector problems. 

Some of the symptoms that could point to the loss of power to the radio include the car radio display, as well as the sound, going off simultaneously. This may mean the power getting to the head unit is inadequate. Sometimes the radio keeps on turning off at irregular intervals which is normally a sign of ground connection or power connection problems. 

In some cases, the radio may turn off whenever you drive over a bump or negotiate a corner or the radio fails to turn on entirely. The problem here could be that there is a loose connector at the back of the head unit or a blown fuse/ wiring issue respectively. 

Some possible solutions to this would be to check, using the multimeter, whether the fuse is blown. If the fuse is blown, there will be no ohm reading on the multimeter when you touch the metal caps on the fuse. But if there is a reading, then the problem might be somewhere else.

You can also examine the wiring to check if there are any problems. The ground connection is another area to watch out for. In case of any rust or looseness in the ground connection, you’ll need to fix this to get the radio working normally.

No Bass Coming from the Speakers

This is a common problem that arises when you try to upgrade the factory speakers or replace them with new aftermarket speakers. Usually, the bass sound is produced when the speakers push air simultaneously. However, sometimes one speaker pushes air as the other pulls air, leading to a lack of bass. 

This may happen if the speakers are out of polarity. Another thing that may cause the bass to disappear is when the aftermarket speakers are harder and heavier than the factory speakers. You can tell you have this problem on your stereo when the bass is not produced no matter how high you turn the volume. 

To diagnose this issue, start by checking whether the wiring from the speakers to the head unit and stereo is correct. In essence, the speaker’s positive terminal needs to be connected to the positive terminal of the other component and the same is true for the negative terminal. 

Another solution you might try out is to install a more powerful external amplifier, to power the subwoofers in your car. It may be that the current amplifier you have installed is not powerful enough, which will result in the subs producing negligible base. 

Bad Sound Quality After Installing Aftermarket Products

If the quality of sound from your newly installed aftermarket speakers is not what you expected, then it’s possible that they are positioned wrongly in the car. Failing to consider the placement of a speaker during installation may undermine the eventual sound quality. 

The same applies if you use the wrong techniques to install the speakers. Another reason could be the application of incompatible aftermarket products. Remember that most OEM systems are configured to have compatible parts. 

For instance, if you install an aftermarket head unit that is compatible with the OEM speakers, the sound quality may not be up to standard. Lastly, the replacement speakers may also be of low quality and offer no additional value when compared to the factory speakers. 

If positioning is the reason why your car's stereo sound quality is underwhelming, then try to do some research on the best placement and make the necessary adjustments. If you can’t make any headway, then you might have to find a professional technician to properly set up the speakers for you. 

Unwanted Noise from the Car Stereo System

There are a couple of reasons for this problem. For one, the issue could be in the head unit. If the head unit has power cables passing close to the RCA cable, you might hear an unusual noise when the car stereo is playing. This noise may also be heard if you used low-quality power cables in the system.

The second reason could be a problem with the amplifier. A clipping noise heard when the radio is playing is an indication of a faulty amplifier. This happens when the power coming from the amp is insufficient. Also, the clipping sound may be clear if the wires connected to the amplifier are damaged or burnt.            

Another cause for unusual stereo noise is ground loops. This refers to a case whereby the car stereo system is grounded at two distinct points. It usually results in a different current flow being introduced, leading to interference and the subsequent noise in the audio system. 

Other sources of the problem include an alternator wine, which is evident when the rpm of the car fluctuates. The noise increases as the rpm of the car increases and vice versa.  Furthermore, as the speaker gets old, it tends to crackle and the crackling also happens due to low-quality inputs such as the CD and auxiliary. 

To resolve the issue you first need to figure out the source of the noise. Once you track down the source, solving the problem gets much easier. If the head unit is where the issue is, check the power cables and ensure that they are around 18” from the RCA cables. Alternatively, you can use shielded cables for protection against induced noise. 

For the amplifier, you want to upgrade to a model with a higher power rating to ensure that enough power is supplied to the speakers. 

Ground loops are solved by getting rid of one of the grounding paths to leave a single grounding location for the stereo system. 

The solution for an alternator wine may compel you to change the alternator while the crackling of speakers due to old age will require a new set of speakers.