Vizio Subwoofer Not Found? – Learn How to Fix

Is the Vizio subwoofer not found? The way of fixing that will depend on when that started happening.

If the devices suddenly lose connection or are not paired out of the box, there are different procedures to take.

When the soundbar can’t find the subwoofer, the first thing you must try is manual pairing. Other ways of fixing the issue include resetting the soundbar, updating its firmware, checking the subwoofer’s power cord, and trying to eliminate wave interference of other smart devices.

You don’t need to worry a lot, as you are not the first person to face such an issue.

Thus, it is very feasible to fix it! Check all the solutions below and do what applies to your situation.

Vizio Subwoofer Not Found – What Is Going On?

Usually, the Vizio subwoofer comes already connected to the soundbar if you buy them bundled.

However, sometimes the subwoofer is not found by the Vizio soundbar.

Something is wrong in those cases, and here are the most common reasons for the issue:

✅ Lost Pairing

Sometimes, the factory pairing has simply been lost, and then you must do it manually when setting up the first time.

✅ Firmware Issue

Perhaps the soundbar requires an update or reset to start recognizing other devices again.

✅ Not Enough Power

There may be an issue with the power adapter of the subwoofer. If the subwoofer can’t power up properly, the soundbar will not be able to connect to it.

✅ Interference

You must check if other devices in the environment are generating electric or Bluetooth interference.

Vizio Subwoofer Not Found: Fix With The Methods Below

As odd as the issue is, it is not impossible to fix it. When your Vizio sound bar subwoofer is not found, there are many solutions you can try until one of them works.

Check below and follow the instructions closely.

1. Pair Manually

Have you bought the subwoofer bundled with the soundbar? Usually, the Vizio kit is paired at the factory, and you should just plug and play.

However, when they lose the factory pairing, it is still possible to pair them manually. 

Here are the steps:

1. Turn the subwoofer on;
2. Hold the pairing button;
3. A red LED must begin to blink;
4. Release the button when that happens;
5. Hold the power button on the sound bar;
6. Wait for a three-time flash;
7. Release the buttons;

If the light on the soundbar flashes three times, it means the pairing has been successful.

If it doesn’t, you must unplug both devices and plug again to start over.

2. Reset The Soundbar

If solution #1 doesn’t work, that could mean the issue is with the soundbar’s software.

To troubleshoot that, we will start by soft resetting it. If necessary, you can also hard reset the soundbar. 

First, the soft reset:

1. Turn the soundbar off;
2. Unplug it;
3. Hold the Power button for 30 seconds;
4. Plug it again;

How To Hard Reset

A hard reset will erase all your preferences from the soundbar’s memory.

Here are the steps:

1. Turn the soundbar on;
2. Hold both the Bluetooth and Volume Down buttons;
3. Release after 5 seconds;
4. The LED lights must flash three times if successful.

Note: After resetting the soundbar, you must see if it automatically picks up the subwoofer signal. If not, you can go back to Solution #1 and see if the soundbar is now capable of manual pairing.

3. Update The Soundbar

Further, it is also possible that the issue with the soundbar firmware requires you to update it.

The current firmware version might have glitched so that resetting it won’t work.

Before any update method, you must ensure the soundbar is connected to the network:

1. Press the “Menu” button on the soundbar’s remote;
2. Navigate to “Wi-Fi Setup”;
3. Press “Play”/” OK”;
4. The soundbar will enter Wi-Fi mode;
5. Enter the credentials for your Wi-Fi 

Update Via The Soundbar’s TV Menu

Is your soundbar connected to the TV? In that case, updating it will be very easy because you can see all the steps on the TV’s screen. 

Do the following:

1. Press “Menu” on the remote;
2. Navigate to “System”;
3. Press “Play” or “OK”;
4. Go to “Check For Updates”;
5. If available, you will be able to download the update.

Update Via The Vizio App

If you have the app installed on your phone and the soundbar is paired to it, then updating it is a no-brainer:

1. Open the Vizio SmartCast app on your phone;
2. Tap on the devices icon;
3. Select your soundbar;
4. If an update is available, a notification will show up;
5. Tap “Update”;

On the app, you can also do this if you suspect an update should show up but doesn’t:

1. Go to Settings;
2. Choose System;
3. Click on Check For Updates

Update Through OTA

If your soundbar connects to the TV via HDMI and is connected to the Wi-Fi, it can receive updates Over The Air.

That means it won’t need to wait for you to search for updates.

Instead, here is the process:

1. Open the on-screen menu on your TV;
2. Check that the soundbar is connected to the Wi-Fi;
3. A notification will appear if any update is available
4. Select the notification
5. Choose “Update.”

4. Check The Subwoofer’s Power

If your subwoofer is not new, it is possible that its power cord is defective.

In that case, it will affect the connection in the following way: the cord can’t supply a constant power current, and the subwoofer will keep turning on and off all the time.

Thus, the soundbar can’t pick up its signal because it is not stable.

Here is what you can try:

• Plug the subwoofer into a different power outlet;
• Check the cord’s ends to see if they are damaged;
• Check the cord’s length to see if there are signs of burn or if some parts are too thin;

Test The Cord

Do you have a multimeter at home? You can try this:

1. Set the multimeter to continuity;
2. Touch its probes to the cord’s metal prongs;

If the results fluctuate, that is an indication of what was already under suspicion. In that case, you must find another power cord for replacement. 

Note: A new power cord must have the same power specs as the old one so that you don't blow the subwoofer's internal components.

5. Eliminate Interference

Sometimes the lack of connection between your soundbar and subwoofer results from a lot of interference in the room/environment.

Nowadays, we have plenty of Wi-Fi and Bluetooth devices at home, meaning many invisible waves communicating and potential interference.

Here are some suggestions:

• Turn the Bluetooth off on some nearby devices;
• Turn the Wi-Fi off on some nearby devices;
• Turn your smart hub off if you have one;

After doing those, unplug the subwoofer and soundbar and plug them in again. See if that works. 

6. Turn Energy Saving Mode Off

The energy-saving modes on certain devices might glitch some functions.

The software might understand that the best way to save energy is to block a certain native function, such as the soundbar connecting to the subwoofer.

Here is how you turn it off on the Vizio soundbar:

1. Go to the soundbar’s settings;
2. Find the Eco Mode or Energy Star;
3. Toggle it off;

You can also turn it off through the soundbar’s buttons:

1. Hold the power button;
2. Hold the volume down too for up to 10 seconds;
3. The lights on the soundbar’s left must disappear.

What We Learned

What to do when the Vizio subwoofer is not found? As you have seen, there are many ways of working around that problem.

They usually include dealing with the software but assessing some hardware might be necessary too.

If the issue is not serious, your soundbar and subwoofer are already working together by now!

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