Vizio Subwoofer Keeps Disconnecting? (Here’s The Fix!)

If your Vizio subwoofer keeps disconnecting from your soundbar, then this guide will help!

An inconsistent subwoofer connection could be a symptom of improper pairing, unstable power supply, and even a system glitch in the soundbar.

Fortunately, we’ve diagnosed the solutions:

To understand how to apply each of these methods in detail, proceed further!

Vizio Subwoofer Keeps Disconnecting – 7 Proven Solutions!

Note: We recommend restarting both the Vizio soundbar and subwoofer before you start.

1. Place Both Devices in Pairing Mode

In case the Vizio subwoofer’s pairing was unsuccessful, you should place both devices in “Pairing” mode to re-establish the connection.

It takes less than 10 seconds for your Vizio soundbar to recognize the subwoofer and pair successfully. 

Prior to activating the “Pairing” mode, ensure the soundbar is within a 10–15 radius of the subwoofer, as the devices pair over wireless frequency.

1.1 How to Place the Vizio Soundbar in Pairing?

Unlike the subwoofer, your Vizio soundbar does not have a separate “Pairing” button and uses the “Power” button instead.

So, all you need to do is press and hold “Power” for 5 seconds to activate the soundbar’s pairing mode.

1.2 How to Place the Vizio Subwoofer in Pairing?

Once the soundbar’s LED status has changed, press and hold the “Pairing” button on the back of the subwoofer.

Release the button only after the subwoofer’s indicator begins pulsating and wait until the devices are recognized.

Note: The connection is successful if the Vizio subwoofer’s light LED indicator turns solid blue!

2. Cycle the Power of Vizio Setup

Although it may be a standard procedure, performing a power cycle on both devices in case of a sudden disconnect is a solid issue solution.

It takes less than 60 seconds for the residue power to discharge, once the subwoofer and soundbar power cords are taken out from the wall supply.

Follow these simple instructions to power cycle your Vizio audio setup:

1. Unplug the soundbar’s power cord and hold “Power” for 30 seconds.
2. Flip the power switch on the back of the subwoofer to the “Off” side.
3. Next, disconnect the supplying card of the subwoofer from both ends.
4. Wait for at least 40–60 seconds to pass, before plugging the cables.

Quick Tip: Connect the subwoofer to a different power outlet to check if there’s any difference!

3. Initiate the Vizio “Speaker Test”

So, a standard procedure for validating the functionality of components in your Vizio setup is to perform the so-called “Speaker Test.”

Each Vizio soundbar has this function by default, but the activation sequence varies on the model you have.

How to Start a Speaker Test on Vizio Soundbar?

You can activate the “Speaker Test” function on your Vizio soundbar by pressing the Play and Pause buttons on the navigational top panel.

A voice will begin calling out each segment of your audio system, including the soundbar’s channels, the subwoofer, and all your speakers.

Note: The procedure is different for most Vizio sound bars, but you can easily find the correct steps for your model if you visit the online Vizio manual. 

4. Check for Wireless Disruptors

If the wireless bond between your Vizio sound bar subwoofer keeps disconnecting, the next thing to check is if something interferes with the setup.

Even if the soundbar is physically wired to your TV, it still pairs wirelessly to the subwoofer and can become an object of interference.

Generally, there are two types of interference–wireless and physical.

4.1 How to Check for Wireless Signal Interference?

Any type of wireless transmitter within your subwoofer’s range could interfere with the signal. 

Here’s a list of the devices that most frequently cause wireless interference:

• Bluetooth transmitters, emitting 2.4 GHz radio waves.
• RF transmitters, such as radios, microphones, or amps.
• Any type of cellular device, antenna, or cable TV box.

4.2 How to Check for Physical Signal Interference?

On the other hand, physical interference refers to solid obstructions between Vizio-connected devices.

Those may include solid or thick walls, sizable furniture, or enclosed spaces in which you may have placed the soundbar or the subwoofer.

If you’ve placed the soundbar in a type of TV shelf that doesn’t have any gaps for the signal to travel through, you may be in trouble with connecting the subwoofer.

The Solution: We recommend selecting both the Vizio subwoofer and soundbar to retry if the wireless pairing keeps disconnecting.

5. Inspect the Soundbar’s TV Connection

In some cases, the soundbar and TV connection may directly influence the connection status of the Vizio subwoofer.

Thus, the next step is to ensure the soundbar has established a proper TV connection, either wired or wireless.

5.1 Inspect Wired Connection:

First, inspect the condition of the HDMI ARC or Optical cable on both ends.

Ensure the cable is in proper condition and check if your Vizio soundbar is set to only use the default audio device.

5.2 Inspect Wireless Connection:

To reconnect the soundbar, hold the “Bluetooth” button on the soundbar or remote for at least 3 seconds.

Then, bring up your TV’s “Bluetooth” settings and specify your soundbar’s connection.

Note: After validating that the soundbar has connected successfully, pair your subwoofer again!

6. Check for AC Trouble or “Parasitic Current”

Existing power issues with either of the Vizio devices from your setup could lead to consistent drops in the connection.

If either the soundbar or subwoofer power off, the wireless connection will be disrupted and you must re-initiate the pairing procedure.

Here’s what could most often cause power issues:

• Unstable power supply from the A/C power source.
• Power dividers or third-party electrical appliances.
• An issue with the power cord of one of the devices.

If you have an electrical appliance using an identical A/C input as your soundbar or subwoofer, it’s recommended to test each of the power cords.

Then, based on the test’s outcome, you will know whether or not one of the Vizio subwoofer/soundbars is due for a power wire replacement.

Important: Always connect your Vizio soundbar and subwoofer directly to the electrical outlet!

7. Restore the Soundbar’s Default Settings

If the Vizio subwoofer continues to disconnect from the soundbar, perhaps, the device struggles to stay connected due to a system issue.

You can tackle all ongoing system-related issues with the software by initiating a factory reset.

Follow these instructions to factory reset Vizio soundbar:

1. Ensure the soundbar is connected and powered on.
2. Hold the “Bluetooth” and “Volume Down” buttons.
3. Next, release the buttons after ~5 seconds to start.
4. Wait until the soundbar LED returns back to normal.

Note: The Vizio subwoofer cannot be restored to factory defaults!

• All of the soundbar’s audio and system settings will be reset back to default once the procedure is complete.

Interacting with the soundbar in any way throughout the upcoming 20–30 seconds could potentially cancel the factory reset.

When ready, retry connecting your Vizio subwoofer to the soundbar!