Why the car radio won’t turn off?
A car radio won’t turn off if both of its power wires are configured “hot” or if it has developed an ignition switch problem. Some car radios also won’t turn off due to a faulty door switch.
If you are reading this article, you might have experienced what’s more bothersome than having a broken stereo unit, i.e., a car radio that won’t turn off. In some instances, your car radio gets over-efficient and continues to provide transmission even when you have switched the radio and the car off.
If you are baffled by your radio working when it is not supposed to, continue reading this piece. Here, we will discuss some of the common underlying reasons why a car radio won’t turn off.
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Aftermarket stereo – both power wires are hot all the time
If you have replaced your stock head unit with an aftermarket stereo and facing this issue, immediately look at its wiring. The aftermarket stereo unit might not be wired properly.
Usually, a car stereo has three power wires: one hot, one cold, and one ground. The hot one (yellow wire) has voltage/current all the time.
The cold connection (red wire) is connected to the ignition and only turns on hot when the ignition is on (or on “acc”). The ground wire does the grounding of the entire electrical connection.
If both yellow and red wires are hot even when you haven’t put the key in the ignition, you can face this problem. Check the wires through a voltmeter or a test light.
If both wires show readings around 12V when the ignition is completely off, you need to rewire the connections.
You have to connect one of the two hot wires to the ignition to ensure the radio won’t remain on forever. However, check your ignition before fiddling with wires.
A Faulty Ignition Switch
If you have an old car with a wearing ignition switch, examine it when your car radio won’t turn off. After checking whether both power connections of the radio are hot, a good practice is to analyze its ignition switch first. There are two major ways to determine if an ignition switch is a culprit behind this bothersome issue.
- Open the ignition switch box and see if its acc (accessory) connection offers power even when the key is locked at the “off” position. If there is power on the “acc” terminal with the ignition in the “off” position, you need to get the switch fixed or replaced.
- Sometimes an ignition cylinder wears out to develop a mechanical fault where you can remove the key when it is locked in at “acc” or “off” position. If this is happening with your ignition switch and your radio doesn’t turn off even when the car is completely off, you might have to replace the ignition instead of fiddling with the power cables of the radio.
A Default Feature Getting Deteriorated
Some car radios come with a default feature where they don’t turn off when you switch off the ignition. They turn off when you open and close the door when stepping out of the car.
These car radios are connected with the door switch to execute this feature. If your dome light doesn’t correspond to the opening and closing of the car door, it indicates that the switch has malfunctioned and might have also pushed your car radio in always-on mode.
Even none of the scenarios mentioned above applies to your car radio, but it is still not turning off, you need to get in touch with car stereo experts. A seasoned technician will be able to identify the issue and save you from this bothersome and battery-draining issue.
