7 Ways To Fix A RCA TV That Won’t Turn On (2023)

I need white noise to fall asleep.

That’s why I left Sleeping Beauty playing as I closed my eyes last night…

But, when I woke up, my RCA’s closed.

And it can’t turn on.

Oh, c’mon.

Does this happen to your TV too?

Don’t worry. You don’t need a kiss from Prince Charming to wake it up.

Keep reading to discover:

How to use your smartphone to power on your RCA TV.
7 trouble-free ways of fixing an RCA TV that won’t turn on.
An in-depth guide to replacing dead capacitors on your RCA that won’t boot up.
And so much more…

RCA TV won’t turn on – why?

Your RCA TV won’t turn on because of glitches, software bugs, or a dead remote. A broken surge protector or an exposed power cord could also cause this issue. Lastly, the capacitors on your power board might’ve started to corrode.

7 ways to fix an RCA TV that won’t turn on

#1: Power cycle your TV

So, you have a broken TV.

What’s the first thing you do to fix it?

Some people immediately call a technician.

Well, don’t immediately jump to that…

Why?

Because you should first try what technicians do whenever they receive a TV for repair.

And that’s a power cycle.

To do this, you must:

Turn your TV off.
Unplug it from the socket.
Wait for at least 30 seconds.
Plug it back in and power it on.

This is a type of restart that ensures there are no leftover charges on your TV.

Which then allows your RCA to shut down and reset fully.

#2: Fix your remote connection

Now, what if the problem isn’t your TV…

But the remote that came with it?

Simply stand up and press the physical Power button on your TV to know for sure.

Did it work?

If so, let’s fix your remote, shall we?

First, try to replace your remote’s batteries.

Not only will dead batteries not be able to send signals to your TV…

But a remote with low (but not dead) batteries can also send errant signals that can turn your TV off.

Next, if that didn’t work, clean the underside of your remote.

Gunk and dirt can push your Power button.

So, to properly clean your remote, follow these instructions:

Remove the rubber buttons.
Put a drop of pure alcohol in the hole.
Use a cotton swab to remove the gunk.
Repeat until it’s spotless.
Reattach the rubber buttons.

Pro tip: Does your RCA run on Roku OS? In that case, you can use your smartphone as a remote. Here’s how you can do that:

Download the Roku mobile app. (Available on iOS and Android).
Open the app and go to Devices.
Select your RCA Roku TV.
Head to Remote.

And there you go. A smartphone turned remote control.

#3: Factory reset

When you try to open your TV…

Is there a red blinking light in front of it?

Or, perhaps, your TV turns on, but it can’t get past the loading screen?

If so, that means that you have a software problem.

And what’s the most effective way to solve software issues?

A factory reset.

This reset deletes all your data…

But it’ll also get rid of all glitches, errors, and malware on your TV.

That’s an even trade if you ask me.

Normally, this is how you factory reset an RCA:

Press the Home button on your remote.
Go to Settings.
Head to Device Preferences.
Select Factory Data Reset.

Here’s the problem:

How can you factory reset your RCA if you can’t access your Settings menu?

Simple. Go straight to your Service Menu instead.

The Service Menu is RCA’s secret menu reserved for technicians.

It’s a minimalist menu that you can also access through:

Turn your TV off.
Hold the Input button on your remote.
Power your TV on.
Press the following buttons in this exact order: 2, 5, 8, 0 or 1, 1, 4, 7.

After that, just select Factory Data Reset, and you’re done.

#4: Move your RCA TV

Get a fan or a lamp. Trust me.

Now, unplug your TV and plug that lamp or fan into the socket where your TV was.

Did it power on?

If not, the problem is your socket.

You see, sockets aren’t immune to damage.

Especially during a power surge or a thunderstorm.

That’s why sometimes your sockets can die.

And you can fix it…

But you shouldn’t.

Why?

Because unshielding a socket can seriously harm you. Enough to do some permanent damage.

So, what you can do in the meantime is move your RCA TV to a different socket…

And call your local technician to get your socket fixed.

#5: Remove your surge protector

Have you heard of a surge protector?

If you haven’t, let me tell you that it’s a really useful device.

What does it do, you ask?

Power surges can short your TV.

So, it’s only wise to protect your RCA from power surges.

That’s where surge protectors come in.

The thing is…

Cheap surge protectors do more damage than good.

How so?

You see, surge protectors protect your device from surges using a grounding wire.

It’s an extra wire on the appliance where excess energy is redirected.

When a surge protector breaks, the grounding wire can do the opposite…

Instead of taking all the charge, it’ll give more charge to your TV.

Resulting in an RCA TV that won’t turn on.

Now, what should you do?

In the meantime, remove your surge protector.

As for the long-term, invest in good surge protectors like:

#6: Splice your power cord

When I was in college…

I lived in a dorm that was full of rats.

Honestly, it wasn’t so bad.

Until I noticed that my laptop’s cables were gnawed through.

The thing could happen to your TV as well.

So check your power cord.

See any exposed wire?

That sucks, but you can manage.

How?

First, it’s not difficult to find a replacement power cord online.

But if you don’t want to spend money…

You can also get your toolkit and splice your power cord instead. Here’s how to do so:

Measure 1-inch on both sides starting from the middle of the exposed wire.
Cut the cord in half.
Unsheath the cord using the measurements.
Repeat steps #1 to #3 for the smaller wires inside.
Attach the smaller wires inside using a heat shrink tubing. (An electrical tape will do).
Heat the tubing to bind the wires.
Repeat steps #5 and #6 for the main cord.

Got it? Great.

If you didn’t, that’s okay too.

You can watch this video for a visual demonstration of splicing:

#7: Replace the capacitors

Do you know that your TV also has batteries…

Kind of.

You see, your TV’s power board holds these little objects called the capacitors.

Their function is to store electricity before it’s distributed to the other parts of your TV.

The trouble is:

Capacitors can easily corrode. And here are the usual warning signs:

Swollen.
Leaking.
Lifting itself off the chassis.

Now, to replace your capacitors, you’ll need the following:

And a lot of courage. Why?

Because we’re opening the back of your TV.

So, to start:

Loosen and remove the screws at the back of your TV.
Detach the back of your TV using a prying tool.
Locate and remove the power board from the chassis.
Point the desoldering gun towards the old capacitors to remove them.
Insert the new capacitors.
Bind them into the chassis using the soldering kit.
Lightly brush with flux paste.

BONUS: Call RCA support

Here’s a harsh truth:

You can do everything right but, at the end of the day…

There’s a chance that nothing could work.

Do you know what you should do now?

Pick yourself up. Dust yourself off. Move on…

And call RCA for a personal consultation.

Is there a reset button on an RCA TV?

There’s no reset button on your RCA TV.

However, you can use the physical buttons on your screen to reset your RCA.