I’m going to take you through the process and explain everything in full detail. All you will need is a digital multimeter, a wire, and maybe a friend.
Are you thinking of replacing your car stereo? If so, you might ask yourself: how do I know whether this new one is any good? Below we take a look at the factors that have an impact on sound quality and show you how to properly test a car stereo at home.
Table of Contents
Testing Your Car Stereo
A Car Stereo is a piece of music equipment that provides the sound reproduction in an automobile. In the early days, car radios were just for listening to broadcasts, but today’s car stereo systems are quite sophisticated. They are able to play AM/FM radio stations, CD players, and can link with other digital music players. Many modern cars now comes with Bluetooth capabilities as well.
Car stereos come in many varieties, but they all have certain commonalities that need to be tested. To test a car stereo, you will need to first ensure that there is power going to the unit and then check the audio output.
Testing Your Car Stereo
Before deciding to change your car stereo, you need to know that it is the stereo that is causing a problem. Some of the components might be malfunctioning and making you think that the stereo needs a replacement when in fact another component is faulty. It is always advisable to test your car stereo before buying a new one.
Checking the Fuses
Car stereos are made to be easy to remove and include all of the needed wiring in a single harness. If your stereo is not working, you can test it by replacing it with another known working one. If you do not have a second stereo that works, you can use a multimeter to test each component of the stereo. This will allow you to determine which component has failed so that you know what to replace.
Checking the Fuses
Most car stereos come with their own internal fuses to protect the unit from damage from power overloads. Your stereo may have multiple internal fuses. Use the fuse diagram for your car to locate which fuse protects your stereo. Remove this fuse and inspect it for signs of melting, discoloration or other visible signs of failure. Replace this fuse if it appears damaged
The easiest way to test a fuse is using a multimeter set on continuity mode (check your meter’s instructions for how to do this). The meter should read zero ohms if the fuse is good, otherwise it will have infinite resistance.
Remove the Car Stereo to Test It
1.Turn the car stereo off and unplug it from the power source before you begin to test it. This will prevent damage or injury to yourself or the stereo.
2.Remove the car stereo from the dash of the vehicle with a screwdriver, taking care not to break any of the installation brackets or hardware you will use to re-install it.
3.Set up a high-powered car battery to use as a power source for testing your car stereo. This can be done in one of two ways:
Connect a set of jumper cables securely between your car’s battery and a new battery of similar amperage purchased specifically for this purpose.
Plug the car stereo into an AC power inverter which has been connected properly to your car’s battery. The inverter should have at least 100 watts of power and be equipped with an “in line” fuse to protect against damage during testing.
4.Connect speaker wires directly between the back of your car stereo and your speakers, using alligator clips if necessary, to test each individual speaker before testing them all together as a unit. You can determine which wires are positive and negative by looking for colored dots on either end that indicate polarity or by using a multimeter on its lowest setting to
Check the Wiring
The first thing you need to do is check the wiring, it might be that the previous owner of your vehicle had the stereo installed by a professional but did a shoddy job when installing it.
Make sure that all of the wiring is still in good condition, look for any exposed wires and make sure that everything is connected to the correct place.
Once you have checked that everything is wired correctly and there are no loose connections then you can move on to checking whether or not the head unit is at fault.
Inspect the Speaker Wires
The best way to test a car stereo is to insert an audio CD and play it. Listen for any distortion, static or other interference that could make songs unlistenable. You can also connect your MP3 player to the stereo to hear how well your device integrates with the sound system.
Inspect the Speaker Wires
Connecting a new stereo to old speakers can be a problem if the wiring isn’t good. If you’re not sure about this, you can play a CD in your car and check the quality of the sound by going around the car and inspecting each speaker.
Look for any loose wires or other problems that could cause the sound to be distorted or too quiet. For example, if you have subwoofers installed in your car, you should check that they are properly connected and aren’t producing any strange noises.
Turn On the Receiver and Speaker System
Before you begin, make sure that the car receiver is turned off. In your home, install the speakers in locations that are easy to access so you can test them easily. Place the speakers on stands or chairs so they can project sound properly. If you want to test the front and rear speakers, set them up at least five feet apart.
Now it’s time to connect your new speakers to the car stereo receiver. First, take a look at the back of your receiver. You might see several sets of speaker output jacks for connecting multiple pairs of speakers, but if you’re only testing one pair, just use one set of speaker outputs.
Some receivers have spring-clip terminal speaker connectors, while others have binding posts (screw terminals).
To attach spring-clip terminals, simply press the clip down onto each terminal until they click into place. To attach screw terminals, unscrew each binding post and insert the bare wire or stripped end of a speaker wire into each hole; then tighten each screw over the wires.
Last Words
Calibrating your speakers will give you the best overall sound, and diagnostic equipment can help you isolate problems if you are unable to figure them out on your own. Now that you know some of the methods used to test a car stereo at home, it’s time to put them into practice.