How to Fix a Car Stereo Touch Screen? [SOLUTIONS]

Touch screens have revolutionized our infotainment and personal devices. They have made the UX more immersive and make the navigation a whole lot easier. Today, car stereos also come with touch screen front panels, acting as the display screen as well as the control (navigation) panel. With all its upsides, a car stereo touch screen like any other electromechanical item can stop working.

This might be due to external reasons (scratches, impacts, etc) or internal faults (circuitry malfunctions, etc). Here, we will guide you on how to fix a car stereo touch screen in both scenarios.

When Touch Screen Is Not Working Due to Scratches

If your car touch screen has developed too many scratches over the years, and they have started rendering it nonfunctional, you might need to carry out a cleaning job on it. There are two DIY methods you can consider to fix a car stereo touch screen this way.

• Use Off-the-Shelf Scratch Remover
• Use Petroleum Jelly

Use Off-the-Shelf Scratch Remover

Ready-made scratch remover products available in the market are for all sorts of LCD/LED touch screens. You can give them a try to fix the touch screen of your car stereo.

• Buy any off-the-shelf scratch remover solution/paste available for LCD screens. You can find many reliable options Check Price.
• Apply the solution/paste on the screen— a half-inch paste line would be enough for a 6-7 inch touch screen.
• Expand the paste across the screen and rub it vigorously in a circular motion with a microfiber cloth. Particularly focus on patches with more scratches.
• Continue the rubbing for 2-3 minutes.
• If needed, repeat the same procedure once again.

Use Petroleum Jelly

Regular petroleum jelly can also help you restore your car stereo touch screen by filling up the micro-cracks at the scratch sites.

• First, clean the stereo screen with alcohol to remove dust, dirt, and grease— soak any soft cloth in alcohol and wipe the screen with it.
• After the screen dries with no visible contaminations on it, apply the petroleum jelly to it. Use the same proportion as scratch remover paste i.e. half an inch spot for a 6-7 inch panel.
• Expand and rub the jelly onto the entire screen with particular focus on a more scratched surface.
• Repeat the drill if you think your finger can still feel the roughness of the scratches.
• Remove the excess jelly with a soft cloth. Wipe the excess jelly with a light hand without putting pressure on the screen.

When Touch Screen Is Not Working Due to Internal Issues

If scratches are not the reason behind your nonfunctional stereo touch screen, it might have developed an internal issue. With internal issues, you don’t have an option to fix it yourself except for replacing the old screen with a new one.

These are the steps you need to follow to replace your nonfunctional car stereo touch screen. Some steps might be slightly changed, depending on the stereo model. However, you will need to follow the following steps with more or less every touchscreen.

• Remove the screws on the front panel and take the panel off from the stereo chassis.
• The back of the panel will be connected to the stereo circuit board (motherboard) through slotted cables. Remove those cables to completely detach the front panel. The front panel will comprise a circuit board and screen panel.
• Remove the screws on the button board (at the back of the panel). Also, remove the tapes connecting the screen with a circuit board.
• Take the LCD out of the front panel and put the new touch screen there.
• Put it back with the circuit in the front panel and then install it again with the button board.
• Connect the front panel to the stereo motherboard with the slotted wires. Fix the panel into the chassis and tight the screws.

Video tutorial on how to replace car stereo touch screen

This video tutorial will further help you in replacing your broken/nonfunctional car stereo touch screen with a new one.