How To Reset Kenwood Car Stereo – Different Resetting Methods

Kenwood Car Stereo is the best in the market of stereos. Be it the sleek touch screen stereo or the vintage manual stereo; you will find that the stereo will malfunction just like any other good stereo. A simple reset will help you in this case.

Kenwood Car Stereo brings you an array of stereos to choose from. They come with their own set of systems and buttons, but the basic process of resetting, be it soft reset or hard reset, applies in all cases. And in this article, you’ll learn how to reset Kenwood car stereo.

If you are interested to learn more about it, keep on reading as we give you a step-by-step account of two methods.

When To Reset Your Car Stereo?

If you have been using your stereo for a long time, you will see that your stereo has started acting up. The buttons might stop working correctly; your display screen might freeze up or become unresponsive.

A simple reset will be able to fix all these issues then. If you still face difficulties, you can opt for a factory reset or take a trip to the nearest electronic store, where they will help you deduce if anything is wrong with your stereo.

The buttons are acting up and not responding properly

If you notice that buttons are not responding when pressed or are overly sensitive, it may be time to reset your Kenwood car radio.

The radio is not picking up any stations

Is every station you turn to giving you static? It’s probably time to reset your radio.

The sound is distorted or muted

If your sound is cutting in and out or worse, there’s no sound coming from your radio at all, it’s time to perform a reset.

The radio display is flickering or frozen

If your car radio display is flashing, flickering, or frozen, perform a reset.

Why is it important for you to learn how to reset your Kenwood car radio?

When you explore a different setting or your friend decides to mess with your stereo, you might have difficulty navigating it.

In such cases, a factory reset is due. An overhaul of the settings or factory reset can erase all your previous settings and show you the basic settings it was installed in. This way, you can customize your settings again, and your stereo will start working smoothly.

Methods of Resetting Kenwood Car Stereo?

Follow the steps below to know how to reset, soft reset, and factory reset your car stereo.

Method 1: Ideal for KDC Line Models

The method described here will aid you in resetting your stereo, especially for models such as the KDC line.

Step 1: Power up stereo

Put your car keys on the ignition to start your car. Turn on your stereo by pressing the “Home” button. You will see a light pop up on the stereo. This light indicates that the stereo is powered up.

This is a crucial step as you cannot reset without powering your car stereo.

Step 2: Take The Faceplate Off And Press The Ejector Button

You will find a detach button on your stereo. Click the detach button to remove the faceplate, which is usually located at the bottom left corner of your stereo.

Be very, very gentle when you are taking the faceplate off; avoid shaking or yanking on the faceplate as it can cause permanent damage to the faceplate.

Step 3: Press the reset button

Find the tiny reset button on your stereo. Since the switch is relatively small, your fingertips will be of little help, so find a pointed tool.

Place the pointed tool on the reset button and hold it there for a solid five seconds. Once you cross the five-second mark, retrieve the pointed tool. You will find that your stereo has started to reset.

Method 2: For Touch Screen Stereo

This method will walk you through the steps that are used to reset touchscreen stereo models. For this procedure, there are two types of resets. One is Soft Reset, and the other is the Factory Reset.

Soft Reset

A soft reset is usually done when your stereo is unresponsive to commands or displays minor malfunctions.

Just like method 1, you have to locate a reset button and hold it. The reset button is a small triangle button that is usually lit up too; hence, it is easy to identify. You can find it in the top left corner of your stereo. Hold on to the reset button for five seconds for a soft reset. A soft reset will retain your customized settings.

Kenwood Factory Reset

Factory reset is generally a hard reset or master reset that will erase any customized settings. It will restore it to the settings you saw when it was new, i.e., the manufacture settings.

To perform a factory reset, find a friend, or it will be challenging to execute single-handedly, so an extra pair of hands will be a lifesaver.

Step 1: Hold Eject CD And Volume button.

On the left of the CD slot, you will find the Eject CD button. Press the Eject CD button and volume button simultaneously. You can do this single-handedly or ask a friend to hold it for you.

Step 2: Press The Reset Button.

As mentioned earlier, press the small reset button on the top left corner of the stereo. Hold it for a few seconds. If your friend is holding the volume and CD Eject volume, you can hold the reset button or vice-versa.

Keep holding the Eject CD and volume button until the stereo starts to boot back up. Once the switch is back on, you can finally let it go.

Step 3: Tap the “Initialize All” button.

Once you have successfully booted your stereo, find the “Initialize All” button. You can find it on your display touchscreen. Tap it to get the process started.

Step 4: Again, press the reset button

Once you have followed through with the rest of the steps, you will have to reset the whole system again. Find a pointed object to tap on the triangular small reset button to boot the stereo. This step will take you back to your factory settings, i.e., the setting the stereo was on when it was new.

Final Thought

Resetting your Kenwood Car Stereo may vary from one model to the next. Especially how the reset buttons, CD Eject buttons are placed on the stereo.

However, almost all the stereos follow some basic steps that are mentioned above. In any case, it is helpful to keep the manual of the stereo that comes at hand, as it will usually list the ways you can reset, locate or function a particular button.

The easy-to-follow methods on how to reset Kenwood radio are effective and can be used on various stereos, so follow them to reach your desired goal.

FAQ

I cannot find the reset button on my Kenwood car radio, what do I do?

If you cannot find the reset button on your Kenwood car radio, check the top left corner of your Kenwood radio and you should find it there.

My reset button will not work, what can I do?

If your reset button is not working, try pressing DSPL and (back) /MODE or
DSLP and CALL button. You can also try holding the SOURCE/OFF button for more than two seconds.

How do I reset my Kenwood car radio to factory settings?

To reset your Kenwood car radio to factory settings, hold the Eject CD And Volume buttons at the same time, press the reset button, tap the “Initialize All” button, then press the reset button again.

What is the difference between programming and resetting a Kenwood Car Radio?

Programming a Kenwood car radio consists of changing the settings to customize your radio to your needs while resetting your Kenwood car radio involves shutting it down and bringing it back to factory settings.

How do I use the reset button on a Kenwood Car Radio?

Use the reset button on a Kenwood car radio by pressing it for 5 seconds to perform a soft reset, or using it in after pressing the Eject CD and Volume button to perform a hard factory reset.

What is the best way to reset Kenwood car radio?

The best way to reset a Kenwood car radio is to perform a soft reset by pressing and holding the reset button for 5 seconds.