Owner's Manual

11
Troubleshooting
If your amplifi er does not appear to be working, check the obvious things fi rst such as blown fuses, poor or
incorrect wiring connections, incorrect setting of crossover switch and gain controls, etc. There is a green
POWER LED located on top of the Front Row. When this green LED is lit, it indicates the Front Row is turned on
and no trouble exists.
Green LED off, no output? With a Volt Ohm Meter (VOM) check the following:

+12 volt power terminal
(should read +12V to +16V)

Remote turn-on terminal (should read +12V to +16V)

Check for reversed
power and ground connections

Ground terminal, for proper conductivity.
Green LED on, no output? Check the following:

RCA connections

Test speaker outputs with a
“known” good speaker.

Substitute source unit with a “known” good source unit.

Check for a signal in the
RCA cable feeding the Front Row with the VOM meter set to measure “AC” voltage.
No or low output?

Check the balance control on source unit

Check the RCA (or speaker input) and
speaker output connections.
Alternator noise-whining sound with engine’s RPM?

Check for damaged RCA (or speaker input) cable

Check the routing of RCA (or speaker input) cable

Check the source unit for proper grounding

Check
the gain settings and turn them down if they are set too high.
Reduced bass response? Reverse a speaker connection from positive to negative on the stereo/subwoofer
channel(s); if the bass improves, the speaker was out of phase.
Ground Noise? KICKER electronics are engineered to be fully compatible with all manufacturers’ head units.
Some head units may require additional grounding to prevent noise from entering the audio signal. If you are
experiencing this problem with your head unit, in most cases running a ground wire from the RCA outputs on the
head unit to the chassis will remedy this issue.
CAUTION: When jump starting the vehicle, be sure that connections made with jumper cables are correct.
Improper connections can result in blown amplifi er fuses as well as the failure of other critical systems in the
vehicle.
If you have more questions about the installation or operation of your new KICKER product, see the Authorized
KICKER Dealer where you made your purchase. For more advice on installation, click on the SUPPORT tab on
the KICKER homepage, www.kicker.com. Choose the TECHNICAL SUPPORT tab, choose the subject you are
interested in, and then download or view the corresponding information. Please E-mail [e-mail] or
call Technical Services [phone] for unanswered or specifi c questions.
2012 FrontRow (ZXDSP) Rev G.indd 112012 FrontRow (ZXDSP) Rev G.indd 11 4/30/2012 1:55:55 PM4/30/2012 1:55:55 PM