Why Is My Aux Not Working in My Car?

Written by Xuyun Zeng and 1 other
Nov 18, 2024

To fix a non-functional aux port, check the music source device, replace the aux cable if damaged, and inspect the car’s stereo system.

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Question: I’m preparing to leave for a cross-country road trip in a few days. The aux port in my car stopped working. Is there a way I can easily fix the aux in my car?

Answer: When your music won’t play via your car’s aux port, you’ll have to check all the potential sources of the problem: the source, the cable, and the car. Your issue might be very easy to DIY, but it could also require a trip to the mechanic.

Check music source

Your phone, iPod, or other music-playing device could be the source of the problem, especially if it’s older, and the audio port has accumulated dust and dirt. Try plugging headphones into the device. If you can hear music through the headphones, but not when it’s connected to your car’s aux input, then the issue might be with the car’s aux port or the connecting cable.

If you can’t hear music from the headphones either, then the problem might be with your device’s software settings or hardware. For devices with multiple audio outputs, make sure you’re selecting the right one. Your options might include the internal speaker, aux output, and Bluetooth.

Your phone might be prioritizing Bluetooth over other audio outputs. If you’ve ever heard music playing on a Bluetooth speaker at home while you’re in your car, that could be the issue.

Oh, by the way, did you turn up the volume?

Replace aux cable

The next suspect is the aux cable. Cables don’t last forever; they get bent, scratched, and damaged over time. Low-quality cables are the first to wear out. If you notice that your car audio is losing its clarity or gets “scratchy” when you wiggle the cable, replacing your cable will probably solve the problem.

Check your stereo

The final culprit is the stereo. Start with simple checks. Did you turn up the volume? Did you choose the aux mode?

If none of those are the problem, then consider that if your car has an aux port, it’s probably an older car. Ever since Apple got rid of the aux port on their iPhones, that port has been disappearing from cars. Over time, the aux port in your car’s stereo can experience wear and tear, just like any other mechanical component.

Frequent plugging and unplugging of aux cables can cause the internal contacts to become loose or worn, which may result in a poor connection that affects audio quality or prevents the sound from transmitting entirely.

If your stereo works in all other modes except aux, then a dirty or worn aux port could be the culprit, and the likely solution is to replace it.

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Xuyun Zeng

Xuyun Zeng is a content strategist with a wide-ranging content background including tech, journalism, cars and health care. After graduating with highest honors in journalism, Xuyun led a newspaper to win eight awards, helped start an award-winning film industry podcast and has written over a hundred articles about cars repair, state laws and insurance. Prior to joining Jerry, Xuyun worked as a freelance SEO consultant with a mission to create the best content that will help readers and grow organic traffic.

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Alice Holbrook

Alice Holbrook is an editor with more than a decade of experience covering personal finance, including car insurance. She\’s passionate about creating easy-to-understand content that demystifies intimidating topics for readers. Previously, she worked for NerdWallet, and her work has been featured by Newsweek, The Washington Post and the Associated Press, among others.