How to Keep Radio on When Car is Off? Easy Methods!!!

We all agree that when Sia says even a radio is enough to enjoy the vibe of a Friday night. On our long road trips, too, it is the best travel companion, which adds a rainbow of colours to the journey. Driving while feeling the summer breeze with open glasses and a radio of your favourite music channel would remain life-long memories. How to keep radio on when car is off? Eventually, this should be a question you face when your fellas on the trip do not want to stop their excitement while listening to their favourite songs when you stop aside for a brake. Read through the following lines: we have got the answer for you. 

Can you Keep Radio on When Car is Off?

Listening to the radio cannot only be done while driving, but you can also continue listening when you stop in a park. 

If you are using a modern vehicle, you do not need to worry about the battery draining as a radio only uses minimal power to operate. 

How to Keep Radio on When Car is Off?

There are many methods you can follow to keep the radio on while the car is off. These methods may vary according to the vehicle type and the model of the radios. Some methods drain a little power from the battery, and some do not need to be powered by the battery. Some methods will need additional equipment like a radio adapter or power converter. If you use a battery charger, it will dually function as it charges the battery while playing the radio. 

Turning on the ACC or the Accessory mode is the easiest way. There is no need for additional fixtures in this method. Accessory mode is the state at which the engine stays off, but the accessories like the radio, wiper, windows, and lights inside the car are allowed to operate. There is no specially designed button or command for this in older cars. On such occasions, you can enter your car into accessory mode manually. All you have to do is park your car and turn the switch just one notch. This will make the accessory mode on. 

If you own a modern car, you can turn on the accessory mode via the on/off switch. Here you have to turn the switch on without stepping on the brake. 

If your car is manufactured between 2012 – 2015, the steps are different. First, you will have to press the brake and release it. Next, shift to Park, pulling the hand brake. Again, step on the brake once and go to Neutral mode. Without releasing the brake, switch on the vehicle and then release it. Finally, move to Park mode.

If you own a Gated Manual Shifter, firstly, you need to go to Neutral when the car’s engine is on. Move the gear to the right and hold it while switching off the engine. Wait for the radio to continue, and you can take the hand out from the gear lever. 

The certain accessory will require small power from the battery to operate. But there is no power wastage when you just keep the vehicle in ACC mode without using any gadgets. If you see a strange drop in battery power while listening to the radio in accessory mode, there is something wrong with the interior structure. You will have to get the help of a mechanic to find the reason and treat it. If you are a radio listener who often uses the ACC mode, it would be better if you do regular checkups to identify if there is an issue with the system. 

How Long Can you Keep your Car Radio on Before Battery Dies?

If you listen to the radio continuously for 10 or 12 hours while in ACC mode, your battery will go dead. On the contrary, if you use the radio in the same state for a short time, there will be no threat of the battery going dead because it drains less power. The battery type, age of the battery, vehicle condition, and the accessory you have turned on are some facts that directly affect battery draining.

For instance, newer models are equipped with audio systems that attract very low electricity from the battery than the older models. If you have modified your audio system with powerful speakers or subwoofers, there will be more energy consumption. If the battery is newer, it is totally OK to listen to the radio for lengthy hours. But if your battery is near its off mark, there will be more impact and will cause the battery to die while you are enjoying in a car park. 

Anyway, if you are using the radio when the engine is turned off, you should expect your battery to go dead before its average life span. That is why it is always advised to perform regular maintenance and checkups of your battery. 

How to Listen to Radio Without Draining Car Battery?

Accessory mode is one way you can use if you need less battery drainage while listening to the radio. We have discussed the methods you can follow in various car types in a previous sub-topic. Please refer to that again.

If you are using a battery charger connected to the car’s circuit via the cigarette lighter. It will power the stereo of your vehicle while charging the battery. Hence, the threat of power drain is resolved. But you will have to spend extras on this method.  

How Long will Car Battery Last with Ignition On?

If you have forgotten to turn off the car and it is left on ignition mode, your battery will last no longer than 2 hours. Sometimes this time may be varied according to several facts like the car battery type, age of the battery and the type of the vehicle. 

How to Keep the Radio on in a Keyless Car?

If your vehicle is powered by a smart key and needs to keep the radio on continuously, follow the steps below. 

• If your car is a model released before 2011, First, you need to free up the brake. Then, press the start button once, and you are done! Some models will convert to accessory mode after pressing the button twice. 
• If the manufacture year lies between 2012 – 2015, release the brake and go to Park mode. Go to Neutral with your foot on the brake and then release it while pressing the on/off switch. Then go to Park mode again. 
• For the models after 2015, you can just press the start button once and get access to the ACC mode easily. 

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