Wet car radios can be fixed by mopping water off the affected areas or Air-Drying. In some instances where damage is too bad, the radio may need to be totally replaced. Car radios are susceptible to harmful exposure to water either due to human errors, natural causes, or faulty equipment. And, if not handled properly, this can cause severe damage to your equipment.
This comprehensive guide details how you can fix a wet car radio, along with measures to protect your equipment from water.
- Mop water off the affected areas
- Air-Drying (Hairdryer)
- Replace radio equipment
Just don’t be like this guy:
If you’ve never experienced the misfortune of getting your vehicle’s interior wet, and by extension, the radio and speakers drenched in water, then hope it never happens to you.
Unfortunately, getting rid of water from car radio components such as the head unit and speakers can be tedious and time-consuming, and in some cases, damage done by water to these parts is irreversible.
How to Fix a Car Radio that Got Wet?
Here are some common methods by which you can fix your car radio, and other components of your stereo system that have been affected by water:
Always disconnect the battery when adjusting vehicle electronics.
1. Mopping water off the affected areas
The first troubleshooting technique you should try when you have a wet car radio is to detach the affected area and then gently mop off the water using a dry, soft cloth. Also, ensure you take time to properly detach each component before drying, as you could cause further damage if you were to just yank them out.
2. Air-Drying
Alternatively, you could dry a wet car radio or speaker by blowing hot air over the affected areas. And you could do this with a hairdryer or a fan. For speakers, ensure to pay extra attention to the magnet and terminals, as these are typically, their most sensitive parts.
3. Complete overhaul of your car stereo system
In some extreme cases, the damage done by water on your radio system is irreversible. And in such situations, the only way you can enjoy music in your car again is by removing the water-damaged parts and installing new components. The replacement process may be too technical to carry out on your own, so it may be best to seek professional help.
If you need a band new stereo, check out our best single din head unit article.
If you do require help, we have a number of guides relating to head unit installation and how much it should cost.
How Do Car Radios get Wet?
Let’s take a look at some ways it can come in contact with moisture in the first place.
Typically, car speakers and other components of the radio system are designed for use inside the vehicle, where there is considerable protection from water. However, due to either human errors, mechanical faults, or a combination of both, your equipment might be exposed to moisture from time to time.
Additionally, your car radio could get in contact with water due to:
Weak door and window seals
These rubber seals are designed to keep water out, but they tend to wear out and slack over time. This, in turn, leads to greater porosity when it comes to letting water into the car. And if there are no protective panels over sensitive components of your car stereo system, such water can cause serious damage to your radio.
What are the implications of a wet car radio?
The problems associated with a wet car radio vary, and they range from complete destruction of your stereo system to sound distortion when playing music in your vehicle. That said, here are some of the possible challenges you could face when your car radio is regularly exposed to moisture:
- Muffled sounds from your speaker, even at high volumes!
- Sound distortion.
- Cracked speaker cones.
- Damage to the amplifier or electrical parts of the radio’s head unit.
How to Prevent your Car Radio from Getting Wet?
It is said that prevention is better than cure, and you can, most times, save yourself from the hassle of drying out a car radio by putting strict preventive measures to protect your equipment from moisture. This, you can do by:
1. Keeping the door seals clean
To prevent water from seeping into your vehicle via the gaps in the door, ensure you regularly lubricate the door seals and keep them clean. A porous door gap is a gateway to water, and this can be potentially devastating to your car radio.
2. Waterproofing your subwoofer
Another precautionary method you can take to protect your car’s speaker from water is to coat your equipment with special, non-porous material such as a high-gloss polymer. If you have no idea how to go about waterproofing your subwoofer, below is a YouTube video detailing the process.
3. Using an AC, if you have one
It might sound awkward, but you can protect your radio system from moisture damage by occasionally using the vehicle’s air conditioning system. And not only do ACs help regulate your vehicle’s temperature, but they also dry water moisture present in the car.
4. Installing speaker baffles
If you have no idea what these are, baffles are specially designed foam covers intended to protect your car radio and speakers from water damage. Once a baffle is fixed on your speaker or head unit, it serves as the first line of defense and repels dripping water before it can cause damage to your equipment.
Water in-car Speaker: The car Speaker Got Wet
Cones are super important parts of speakers/subwoofers that directly influence the quality of sound you hear from your car radio. However, a cone is made from delicate material; it might not return to its previous form after coming in contact with water, negatively impacting sound quality.
The good news is; you can fix speaker cones that crack after drying by following these simple steps:
- First, detach the speakers from their current position.
- Then, gently mop water off the cone with a damp cloth.
- Prepare patches to cover the cracked areas of the cone – this could be from paper towels, for instance. Ideally, the patch should be cut from materials similar to the cone.
- Coat the area surrounding a crack on both the top and bottom ends with glue.
- Coat one face of the patches with glue and gently press them over the crack on both sides.
- Leave the speaker to dry in a well-ventilated area.
The above process is only applicable to paper cones, and if your speaker uses plastic cones, then you should use plastic patches instead.
Water & Car Stereo System FAQs
Car Radio Not Working After Rain?
If your car radio isn’t working after it’s rained, it doesn’t necessarily mean that’s the exact cause. Check if your antenna’s wiring is damp and ensure the radio’s wiring is free from water. Even if it starts up again, a car stereo that malfunctions in the rain may indicate leaks, which could lead to permanent damage to the electrical system.
Can Car Speakers get Wet?
It’s not advised that car speakers should get wet. However, a small amount of liquid, such as a spilled drink, is unlikely to cause any major damage. If your speaker isn’t performing like usual after getting wet, though, you should follow the steps in this article to resolve the issue.
Conclusion
In many instances, water damage to your car radio can render it unusable and will not even enable it to power on. However, for small levels of water damage mopping the water off and even using a hairdryer may effectively save your radio.
It’s worth noting that electrical damage from water can spread from a different original damaged component, so even if just the disk drive is damaged, it could still affect other electrical components in the radio.
Best of Luck!
