My car stereo sound cuts off BUT the display stays on!?

Question

I get in my car and turn the stereo on... I listen to music for a couple of minutes and then the sound completely dies.... the display stays on and I can hear the actual cd moving (when it changes songs) but the only way the sound will come back on is if I turn the stereo off for a while (it isnt on long enough to be overheating!) This is extremely frustrating becuase I drive A LOT! PLEASE HELP ME

I meant I dont think the stereo is over heating... it isnt on for long enough.... I have 4 speakers (one in each door) and 2 15" speakers in the back.... they are all dead? If the speakers were broken wouldnt there be NO sounds at all.... *sigh I will take it to a car place... I just thought maybe it was simply a fuse or something... I'm a girl who knows nothing about cars... sorry

The stereo is pretty new... a clarion 7 inch touchscreen.... I am hoping it is something loose.... thanks for all the feedback!!!

The only bad thing is that I have a really nice amp hooked up (I dont know the details) and the stereo has been working for the past 9 months.... I would think the stereo was completely broken but then why does it initially work... I will take it to an audio place... they just charge an arm and a leg and I am a poor college student *frown

Answer 1

It sounds like you have a signal overload. Too little power from your stereo trying to pump out to six speakers of exceptional size.

The other answerers may also be right, but to me this sounds like the most probable cause:

Obviously there is no problem with power in the stereo because the display stays on and the cd keeps turning. So the fault is within the signal somewhere between the stereo and your speakers. Speakers don't 'die.' They are either damaged by impact, cracked by too high of volume or somehow demagnetized. But when 6 speakers to go at once indicates something within the delivery of the signal from the stereo.

It sounds like you need to add a power amplifier ('amp') to your system. It's quite normal. Basically it's a power booster that allows the right amount of signal to travel through all those wires to all those speakers including those biggies in the back.

When it shuts off on you, what is happening is the same as when you're at home and you've put too many appliances on one circuit, like heaters, toasters and hair dryers, and the breaker trips. It's a fail-safe. Instead of blowing a fuse, it breaks the circuit and shuts itself off for protection so your stereo doesn't get fried. Failing a circuit break, the fuse is designed to blow to save the electronic components and is like a 2nd failsafe and, again, you don't have to go out and buy a new stereo. If your fuse is blown, then there's no way for the circuit to be completed and your stereo would not turn on at all because it can't get power (if the fuse does blow, its only a few cents to replace yourself but you'll have to keep doing it if you don't correct the cause). So it sounds like a built in circuit breaker keeps kicking in each time you fire up the system and your fuse is not blown yet.

Whoever installed your stereo should have been aware of this requirement. Check to see if it's under warranty. If so, I would have words with them about not recommending an amp. If its not under warranty, it should only take a couple hours to have an amp installed. Get advice on what kind of amp you should buy. Ask around with your buddies. Everyone always knows someone, who knows someone, who is smart and friendly enough to install it for you for a case of beer and a free lunch.

Answer 2

I have a 2012 Kia Rio5. I have the factory deck, still, but put two 12 s in the back. I also put aftermarket speakers in all 4doors. The amp to the subs is more than enough to push those, so, here s what one guy told me (if I m remembering correctly); The factory deck is probably a 2 amp stereo, and that I need to upgrade to an aftermarket deck with 4 amps.

Something I read told me that it could be, is that, the computers in newer cars could be switching the radio off due to the cpu getting confused as to why so much power is going somewhere else.

Answer 3

if you dont have an amp connected to the 15" that could cause the clarion to shut off quick. the other possibility is that you may have a grounding speaker. which means it is either almost blown or a wire is loose. even if the speaker sound fine when they are playing the speaker internally could ground. best thing to do is have a professional shop check it out. not really best buy or circuit city.but go online @ www.clarion.com and find an authorized dealer or repair center they should only charge $30 to $50 an hour to look @ it. if you dont have an amp hooked up to your 15" subs disconnect them and buy an amp. because it could damage your radio.

Answer 4

Many times I've found that this problem is caused by a loose heat sync on the back of the radio (small metal piece w/ fins usually fastened by 1 or 2 screws) try tightening them. This may solve your problem.

#2 one of your speaker connections may be shorting to ground (the vehicle body) causing the amp to act like this.

#3 wires shorting-check (or have someone check) connections

Or maybe the radio is just seen better days?

Is is by chance a Kenwood?

By the way, speakers DO overheat. I don't know where you get your info from.

Good Luck!

Answer 5

Are they stock speakers? A blown speaker can cause the head units internal amplifier to shut down. So can a speaker wire touching ground. Your subs will still play because they are connected through the RCA pre-amp output which is separate from the internal amp driving your speakers. The easiest way to find your problem is to pull the head unit and bench test it. If it works fine on a test bench, then there is something wrong inside the car (blown speaker, wire touching metal etc). If you duplicate the problem on the bench then you need to decide whether it is cheaper to repair it or replace it.

Answer 6

There are many reasons your stereo may be playing up, rather than give you useless advice i would suggest you get someone to look at it.
Good Luck.
(stereo output damaged, Circuit board overheating or a component on the board is burned out)

Answer 7

ummm......speakers don't overheat. It's magnetic waves and vibrations moving. The problem is the speakers are broke. The rest works well and it keeps acting normall but your speakers are gonners. Get new ones.

Answer 8

Where do you live? Maybe i could help if your close to me... Anyways sounds like the deck has a short or a wire coming undone. Could also be a ground problem...

Answer 9

Sounds like you have a blown channel. Take it back to where you bought it, see if they can repair it. Or just buy a new one.

Answer 10

take it to cercuit city or best buy they do stereos.