Last Updated on: October 6, 2022
If you’re reading this right now, chances are something’s gone wrong with your JVC radio.
Right?
Maybe you accidentally picked the wrong language. So you don’t understand a word from the system anymore. It could be that, for some unfathomable reason, your JVC radio won’t turn on. Or the stereo simply refuses to pair with any Bluetooth device.
Whatever the problem is, you’ve figured the best solution might be to search for something like “how to reset JVC radio.”
Well, the good news is, your search is over. In this guide, we’ve compiled everything you need to know to perform a JVC car radio reset.
But before we can get into that, you need to know about something called DIN size.
The Importance Of DIN Size
DIN is an abbreviation of Deutsches Institut für Normung. It’s the German national organization for standardization. This organization is the source of the standard size for card head units we use worldwide. This is why manufacturers measure car stereos in DIN size.
There are two main DIN sizes. They are the “Single-DIN size”, and the “Double-DIN size”.
If the head unit of your car is Single-DIN, it means the size of your front faceplate will be about 7” x 2”. And if your car’s front faceplate is 7” x 4”, you have a Double-DIN-sized head unit.
This is important because each DIN size requires a slightly different method to perform a reset.
So, find out whether your head unit is Single-DIN or Double-DIN. Then read on to discover how to reset JVC car stereo.
How To Factory Reset A JVC Stereo–The Single-DIN Version
It’s easy to reset Single-Din car stereos. The detachable units have their reset button beneath their faceplate. All you need to do is follow these steps:
Step 1
Take out the faceplates. To do this, look for the faceplate’s detach button at the bottom-left corner of your unit. When you find it, push it. Then gently shake the panel loose.
Step 2
Find the hole that houses the Reset button. It’s a tiny hole, but it’s usually centered in JVC stereos. So it should be easy to spot. But if you can’t seem to find it, check out the manual for your stereo. It’ll point you to the reset hole.
Step 3
Push the button to reset the radio. You’ll need something like a pen, paper clip, or needle to do this. Press the button for 3-5 seconds for the system to reset.
Step 4
Simply reattach the faceplate. When you’ve done all this, your Single-DIN car stereo should reset successfully.
Note: your JVC stereo has to be on for this to work. And, you’ll need to push the reset button within 5 seconds of detaching the faceplate.
Failing to do so might lead to problems resetting your stereo.
How To Reset JVC Car Stereo–Double-DIN Version
The steps you’ll need to take to reset a Double-DIN radio are a little different from those of a Single-DIN radio. Here are the steps:
Step 1
Disconnect any USB device connected to the system. If you leave the USB device connected while resetting, it can destroy the USB and its data.
Step 2
Locate the reset hole. You won’t need to detach the faceplate with this type of stereo since the button is on the panel itself. If it’s an in-dash receiver, you’ll likely find the reset button beside the volume control. But in multimedia receivers, the button is normally located at the bottom left corner.
Step 3
Push the button to reset the device. Find something thin to use. Then press and hold the button till the system reboots. Once it’s on, you’ll see you’ve successfully reset your stereo.
Alternative Methods For Older Radios
If you have an older JVC stereo, you might not be able to find a reset button. Instead, all you’ll need to do is push the ‘On’ and ‘Select’ buttons at the same time. Then hold them for 6 seconds. As you do this, the stereo’s chip will go about restoring the system to its default state.
Be careful not to push on the buttons too hard because this can damage them!
And if all else fails, there’s another method that relies on the model number of your unit.
With your model number at hand, head over to the JVC website. Once you’re there, search for your model number. The site will lead you to the user manual for your unit. Download the manual and look through it to find out how to reset your radio.
Now you know everything about how to reset a JVC radio. But that’s not the end of it.
Here’s What You Must Know As You Reset Your Radio
Keep these in mind while you perform your JVC car stereo troubleshooting:
- Hold your service manual with you as you perform the JVC radio reset. With the manual beside you, it’ll be easy to navigate through solutions specific to your model.
This is important because, despite some generalities, each model is still unique.
- Once you reset the system, every setting returns to factory default. This means you’ll need to customize your settings to fit your tastes all over again. The time will also be incorrect after you reset, so you’ll need to change the time, too.
How To Program Your JVC Radio
If you want to change the settings to fit your needs, it’s relatively easy to do. And you’ll be able to change the color, tuner, and sound settings, too. Here’s how to go about this:
- If you want to customize the sound settings, just click the “EQ” button. Then you can pick the settings you like best–whether it’s bright treble or thundering bass.
- If you want to customize the color settings, all you have to do is push the color button. Now you’ll be able to select a variety of colors for your unit.
- To change tuner settings, just press the “Menu” button, and you’ll see the options.
- One extra setting that some stereos have is the “User’s” setting. This allows you to save the settings of different drivers. So when a new driver uses the car, they won’t have to change the settings again. They can just select the settings they’ve saved.
Problems You Can Solve By Resetting Your JVC Stereo
Now that you know how to reset a JVC radio, you might be thinking:
What if another problem comes up with your unit–but you’re not sure whether resetting is the right solution?
We’ve got you. You’ll know you need to reset your stereo when you:
- Need to fix a H/W Error. This is an error your radio displays when it senses problems with its hardware. But sometimes, your radio can display this error even when there’s nothing wrong with it. A reset fixes this issue.
- Want to get it out of Protect Mode. This is a mode built into most car radios to prevent theft. It activates when the power cuts. Or the system thinks there’s a problem with the output connections. When this happens, resetting the radio is your best bet.
- Want to boost the speed of a lagging unit. This is usually a result of too many configurations on the system’s memory. Restoring to factory settings will drop the load on the stereo.
Other common problems that you can solve by resetting include:
- Your stereo misbehaving for unknown reasons
- Picking the wrong language by mistake
- Your stereo not pairing with Bluetooth devices
- Your radio not picking up any signals
- Your system not getting tuned properly
Why Won’t My JVC Stereo Turn On?
There could be several reasons. It could be that your stereo is stuck in protect mode. A simple reset, as outlined above, should solve this issue. But if it doesn’t, then it means there’s a different problem with your unit.
The problem is likely one of the following:
- You have a burnt fuse
- The pigtail connector isn’t seated correctly in the head unit
- You have a broken power wire
- There’s a problem with the Ground at the head unit
- If you run through the above options, and your stereo still doesn’t turn on, it’s likely your radio is dead. If this is the case, the only solution is to replace it with a new one.
Pro Auto Thought: You might want to have a look at how to reset Pioneer radios — How To Reset Pioneer Radio By Identifying DIN Type (1 or 2).
Watch This!
Conclusion
So there you have it. Now you know that there are two main sizes of JVC car stereos. If you want to reset the single-DIN, you’ll have to take out the faceplate and push the reset button. For the Double-DIN, on the other hand, you’ll find the reset button on the faceplate itself.
If these steps don’t fit with your model, you can head on to the JVC site. There, you can download the manual for your specific model, and perform your factory reset.