Last Updated on September 17, 2022 by John Robinson
Have you ever been driving and your car radio turned off? It can be really frustrating when you’re trying to listen to your favorite song and the sound just cuts out.
Here are a few things that you can check to ensure your car radio doesn’t cut out next time you’re out on the road:
- Ensure all fuses are intact and haven’t blown
- Ensure that your car battery isn’t low
- Check that the faceplate is securely in place
- Have a look at all electronic connections and make sure they’re clean and tight
6 Reasons why does car radio keep turning off?
Here is the detail of reasons why does radio keep turning off, maybe it will help you to repair the problem. And do not forget to read the tips on how to keep car stereos in good health.
1. Low Battery
Your car battery is low. This can be caused by reasons such as not starting your car frequently enough, leaving the lights on when you park your car, or by having a fault with the alternator.
Your battery is old. Batteries don’t last forever and after a few years they can’t hold as much charge as they used to.
2. Broken Alternator
Your alternator is broken. If your car battery dies while you’re driving, this could be because your alternator has stopped working and isn’t charging the battery anymore. This could also result in other electrical problems such as your car radio turning off intermittently and your car battery dying when you turn the engine on.
3. Faulty Fuses
A faulty fuses or blown fuse box. Fuses control the power going through certain parts of your car’s electrics, so if one blows it can affect other parts, including any devices plugged into them. So if you get a new make sure that all old ones are out of the fuse box.
4. Faulty Car Stereo
It could be your car stereo is faulty or not compatible with your car. If you’re sure all the items mentioned above are in working order, and yet your radio still keeps cutting out it might be worth getting a new stereo for your car. This way, you will know that it’s not one of those issues causing problems and can be sure that it’s simply compatibility issues.
5. Loose connection
A loose connection somewhere. Here we need to go deeper into what electrical parts do as they operate differently as time goes on as well as wear and tear. The reason why your car radio turn off by itself could come from connections breaking along the wires which connect different devices within your vehicle such as speakers and your radio. This is something that will need to be checked by a professional in order to get the best result.
6. Loose Faceplate
If your faceplate is loose, it won’t mount as securely as it should, and can as a result cause issues with the radio’s electrical connections. If the face plate is still intact but seems to have come loose from its mounting place, you might simply need to tighten the screws that hold it in place.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why car stereo shuts off when volume is turned up?
When you turn up the volume on your stereo, it actually increases the power going to the speakers. In some car stereos this could lead to a surge of power causing the unit to shut down temporarily. Turn down your stereo and restart it. it should be able to handle higher volumes.
Why car turn off after some minutes?
It’s most likely your car radio is overheating or has some internal issues. Check if there are any loose connections in the wires. If they’re intact make sure there is no dust or debris blocking the cooling fans. Remove any junk from in your car stereo and clean it with a moist cloth, don’t use water because it could cause damage.
Why does my car radio turn off when I attach a new battery?
If your car radio keep cutting off after attaching a new battery, it’s possible that your alternator or voltage regulator is broken. If they’re fine, your car radio or other stereo components are probably faulty.
Why does the radio keep turning off when I have my headlights on?
It’s probably caused by a faulty headlight switch. If your headlight switch is working fine, it could be due to loose connections that are causing it to turn off.
How to maintain Car stereo? BONUS TIPS
Do not crank radio at full volume
Your car stereo is designed to produce great sound when the audio level is moderated and loud music can cause damage to speakers and headphones. Crank your radio at full volume for an extended period of time will drain the battery which could result in a dead battery and it also might result in blowing your car stereo.
Keep away from heat
Keeping your car stereo in hot places for a prolonged period of time can result in damage, to the point it will not even turn on. Keep your car stereo out of the sun when you are not using it and remove any unnecessary items that come between it and where you keep it.
Remove CDs after use
Image excerpt from Wikihow
Keeping your car stereo on while the CD is in the drive can damage it because of heat. Always remove CDs from the CD player after use and if possible, store them in a cool place.
Remove dangling accessories
Some cars come with accessories like iPod docks which stick out of the stereo itself. These should be removed whenever you turn off your car otherwise they can become loose and damage to your stereo.
Don’t let water get into the CD player
If you leave a window open just a little and it starts raining and reaches your stereo, this could damage your whole system because water could easily flow inside and reach electrical components. If this occurs just remove the faceplate of your stereo and dry it out thoroughly.
