[4 Causes] Ford F150 Radio Not Working? Here’s How To Fix Properly!

Your Ford F150 radio not working and showing trouble is often a signal of other underlying issues that you may hurry up in fixing. There are more than just a few that could be the case, causing the radio to suddenly misbehave like that. And you not knowing where to start or what could be the exact problem may end up making things worse. It’s okay, calm down!

We have gathered a few really common things that usually happens with the radio getting out of order and based on those circumstances, we’ll try to guide you on what to do next. So, keep on reading until you find the right solution…

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4 Possible Reasons On Why Ford F150 Radio Not Working

Reasons for Radio Not Working	Possible Fixes to Do
A few blown fuses in the fusebox	Test out the fuses and then replace the damaged ones
Solder flow & other minor errors in radio	Take out the mainboard to bake it for some minutes
Stuck radio problem	Reset the unit or detach the negative battery terminator for an hour and connect it again
Bad factory radio	Troubleshoot and replace the radio unit

First And Foremost Check The Bad Fuses

The main reason why the Ford F150 radio stopped working on a truck is blown fuses. Facing radio not turning on issues can be due to one or a few fuses are blown up.

You can easily test out your truck fuses to learn about the state of radio power using a voltmeter. Also, check for blown fuses. Your truck audio system can be damaged due to one or more shorted wires.

If your truck Ford F150 factory radio is problematic, it may not operate at all or inconstantly. You need to fix it out as soon as possible to avoid the rapid blowing of fuses.

Try To Fix the Blown Fuse This Way

The Ford F150 radio won’t turn on if you don’t fix blown fuses properly. Because of that, you won’t be able to use the function of the affected accessory. To give an example, the entertainment unit won’t work if your radio fuse is blown away.

Want to repair the issue of blown fuse? Try figuring out the place of the fuse panel. Ford F150 has different models with a unique outline that cause real struggle to find out the fuses.

Yet, most Ford F150 fuses are located in 2 locations:

Fuse box under the hood.
Inside the car.

It would be smart if you check your Ford user manual to find out the fuse box easily. If not, then just locate a hump-shaped box inside your truck hood. It would be sealed with a cover that needs to be removed.

Note: Be sure to turn off your truck before taking out the blown fuse.

If you see a darker or burn-type fuse inside the box, it indicates a broken one. Also, you will notice the upper part of the blown fuses is torn into two pieces. Change the broken fuse with a new one.

How To Replace a Fuse: 2015-2019 Ford F-150

Start by gathering the tools. And, be ready for the replacement.
Pull up the hood of your truck. Make sure to pull the hood struts to keep them open.
Take out the cover of the engine fuse box. It should be on the left side covered.
After that, find out the bad fuse. For that, notice the fuse wire to locate the bad one easily.
Once you have found the bad fuse, detach it. Then, attach the new one to the unit.

Blown Fuses Can Happen for Some Other Reasons Too

Using higher ampere bulbs in the taillights or headlights can cause the blowing of fuses.
If a metal or steel item drops inside the fuse will influence the fuses to blow.
Accessory used in the cigarette lighters has an electrical current.
Shorted trailer harness.
The wiring harness rubbing over the fuses causes blowing.

Warning

Be sure to change a fuse that matches the specific ampere rating. If you use a fuse that has a higher ampere rating, it may result in wire mishaps or fire issues. You need to change the fuse that lets electrical parts in the truck work with no burn.

Using the wrong fuse on your truck’s electrical part will break the wire by blowing. So, check the fuses of the radio before replacing it.

Radio AMP Rating and Number

Fuse Number	AMP Rating	Protected Parts
09	10 A	Radio Display
26	5 A	Radio Frequency Module
29	20 A	Radio
38	10 A	Delayed Accessory- Radio

A Weird Fix That Works for Radio Having Solder Flow & Minor Fractures Trouble

Sometimes a very strange fix can help you out when the Ford F150 radio shuts off and becomes a trouble to deal with.

Can you see only flashing time as the radio suddenly stops working completely? And then, perhaps after one or two weeks, the thing would again start working as if nothing ever happened?

That’s a very common case happening to radios of F150, especially the 2012 model. The first thing you should do is taking the radio out. And then check all the connections of it. You also want to have a look at the solder joints.

As soon as you are done checking for maybe minor faults and fixing those, it should start working again. But there’s a chance the radio will stop functioning within a week, and this will keep on continuing.

If you can relate to the situation, try a strange hack that might work but be very cautious whatsoever. You want to get the radio out and find the mainboard to remove it as well. Place it on a cardboard piece next. And then bake it in your toaster oven. 385 degrees temperature for 6 to 8 minutes. After that, let the thing cool down completely. Do the reassembly and it will work once again?

Make sure you don’t move the board when it’s hot. Because that will basically cause shifting the parts, and then your radio is basically going into the trash.

If the hack works for you then understand you have solder that typically has no lead. And so, the fracture every now and then would be a common thing to experience. With such a process, you will find the solder reflowing once again. Plus, the minor fractures will be sorted as well.

Force a Reset to Fix the Frozen-Up Radio

Now there are certain models that have radios with a reputation to freeze up again and again. For example, the 2009 Ford F-150. And this happens during the Built Ford Tough screen. You would probably get one or two fixes for a case like this.

And most probably, the easiest one is going for a unit reset, by force if necessary. To do so, you simply need to hold the power button down. And at the same time go for the right seek button. Keep the hold for at least 5 to 10 seconds. You’ll notice the unit turning off and getting back on.

Now if that’s not happening, then detach the negative battery terminal next. Let it stay off like that for half an hour. After that, you can reconnect the thing back and the problem should be gone.

By the way, the other thing to do is check for blown fuses, which you already know about. Don’t forget to check the provided owner’s manual if you have less idea about fuse panel locations.

And If Nothing Works, Replace

This is when you have basically hit the rock bottom. And nothing seems to be solving the broken radio circumstance. Then, the wisest decision to take is to give up on that problematic radio and work on replacing it.

Keep in mind that Ford radio is great at providing fabulous performance without any problem for years. But sometimes the factory radio unit becomes worn out due to excessive regular use. And in such failure, it’s often advised to go for a replacement with a re-manufacturer factory unit. You can also get the aftermarket unit from several suppliers.

Also, before going for a replacement, a bit of troubleshooting might be necessary. Here’s how:

Right beneath the steering column you’ll see the fuse panel, open it. there should be two knobs on the cover. You want to turn it counterclockwise. Make sure to pull the fuse cover down.
Using a fuse puller, pull the Ford radio fuse and refer to the underside diagram to find out the one related to the radio.
There should be a metal strip inside the fuse, it could be broken or burned. In such a case replace that thing with the same amperage option.
And then you can go ahead to replace the defective radio unit.

This May Really Help You!

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is my radio display not working?

Usually, the reason behind a radio display not working is a blown fuse. But it could also be due to the turned-down dimmer. Then there’s the error-included illumination wire that can be the problem. Sometimes moisture gets through the connectors that are basically between the radio unit and LCD. Or simply that connector is damaged and needs replacing. Other things that can get faulty to cause trouble here, are the radio unit itself, the LCD, and also the backlight.

Why is my Ford Sync not working?

You need to turn the Bluetooth off on the SYNC. Tab on the phone button to scroll onto the system settings. You need to tab ok and then find Bluetooth devices to press ok. Then you can select off and after a while select on. This should make the problem disappear and Sync will start working again. If not then you might have to go for a manual connection between the Sync and the phone.

Why does my radio turn on but no sound?

There can be a grounded wire that is making the issue and causing no sound. Sometimes due to faulty speakers also such a problem arises. Or perhaps the fuses are damaged. Other parts that can be faulty to cause such situations is the head unit. And sometimes, just because the radio unit setup was not complete, there tends to be no sound output.

Is there a fuse for radio display?

Yes, sometimes there are dedicated fuses for the radio so that no short circuit risks are involved with the whole system. Depending on your model of the vehicle this fuse location can be different. And that is why you should consider referring to the provided manual to exactly find out the right information about its location.

What should I do if the word CODE starts to flash on the radio screen?

Your Ford dealership must have given you a certain code that needs to be entered at this point. If you don’t know anything about this code or finding it hard to continue, just contact the dealership right away. Once you show them the proof of ownership, they’ll help you with the code and the factory radio reset would take place without any problem.

Final Thoughts

Overall, the issue of why the Ford F150 radio not working is a big topic. You may face display issues while playing radio or sound trouble. As the electrical parts fail to transfer signals via fuses to radio, it causes these challenges.

In short, the fuses of the radio are either blown away or get damaged which causes internal issues. No one would like their truck with a radio that doesn’t work properly. Fortunately, there are some easy solutions to those minor issues of radio. Thus, you may need to replace the fuse. But of things are a little severe, go ahead and change the unit radio to avoid further issues.

Keep in mind, that the replacement of the radio unit will need a professional’s help. We hope this guide helped you solve the radio not working issue. Keep Up the Good Work!

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[4 Causes] Ford F150 Radio Not Working? Here’s How To Fix Properly!