Toyota Corolla has remained one of the safest, most functional, and reliable vehicles for many years. However, like any other car, it also experiences its fair share of electronic malfunctions. A common electronic snag is that the radio and clock don’t work, while everything else, such as fans, windows, and turn signals seem to be working fine.
The reason why your Toyota Corolla radio and clock aren’t working is that there might be a blown fuse, wiring short, dead battery, cut-out speakers, or an antenna or tuner malfunction. You may need to have your car professionally inspected to determine the exact cause.
In this article, I’ll cover several causes why your Toyota Corolla radio and clock are not working. Some can be fixed without going to a dealer or garage, but if you want to learn more, keep reading.
Toyota Corolla Radio and Clock Not Working
A frequent issue with the Toyota Corolla’s radio and clock not working is a blown fuse. The fuse safeguards electrical components and, if it blows, the connected devices may not operate. To rectify this, locate the car’s fuse box (often in the dashboard or engine compartment) and replace the specific fuse related to the radio and clock.
You’ve Blown a Fuse
A blown fuse is a common reason for your Toyota Corolla radio and clock not working. In most Toyota Corollas, the radio and clock share the same fuse, usually a 7.5 amp or 15 amp fuse, which is commonly located in the kicker panel under the steering wheel in a drop-down compartment.
If you’re unsure where it is, check the owner’s manual that came with the vehicle.
Your fuse might blow if you use your air compressor when the engine isn’t running. If your radio and clock aren’t working, inspect your fuses to see if they’re blown. You can also use a voltmeter to test the radio for power and ground.
If you have a blown fuse, you can replace it with this Bussmann BP/ATM-15 15 Amp fuse.
You Have a Wiring Problem
Another reason your Toyota Corolla radio and clock is not working might be from the wiring, which might be due to a short, a bad ground wire, or loose wire connections. When your car’s wires short out or become non-operational, they increase the chances of your fuses blowing in quick succession.
If your car radio fails, check if there’s a problem with the wires connecting the power source to speakers or antennas. You’ll most likely find these wires underneath your car’s dashboard.
Additionally, be sure to check all wires for clock connectors, as a problem with the wiring will cause the clock to fail.
Cut or stretched-out clock connectors can prevent the dashboard clock from working. If the wires are working properly, the problem could be elsewhere and not the clock connectors.
You Have a Dead Battery
Occasionally, a dead battery can cause your Toyota Corolla radio to stop working. However, there are situations when your radio may fail after a battery charge or after a jump start. Under those circumstances, an error code in your Corolla’s anti-theft feature might result in a radio that doesn’t work.
Meanwhile, a dead battery could be the reason for the car’s clock resetting suddenly. Remember, the battery powers the clock even when the car’s engine is turned off. Much like unplugging a digital clock from an outlet, interrupting this connection causes the clock to reset.
Start by checking out your car’s battery terminals to see if the components have become loose over time.
If there’s no problem with the battery connections, test the battery charge. A near-empty battery temporarily loses charge when the engine kicks in, resulting in the clock resetting, which usually happens if the car hasn’t been running for a while or if the temperature has been frigid.
It might also happen if you tamper with your car’s electronics when the engine is turned off.
Toyota Corolla Radio Keeps Rebooting
It can be frustrating when your car’s stereo system keeps rebooting. If you’re having this problem, you’ll notice that the progress bar gets just to the end and then starts all over again.
There are several reasons why car stereo may reset, including:
Malfunction in Memory Wire
The memory wire provides the connection and setting in the stereo system, like time and radiofrequency. If you disturb this wire, the stereo will keep rebooting each time you switch on the engine.
If your Toyota Corolla’s stereo keeps resetting, be sure to check the yellow and red wire on the stereo. Sometimes the fence could be torn. If that’s the case, cut the cord and twist it before reattaching it to the stereo.
Engine Cranking
Engine cranking is annoying and disturbing to drivers, which happens when you switch on the vehicle. When the engine cranks, a warning light appears on the radio to indicate a low battery, then the stereo goes off.
This problem results when the stereo’s capacitor becomes faulty and no longer provides backup power to the stereo. To fix this issue, replace your car stereo’s capacitor with a 5.0 Farad Digital Power Capacitor from Amazon.
Stereo Head Unit Malfunction
The head unit is one of the car stereo’s most important components. If the head unit’s wires aren’t taped properly, they can get mixed with other cables, resulting in a faulty radio that keeps rebooting.
Fortunately, it isn’t difficult to solve this issue. Examine your car stereo’s head unit carefully to determine if the wires are taped and that butt connectors are in good condition.
If not, then consider taping the wires correctly. It’s also important to use butt connectors to ensure the stereo gets sufficient power from the head unit.
Toyota Corolla Volume Knob Not Working/Radio Buttons Not Working
If you love listening to music while driving, an issue with the volume knob or radio buttons can hurt your driving experience.
Your Toyota Corolla volume knob and radio buttons can act up at any moment, preventing you from turning the volume all the way up to enjoy your favorite music, changing the song, or switching to a different radio station.
When you twist a faulty knob, sometimes it increases the volume a little and stops; other times, it will go the opposite direction. If you want to play the next song on queue, sometimes the up arrow works, but other times it may just skip to a different one.
If the problem worsens, turning the volume knob won’t adjust the volume, and repeatedly pressing the buttons with the up and down arrows won’t play the correct song.
To diagnose, check if any foreign particles are stuck on them. If there are foreign particles, remove them using tissue paper. Don’t use poking sharp objects like needles, office clips, or toothpicks because they could damage it and worsen the problem.
If you’ve tried wiping the knob and buttons and the problem persists, there might be a loose or damaged connector to the front panel. At this point, you might want to consider seeking help from your nearest Toyota Corolla dealership.
Toyota Corolla Touch Screen Not Working/Touch Screen Reset
If your Toyota Corolla touch screen stops working, it won’t respond when you tap with your finger or a stylus. There are a couple of reasons for this.
If the screen is on but unresponsive, then it may be cold out. A touch screen uses heat, so it may take a while to warm up when it’s cold. Meanwhile, if the radio screen is blank, it could be a burnt-out fuse or improper calibration.
You can do two things to try and fix an unresponsive screen: replace the fuse or recalibrate or reset the touch screen.
Replace the Fuse
If your touchscreen is not working due to a faulty fuse, you’ll want to remove the old fuse and replace it with a new one. To reach the fuse box on the steering wheel’s left, turn the engine off and look for a small crack or seam along with the dash.
Pop the fuse box cover open using a pry bar or screwdriver. Once inside, you’ll find several fuses that could confuse you if you don’t know what to look for.
On the back of the fuse box cover that you just pulled out, you’ll see a diagram that indicates what each fuse is for. You can also use the owner’s manual to figure out what each of the fuses is for.
Once you find the fuse, pull it out and examine it closely. There should be a thin metal strip connecting the two sections that stick up.
If that metal strip is broken, the fuse won’t work and will need to be replaced. If it’s fine, then the fuse has no fault, and you can go ahead and pop it back in.
Recalibrate the Touch Screen
Recalibrating or resetting your Toyota Corolla’s touch screen can fix an unresponsive touch screen. To reset the touch screen, turn it off and then back on to see if it will fix the problem.
To recalibrate the touch screen, turn the ignition on to supply power to the stereo system. Then, turn on the head unit by pressing the volume knob located at the dash’s top-left corner. Make sure to press and hold the volume knob down for five seconds before releasing it.
The screen should light up and be able to respond to touch again.
If that doesn’t solve the problem, you can try the good old method of using a credit card. Here’s a short video that illustrates how to go about this:
You’ll need a credit card or something of that sort to reach the buttons on the bottom of the touch screen. Of course, this isn’t a permanent fix, but it might work for you.
If all these hacks don’t work, then there may be software issues with your screen. Check the settings menu to see if there’s any software that needs to be updated.
Be sure to visit Toyota’s website for the latest and most compatible software versions. If updating software doesn’t solve the problem, your vehicle will need professional diagnosis and repair.
Toyota Corolla CD Player Error 3
Toyota Corollas come with multi-disc CD players known as changers, which change the CDs automatically so that you can play CDs back to back. These players can sometimes act up.
When they do, they’ll usually show error code 3, which indicates a mechanical glitch with laser lenses that prevent the machine from reading CDs.
This problem can be fixed by disconnecting the car battery power supply for 1-2 minutes. Remember, disconnecting the battery will reset the ECU, so it could take between 50 and 100 miles (80.47 and 160.93 kilometers) for the vehicle to relearn and shift settings to normal.
Another solution to this is through troubleshooting. Here’s a step-by-step guide for troubleshooting your CD player:
- Remove all accumulated debris from the player. Using the appropriate screwdriver, undo the player’s screws and pop the unit out. Spritz the inside of the player with a can of compressed air to get rid of all dust and dirt that might have collected over time.
- Wipe the lens clean. Wipe the CD player laser eye with a cotton swab soaked in isopropyl alcohol. This will remove grime from the lens, allowing the player to read the disc properly.
- Install a new fuse. Inspect the CD player’s fuse to determine whether it’s blown. There’s a good chance the fuse is blown if you see a white film on the glass. Installing a compatible fuse might clear error 3.
- Lubricate the gears. Be sure the gears are adequately lubricated. Use WD40 to lubricate them, then reattach any gear belts that have come off of the gears as well.
- Reattach the CD player. Once you’re done with troubleshooting, put the CD player back in and fasten the screws with the screwdriver. Insert a few CDs in the player and test if it can play and change them without issue. If it does, then the player is back to normal, and error code three is fixed. However, if the CD player error 3 is still intact, you might want to purchase a new Toyota Corolla OEM CD Player found on Amazon.
Toyota Corolla Radio Display Not Working/Radio Screen Blank
There are different causes of a Toyota Corolla’s radio display not working or going blank.
The first one could be a defective fuse. Car radios come with a dedicated fuse that prevents damage to the radio in the event of a short circuit, but if the fuse is blown, the radio display will stop working.
So, locate the fuse and replace it with another one with the appropriate amperage.
Another cause could be power or ground connectors. Dirty connectors can make the display panel on the car stereo go blank.
You’ll want to clean the connectors before trying anything else. To clean the connectors, follow the procedure below:
- Disable the engine and pull the key out of the ignition switch.
- Open the front panel and detach it from the main unit.
- Lightly dip a cotton swab in alcohol to use for cleaning.
- Wipe the connectors, the back of the front panel, and the main unit.
- Let the connectors dry for at least 3 minutes.
- Reattach the front panel and test if the stereo system is back to normal.
Note: It’s crucial to clean the connectors gently. Applying too much force can render the connectors damaged. Additionally, make sure not to touch the connectors directly with any metal device.
Toyota Corolla Radio Won’t Load
A car stereo system that refuses to cooperate can be disappointing, especially if you enjoy listening to music or podcasts. A common convenience complaint with Toyota Corollas is that the radio doesn’t load.
Hardware reliability can cause the car radio system to fail, but other culprits can also cause an issue with the car stereo system. You can deploy several tricks to get the radio back up and running.
Copyright protected article by Know My Auto and was first published on Jun 7, 2021. .
Sometimes all you need to do is unplug the phone from the USB port and re-plug it back. Other times, you’ll need to turn the stereo system off and back on again.
Occasionally, the issue could be more drastic, and rebooting is necessary to get the system up and running. To reboot the stereo system in your Toyota Corolla, press the buttons above the scroll wheels and hold them for at least 10 seconds.
If the reboot doesn’t work, you should take the car to a certified Toyota dealership, where the dealer will inspect the system and update your firmware if needed.
Electronics often come with a shorter warranty than other car components. For example, electronics in most Toyota Corollas have warranty coverage of only one year, which is significantly shorter than other components like powertrains covered up to five years or 60,000 miles (96,560.64 kilometers).
Even so, you have the option to purchase an extended warranty to cover your infotainment system for a longer period.
The copyright owner of this article is Knowmyauto.com and was first published on Jun 7, 2021..
Toyota Corolla Radio Won’t Turn Off
The stereo stays on even when you’ve turned the car off and removed the key completely, which is mostly experienced by those using the factory radio.
A couple of things may result in your Toyota Corolla radio not shutting down when the key is off. The most common one is improper wiring in the head unit. Other situations include:
- A failure in the radio control modules
- A malfunction in the ignition switch
- Worn out ignition cylinder
These call for pros, so you’ll want to see a dealer or certified mechanic to have this issue diagnosed professionally.
Toyota Corolla Radio No Sound
When your Toyota Corolla radio doesn’t produce any sound, the car’s stock amp is likely blown or disconnected. You’ll mostly find this under the passenger seat.
Other than that, it could be a wiring problem. I suggest looking in the trunk to see if the plastic terminals for the speaker wires are okay. Make sure the wires are also properly connected to the head unit. If everything works but there’s still no sound, it’s best to see a dealer.
Toyota Corolla Navigation System Not Working/System Update
A faulty navigation system will appear to be loading files but then stops and restarts again. The system may keep rebooting even after you disconnect the battery for a short while and reconnect again.
When your Toyota Corolla GPS isn’t working, it could be that the files are corrupted, which normally happens when your software is out of date.
A Toyota Corolla navigation system update helps correct the GPS’s failures, so you’ll want to purchase navigation updates from certified Toyota participating dealers. You can also get the latest software updates online.
Toyota Corolla Compatible Navigation App
If you’re looking for a new navigational app, there are several of them out there, so you’ll want to consider navigation apps that are compatible with your vehicle.
The Scout GPS Link from Google Play lets you enjoy peace of mind and convenience with Connected Services. This free mobile application app is compatible with a Toyota Corolla, allowing for a full navigation experience with moving maps powered by real-time cloud information.
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KnowMyAuto is the sole owner of this article was published on Jun 7, 2021 and last updated on .