Vizio Sound Bar Keep Turning Off? Try These 13 Fixes

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Vizio Sound Bar Keep Turning Off

Random powering off has been a widespread issue with Vizio soundbars; luckily, this article can give you all the fixes. After reading this article, you will indeed have fixed the problem.  

Why Does My Vizio Sound bar Keep Turning Off? 

1. Glitch

Fix – Unplug Sound Bar for 60 Seconds, Then Plug Back In

First and foremost, the first problem you want to investigate is if there is a glitch within your device, the Vizio soundbar. A glitch in the machine itself can always be the culprit for any device having issues.

There could be countless reasons as to why your Vizio sound bar device is having a glitch, such as the Vizio soundbar device’s hardware malfunctioning, an improper connection, or many other scenarios.

There are a couple of fixes to a glitch, such as unplugging and plugging back in, as you can read below in the following passage. 

The first thing you want to attempt is unplugging the soundbar for sixty seconds. After waiting sixty seconds, plug the soundbar back in. What you are doing is a “Soft Reset” on the soundbar by unplugging and plugging it back in.

Occasionally, doing so will resolve the trouble. Unplugging for sixty seconds and plugging back in is generally the very first thing you want to try with anything that you are plugging into a power outlet, including your sound bar device.

If unplugging for sixty seconds and plugging back in did not fix your issue, please move on to the next fix, “Hard Reset Sound bar,” to attempt the subsequent actions.  

Fix 2 – Hard Reset Sound bar

The second fix to a glitch in your Vizio sound bar device would be to do something called a “Hard Reset.” A hard reset thoroughly deletes any custom settings and preferences on the Vizio sound bar device to their original factory settings.

To execute a hard reset on the Vizio sound bar device is just two simple steps. Performing a hard reset on your Vizio sound bar device can sometimes fix the issue causing your Vizio sound bar to turn off. 

1. Press and hold the Bluetooth and Volume Down buttons simultaneously for five seconds. 

2. There are twelve LED lights on the top of the device that will flash three times.

After completing these steps, you will have effectively hard reset your Vizio sound bar device.

Unfortunately, if the above steps did not fix the issue of your Vizio soundbar shutting off randomly, no worries; keep reading to learn the following actions you can take to repair your Vizio sound bar device. Read the next section, “Eco Power Mode Turned on,” to comprehend the subsequent efforts. 

2. Eco Power Mode Turned On

Fix – Turn Off Eco Power Mode

The second reason that your Vizio soundbar keeps turning off could be that “Eco Power Mode” is turned on. Eco Power Mode is an Energy Star setting that, when enabled, will automatically power down the system after a period of inactivity.

The Vizio soundbar is, by default, allowed. To disallow the energy-saving element, “Eco Power Mode,” observe the steps below to learn how to disallow the Eco Power Mode.

1. Press and hold the Power and Volume Down buttons for five seconds.

2. You have no disabled “Eco Power Mode,” the device will now stay on until you manually power it off. 

If you continue to have the issue of your device continually turning off, read below in the section, “Sound Bar Isn’t Plugged in Properly,” to attempt the next fix to your Vizio sound bar device. 

3. Sound Bar Isn’t Plugged In Properly

Fix – 1. Make Sure Sound Bar is Plugged in

Moreover, if hard and soft resetting your device or turning off the Eco Power mode didn’t work, let’s move on to the next step of ensuring the sound bar is appropriately plugged in.

One of the most important things that a Vizio soundbar needs to function properly is to be plugged in correctly. Ensure to check if your soundbar is plugged in correctly, if not, read below to understand when your power cable to the Vizio sound bar is suitably plugged in. 

To ensure that the Vizio sound bar power cable is properly plugged in, ensure that the plug is entirely plugged into the wall, not hanging down by any means, and is a snug fit with no wiggle room. 

If you believe the Vizio sound bar device’s power cable to be plugged in correctly, check to make the power cord is fully intact and assure that there are no visible wires, frays, or any other problems with the power cable itself.

 If the power cord has an issue like a wire showing or a fray, be sure to check out the below section, “Power Cable Damaged,” to learn more about how to know when and if you need to purchase a new power cable and what kind. 

4. Vizio Soundbar Out of Date

Fix – Update Soundbar Firmware

Furthermore, if none of those as mentioned above steps settled the problem of your Vizio soundbar turning off frequently, do not fret; This article has plenty more fixes to endeavor before you have to worry that it is a further issue like you need to replace your Vizio sound bar device. 

A common cause of Vizio sound bar devices turning off is that your Vizio sound bar could be outdated and just not running the most up-to-date software that it needs to function adequately.

To fix an out-of-date issue, you need to update your soundbar firmware. However, your Vizio soundbar should update automatically as long as you ensure that the soundbar is hooked up to a wifi connection at all times to keep it up to date without having to update your firmware manually. 

Updating your firmware manually on your soundbar is easy, follow the below steps. Before completing the actions below, verify that you have an empty USB drive of any size before starting the below steps; this is a necessary object you need to have to perform the firmware update; you can not achieve this without a USB drive. 

1. First and foremost, plug the empty USB drive into a port on your computer. 

2. Second, using the browser of your choice on your computer, go to Vizio’s homepage, and click here to visit Vizio’s website. 

3. Thenceforth, click “Support” from the drop-down menu at the top of the web page. 

4. After reaching the Vizio Support page, enter the model number of your Vizio sound bar device in the search box to check for updates for your specific device. 

5. Subsequently, click on the update for your Vizio sound bar device, if relevant. (If there is no update, move on to the next section of this article, “Using a Faulty Universal Remote”)  

6. Next, click on the “Download” option next to the most recent update if there are numerous available. 

7. After the firmware update file downloads, go to the download location on your computer and copy and paste the firmware update onto the empty USB drive. 

8. Next, turn on the Vizio sound bar device by pushing the “Power” button. 

9. While the Vizio sound bar device is powered on, unplug the sound bar. 

10. After unplugging the Vizio sound bar, while the sound bar is unplugged, plug in the USB drive that contains the update. A dedicated port is on the back of the Vizio sound bar device for a USB drive. 

11. Next, plug the sound bar power cord back into the wall. 

12. Subsequently, doing the above steps will cause the Vizio sound bar device’s first two indicator LED lights to light up, implying that it has entered update mode. The LED lights are found in the bottom left corner of the sound bar’s front panel. 

13. After the LEDs have suggested that it is indeed in update mode, you will see the first, third, and fourth LED lights light up. That is the indicator that the update is in progress; wait for the update to complete fully. Guarantee that the update is ultimately done to prevent issues like “Bricking.” 

14. Consecutively, when the LEDs turn off, that is the indicator that the firmware update has completely finished. You did not execute the update if these steps did not occur in this precise order.

Ensure that your sound bar goes through every single step wholly. If it did not do all of the steps as mentioned earlier, try the steps again from step one and repeat until you get the correct indicator LED lights. 

15. Finally, you can turn on your updated sound bar with the power cord plugged in and the USB removed. Verify that the USB drive has been removed before attempting to power on the Vizio sound bar device. 

Kindly be advised that you should never remove the USB drive while it is in the Vizio sound bar device, and do not unplug it. Removing the USB too early or unplugging when not prompted to can cause your Vizio sound bar to “Brick,” put simply, your device will no longer work.

Bricking your Vizio sound bar device will result in purchasing a brand new one; this can be a lot more costly than attempting to do the easy fixes mentioned in this article. 

If updating your Vizio sound bar device’s firmware did not resolve the dilemma of your device continually powering off, continue to the next section, “Using a Faulty Universal Remote,” to attempt the next fix to resolving your issue of Vizio sound bar turning off. 

5. Using Faulty Universal Remote

Fix – Use A Certified Vizio Soundbar Remote

The following problem of your Vizio sound bar keeps turning off could be that you are using a faulty universal remote. Occasionally, this can be an issue as some universal remotes are simply not compatible with a Vizio Sound bar device.

Suppose you are currently using a sound bar remote for your Vizio sound bar device that is not Vizio certified. In that case, it is highly suggested that you go and buy a vizio sound bar remote (view on Amazon) right now. Using a non-certified universal remote can cause grave situations. 

You can purchase a certified Vizio sound bar remote online directly from Vizio’s website or another online site like Amazon, or in-store department stores like Walmart, Target, or Best Buy, for approximately $13-$19.

Typically any department store like Walmart or Target will have a certified Vizio sound bar remote for you to buy. Purchasing an accredited sound bar remote could fix the problem, but if it does not, move on to the following passage, “Power Cable Damaged.” 

6. Power Cable Damaged

Fix – Replace Sound Bar Power Cable

Unfortunately, if you are still reading, none of the above fixes have been successful. We still have many possibilities to go through and attempt, like maybe your Vizio sound bar device’s power cable is damaged.

Suppose your power cable to the Vizio sound bar device has been damaged or impaired in any way, the power cable will not give sufficient power to the sound bar. Occasionally, this will result in the sound bar shutting off randomly.

Replacing your Vizio sound bar power cable is a relatively easy fix; you solely need to purchase a new power cable (View on Amazon). A replacement power cable can adequately make a difference to your Vizio sound bar device.

You can buy a new power cable for roughly $8-$11 online from Amazon or in-store Walmart or Best Buy. They are, frankly, indeed a cheap fix to the issue. If the power cable is not damaged or you think that is not the problem, keep reading to “Sound bar Broken” to see more fixes to be tried.  

7. Sound Bar Broken

Fix – Replace Sound bar

Suppose you have attempted every fix in this article and still have the issue of the Vizio sound bar turning off. In that case, it may be time to replace the device (view on Amazon) itself. Luckily, Vizio offers a warranty for their devices!

Unfortunately, if you have tried the above resolutions and still to no avail, the Vizio sound bar device keeps turning off; the following solution to try would be replacing the sound bar entirely. 

 A Vizio sound bar commonly comes with a year-long warranty, starting from the day of your purchase date. This warranty typically covers against most cases with a difficulty with your sound bar device. You can contact customer care support and learn how by continuing to fix two, “Contact Vizio.”  

Fix 2 – Contact Vizio

As mentioned above, you can contact customer care support. You can do this in multiple ways. The most common way is to go to their website www.vizio.com. On this website, you can find further support for troubleshooting, acquiring warranty service, and more. Keep reading below to discover the multiple other ways to contact Vizio customer support. 

Another way to contact customer care support would be to call the Customer Support number. You can call this number from 6:00 AM to 9:00 PM Pacific Time, Monday through Friday. The hours are 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM Pacific Time on Saturday and Sunday.

The number for Vizio Customer Support is below, give them a call and explain the issues you are experiencing; they will likely tell you to try most of the actions mentioned in this article. You can demonstrate that you have already attempted all of the said fixes, and they can point you in the right direction of the next steps of replacing your Vizio sound bar device. 

VIZIO Customer Support Phone Number : (855) 472-8817

Another way that you can contact Vizio would be by emailing them. Emailing Vizio Customer Support is easy, simply send them an email with your concerns, and an agent will be with you as soon as possible to help with the dilemma that you are experiencing. Vizio’s email address is below. 

VIZIO Customer Support Email Address: [email protected] 

8. Issue With Socket

Fix – Plug the Sound Bar into another Socket 

Another issue could be that the Vizio sound bar device’s socket has something wrong with the socket itself. A simple fix to this problem would be to try multiple outlets in the house that are on different circuits. Try another outlet in the room; if the issue of the Vizio sound bar continually turning off is not resolved, try a socket in another room.

Always ensure that your Vizio soundbar has not been plugged into an extension cord. Proceed on to the next paragraph, “You’re Using an Extension,” to learn more about why you shouldn’t use an extension cord and the dangers of doing so. 

9. You’re Using an Extension

Fix –  Stop Using Extention

A very probable cause of your Vizio sound bar continuously turning off perchance could be that the Vizio device has been plugged into an extension cord. Unplug the power cable from the extension cord if you are using an extension cord.

Using an extension cord can cause extreme damage, like overheating and causing a fire in your home.

A fire can quickly start in your home from using extension cords because you are connecting appliances that consume more watts than the extension cord can handle, resulting in overheating and overpowering. 

An extension cord should only be used as a temporary tool to get you by until you figure out a permanent solution; it should never be used as a permanent solution.

Continuous use of an extension cord can cause strain on the outlet and the device as increased length decreases the total amps reaching the appliance.

Another issue that an extension cord can cause is an issue with the circuit. Continue to the next paragraph, “Issue with Circuit,” to learn more about that issue and fix. 

10. Issue with Circuit

Fix – Reset the Circuit Breaker

A typical issue with multiple household things is an issue with the circuit breaker. A problem with the circuit breaker is a potential cause of your Vizio sound bar turning off consistently.

 A problem with the circuit breaker can occur when an electrical defect could cause harm, ordinarily from an overabundance of the electrical current, a defective component, or a power surge, usually resulting from a storm causing a power outage.

The probable cause of an issue with your circuit would be an overload to the breaker. Try disconnecting a few things from that circuit and resetting the circuit breaker by following the steps below. 

1. First, you need to find the breaker causing the issue. Finding the circuit that is having the said issues, there is usually a diagram in the circuit breaker box that describes which circuit is which.

If there is no diagram, look for the switch that is slightly out of line with the rest of the switches. The switch will also feel “squishy” instead of solid when pressing it down. 

2. Secondly, Flip the switch to the “OFF” position, and wait for about thirty seconds to guarantee the circuit is indeed off. 

3. Next, Flip the switch back to the “ON” position.

4. You have successfully reset the circuit breaker. 

At last, you reset the circuit breaker. The next step is for you need to test the Vizio sound bar to ensure you have fixed the issue. When trying the Vizio sound bar device, you are examining to see if the breaker is still overloaded.

If you power on your Vizio sound bar device and it still blows the breaker, unplug more devices from the circuit and repeat until you successfully do not cause an issue with the breaker.

If resetting the circuit breaker does not fix the nuisance, carry on to the next paragraph, fix 2, “Turn On the Power Strip or Surge Protector.”  

Fix 2 – Turn On the Power Strip or Surge Protector

Using a power strip with a surge protector is very beneficial, as it protects your Vizio sound bar from a power surge, causing a break in the circuit. Simply put, it prevents the device from blowing a circuit.

Accordingly, if resetting the circuit breaker did not fix your case of the Vizio sound bar turning off, do not be distressed; there is one more fix that you are able to attempt before throwing in the towel and calling it quits. 

Assure that your Vizio soundbar device is plugged into a power strip with a surge protector at all times to prevent damage to your device. This damage from power surges can shorten the life of your Vizio sound bar device by many years.

You can purchase a Surge protector power strip (view on Amazon) virtually anywhere. Most department stores like Walmart, Target, or Best Buy carry surge protectors and power strips for around $10-$15, which is reasonably cheap compared to buying a brand new Vizio soundbar for $80-$100. 

If a surge protector or power strip does not fix the trouble, refer back to paragraph “Contact Vizio” to get more support on replacing your Vizio sound bar device. Unfortunately, if none of the above steps worked, you would have to replace your sound bar device. 

Conclusion 

To conclude the article, “Why does my Vizio Soundbar keep turning off?” there could be hundreds of explanations as to why your device keeps erratically powering off; like a glitch in the soundbar device, you’re using a faulty non–certified universal remote, the sound bar is outdated, and it needs an update, or simply it could just be that your soundbar has a malfunction that results in it getting replaced.

We hope that we can fix your problem of “Why does my Vizio Soundbar keep turning off?” Good luck with your Vizio soundbar device trials. (84 words, can be 200) 

David Johnson is a freelance writer with 9 years of experience writing for Techzillo and other established tech outlets like iMore. His focus and key interests are Apple and accessibility as well as consumer technology in general. Read our Editorial Guidlines and Fact Checking process.

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