Harley Radio Troubleshooting: Harley Davidson Harman Kardon Radio Problems & Solutions

There are times when bike riders experience Harley Davidson Kardon Radio Problems. Troubleshooting can be used to correct faults in the Harman Kardon radio for high performance.

During bike roads, no one wants the sound to be gone all of a sudden, right? Well, this article will help you in Harley Radio Troubleshooting.

Instead of spending money, you can trouble shoot the Harley Davidson Harman Kardon Radio on your own and that too with little help!

Why Harman Kardon is Famous on Harley?

Harman Kardon is one of the biggest names for production of radio and audio equipment. It is a high-end brand that is known to produce hi-fidelity sound.

Harman Kardon has been providing audio equipment to several vehicle producers including Toyota, Honda, Suzuki and Harley Davidson.

Due to its high-performance, it is quite famous and is found in almost all Harley Davidson motorcycles.

Harman Kardon Features

Harman Kardon radio has a number of features including control buttons, digital display, on and off button. Some of them even come with USB ports. They produce hi-fidelity sound.

Specific features of the units vary depending upon different models. Some even come with Bluetooth connectivity.

The advanced models have bigger displays and larger control panels while the older models have a smaller digital display and smaller buttons.  

Harley Harman Kardon Radio Problems

Some problems that the users may face while using the Harley Harman Kardon Radio are as follow:

Unreliable Battery or Loose Power Connection	As the time passes, the battery deteriorates hence, it becomes unreliable at one point. Due to this, it may not be able to run the radio for long. Also, the power connection can be loose, which hinders in the performance of the radio. Make sure that the power connection is secure.
Sound Distortion	Distorted sound can be very common with stereos. It can be because of dirty or broken speakers. In order to have clearer sound, you may need clean or replace the speakers.
Faulty Buttons	Once you give the command, you may not get response because the buttons may be faulty.

Harley Radio Troubleshooting

To be able to access the wires of the Harley Davidson wires, you must first take off the windshield but unscrewing the three screws on top.

Make sure that you keep everything safe on a piece of towel or any other piece of clothing.

This will prevent the shield from getting damaged and will prevent the screws from being lost.

Once you have taken off the shield, you will be able to have access to the wires. You can then easily have a look at the connections that are made.

In order to troubleshoot Harman Kardon, the following steps need to be followed:

Step 1: Check the Power Connection

The first step of troubleshooting is to check the power connection. Make sure that the power outlet is working well. If the power connection is working well then you can move onto the next step.

In case there is a loose or poor power connection, you will have to make a new connection to ensure efficient working of the radio.

Once you have made the new connection, make sure to test it. If everything seems working well then you can move on to the next step.

Step 2: Speaker Connection

Next, you need to check the connection of the speakers. A lot of the times, the radio itself is working fine but the speakers are not working properly.

Due to this, the users face no sound. Make sure that the wires of the speakers are properly connected.

As we mentioned earlier that the speakers can be dirty or broken too.

Check the connection first, then check whether they are dirty or not. If the speakers work fine then make sure that the connection is secure.

Step 3: Check the Volume Buttons

After the speaker connection, you need to check the volume buttons. Make sure that they are working properly.

Also, check for the mute button as well. Sometimes, the volume is muted and the user is looking for faults.

Increase the volume of the unit to check the sound. If the buttons don’t work properly then they will be replaced.

Lastly, before you reassemble, make sure that all the connections are secure and properly functioning. Recheck once again.

This will prevent you from disassembling and assembling again and again.

Resetting the Radio of Harley Davidson (2003)

In order to be able to go back to the factory settings, you need to press the reset button of the radio.

Step 1: Find the Fuse

Under the left cover of the Harley Davidson Motorcycle, you will find the fuse. There are two fuses one is radio power and the other one is radio memory. Uncover the fuses.

Step 2: Pull the Fuses

After finding the fuses, the next step is to pull the radio power and radio memory fuse. After that, wait for a few minutes.

Then, you can cover the fuses and put them back in place. At this point, your radio should be back to its factory settings.

Resetting the Radio of Harley Davidson (2004-2013)

Step 1: Turn the ignition on

The first step of resetting a more advanced Harley Davidson bike is to turn the ignition on and then wait for the radio come on.

Step 2: Push buttons at the same time

As soon as the radio comes on, you need to push the button 1, 3 and OK all at the same time. After that, press the UP arrow one time.

Once you do that, the digital display will show the option of reset device.

Step 3: Reset the device

Press 1, in order to reset the device. This will take you back to the factory settings. You will then be able to make the desired changes.

Resetting the Radio of Harley Davidson (2014-Present)

Step 1: Hold the power view button

The first step to reset the Radio of Harley Davidson 2014-present is to press the power button and turn the motorcycle to accessory.

For this work, you have to wait for the warning sign to come up. It will not show on the screen right away, you will have to wait for a while.

Step 2: Hit accept button

Once the warning shows up on the screen, leave the power button and hit the accept button. It will then take you to the service menu.

Step 3: Find Reset

One the display, use the arrow to find the reset button. Press the reset button.

Step 4: Select pre-calibration Reset Button

After pressing the reset button, the pre-calibration reset button will show on the screen.

Press that and then the option of restore to factory default will appear on the screen. Press “yes” and it will reset the radio. You can then turn off the motorcycle.

Common Harley Davidson Harman Kardon Radio Problems

Problem	Cause of the Problem	Solution
No function of the unit, completely dead.	Lack of power. When the unit doesn’t get the needed power for functioning, it doesn’t function at all. It seems dead.	In order to make the unit function again, check the power connection and make sure that the unit is getting the needed power.
The unit turns on but there is no sound or display.	A lot of the times, the users may face this problem because the input connections may not be strong. Secondly, the sound could be on mute or volume could be low.	To overcome this problem, first you need to make sure that the input connections are secure and effectively working. Then, check the mute of the sound and the volume. Turn off mute and increase volume.
Red light around the power switch.	Users may panic or get confused because of the red light around the power switch. The red light indicates internal problems due to which the amplifier may be on protection mode.	Try to get the radio checked with a professional to figure out the internal problems that are causing the red light to be on around the power switch.
Unit is on but no light on the display.	At times, the user experience now light on the display. This is because of the low brightness.	(if the model allows, then) increase the brightness and it should solve the problem
No sound can be heard from any speaker.	This is because of the poor connection.	To overcome this problem, check the connection of the wires connected to the system. Check the wires on the sending and receiving ends.
No response to commands.	Lack of response to commands is because of the faulty buttons.	Check the buttons, they may need replacement. Once the buttons are replaced, the command should be responded properly.
Sudden sound cut off.	Sound cut off all of a sudden may be because of lack of power or due to internal issues.	Check the power connection or battery of the system. If they are working fine, then check the radio for internal issues.
Letters flashing on the display.	The letters flashing on the display is due to the digital audio feed. The audio feed is paused. Hence, the letters start flashing.	To overcome this, turn off radio and then turn it on again. It should be able to fix the problem of letters flashing.

Cost

The cost of radio troubleshooting varies. This is because, there can be a number of problems with the radio or it may just be a poor connection.

Internal problems of the radio may cost higher as compared to blown fuses or shot wires.

Typically, radio troubleshooting may cost about $180-$350, depending upon the actual problem.

Again, some professionals may charge much higher and some may charge much lower depending upon the issues of the radio.

To avoid spending money, you can start -the troubleshooting process on your own.

Try resetting your radio as well. If you fail to overcome the problem then you can go ahead and get help from a professional.

Time

Radio troubleshooting and resetting of Harman Kardon may take an hour or two. Resetting is pretty simple and it should only take a few minutes.

However, for radio troubleshooting, you may have to spend much longer. This is because, solving internal issues can require a lot of time and effort.

But if the problem is not that big then you should be done within 10-20 minutes.

FAQ’s Harley Radio

Why is Harman Kardon blinking red?

The blinking of red light means that the unit has gone into the protect mode.

The protect mode is basically a mode that prevents the unit from further damage by shutting the unit off.

Due to the red light blinking and protect mode, the speakers attached to the unit are not damaged.

What is the major reason of the radio not working?

There can be a lot of reasons of the radio not working. One of the major reasons could be the non-functional fuse.

Once the fuse is replaced, it should work fine. Secondly, if the power connection is loose, the radio may seem completely dead. Hence, check the power connection and make sure that it is secure.

What is the reason of sound cut off?

The sound cut off may be due to a lack of signals to the radio. Once the signals are received, the sound will come back.

Also, a sudden sound cut off can also be due to fluctuating power. If the power connecting is loose, the power supplied will fluctuate.

Due to this, a sudden sound cut off can be experienced by the bike rider.

Verdict

Harman Kardon is one the most well-known names in the audio equipment industry and the company has been supplying products to a number of large manufacturing companies.

The Harman Kardon radios just like others can have some issues in functioning.

Troubleshooting helps the bikers solve this problem and they can listen to their favorite channel whenever they want.