Vizio Sound Bar Keeps Cutting Out? [Quick Fix Guide]
Vizio sound bars are some of the best in the market right now. They’re a popular way to listen to music and all other forms of audio for people of various ages. They are also a surefire way for you to update your basic speakers into a high-quality experience.
Soundbars like Vizio’s help solve the common issue of less-than-stellar built-in speakers set to your TV, while still keeping the simple and sleek look in mind.
However, some Vizio users have reported a common issue: their Vizio soundbar keeps cutting out. This experience can ruin a fun night of movies at home. Luckily, there are a couple of options you have if your Vizio soundbar continues to cut out.
What to Do if Your Vizio Sound Bar Keeps Cutting Out
Several users have reported that their Vizio soundbar keeps cutting out. The range of the issue varies: sometimes it is every few seconds or at random. The loss of audio has also been all over the place. Some users have reported their audio cut out has lasted anywhere from two or three seconds to 20 seconds before it comes back.
Identify Possible Causes
There are three main causes that could make the Vizio soundbar may be cutting out:
an issue with the soundbar itself
An issue with the device the soundbar is attached to
Interference from a neighboring device
Luckily, there are various solutions to all of these possible causes!
Check the Settings and Cables
Before anything else, double-check the volume settings of the Vizio soundbar. The Vizio soundbar isn’t always clear about if it is muted or not, you should always make sure to try unmuting your soundbar first or turn up the volume.
It may sound like an obvious solution, but many users have found that many audio issues were fixed by users who made sure the settings of their Vizio soundbar were correct.
Check the Input Connection
Sometimes the issue is not the Vizio soundbar. Instead, it may be an issue with the hardware it is plugged into. If you’re still experiencing issues after checking the settings, make sure to check on the cables and connections. Audio can cut out if the cable is loose or not fully pushed into the Vizio soundbar.
The solutions can depend on what kind of connection you’re using. Because HDMI is a digital interface, it only has two states: on or off. So if you’re using an HDMI cord to connect your soundbar, it is unlikely to be an issue unless the audio is cutting out at the same time as the picture.
If you use a digital optical cable, make sure that the cable itself isn’t damaged. Occasionally, a dead cable-one that has experienced physical issues such as an animal chewing on it or just the general wear and tear of age-could also cause the audio to cut in and out. If you swap it out with a new cable or input source, that should tell you if the issue is the cable or not.
If you’re connected by Bluetooth, a wireless connection might be the issue. First, make sure that the Bluetooth device is close enough for the soundbar to work.
If you’ve already done that, it could be an issue of wireless interference. Bluetooth uses the same 2.4GHz frequency as wifi and baby monitors, other wireless devices could affect your connection. Make sure to move those away or put the soundbar under a metal or thick wooden TV stand.
If your Vizio soundbar keeps cutting out after checking this, the problem is likely within the bar itself.
Make Sure Your Vizio Sound Bar Isn’t Overheating
If you’ve been able to confirm that the issue isn’t due to an external factor, your Vizio soundbar may be overheating. Overheating is a common problem among older soundbars and soundbars that are left on.
When a device gets too hot, the soundbar may shut down its amplifier to protect the board from damage. If this is the case, often lights will start blinking and behave differently to indicate that the soundbar is overheating. Before it shuts down completely, overheating can cause audio problems.
To solve this, shut down your soundbar and give it time to let it cool down. After a couple of minutes, turn your soundbar back on and check to see if the audio works again.
If this solves the problem, then you should try to avoid overheating in the future. This can be done by turning your soundbar off regularly. If you keep your soundbar in a contained space, make sure to give it enough room for air to circulate.
Cleaning Your Vizio Sound Bar
Another reason your Vizio soundbar keeps cutting out due to overheating is because of the build-up of dust and dirt. If this is severe enough, try using compressed air to clean out the inside. You can also open up your soundbar and use compressed air to clean out the dust from the inside. This will help keep your soundbar cool and avoid future overheating issues.
If your Vizio soundbar keeps cutting out, another possible fix can be to reset the soundbar. You can either do either a soft reset or a hard reset, which will have different effects depending on the core cause. Resetting could also solve any other issues that your Vizio soundbar may be experiencing.
A soft reset is essentially a reboot. While this won’t solve major, ongoing issues, it can help to solve random glitches you have. If this is the first time your soundbar has cut out and it is not overheating, try turning the soundbar off, waiting five to ten seconds, and then turn it back on.
If this doesn’t work, then you may need to do a total hard reset. A hard reset is also known as a factory reset, as it returns your Vizio to the same settings it had when it came out of the factory. A hard reset causes settings previously changed to be forgotten.
Depending on your Vizio soundbar model, there are different ways to perform a factory reset. The correct procedure should be found when you plug your model number in on the official Vizio website. However, there are a couple of options that usually work to reset almost all Vizio soundbars:
Press and hold the “input” and “volume down” buttons simultaneously for five to ten seconds.
Press and hold the “input” and “volume up” buttons simultaneously for five to ten seconds.
Press and hold “input” and “Bluetooth” simultaneously for five to ten seconds.
No matter what model you have, one of those options is likely to restore your Vizio soundbar settings to their factory settings.
Update the Vizio Sound Bar Firmware
If a hard reset doesn’t fix your issue and it is not a problem related to other hardware, your Vizio sound bar may have a software issue. It may be a software bug or it is time to update your soundbar to the most recent firmware.
Updating Online
Just like updating an app on your smartphone, updating the software for your Vizio soundbar will apply any updates made by the engineers at Vizio. Updating often includes various fixes to software issues.
First, you’ll have to find out if there’s an update available for your Vizio soundbar model. Finding the update can be done by searching the model number on the Vizio support page.
If you’re not confident about which model of the Vizio soundbar you have, go into the sound bar’s settings menu by pressing the “menu” button on your Vizio remote. From there, you should be able to get to “Help or System,” which will have a “System Information” tab. After you click that, you should see the system’s model number.
If there is a firmware update and your soundbar is connected to wifi, you should be able to update your soundbar from the article page. With brand new Vizio soundbars, you can even apply the update using the Vizio SmartCast app.
Updating Manually
If you have an older soundbar that doesn’t connect to wifi or isn’t attached to the smartphone app, don’t worry. You can install updates manually too. Just make sure you have a USB drive.
After you find out whether there is an update for your model by searching Vizio’s website, you can download it to your computer. When the file downloads, move it onto the USB. From there, you should turn on your Vizio soundbar. While it is powered up, unplug the power cord and plug in the USB drive on the dedicated port. Then, plug the power cord back in.
Doing this should cause two of the sound bar’s LED lights—located on the lower left-hand corner of the front panel—to light up. These lights are a signal it has entered update mode. Soon after, you should see a third and fourth LED light come on. These lights indicate it is in progress.
When the LED lights turn off, that is a signal that the update is complete. You can then remove the USB drive. Finally, your Vizio soundbar should be working like new again.
Make sure not to remove the USB drive or power cord while the LEDs are on. If you do, your soundbar may stop working indefinitely.
Contact Vizio Sound Bar Support Lines
Finally, if none of these options work for you and your Vizio soundbar keeps cutting out, reach out to Vizio directly. You have the option to get in touch with them through text message, the webchat function, or call customer support on their official helpline.
If you are calling, be ready to wait. The customer support phone lines can be busy, and wait times are long to get a hold of someone who can help. Make sure that you have a list of all the fixes you attempted so that when you do get someone on the phone, they can help you troubleshoot the issue more accurately.
If applicable, you can also reach out to the retailer that sold you your Vizio soundbar. If the product is under warranty, the seller may be able to arrange a replacement or a repair for your faulty soundbar.
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