Sony Subwoofer Red Light? – Complete Fix Guide

The Sony subwoofer red light indicates a problem with the pairing. When the wireless signal of the subwoofer is not detected by the soundbar, the red light will notify you of the problem.

The red light on a Sony subwoofer can be fixed by inspecting the power of both the Sony subwoofer and the soundbar.

In addition, users, need to re-establish the link between both devices as well as reduce overheating and inspect the setup for any faults.

Let’s unwrap the most-important factors first!

Red Light On Sony Subwoofer – Explained

Here’s what can trigger the red light on your Sony subwoofer:

1. Power issues with Sony soundbar/subwoofer
2. Incorrect placement/installation of the devices
3. Inappropriate linking or failed pairing process
4. Interference coming from other wireless units
5. Improper channel setting on the Sony soundbar
6. The volume limit of the device has been reached
7. Physical speaker damage or overuse throttling

Try This First!

The very first thing to attempt is to disconnect the Sony subwoofer straight from the power outlet or remove the batteries of your wireless unit.

The red light would turn off and when you plug back the soundbar into the power, any accidental issues will be resolved.

How to Fix the Sony Subwoofer Red Light in Minutes!

Tip: Follow the steps in order to solve the red light issue as soon as possible!

1. Link the Sony Soundbar and Subwoofer

The leading cause for the bothersome red light on your Sony subwoofer is a fault with the pairing.

If there has been an interruption in the signal that disconnected your subwoofer, you’ll be fine with simply pairing the device again.

Here’s how to link a Sony subwoofer to the soundbar:

1. Press the AMP button on the supplied remote control.
2. Select the “WS” button on the soundbar’s display.
3. Choose “Enter”, tap on “Link” and press “Enter”.
4. Confirm the prompt to allow your soundbar to connect.

Info: When pairing the Sony soundbar with the subwoofer, both devices must be plugged into power, with their power switch set to “on”.

2. Power Cycle the Sony Soundbar

If you’ve reconnected the subwoofer and soundbar, only for them to get unpaired again, it’s probably a matter of power issues.

The best way to address any shutting down or rebooting problems with either device is to perform a power circulation.

Here’s how to power cycle your Sony soundbar and subwoofer:

1. Set the power switch of both devices to “OFF”.
2. Unplug the power adapter of both devices.
3. Wait for 5 minutes, with the devices unplugged.
4. Reconnect the power to both devices.

Make sure you unplug the devices at the same time and reconnect them at the same time. This guarantees the correctness of the power cycle.

3. Lower the Subwoofer’s Volume!

The red light on your Sony subwoofer could also indicate that the volume limit level has been reached.

If your subwoofer has been at full volume for a while now, the components may have overheated and the red light is supposed to go off at times.

• To lower the volume of the subwoofer, rotate the “Volume” button towards “-”

Whilst reducing the volume levels of the subwoofer, verify that sound is playing through the device.

It’s necessary to recognize the volume level of the subwoofer and know the fluctuations in the output’s strength in reference to the red light.

Tip: To achieve the needed goal, you can simply mute your soundbar!

4. Act Against Overheating

It’s entirely possible that the Sony subwoofer is showing a red light because it’s unpaired from the soundbar due to overheating.

When one of your devices, the subwoofer or the soundbar starts to exceed the thermal margin (heat), the unit eventually restarts automatically.

• When one of your devices is constantly restarting, the red light will indicate this!

To act against overheating, follow all of the recommendations below:

• Clean the ventilation openings on both Sony units
• Unclog the vents from dust and debris accumulation
• Ventilate the room or environment of your Sony setup

Tip: When the measures are undertaken, restart both devices and test!

5. Inspect the Sony Setup Cables

If you’ve connected the subwoofer via cable to the amplifier (or Sony soundbar), you must verify that the cable is securely connected.

Loose ends of the cable may cause the signal to be disrupted, disconnect the subwoofer and cause the red light to go off.

Here’s how to inspect your soundbar’s subwoofer cable:

1. Unplug the soundbar cable from both ends.
2. Inspect the cable for damages, rips, and cuts.
3. Inspect input all input ports included.
4. Inspect the cable’s connectors on both ends.
5. Remove any obstructions from input ports.

After you’re done with the general inspection, test whether the red lights are still there!

6. Reset The Sony Subwoofer

The reset is a harsh approach against the red light on your Sony subwoofer but is also one of the most effective methods in this guide.

The reset will disconnect your subwoofer from the Sony soundbar and will provide you with a fresh start and no red lights.

Here’s how to reset your Sony Subwoofer in easy steps:

1. Locate the Power and the Vol – buttons!
2. Press and hold both buttons for 5 seconds.
3. Release when “RESET” appears on the screen.
4. Wait until your Sony subwoofer is resetting.

Info: The reset takes about 30 seconds on average but remain patient even if the Sony soundbar is taking longer to complete the process.

7. Replace Batteries (Wireless Subwoofer)

Though most Sony subwoofers use an AC adapter to connect with power,  those who have connectivity options such as Bluetooth/Wi-Fi also use batteries.

Your Sony subwoofer can either have two AA or AAA batteries inserted in a compartment on the back.

Here’s how to replace the batteries of the subwoofer:

1. Locate the battery compartment on the back of the subwoofer.
2. Eject the compartment’s cover.
3. Remove the batteries inside.
4. Insert a fresh set of two AA or AAA batteries.
5. Close the cover of the compartment.

Remember to only use brand-new battery products with your subwoofer. As the end-life of a battery nears, the power supplying your subwoofer (or any other technical appliance) will greatly weaken.

8. Update Subwoofer Software

As your Sony subwoofer starts to age, it may be behind on important updates that keep the files of the Sony subwoofer up to date.

You can manually upload the latest firmware to the Sony subwoofer in order to determine if the red light is a software-related problem.

• To update your Sony subwoofer, you’ll need a laptop/computer!

Here’s how to update the software of your Sony subwoofer:

1. Get into Sony’s websites on a device with an online browser.
2. Go to the “Devices” section and select your subwoofer type.
3. Press “Firmware” from the side menu and download the update.
4. Read the updated instructions, included in the package.
5. According to the instructions, proceed to update the subwoofer.

Sony will specify in detail how the update is executed.

Pay close attention to all alerts and notes in the installation prompt to properly upload the firmware to your subwoofer.

9. Check the Sony Remote

If your Sony remote has developed connectivity issues, it may send unintended signals toward your audio setup.

We’ll take out the Sony remote’s batteries, to determine if your subwoofer is still going to blink in red while the remote is inactive.

Here’s how to remove the batteries of your Sony remote:

1. Place the remote with the batteries facing down.
2. Remove the battery compartment latch.
3. Eject the batteries out of the remote.
4. Place the remote on the side.

Make sure that the remote is at a close distance to the Sony audio system, soundbar, and subwoofer.

Keep watch on either device of the system, to determine if it’s mode or power status will change while the remote’s batteries are out.

Note: If the red light was caused by the remote, replace its batteries with brand-new ones.

Still Here?

If you’re still here and the red light on your Sony subwoofer is still there, perhaps you’re dealing with a more complex issue.

The best next step would be to check whether your warranty is intact and contact Sony through the Sony Support Center for additional help. Good luck!

Quick Recap:

Here we’ve learned that Sony subwoofer red light means that the pairing to the soundbar has failed.

The solution requires an inspection of all suspected factors involving volume, overheating, pairing blunders, power fluctuations, and much more!

Read Next: Sony Soundbar Won’t Power On? – Here’s How to Fix