Panasonic SC-PM31 Troubleshooting Guide

The system will not power up when you press the power button.

If your stereo will not turn on, the cable may be damaged. You should first check that the power cable is completely plugged in, and the outlet is working properly. You can simply plug your cable into a new (working) outlet and try turning on the device. If the unit is still powerless, check to see if your power cable is damaged. Unplug the power cable and inspect the wire for cuts. Also make sure that the power cable head is fully intact. If you have a damaged cable or head, you will need to replace it. This can be easily done by buying a new AC adapter.

If the system does not turn on because the stereo’s power button has been pushed in and won’t pop back out, prepare to take apart your device. Learn how to replace the front panel here.

If your power still won’t turn on, your device may have overheated due to a broken fan. Turn the device on and hold your hand to the vents on the back panel to feel for airflow. If there is none, you will need to replace the fan. Learn how to replace the fan here.

The display either does not display anything or displays garbled text. However, the buttons still function and the music still plays.

If the display is black, the stereo might be turned off. Press the power button to turn the radio on. If the radio does not respond, refer to the section titled “The unit will not turn on”.

If the display will not turn on, the display cable may be loose. Remove the front panel of the stereo system and check if the cable from the circuit board is connected to the power source towards the back of the unit. If the cable is loose, readjust the wire so that everything is firmly in place. If the display still doesn't turn on after reassembling the system and pressing the power button, you may have to buy a new display cable.

If there is a crack in your screen and it is hard to see what’s on the display, you will need to replace the front panel. Learn how to replace the front panel here.

The power turns off while the device is playing.

If the device’s power shuts off unexpectedly, the power button might have been pressed by accident. Try pressing the power button to turn on the device.

If your device will not turn on when you press the power button, the power cord may have fallen out of its socket. Plug the cord back in and try turning on device.

If your device suddenly turned off without warning, your system may have gone into sleep mode. The Panasonic SC-PM31 stereo system comes equipped with a sleep timer. This feature turns off the radio after a set amount of time. If you do not want to have the device automatically power down, turn the sleep timer off. For instructions on how to turn off the timer, refer to page 12 of the Owner's Manual.

The device may have also powered down to prevent overheating. Using the backside of your hand, carefully check the back of the device to determine if the stereo is hot. If you feel heat, wait for the system to cool down. Once the device is back to room temperature, try to turn the stereo back on. If your system will still not power on, the fuse may have blown from overheating. You will need to replace the fuse. Learn how to replace the fuse here.

The system will not correctly read or play cassette tapes.

If your cassette tapes will not play, the cassette tape itself may be damaged. To test this, insert the cassette tape you want to play into another working cassette player. See if the cassette tape plays properly. If the tape doesn't play, the physical media is at fault.

=== The speakers are broken===

If no music is coming out of the system, the problem may lie in the speakers rather than the cassette tapes. Refer to “The speakers are broken” in the section entitled “The CDs will not read” for more information on this issue.

Insert a transparent cassette (findable at amazon or your local record store) into the cassette player and press play. After five minutes, take out the cassette and look at the black tape inside. If the tape has not moved, the shafts inside the stereo are not rotating, due to a fault in the device. You will need to replace the cassette assembly. Similarly, if the shafts are rotating, but the tape ends up outside of the cassette when it is played, you will have to replace the cassette tray. However, before you resort to total replacement, try unplugging the device and cleaning the shafts with rubbing alcohol on a q-tip.

The system’s display states that a CD is reading. However, no music is playing.

If no music is playing, the CDs might be incompatible with the stereo system. CD, CD-R, CD-RW, and MP3-CD are the only formats the device can read. Make sure the CDs you are trying to play are one of the the correct formats. The CDs might also have other problems such as scratching, warping, and defective data. Please refer to the troubleshooting guide located on page 14 of the Owners Manual for solutions to these problems.

If no sound is coming from the system, it may be muted. The Panasonic SC-PM31 contains a mute feature which turns off all sound emitting from the speakers. To disable the mute setting, locate the remote and press the mute button. A message should pop up on the display saying “unmute”. If you cannot locate the mute button, refer to page 6 of the Owners Manual.

If no music is coming from your system, you should check the functionality of the speakers. First, look at the back of the device to see if the speakers are attached to the stereo properly. If you are unsure about the proper setup of the speakers, you can use Page 4 of the Owners Manual as a reference.

===The speakers are broken===

If you have properly hooked up the speakers and music still will not play, the speakers may be broken. Touch the ends of the speaker wires (the same ends that you inserted into the back of the radio) to opposite ends of a battery. If the speakers make noise, they are working. If there is no noise, you might have a pair of faulty speakers in need of replacement. Consider going to an audio repair shop to have them repaired or replaced.

A damaged CD reader is another possible reason that your stereo system might not be playing music. If you have eliminated all of the other possible causes, replacing the CD reader is your best bet for repair. Learn how to replace the CD player here.