As we all know, Car amplifiers are so important to enjoy quality music and increase the bass in the sound system of your car. Basically, for effective and high-quality sound, your amplifier required some power from an external source, but why your car amplifiers won’t turn on? So, we are going to explain the basic reasons behind the issue of “why your car amp won’t turn on” and also their easy fixes. So let’s get started for further detail!
Basic reasons behind the issue
Sometimes you are driving and listening to music and the power suddenly dies, and your favorite track cuts out. If your amp has a power and protection light, then you need to check what color it has illuminated.
- If the light is red, then your amp has shut down by excessive heat, a short circuit, or any kind of electrical issue.
- If the light is yellow, that means, it indicates a low-impedance situation.
- If there is no light on the amp, then your amp is not getting power at all.
If you notice that the car amplifier is not getting power, then it does not work at all. First thing you have to figure out what is the reason behind the issue or why isn’t it getting power in the first place. Generally speaking, if your car amplifier does not get any power, it may be due to some reason. Some of them are given below!
- The Disconnected, short, broken, or lose power wire can be the main culprit.
- Never no, it may be a Loose, Broken, shorted or disconnected remote wire behind the issue.
- There could be Missing, corroded, or loose amplifier ground wire behind the issue.
- It might be a Blown fuse.
- Basically, a Dead or low car battery might be the exact issue.
- However, there could be Loose or corroded car battery cables
- A faulty alternator can be the real reason for this issue.
- There could be a loose connection in your music system.
- Maybe, the Dirty Battery Terminals need cleaning up
- It can be said, the insufficient voltage to the amplifier is the basic reason.
- You may forget to turn on the car.
- The amplifier might be in protection mode
- You could have a faulty alternator.
How to fix the issue?
There are some easy fixes that you can try to resolve the issue:
1. Blown Fuses
Blown fuses are the most common reason behind an amplifier not getting any power issues, and you just need to check the fuses first before starting the fixing process. So, If your notice that your fuse is blown, then you need to replace it with one of the same values. Make sure the fuse should never different from the original amperage because a different amperage can cause to damage your amplifier or car.
The fuses including the radio fuse, are located behind the removable plastic panel on the driver’s side of the dash. This plastic panel can be easily removed with slight pressure and pulling it down. After removing it, you can see all fuses here such as stereo fuses, dome light fuses, cigarette lighter fuses, etc. After taking the fuse out, there are two ways to know whether it has blown or not.
- The first way is that you can take out the old one and now look at the metal filament inside the fuse. If you see that there is any broken or burnt, then you need to replace it.
- The second way is that, if you want to check the fuse without removing the fuse, then you can use a multimeter to check if it is working properly or not.
2. Disconnected, Loose, or Broken Power Wire
If the amplifier is not getting power, then must check both ends of your power wire. If they are properly connected to the battery, fuse, and amplifier terminals. If you notice any issues with the power wire connection, then you need to fix them by reattaching or replacing the loose or damaged wires. If you find out that the amp might not be getting power from its electrical source then you can verify that the amplifier is receiving power by checking the voltage with the help of a multimeter:
- You can use a multimeter to measure the resistance between the positive and negative leads on the amp’s power supply.
- You can also use a multimeter to measure the AC voltage between the positive and negative that lead to the amp’s power supply.
3. Shorted or Disconnected Remote Turn-on Wire
The remote turn-on wire has come into contact with a positive wire, so make sure that the remote turn-on wire is connected to the remote of your receiver output. Otherwise, the voltage cannot flow through it, then your amplifier won’t get any power. If you are not so confident to check the wires then you need to get the help of an electrician or professional car audio installer to resolve the issue.
4. Faulty Alternator
There could be a fault in your alternator. The alternator supplies your battery with electricity. So, a faulty alternator will make the reason that your amplifier does not receive power. Basically, the lack of power for the amplifier and a faulty alternator may also cause other electrical components of the car not to work. If you notice any problem with the alternator then you need to replace it with the new one.
5. Low or Dead Car Battery
The low or dead battery is also the main reason why your car amplifier won’t turn on. If the car battery is dead, then it will not send an adequate amount of power to your amplifier, and the amplifier will not work. And you need to replace it. And if it is low then you need to check for a low battery, you just have to turn the key to the “on” position. If the battery does not turn over, then you have to recharge it. You can check the battery by using a multimeter.
- If you see 12.4 volts, that means your battery is fully charged.
- If it is less than 12.4 volts, then your battery needs to be recharged.
- If your battery shows less than 12 volts of electrical power, then a “no power” issue may happen.
6. The stereo or Car Not Turned On
Sometimes you forget to turn on your car, so if you have not turned on your car, then the amp will not get power. Many OEM amplifiers connect to an accessory switch to turn it on and off from your stereo controls. So, you need to connect the car amplifier to the stereo via the remote wire.
7. Bad Ground Connection
If the grounding wires are corroded or loose, then your car amp won’t turn on. In this way, the amplifier has a secure ground connection. If you see that there is a bad ground connection then you need to resolve the issue. To fix this problem, you have to do this:
- You have to disconnect the ground wire from the car chassis,
- Now, you have to strip about ½ inch of the insulation off the wire,
- Next, you have to clean up the area where you want to cement with sandpaper
- Now you have to reattach it by screwing it down tightly to the chassis.
- Make sure, the ground wire is properly connected to the bare car chassis.
8. Loose or Corroded Car Battery Cables
Loose car battery cable is also a common reason behind your car amplifier isn’t getting power. So, you need to turn off the ignition to check the tightness of the battery terminals and cables. If you see, it is loose then tighten it well and see if it works. You need to clean or replace them if they are corroded.
9. The amplifier in Protection Mode
As we all know, all Amplifiers have a protection mode that helps to protect them from damage by excessive heat. Car amplifier protection mode will shut down automatically an amplifier when the internal temperature comes to the predetermined point and it will never turn on again until the temperature drops. So, suppose your amplifier is overheating and going into protection mode. In that case, you need to fix the issue because if you don’t do this immediately, it will burn out your amplifier or system components.
Conclusion
A lot of people have to blame their car amplifiers for not turning on. So we have mentioned some basic reasons behind the issue of “why your car amp won’t turn on” and also some helpful fixes to resolve the issue. If none of the above solutions will work then you need to call a professional. We hope so, this article will help you a lot!
