Pioneer SPH-DA120 Not Turning On? – Fix Guide

Your Pioneer SPH-DA120 not turning ON? In this guide, we’ll cover all the aspects! 

The Pioneer SPH-DA120 car stereo (multimedia) supports AppRadio Mode and CarPlay to provide users with an exceptional audio experience while driving.

However, in some cases when the radio won’t turn ON, there could be quite a few factors to inspect.

Let’s learn more!

When the Pioneer SPH-DA120 car radio won’t turn on, users need to start their vehicle and press the SRC button a couple of times to make sure that the radio won’t turn ON. In case that doesn’t help the radio fuses and wiring should be thoroughly inspected.

Learn more about what causes your Pioneer device not to turn on!

Why Pioneer SPH-DA120 Won’t Turn ON?

It’s possible that your Pioneer SPH-D120 device is not turning on for a number of reasons.

As soon as you understand what the problem is, finding a solution should be easy.

As we begin to look at the main causes of this problem, let’s consider the major ones.

Here is what causes problems to your pioneer device:

1. Cable Connection!

You already know that your device requires a connection from your vehicle for a variety of functions, including power and fuses.

However, if a wire is interrupted or any connection is loose, your Pioneer device won’t be able to turn on.

2. Insufficient Power Source

You will need to supply the power source for your Pioneer device from your vehicle.

However, when a vehicle loses power, the radio might not turn on. Some vehicles need to be working for the car stereos to be enabled as well.

3. Faulty Fuses

In your vehicle’s fuse box, there are a lot of fuses that are already installed. These fuses are used for many purposes.

There is a possibility that the fuse for your Pioneer or one of its services may have tripped, in which case your Pioneer won’t have access to a power source.

With the possibilities out front, let’s move forward to finding a solution!

How To Fix Pioneer SPH-DA120 Not Turning On?

To be able to solve the problem we need to identify what’s making your Pioneer SPH-D120 radio constantly OFF, not allowing the device to start.

In order to localize the problem, we’re going to use a list of solutions that will definitely help out.

Let’s jump right in!

Solution #1 Click On SRC/ OFF Buttons

Clicking on the SRC/OFF button on your Pioneer car stereo should be able to turn the device ON with a single press.

When a problem with any device arises, the first thing we do is turn it off and back on to check whether this will help!

Press the SRC/OFF button several times!

Check whether the Pioneer radio makes any indication that it’s working. In case it doesn’t, the problem might be more complicated than we thought. Proceed with the next solution!

Tip: Also attempt to turn on the radio by holding the SRC button for a few moments!

Solution #2 Switch To A New Ignition Feed

An ignition feed is a wire that is used to supply power from the battery to your vehicle components.

It is located in the fuse box of your vehicle but varies from vehicle to vehicle. Many wires are directly connected to it such as battery wire, accessories wire, starter wire, and ignition system wire.

Sometimes there is an issue with your ignition feed wire.

All you need to do is:

1. Open the fuse box from your vehicle.
2. Test using a multimeter. 
3. If it is not getting any power from the battery, then the ignition is faulty.
4. Take help from a professional and switch your faulty ignition feed to a new one.

In case everything with the vehicle appears to be working well, the problem is surely related to the Pioneer car stereo.

We’re going to learn more in the next solutions!

Solution #3 Recheck Fuses

The wires and fuses are directly connected to your Pioneer radio. The possibility of a fuse-related issue exists by any chance.

Then all you have to do is open the fuse box that is located inside your vehicle to be able to thoroughly inspect what’s wrong.

Follow the guide step by step carefully:

1. Open the fuse box shown in the user manual. 
2. You’ll find all of the fuses there, and the diagram is also shown.
3. Plug out the fuses and check them one by one on a multimeter.
4. Hearing a sound from the multimeter means that the fuse is OK.
5. If there is no reading appearing on a multimeter screen, then there is a problem.
6. Replace a faulty fuse with a new one.
7. Close the fuse box and turn on your Pioneer radio.

Again, in some cases, the vehicle needs to be working for the car stereo to receive power!

Note: There is no way to test whether a fuse is working without a multimeter.

Solution #4 Measure & Ground The Stereo!

Getting sufficient power to operate properly is very important for the Pioneer car stereo.

It’s crucial that the power cables buried in Pioneer ground are in perfect condition and can supply power to your car stereo.

Make sure that cables transmit 12V using a multimeter.

Here is how you can check power wires:

1. When the pioneer is removed from the vehicle, a cluster of wires is shown up.
2. Take a multimeter and touch the wire into the grounding wires yellow color.
3. The multimeter should show 12V.
4. If yellow shows 12V then check the red wire.
5. To check the red wire, plug the key into the ignition source beforehand! 
6. Check the multimeter readings.
7. Lastly ground the black wire (to a metallic surface).

Alert: In most cases, the Pioneer stereo can’t turn ON because it’s not grounded.

Solution #5 Contact the Pioneer Team

In case your Pioneer car stereo won’t turn on even after ALL of the solutions above, it’s time to dig deeper and seek help from professionals.

Since every vehicle is different you might need a professional installation for your car stereo. 

In case the problem appeared out of the blue, the device might have become faulty!

Follow the steps to contact the Pioneer support team:

1. Open the Pioneer Contact Us Page.
2. Fill ALL fields with the required and accurate information. 
3. Describe your problem and what you’ve tried in the “Inquiry” text box.

Shortly after you’ve submitted your inquiry, the support team should reach out to you and discuss the next move.

Perhaps that’s the best time to check whether your Pioneer car stereo’s warranty is active and if possible, benefit from receiving a free repair or a new device!

Quick Recap:

When Pioneer radio is not turning on users need to turn ON their vehicles and then attempt to start the radio. In case that doesn’t help, using a multimeter, the fuses should be inspected as well as the wiring, where the black wire should be grounded.

Wrapping Up:

Here we’ve learned what to do when Pioneer SPH-DA120 not turning on, and ALL aspects revolve around the problem.

In case nothing from our guide managed to help, we strongly suggest taking the stereo to a professional to check whether it works.

In case it does, you’ll need specialized installation, based on your vehicle model.

We hope that this post was helpful and for more related guides, check our blog!