The radio does not read the flash drive: possible causes of the malfunction and what to do

Many modern audio systems are equipped with a connector for connecting a USB drive; the compact storage medium is very convenient to use for listening to music and various voice recordings. Many drivers prefer to listen to audio recordings on flash-USB rather than on CDs, but sometimes a situation arises when the flash drive in the car cannot be read, and it is impossible to listen to anything from it.

It is logical to assume that the reason for the inability to play audio files may be a faulty flash drive; in some cases, the radio itself refuses to accept the files. In this article we will figure out why information is not read, in which cases you can correct the situation and force the audio system to play the recorded material.

Why doesn't the radio see the flash drive?

Modern car radios and physical storage media are complex digital devices with many electronic components. They are equipped not only with hardware, but also with software. The slightest malfunction in their operation leads to the fact that the car radio does not see the USB flash drive. Occurs due to failure of the media or connectors, incorrect data recording or too large disk capacity, malfunction of the reading device itself, etc.

Flash drive malfunctions

Drive damage is the most common cause of the problem. The malfunction may be caused by a software glitch or physical impact. The development of computer technology leads to the fact that the size of the device is reduced, which means it is easy to damage. In addition, a failure may occur if the flash drive is incorrectly removed from the computer. There is a special algorithm for correctly disconnecting the media. Following it, first turn off the power and then remove the removable disk.

Damage to the USB connector of the radio

A rectangular connector with 4 pins is provided to connect the drive. Its damage makes it impossible to read data from digital media. The problem is that the contacts are bent, the internal wiring is broken, or the socket itself is worn out. To check its performance, you should try to start a known-good device. If it is also not readable, it is necessary to repair or change the connector.

Incorrect recording or format on the flash drive

When the car radio sees and recognizes the drive, but the tracks from the flash drive do not play, this may be due to the fact that the data was recorded incorrectly or the disc is in the wrong format. Car devices work with the FAT 32 file system. Removable media may be formatted in a different way, making it impossible to read. In addition, the audio files themselves must comply with the player's standards.

For your information!

You can find out the type of file system by connecting the media to your computer. To do this, right-click on the device icon, then select the “Properties” column. The File System field must be set to FAT32, otherwise the disk will need to be fully formatted.

Flash drive memory is too large

The radio may not recognize the media, but the computer can read and identify it without any problems. If the audio system is working, you should check the capacity of the flash drive. The car radio has limitations in its ability to interface with removable digital storage media. When you try to recognize a USB flash, an error message will appear on the audio device screen.

How to fix the situation?

If the radio does not read music from the flash drive, you can try to correct the situation in several ways. The solution to the problem depends on what factor affected the performance of the system. For control, use a working flash drive of smaller capacity. If this is not possible, check the media on another device. A working gadget will show itself when paired. If the refusal to read lies in the software, rewriting audio files, flashing the radio firmware, or completely formatting the flash drive will help.

Proper recording of music on a flash drive

When the problem is that the audio file format is incorrect, and the radio recognizes the media but does not see the music, you will need to record the tracks again. You need to check which extension is supported by the multimedia device installed in the car. The front panel must indicate the acceptable formats that the radio can reproduce. You can also find out about readable extensions in the instructions that come with the device.

Radio firmware

When the audio system no longer reads or sees working media, but the hardware is fine, it will need to be reflashed. Modern “cassette recorders”, standardly installed in cars, are equipped with their own operating system, which can crash or even block access to the device. It is possible to restore functionality in specialized centers, where new firmware will be installed on the player. In addition, you can update the software using a flash drive:

Download a file with the appropriate software developed for the installed car radio. Save it on a working flash drive of sufficient capacity.
Pair the drive with an audio recorder.
Following the information specified in the device user manual, start the firmware update procedure.
After installing the appropriate programs, the system will reboot and start working on the updated software.

Important!

It is not worth flashing the car radio yourself. Even with the appropriate software and patch cable, there is a high probability of permanent damage to the device.

Formatting a flash drive

When the flash drive itself does not work, you can try to revive it using formatting. To do this, the media is paired with a computer via a USB port. The procedure is performed using standard formatting tools installed in the operating system or third-party applications. The latter option is more preferable, because such utilities have advanced capabilities for setting up and restoring the file system of a flash drive. Before formatting, you must copy all data to your computer’s hard drive: the procedure will completely destroy the information recorded on the media.

Let's sum it up

If it happens that the radio in your car stops reading flash drives, it’s not a big deal. There are many options for fixing this problem. Just read the three main directions in troubleshooting and start with the simplest thing - formatting a flash drive. If this does not help, you should check all visible connections of the radio, and also take into account the type of its behavior when connecting a flash drive. Then you can update the firmware of the device itself, which is also done quite simply if you have the factory instructions.

Otherwise, you will have to contact a service center to repair the hardware of the radio. This option promises you certain expenses for the services of specialists. It’s quite easy to get the necessary capabilities and return the radio to working order. If, after performing all the stated procedures, the problem remains, the radio will have to be replaced. However, for cars with a stationary music system this will be an incredibly difficult and expensive process, so you need to try and restore the music equipment. Have you ever had problems with radios and flash drives?

How does the radio itself tell you the reasons for the error?

Before taking any action, you need to carefully look at what is shown on the screen when pairing an audio device with a flash drive. Car radios "Pioneer", "Sony", "Kenwood" and others display an error code indicating the reason for failure to read. If there is no reaction to the inserted media, the problem may lie in a faulty USB connector.

Audio system manufacturers have not developed universal codes to identify problems. For the specific model, the meaning of the symbols should be found in the instruction manual. Frequent errors when it comes to flash drives:

"23". The file system of the removable storage device is incorrect.
"PROTECT". The device does not support playback of the recorded format.
"CHECK USB". The indication appears when there is a problem with the USB connector of the audio device itself.
"19". The error warns that the recorded files have names in Cyrillic, and the system cannot read them. In addition, the code may appear due to a complex hierarchy or the presence of folders that cannot be opened.

If the car radio no longer recognizes removable media, there are many options for solving the problem. In some cases, elementary measures can correct the situation. If the flash drive or player fails, it will need to be repaired, formatted or replaced.

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What are the advantages of modern USB drives?

In the last few years, flash drives have been the most popular among car owners, as they allow you to quickly record your favorite audio tracks. This cannot be said about recording audio onto CDs, for which a laptop or computer must at least have a CD drive, as well as a special utility (for example, Nero or DAEMON Tools).

Another advantage of USB drives is their compact dimensions and large amount of built-in memory (flash drives with a memory capacity of 256 GB or more are available on the market).

The main advantages of flash drives: compact dimensions and large memory capacity

However, some car owners are faced with the fact that their car radio refuses to play audio tracks. What to do in this case?

Other useful tips

Remember a few more basic tips:

Do not use flash drives larger than 4 GB for the radio;
Check if the files are in a valid format;
It is rare, but it happens that the radio does not read files that have Russian names or Russian letters in it;
Insert and remove the flash drive carefully;
Do not repair a broken radio yourself - today this is a complex electronic equipment that only professionals with special knowledge and equipment can understand.

As you can see, a car radio may not read a flash drive for a variety of reasons.

How to choose the right flash drive for your radio

Before you start recording music onto a USB drive, you need to choose the right one. The fact is that often in an audio recorder the connector for a flash drive is located on the front panel of the device, which means that if you use a large drive, there is a high risk of breaking it or damaging the socket if you touch it with your hand. For this reason, it is recommended to choose compact flash drives with a large capacity, which will reduce the likelihood of damage and also allow you to remove it infrequently to record new compositions.

You should also take into account that the drive will be used in conditions of constant vibration and temperature changes, so it is better to opt for flash drives with a waterproof and durable case.

Most car radios do not have special requirements for the type and size of USB drives

Reason 1: Inappropriate file system format

The most commonly reported problem occurs due to improper formatting of the media. The fact is that most radios only recognize FAT16 and FAT32 systems, while other options, like NTFS, either do not work or require additional effort. You can learn more about the format of a flash drive for a car radio from the material below.

Read more: Formatting a flash drive for a radio

How to record songs on a flash drive for a car radio

After the USB flash drive is selected, we proceed to recording music:

First of all, we study the instructions for the car radio. You need to find out which formats your device supports. The simplest radio tape recorders support MP3, wav and wma playback formats. More advanced and, accordingly, expensive devices can easily cope with the playback of flac, AAC, MPEG-1, MPEG-2 and others. We transfer data from a laptop (or PC) to a flash drive and enjoy listening to music in the car
We connect the flash drive to a computer or laptop (fortunately, all modern media support the Plug and Play format) and transfer pre-prepared musical compositions and albums to it, which can be either downloaded on the Internet or imported from existing CDs. To do this, select the required tracks/folders, copy or cut files using the keyboard shortcuts CTRL+C (CTRL+X). Then open the flash drive and press the CTRL + V buttons, after which the process of copying/transferring data will begin.
After copying all the songs, all that remains is to remove the drive - to do this, right-click on the drive icon and select “Safely Remove Hardware” . Of course, you can simply remove the flash drive, but in this case the user risks damaging its file system.

After all the above operations have been completed, the flash drive is ready for use in a car audio radio.

Video: how to download music from a computer to a flash drive

It is necessary to record files only in those formats that are supported by the radio, otherwise you simply will not be able to listen to them.

Possible problems and solutions

Although the process of recording music onto a flash drive is extremely simple and straightforward, from time to time car owners encounter various errors that prevent the playback of audio tracks in the car radio.

Why doesn't the radio see the flash drive?

The car radio does not perceive or read the USB drive inserted into it. Most often, the reason lies in the fact that the car owner is using a flash drive with too much memory. Therefore, it is recommended to study the instructions for the car radio and see what is the largest volume it can reproduce.

If the file system is NTFS, file playback may not be possible.

What should the file system be like?

The car radio may also refuse to “see” and play music if the flash drive uses the wrong file system. Often, audio systems support flash drives that use the FAT32 file system, so if it is different, for example, NTFS, then playback will be impossible.

To check the file system of your media, you need to connect it to your computer, find the flash drive in “My Computer” - right-click - select “Properties”, after which a small window will open where you need to find the “File system” item. If the NTFS system is listed there, then you should format the USB flash drive in the FAT32 file system.

Also, users of different car radios may encounter different system error notifications when using flash drives. Thus, owners of Pioneer audio recorders quite often encounter the “ERROR-23” error, which indicates that the flash drive is formatted using an incompatible file system. This problem can be easily and quickly resolved by properly formatting the flash drive on your computer.

Error “ERROR-23” indicates that the flash drive was formatted using an incompatible file system

Why are music files not being read?

The drive uses the correct file system and has an acceptable capacity, but the radio refuses to play music. It even happens that just yesterday the flash drive “played”, but today it doesn’t. In this case, you need to connect it to your computer and try to listen to your favorite songs from it.

If the drive is detected, regardless of whether it is possible to play music from the PC or not, most likely, errors have accumulated on the flash drive. Formatting the device will help get rid of them. If the media is not detected, then the flash drive is simply out of order, which means its further use is impossible.

Video: what to do if there is no music playing in the car

Rules for recording music on USB media

In order to avoid the previously listed difficulties, when recording music you should adhere to the following simple rules:

It is best to use a USB drive with a small capacity of up to 8 GB.
When writing in FAT32 format, most often there are no problems with reading.
It is advisable to place all files in the root directory, or in folders located in the root directory itself.
Choose the format for mp3 or wav files.
Before recording, the USB drive must be checked for viruses.
Do not charge other devices via the USB socket.

Taking into account all the problems we have listed, you can easily select modern data storage devices suitable for your audio system. And this will allow you to enjoy not only driving, but also your favorite music while traveling.

Perhaps few car accessories are progressing as quickly as the radio. Before motorists had time to get used to CDs (everyone had long since forgotten about cassette tapes), digital media came to replace them in the form of a flash drive for the radio. As soon as we sorted them out, players with a DVD screen appeared - an image was added to the sound. True, progress is accompanied by many questions about electronic media. For example, why doesn't the system read what is written on the flash drive? And this happens quite often.

What's going on with the radio?

In fact, the reasons can be very different. Here are a few of the main ones that prevent you from listening to music most often.

Wrong format. You downloaded music in a convenient format, but it doesn’t suit the radio at all.
The virus “ate” the data from your card. Or the flash drive has malfunctioned and the radio does not notice it.
Wrong volume. It happens that the radio can only read flash drives of a certain size. It is best to read the instructions, where these nuances should be prescribed by the manufacturer.

Reason 4: There are Russian letters in the track title or tags

Many car players do not support the Cyrillic alphabet, which is why, at best, song names are displayed in the form of unreadable hieroglyphs, and at worst, the music is not recognized at all. The situation is similar with tracks whose tags contain Cyrillic. The way out of this situation is simple - rename the files using only English letters, as well as look at the tags and correct them if necessary, which the article at the link below will help you with.

Car radio with USB input

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Most modern car radios have a USB input for reading audio files from a flash drive. This method of storing and reproducing audio information is more reliable, noise-resistant, informative and convenient from a consumer point of view than CDs and DVDs.

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Many manufacturers are gradually abandoning disk drives in favor of USB and other electronic storage media.

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However, the playback method via a USB port has one fundamental drawback: some flash drives and various car radios refuse to be read. Moreover, a situation very often occurs when one radio tape recorder reads the same flash drive without problems, but the other completely refuses to “see” it.

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How to decipher the error code and fix it

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Some “smart” car radios report information on the display that they specifically do not like about the USB storage device.

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For example, these error codes:

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ERROR 23 – FAT32 or NTFS file system mismatch;
ERROR-PROTECT – absence of Windows Media codec in the radio;
CHECK USB – USB port power supply error;
ERROR 19 – Cyrillic in file names, complex hierarchy, lack of an appropriate codec, etc.

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For other types and error codes, please refer to the owner's manual for your specific brand of car stereo.

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The flash drive can’t be read: how to identify and fix the problem

The flash drive doesn't play. What is the reason?

The flash drive is broken. To understand that it is broken, you need to try to connect it to some other device, for example, to a computer, laptop, or to another tape recorder with a USB connector that is known to be working. If he does not see it, the indicator on the flash drive does not light up - then, as a rule, you can put a cross on it. You, of course, can try to revive it in the service, but this is quite expensive, the costs will not justify themselves. It's easier to buy a new one. Another question is if there was valuable information there. Then it’s worth tinkering and trying to revive the drive.
Viruses. Today, viruses affecting electronic files are quite common. Therefore, it is worth checking it for viruses using antivirus programs. As a rule, they are installed on computers and laptops. If not, then you can download a one-time program, for example, a healing utility from Dr. Web and check the content.
Different file systems for the media and the reading device. Problems with the file system may appear when this drive is connected to the radio for the first time or after formatting. The fact is that car tape recorders, as a rule, work with certain file systems. Which ones can be found in the instruction manual. Most often this is FAT32, but it can also be NTFS or FAT. Therefore, after studying the instructions and identifying the required file system for your car radio, you should connect it to the computer and format it, transfer it to the desired file system.

Important to remember! Formatting deletes all files from the device, so if there is something important there, you should first copy the information to another drive.

Incompatibility of audio file formats. If the flash drive works, but a certain song or several pieces cannot be played, then the problem is related to the format of the audio files. You can find out which files are suitable for your radio from the same operating instructions. After that, simply download the songs in the desired format. If suddenly you couldn’t find something, audio file converter programs will come to the rescue.
File name error. If the flash drive does not play certain songs, then the reason may also be related to the file signature. The problem is that some devices do not see the file if it is written in Cyrillic. In order for everything to work, you just need to rename all the files and write their names in Latin.
Error in file description. These are the so-called tags. They may interfere with reading this or that audio file. This happens with old audio recordings, with files from the 90s. Tags are removed using appropriate software.
Media volume. A large flash drive can also cause the flash drive to be unreadable. Older models of tape recorders are simply not able to see large USB drives. Their ceiling is 2–4 GB, and for some, well, very outdated models, even 512 MB.

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Comments 13

there is a problem with crookedly named files... this happens to me sometimes...

there was even something like this - when you click the next folder, and it turns on the same song - Damn Larisa Dolina))))) I suffered for so long until I found this Larisa and deleted it)))))

and there are freezes from time to time))

The problem was completely solved by using a flash drive format and only having music on it... for two weeks now, not a single glitch!

and I deleted the crooked music and everything became normal) and crooked folders)) there are also glitches with Russians) sometimes)

Most likely, it needs an absolutely clean matted flash drive, so that there are only MP3s, otherwise there may be glitches. So far it's working fine!

there was such garbage, the flash drive was not readable for some time. It turned out to be a broken file.

Now I have made a completely flash drive format. I'll try. It is possible that non-media format files can knock down the flash drive itself.

easily... and be sure to format it in fat 32, ntfs will not read it!

ntfs yes... for the most part this is a Windows format.

yes, only normal radios read it)