Vizio Satellite Speakers Not Working? Know How to Fix!

If you have Vizio satellite speakers not working problem, this post will help you understand the cause of the problem and recommend appropriate solutions to fix the issue.

But first, you have to make sure that you have turned on the Surround Settings.

When your Vizio Satellite speakers stop working, make sure there are no loose cable connections to the subwoofer. Unplug the soundbar and the subwoofer, next reconnect the power cord of both devices to ensure connection. Follow it up with a speaker test to see if the link is okay.

A surround sound system uses multiple speakers, which simulate you being at the center of whatever you are watching.

It creates a high-quality digital sound from various angles and produces a deep, booming bass during explosions.

If the Vizio satellite speakers stop working, you can’t have an excellent audio experience.

Why Vizio Satellite Speakers Not Working

If your Vizio Satellite speakers are not working, it can be due to several reasons.

The most common is loose cables. But, others can impact your overall audio experience.

1. No Background Audio

Satellite speakers are the ones that produce ambient audio in the background.

If it stops working, you won’t be able to hear the subtle sound of bugs skittering as if they’re right behind you.

2. Loose Cables

Make sure the cables between the subwoofer and the satellite speakers are connected properly.

Inspect for damage and try reconnecting both ends after disconnecting. You must firmly push cables into both the speakers and the audio source.

3. Subwoofer Not Connected

The subwoofer is a speaker designed to produce bass tones and low-frequency sounds. You often place them on the floor in the corner of your room for maximum effect.

If your Vizio satellite speakers are not working, the subwoofer may not be properly connected or powered on.

If you know what causes Vizio soundbar satellite speakers to malfunction, you can easily apply the appropriate solution so you can start enjoying your favorite games and movies.

How to Fix Vizio Satellite Speakers Not Working

If your Vizio satellite speakers are not working, try to follow the steps below.

Many of the troubleshooting techniques work across your current issue and can help you enjoy your device in no time.

Solution #1: Make Sure Your Content Has Background Audio

What content are you watching? The first step to troubleshooting your Vizio Soundbar satellite speakers not working is making sure that whatever you are watching has background audio.

1. Check connections by pushing the power cord connectors firmly.
2. Try playing your content on other devices.
3. Eliminate signal blockages.

Look for another device that works on the same outlet and carefully observe the outcome.

If the new device fails to play the background audio too, the content itself may be defective. You probably need to replace it.

Note: If you are getting no audio at all, ensure the volume is not muted, and the audio settings are set to produce audio from the soundbar speakers.

Solution #2: Make Sure Surround is Turned on

If the Vizio satellite speakers are not working, make sure you turn on the surround. You’ll know the subwoofer is powered on if the light on the back lights up.

1. To ensure the surround is powered ON, turn the volume up and down. If it’s on, you will see the volume indicator light.
2. The subwoofer has a switch. If powered ON, you will see a blinking or solid light near the switch.

Note: Another way to ensure it is ON is by unplugging the surround sound system. Then, reconnect the power cord of your device.

Solution #3: Make Sure the Cables are Connected to the Subwoofer

Connect the speaker cables securely to the subwoofer. Match the color-coded cables to the matching speaker port color.

1. Connect a power cable to the subwoofer.
2. Plug the power cable into a power outlet.
3. Flip the power switch to the ON position.

Note: If you have made sure that cables are connected to the subwoofer, but you are still getting the same issue, make sure the subwoofer is turned on or paired.

Solution #4: Make Sure the Subwoofer is Turned On

If your Vizio surround sound is not working, it could be because the subwoofer is OFF or not paired.

If this is the case, make sure the subwoofer is ON. The surround sound must start working after that.

1. Unplug sound bar and your subwoofer.
2. Reconnect the power cord to both devices.
3. Try again.

Note: If the subwoofer is ON, but you still face a problem, your device may not be paired. 

Depending on your model, we recommend checking the manual for specific instructions.

Solution #5: Re-Pair the Subwoofer to Your Soundbar

If your Vizio subwoofer is not working, the likely reason is it lost its Bluetooth connection to the sound and needs to be paired again.

The process is straightforward:

1. Turn ON your subwoofer.
2. Press and hold the pairing button, found at the back of the subwoofer,for 5 seconds or until you see a blinking red light.
3. Release the pairing button.
4. Press and hold the power button on top of the sound bar.
5. Hold for 5 seconds or until the LED light flashes three times, indicating successful pairing.
6. Release the power button.

You can then try to play audio through your surround sound system to verify that your subwoofer is working.

Note: Perform a speaker test by playing audio through every channel of your soundbar. 

If the subwoofer has audio during the test, you’ll know that the connection is okay, and the issue may be related to the content you are playing.

Solution #6: Update Your Vizio Soundbar Firmware

Updating your Vizio sound bar firmware ensures that it’s running the latest version with bug fixes, security patches, and new features.

1. To see if your Vizio sound bar has a firmware update, go to the VIZIO.com support page.
2. Enter the model number of your sound bar. If there is an update, it will appear in the search results.
3. Download the firmware update and the instructions from the support article.
4. Click the download link to begin downloading the update.
5. Once done, save the file to your USB drive.

Then, you can begin to install the new software.

1. Power ON the sound bar using the power button.
2. While powered on, disconnect the power cord
3. Connect the USB drive that contains the update.
4. Reconnect the power cord.

Once reconnected, two LED lights will illuminate on the front of your sound bar.

Note: When you see the third and fourth LED lights illuminate, it means the update is in progress. Once the LED lights turn off, you can safely remove the USB.

Thus, the likely cause of the malfunction of your Vizio satellite speakers is loose cable connections. To ensure that your device is securely connected, unplug the power cord and reconnect it again. You can perform a speaker test to make sure the connection is okay. If the link is okay, the issue may be content-related.

Read Next: Vizio Sound Bar Not Turning On With TV? (Fixed)

Last Thoughts

If you have a Vizio satellite speakers not working issue, this post will help you understand why you are experiencing the problem and provide you with appropriate solutions to fix it.

If your subwoofer is not playing any audio but is still under warranty, contact customer support for additional assistance or validate your warranty and ask for a replacement.

If you think this article is useful but have another issue with your Vizio surround sound system, you can find it helpful in our blog.