During rainy seasons, often you notice there are lots of problems with your car radio, even it (car radio) may be dead. You need to be aware of the unrecognized problems with your radio that occurred for rain.
Because, if you fix the problem on time and make a solution instantly then it will save you valuable time and money.
So, how to fix a car radio that got wet? As a music enthusiast keep reading to know the ultimate solution. Because this article going to describe the whole process thoroughly. I promise you won’t get frustrated.
Before going to the final discussion let’s have looked a short intro about it.
Introduction: Car radio wet
You are lucky if your car radio and speakers as well as your car interior did not get wet. Because it is boring and time-consuming to get rid of water from car interior, especially from car radio and speakers. There is also the chance of radio damage that is not changeable.
5 Steps on How to Fix a Car Radio That Got Wet:
When the car radio got wet you can see some issues that you have to fix. In a hurry? Here are the simple 5 steps you can follow –
- Look at Antenna of Rear Window
- Check Antenna of Fender Mounted
- Look at Wet Grounding Wire
- Wiping the water of affected areas
- Install new components and detach the damaged part.
Let me elaborate steps ways more clearly to fix your wet car radio without making any mistakes.
1. Look at Antenna of Rear Window: If the car suddenly stops working during rain while you use defogger then it is necessary to check the rear grid. Because rear grid of most vehicle’s works for car antenna.
When it works as a defogger in the metal the current generates resistance and the metal becomes warm. Although it helps to clear the window condensation but makes an intrusion in your car radio.
So, when your car gets wet you need to check the antenna of this rear window and if need upgrades the antenna.
2. Check Antenna of Fender Mounted: The head unit and the fender of the car run over the whole length of the car body. So, the leak of water in these two points can be the reason for signal cut-off on the radio.
If your car radio work when it was dry then check the fender-mounted antenna by “Jiggle Test”. Then play some music as a test and go to the back of the car. In the time of music playing simply jiggle the base of the antenna.
If the fender fades (reception fade) in and out that means it is not connected strongly with the car’s body. So, there is a possibility of it helps allow water between the antenna and its mount.
3. Look at Wet Grounding Wire: If the radio of your car grounding wire is not grounded properly then you won’t get any signal from it. So you have to check the ground connection if it is a loose connection or not.
To check the ground connection of the head unit you need to remove it. If the ground connection is very good then the problem may be broken wire or anything else.
4. Wiping the water of affected areas: This method can be an effective method to fix your wet car radio. First of all, you have to fix the affected area of the car radio. After that, separate the area and simply wipe off the area using a soft, dry cloth.
You can also use an air dryer to dry your radio-affected area by blowing hot air. As a sensitive part of the car radio, you have to pay extra attention to the terminals and magnet.
Make sure that you separate each and every component of the affected area because if you can’t do it properly and will jerk them out then it may arise further damage.
5. Install new components and detach the damaged part: Sometimes the damage to your car radio that was caused by water is irreparable. The only solution to listen to the music again is to remove the damaged parts and replace them with new ones.
The replacing process is a little bit technical. So, it is good to bring someone professional.
What happens driving through deep water?
Deep water is not good for your car and you should avoid it. In the road, deep water can be caused for various reasons. It can be caused due to continued run over of water and so on. And it is obviously dangerous for your car to drive through deep water.
Let’s see what will happen if we do it:
The deep water can be contaminated with dead animals, chemicals used in gardens, stagnation, or animal waste. And it will be the reason for your illness and if your immune system is weak then it can be a serious issue for your health.
If you are with your family during driving through deep water, then it will cost money when they are affected by this contaminated water. Because of deep floodwater, your car could fall into a huge hole that was created instantly.
Even your car can be swept away if the water continues to flow. If you drive in deep water, keep your vehicle speed below 5 miles per hour and do not try to rush around other vehicles.
It will raise the risk of damage to your vehicle brakes, engine, electrical system, and air intake.
So, it is highly recommended not to drive the car through deep water. And if you do then you have to pay extra attention to your car damage as soon as possible.
How car radio get wet?
The components of car speakers and radio systems are safe from all kinds of damages and water because they are the internal components of the car.
Your car radio gets wet for various reasons such as mechanical errors, human faults, and so on. One of the most possible errors is weak window seals. Basically, the window seals are made to protect the car from the water.
But over time, the efficiency of the seals is decreased. As a result, water gets into the car. If there is no protective shield on the sensitive components of your car stereo then there is most chance to get wet your car radio.
And when your car radio gets wet you will face high-volume speaker noise, the problem with the radio head unit, speaker wires, sound contortion, and sometimes your radio may turn on itself because of this problem.
How to prevent from getting wet?
It is good to be careful before getting into trouble with car radios. Then you don’t need to travel anywhere without music. It’s time to know how to prevent this problem.
- Subwoofer Waterproofing: Subwoofer Waterproofing is a method to cover your radio equipment with high-gloss polymer (non-porous material) to protect from any water-related problem.
The problem can be radio battery damage, sound contortion, radio head unit, and other parts or device problem that occur due to the car getting wet. And it is a good solution to prevent your car from getting wet.
Recommended Subwoofer:
There are many more subwoofers in the market but here is one of the best that is recommended by most of the users. Check whether it will be best for your car on not.
If you are a Toyota Tacoma user then look at this for getting the best Toyota Tacoma subwoofers for your car.
- Keep Door and Window seals clean: The door and window seals prevent your car as well as car radio from getting wet. So you always have to try to keep them working.
For a longtime, activity of the seals keep them clean by lubricating regularly. It is another effective way to prevent from getting wet.
Recommended Window Seals:
Protecting the car radio from getting wet, it is necessary to clean car window seals. A good seal can assist you and decrease your work to half. Have a look at the following seal.
- Use AC of your car: You can use your car AC if you have to solve this wet problem. Because your car AC not only controls your car temperature but also dries your car water moisture.
Recommended Portable car AC:
Not only car AC gives you relaxation but also it will help to solve the car wet issue. Anyone can use a portable car AC for using their car.
Frequently Asked Questions – FAQs:
Ans: The radio repair cost range between $85 to $130 however it depends on the car model, manufacturer, and so on. Sometimes the car parts prices increase and sometimes decrease. So, you won’t get car parts at the same price always.
Ans: The most possible reason to stop working FM Radio is the blown fuse. When your radio won’t able to receive signals from your antenna then it is natural to stop working. If the tuner of your head unit gets damaged then maybe you have to replace the head unit.
Ans: If I said in a word then it is not possible to operate the car stereo without a ground wire. The ground wire of the car stereo operates the stereo without occurring any malfunctioning problem when you drive the car.
In Conclusion:
A radio makes your day enjoyable while driving if it’s operating properly. And the water can interfere with the radio’s to properly operate. But, if there is a little water you can get rid of it with wiping.
After arising any kind of radio-related problem you have to check the Antenna of Rear Window, Fender Mounted Antenna, and Grounding Wire.
When you won’t find any problem with the antenna or grounding wire then try to solve the problem by removing the damaged part.