Imagine that you have spent a decent amount of money to get a powerful amplifier for your car for your upcoming road trips or even just for your daily commute but as soon as you sit in your car and switch on the stereo, you can hear your amp has power but no sound from subwoofer.
At this point, it is inevitable to wonder what exactly has gone wrong and how to fix it.
One of the major causes could be a problem with the wiring system or you might be dealing with a blown-out subwoofer.
Issues in the car audio system may be caused by the listed reasons:
- The prolonged flow of overvoltage
- Due to overheating of the system
- The prolonged flow of too much current/overcurrent
Table of Contents
Why Car AMP Has Power But No Sound From Subwoofer?
If the amplifier (AMP) has power but there is no sound coming from your subwoofer, it could be due to a variety of issues such as a faulty amplifier, a blown fuse, damaged wiring, or a problem with the subwoofer itself. It is recommended to have a professional diagnose and fix the issue to ensure that your sound system is functioning properly.
Why Does It Happen?
Most people tend to assume that if the subwoofer is not playing even though the car amplifier is powered on, the amp is either faulty or blown. But that is one of the many simple reasons.
There are various causes that can cause the subwoofer to release distorted sounds to no sound at all starting from a bad RCA cable down to the subwoofer control on the stereo being turned all the way down.
Top 4 Reasons Why your car amp is on but it’s not receiving any sound from the subwoofer
Problems in the amplifier’s system
In case your amp is on but it is not giving the required output to the subwoofer, there might be an issue in the amp’s power system. You should check if the amp wires have been connected securely and if they are, it is time for you to consider another cause.
Reason #1 – Faulty Remote Wire:
Sometimes subwoofers fail to take output if the remote power button is dysfunctional. The power button could be on but the wire might not be connected properly hence they do not provide any power. It goes without saying that remote wires are essential and are often looked past.
Remote wires originate from the radio, which signifies that if your radio is turned on then it should most likely connect to the amplifier. Otherwise, you will not receive the required output.
Sometimes wires are connected improperly and that’s what causes it to show as power on but the required output seems to be missing due to faulty connection. In this situation, only the FM option will provide you with output and the AM option will not. This can also result in not hearing any sound from subwoofers.
Reason #2 – Faulty Power Wires:
One of the other causes could be a faulty power wire in case the remote wire shows no faults. The power might have shorted or been damaged which would lead to the amp receiving insufficient amounts of power.
Reason #3 – Faulty Ground Wire:
In case both of the above-listed wires seem fine and undamaged, you can check the ground wire of the amplifier. The ground wire provides the least amount of electrical resistance to the earth ground to minimize the chance of electrocution.
This particular wire will appear to be thicker and stronger than the wires of the remote, and it should be able to pass voltage through itself.
In case the wires are poorly connected, the amp will not function properly and the subwoofer will have a distorted sound.
If all the above wires seem intact and fine and none of the fuses seem to have blown or been damaged, you might be dealing with a broken amplifier.
Reason # 4- Impedance Mismatching:
In case the amp’s subwoofer isn’t compatible or mismatches to the amplifier of your car then it will give a distorted low-quality output due to underpowering or overpowering of the amplifier.
In this section, we are going to sieve through the common problems with the amplifier that may result in no sound from subwoofers.
Check if the protect mode indicator is on:
Quite a few amplifiers have the protect mode indicator that lets them figure out and understand if any damage has been caused to the amp, and if there is any damage, these lights will be blinking.
In case these lights are blinking, it indicates that you have either damaged woofers or other components, faulty subwoofers cable, or/and other components that are connected to the system.
You can inspect the issue by plugging out the subwoofers’ wires from the amp. In case the lights appear off then this indicates that there is a problem with the subwoofers and you need to either change or inspect them further.
You should be able to check and inspect the speakers, as well as the woofers, through visually inspecting. By following this method, you can try and determine which woofer is causing you the problem and you can replace it accordingly.
You can also inspect ground wires with the help of an ohmmeter and if the voltage seems to be going consistently, then continue using the same woofers wiring.
Lack of any sound from the woofers:
In case the amp turns on but does not provide any output, then you should proceed to plug out the RCA cables for a minute or so and plug them back in securely.
Solution: If everything seems to be working alright except for the RCA cables; it is time for you to replace the current set of cables with a new pair.
If after changing the RCA cables, the sound is received from one side only then the issue does not originate from the amp, but from the head unit.
If the amp seems to be in good condition without any faults, then you should check whether the ground wiring has been secured in place properly or not.
Distorted sounds coming woofers:
If your car subwoofer produces distorted noises, then it’s time for you to inspect the patch wires and cables.
In case the head unit cables or amplifier wires are placed next to the power cable, then it might create an interface that can cause distorted sounds in the woofers.
Solution: For this sort of issue, you should invest in high-quality cables and wires and place them at a 90-degree angle so that it can reduce the interference and eliminate the distorted sounds caused by interfering interfaces.
Inspect all of the wires with great deliberation. If they are placed in the proper manner yet the distortion sound can still be heard, then try plugging out the wires and rearranging them in the right manner.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is my amp on but no sound from subs?
Possible causes include disconnected or damaged cables, incorrect amp settings, a blown speaker, or issues with the input source or instrument.
Why is my bass amp on but no sound?
No sound from a subwoofer may result from damaged cables, a blown speaker, incorrect settings on the amplifier or head unit, or a problem with the input source.
Why is there no sound in my subwoofer?
There might be no sound in your subwoofer due to various reasons, including damaged cables, a blown speaker, incorrect settings on the amplifier or head unit, or a problem with the input source. Check for connection issues, inspect the speaker, and ensure the settings are appropriate to resolve the issue.
Why did my car subwoofer stop working but the amp is on?
Possible reasons for a non-functional car subwoofer include damaged cables, a blown speaker, incorrect settings on the amplifier or head unit, or input source issues.
Conclusion:
To sum it up, the fault can lie either in your wiring or impedance of the amplifier and subwoofer.
But you have nothing to worry about! We have listed above the possible causes and solutions which will have you pumping up your car amp with great sound quality and brilliant bass from the woofers.
