If you have just gotten your first car, the feeling is nothing less than ecstatic. You want to immediately show it off to your mates, go for a drive or even test out the stereo system.
The only problem is, for some weird reason, your USB isn’t working. Your friends are looking at you awkwardly as you fumble to figure out what’s wrong. All while you’re telling yourself how are you supposed to figure this out, you aren’t a mechanic.
Here is all you need to do if you’re facing problems with your car USB port not working in car stereo. Turn out you don’t have to be a mechanic or have a Ph.D. either.
What Might Cause USB Problems for Your Car Stereo?
When it comes to technical problems, there could be a lot that can go wrong. There isn’t a need to worry though. When you know how to handle the problem, you’ll be much more comfortable trying to diagnose and fix it yourself.
Typical causes of USB not working in car could be:
- Defective cable
- Improper connection
- Outdated firmware
- Wrong cable
- Damaged cables
- Wrong ports
Is there something you can do about it? Of course, there is. This guide would have been a complete waste of time if there wasn’t, now wouldn’t it?
What to Do If Your USB Port In Car Stereo Isn’t Working
A car USB port not working can be due to hardware or software problems. While these issues might vary in difficulty, sometimes the problem can be fixed just by replacing the cable (or port). That is to say, some ports are meant to only transfer data. So, you might be wondering why your device doesn’t charge after you connect it.
On the flip side, your USB won’t play music in the car if the connection isn’t made or the vehicle doesn’t recognize your device. Here are some simple diagnostic steps you can take to solve the problem.
1. Try a Different Cable (Or Port)
Your first step is to see if the cable itself is an issue. Cables don’t have an infinite lifespan. Over time they’ll kick the bucket and stop working. Daily usages, especially if you’re particularly rough with them, will cause them to wear much faster.
You should have another USB cable lying around. Check to see if that works or not. Another thing you can do is to check if another USB port works. This obviously applies if you have multiple USB ports. If another port works, that tells you the previous port is defective (I hope that isn’t the case for you).
2. Try A Different Device
What you aim to do here is to identify the problem point. If you go through the troubleshooting process, you basically need to eliminate possible options. You can narrow down what might be the issue faster.
If you connect a different device with all things being the same (cable and port), you’ll know the device is the issue. Then you would need to check the device itself. It can be that you haven’t set it up properly to recognize your stereo yet. This brings us to our next step.
3. Configure Your Device Properly
In some cases, you need to go into the settings of the device you want to connect and configure it to connect via USB. If you’re using a phone, you might see the option to charge only or transfer data.
Depending on what you want, you need to select the right option here. When you select transfer data, your device will still charge as well.
There is an exception to this. We’ll touch on that a bit later on in the guide.
4. Update the Drivers/Firmware
Calm down; you haven’t missed years of innovation and advancement in technology. We don’t have robotic drivers and chauffeurs – yet. We’re talking about updating the device drivers.
The driver is what allows the software and hardware of your devices to talk to each other. That essentially is what makes them work. Think of it as the language they use to communicate.
If the driver is outdated or something is wrong with it, it won’t work. As simple as that. Updating the driver for both your car stereo and the device is almost a sure-fire solution to fix it unless the problem is on a hardware level.
Also, try updating the firmware. The firmware is the software that actually runs on your devices. It might be backdated and doesn’t support whatever you’re plugging in.
These are a bit technical but they aren’t all that difficult.
5. Check for Loose Connections
Okay, we can feel you rolling your eyes right about now. You’re saying you’re a smart person who knows how to connect a simple USB. And we totally believe you. Trust us though, loose connections are a common thing.
They happen to the best of us. Maybe we’re just busy and didn’t push the cable in properly. We tell you this very basic (and obvious) step to cover all the bases. Check to see if your connections are solid and properly made.
6. Get Customer Support Help
If you’ve exhausted all your preliminary options and it didn’t work. It might be time to call customer support. The problem might be deeper than simple loose connections or defective cables. Or maybe there’s a weird software bug.
It might be a tedious call but it can be worth it. You can tell your specific problem and the support team can walk you through all the steps.
Ideally, your problems should be fixed if you perform steps 1 to 5. This 6th step is the last hurrah!
What Is the Purpose of USB in Car Radio?
1. Data Transportation
2. Storage Files
3. Backup Files
4. Provide Display mode
5. Offer Charging to your device
What Are the Types of USB Ports?
There are a few different types of USB ports, including:
USB -A (Type A)
USB -B (Type B)
USB- Micro
USB – C (Type C)
Good to Know
Certain concepts are always good to know especially if you face USB port problems.
Not All USB Ports Can Charge Your Device
USB ports do two things. They transfer data and/or also charge whatever device is plugged into it. Modern USB devices and ports will actually do both. However, some USB ports will not charge and are only for data transfer. They are not just up to spec to charge a device – not even a smartphone.
Are You Using a Power Cable or Data Cable?
Just as some USB ports aren’t for charging, some cables also do one or the other. And of course, some do both.
Charging cables can only charge the device but won’t let the two devices communicate between them. You’ll need a data cable in this case. Make sure you’re using the right cable.
The Diagnostic Steps Are Same For all Stereos
Lastly, if you’re thinking about your specific stereo model and wondering whether the things we mentioned apply, you can be sure they do.
These are general steps and should work with no matter what brand of stereo you have. So, whether you’re facing problems with Kenwood car stereo USB not working or other brands Pioneer, the steps are all mostly the same.
Read Next: How To Remove Pioneer Car Stereo Without Keys
FAQs
Q1. Will I damage my car stereo if I try to fix it myself?
Ans. The things we mentioned here to do aren’t dangerous and won’t damage your car stereo. These are simple diagnostic measures.
Q2. How do I tell if my USB port is defective?
Ans. If you have multiple USB ports, you can try out other ports. Use the same cable and same device, and see if it works. If it does, it could mean the previous port you tried connecting to is defective.
Q3. Are the USB ports on my car stereo repairable?
Ans. Let us put a smile on your face. Yes, the USB ports on your car stereo are indeed repairable. There’s a caveat though. It depends on what’s the issue. Naturally minor problems can be fixed quickly.
Q4. When should I call customer support?
Ans. If you have tried all the steps and it still isn’t working, then it might be time to call customer support. Call your car stereo’s customer service. They should be able to walk you through further steps.
Although trying the steps mentioned here should fix the majority of the problems unless it’s a hardware one.
Q5. Will I be covered under warranty if my car stereo USB port isn’t working
Ans. That’ll depend on the warranty policy of the manufacturer of your particular car stereo. But in general, if the customer did not cause any damage or used it improperly and if the product is still in its warranty period, you can claim a warranty.
Do note though that warranty is needed if you’re sure the hardware is defective. In most cases, it’s just a small minor bug and the problem can be fixed easily with a little bit of tinkering. Also, different companies and regions will have different warranty laws.
Final verdict
As great and convenient as USB ports are, they can be quite a pain when they don’t work like they’re supposed to. Hopefully, you now know what to do if you have a problem regarding the USB not working in car stereo. The steps are simple and can be easily fixed.
Read Also:
- Why does my car stereo keep resetting?
- What to do if car stereo display not working
- Do’s If Your Car Stereo Has Power But No Sound from Speakers
- Things To Do When Your Pioneer Car Stereo Has No Sound
- What To Do When Car Stereo Turns On And Off Repeatedly
- Do’s When Head Unit RCA Output Not Working
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