Driving on your way home or when going to work, the car radio is your only friend when you’re alone. It is the one that will keep you company during long drives and boring road trips. But what if one day while cruising through the road with pleasant music playing on the background, then all of a sudden the battery dies on you.
That will be a very frustrating and disappointing spot to be stuck into. However, if you think that scenario is a nightmare, how much more if after jump-starting you discover that the only friend keeping you company on long drives, your radio won’t turn on?
Why won’t your car radio turn on after your battery died? There two significant things that can cause a car radio not to turn on after having the car battery died and getting a jump-start.
The probable causes of this problem include the security features of the radio and damage inflicted on the device by the jump-start. It can also be pure coincidence where the radio has its own issues, and strangely enough, it came out after the incident of the battery dying on you and having a jump-start.
Modern car electronic components today are designed with security features to protect them from various electrical issues; this may cause the radio to refuse from turning on. On the other hand, jump-starting a discharged battery is necessary to bring it back to life, but it can impact the electrical components of the car.
This can damage the radio and cause it to be dysfunctional, which can explain why it won’t turn on. However, these issues are not that bad because they are fixable, so you don’t have to panic or overreact.
Having trouble with your car radio? I figured because finding you here reading this article tells me that you are looking for a solution. Well, if you are in the same spot as described above, then this certainly is the right place for you.
Come and join me, and together, let’s take a closer look at the issues the may cause a car radio not to turn after a jump-start and the methods to fix it.
Most Common Causes of this Strange Case With the Radio
A car radio the won’t turn on after an incident of having a dead battery and getting it replaced or jump-started is a really strange case. Is it just a mere coincidence, or is it really an effect of the dying cell, the installation of the replacement, or the jump-starting?
It’s hard to speculate about it. However, no matter how strange this case, the bottom line is that some caused it to tell us that there’s a way to find that cause and fix it.
In my goal to help people like you, I’ve gathered a lot of information about this kind of issue and listed the most common causes of this problem. I’ve listed them below, so feel free to check them out and learn more about these common causes.
1. Security Features of the Radio Activating Protected Mode
Car radios are valuable car accessories that are often targeted by thieves, making them prone to theft. Due to this, manufacturers devised a system to protect car owners and keep them from being a victim of theft.
Manufacturers also paired this theft protection with a safety feature that protects the devices from power surges or electrical issues that may inflict some damage. This safety and security features work by preventing itself from operating or turning on in an event the power is interrupted or cut.
On that note, it is conclusive that these security or safety features are activated when the power is prevented from being supplied to the radio. In this logic, since the scenario shows that the battery died all of a sudden, it can trigger the safety features to be activated.
Having the automotive battery died suddenly cuts the power of the radio, which may be the reason behind our case.
2. Jump-Start Process Inflicted Damage to the Car Radio
In case the car radio doesn’t turn on after a jump-start is performed, the issue can still be related to the radio’s security features. The fact that a jump-start was needed and carried out only means that the battery died, and the power supplied to all electronic components was cut.
If your radio unit doesn’t have these safety or anti-theft features, then it can be a case of a damaged car radio.
If done wrong, charging a car battery and jump-starting can be dangerous to both the driver and the electronic components of the car. Keep in mind that almost all car batteries used today are lead-acid cells that contain hydrogen gas with the possibility of leaking.
Remember that this is an element with an explosive nature, and carrying out a jump-start incorrectly with leaking explosive gas can possibly start an explosion. If that happens, the radio will be the least of your concerns or problems.
Going back to the issue on the radio, obviously, the explosion damage is tragic but possible, so be sure to do jump-starts with extreme caution.
Anyway, jump-starting and incorrect charging can also damage various electrical components of a car in a more discreet way. If the jumper cables or charger cables are hooked up the wrong way, electrical issues may arise.
Charging or carrying out a jump-start with reverse polarity connection will be dangerous to various electrical components of the car. The ones that are turned on or operating while the jump-start is performed are the ones at risk.
If this happens, there’s a considerable chance that the electrical components will be fried. On that note, this can also be the culprit in our case.
3. Concealed Issues on the Radio with a Strange Timing of Manifesting
As strange as it is, it can also be due to a concealed problem with the car radio that somehow strangely manifested itself after the incident. Or it can also be a concealed problem triggered by the incident.
In case the radio does not have the safety and security features, and all of the fusible related components are all good. This strange issue can be due to a problem with the radio that came up with a weird timing. This is a more complex issue, but it is also as rare as our case.
There! Those are the most common causes the will lead to a strange situation like this. If your car radio problem falls on whichever of these two causes, you will probably be in luck.
In the research I did about our strange case, the car owners experienced the same case shared a few methods to fix it. Some of them also had comments from car experts sharing their knowledge, and I also took the time and put all those information here.
Read related article: Does listening to the radio drain car battery?
Addressing the Issues Causing the Strange Case
Thanks to the generous and kind car owners out there as well as the car experts who gladly shared their experiences online. I managed to help people like you by writing articles and guides like this.
I am just passing it forward cause I’ve been on a situation like your before, with a different kind of issue though, and someone helped me. In homage to the one helped me, I made it a commitment to help other with guides and articles like this.
Anyway, let get back to the issue and go straight to point. If you have a car radio that won’t turn on after an incident where the battery died. And in any case, your issue falls on the two cases I discussed above, here are the things you can do to try to address your problems.
Getting the Radio Fixed by Deactivating the Security Features
After checking your car radio, you verified that it has a safety or security feature, preventing it from operating. The way to fix it is to deactivate the feature by entering a specific security code.
In a case like this, the radio usually has a display with the word “CODE” spelled on the screen or a blank display. This simply means that entering the correct code will resolve everything.
The problem is, where should you get the code, right? It’s like solving a problem with another problem. Now your only obstacle is where to get the code that you need.
Keep in mind that most manufacturers record most of the significant details on the owner’s manual. That being said, check your car’s owner’s manual and look for the correct code in there.
In case you bought your car as a secondhand investment and the manual was not included. You can either reach out to the former owner and directly ask for the manual or for the code.
If because of some reason that it won’t happen, you can try to get the code by trying to reach out to a local dealer or by visiting the OEM part website. You can also pay a service center to look for the code for you and let them do the rest.
Issue on the Damage Inflicted by Jump-Start or Charging
In case the radio does not have the security features, you don’t have to worry about your radio being locked out.
Maybe the problem that causes your car radio not to turn is that it got damaged when the jump-start was carried out but not in the proper way or changing the battery incorrectly. However, the good news is that fusible links or fuses protect most electronic devices like radios.
If that is the case, then what causes the issue with your radio is a blown fuse, or its fusible link is blown. It can also be a case of a melted wire somewhere within the radio or near it.
A case like this may also tell you that other electrical components are damaged. That is why it is very important that performing a jump-start has to be done correctly.
Anyway, the first thing you can do to try to fix the issue is to try replacing the blown fuse of the device or the fusible link connected to the radio. If you don’t have any idea how to do it, you will have to look for a professional mechanic to do it. Same as the case of having a wire connected to the radio melted.
Final Thought
Those are the possible ways of fixing a radio that won’t start after the battery has died or after doing a jump-start. Remember, if you don’t know how to carry out the methods of fixing the device, you have to seek a professional. Otherwise, trying to do it yourself might complicate it more.
If it is pure coincidence, then it means that there’s something wrong with your car radio. Your best to fix it is probably to get it checked out and let the professionals handle it for you. However, it will gonna cost you a few bucks for service fees and possible part replacements.
