The subwoofer is one of the most important components of a car audio system. It’s also one of the most powerful and can shake the ground and blow out windows.
So, it makes sense that some people may be wondering whether or not they’re safe to use in their vehicle.
This blog post will show you whether it’s safe to use powerful subwoofers in your car.
Risks of Using a Subwoofer in the Car
There are a few risks associated with using a subwoofer in your car. While most of them are associated with too loud bass, it’s a good idea to know them beforehand.
Subwoofers Drain Car Battery Quickly
One of the most common risks associated with using a subwoofer is that it can drain your car battery quickly. Subwoofers come in different sizes and power ratings, so the amount of energy they draw from your car battery will vary.
However, even a low-powered subwoofer can drain a good portion of your car’s power. If you’re going to be listening to music for hours on end with heavy bass and no breaks, it may wear out your battery quicker than usual.
With that being said, if you’re careful about how long you listen to music and use a good car battery charger when necessary, it can be safe to use in your vehicle.
Subwoofers Can Shake things More than Normal
Another risk associated with using a subwoofer is that it can shake things more than usual. This means if you use one in your car, other objects may start to rattle and wear out faster.
If you have loose items or any accessories already installed in the vehicle, they are likely to come loose during intense bass sessions. You should always inspect your vehicle after a long session to make sure things didn’t come loose.
Heavy Subwoofers Are not Ideal For Cars
Subwoofers can be very heavy, and this is especially true for high-powered ones. If you have a smaller car, it may not be able to handle the added weight of a large subwoofer.
This means that using a heavy subwoofer in your vehicle could eventually lead to damage. It’s important to know how much your car can handle before adding any extra weight to it.
Powerful Subwoofers Are Loud and Dangerous to the Driver and Passengers
Another issue associated with using a subwoofer is that it can be very loud and dangerous for you or your passengers. If you use one in an enclosed space like a car, the noise may become unbearable for those inside of it.
With that being said, it’s important to know if you can handle the noise of a subwoofer. If you’re not experienced with using them or do not have proper hearing protection, it’s best to avoid one altogether.
It’s also worth mentioning that low-powered subwoofers are generally very safe for use in vehicles. They won’t cause any damage, and you’ll be able to hear them at a lower volume.
Too Loud Subs Can Shatter Car Windows
One of the most dangerous risks associated with using a subwoofer is that it can be too loud and shatter windows. This is more common in people who enjoy high-volume bass sessions or try to push their limits on what’s safe for their car.
With that being said, if you use one at maximum volume for an extended amount of time, it’s likely that you’ll eventually shatter a window. This is especially true if your car isn’t designed to handle powerful bass.
Most car windows will likely survive for a few years and fall apart at one point due to the tiny cracks that form due to loud bass over time.
Strong Bass without Sound Dampening Can Affect Car Body Panel
If you are thinking about installing subs in your car stereo system, you may want to use it at a normal volume range.
While installing a subwoofer in your car can be very easy, you’ll have to think about how much soundproofing will be required for it not to disturb people around you.
Plus, If you don’t add enough insulation and dampening material, strong bass could cause problems with your car’s body panels.
For example, strong bass can cause the soundwaves to vibrate your body panel too much and damage it over time. This is especially true if you have a very powerful subwoofer or go overboard on how long you listen to music.
The best way to prevent this from happening is by installing sound dampening material and insulation to keep the subs from vibrating or shaking your car’s body panels.
It is best to add a layer of insulation around each subwoofer, as it will help prevent them from causing problems with other parts in your vehicle. This also goes for installing one in any enclosed space like a trunk area.
Strong Bass Can Make Nuts and Screws Come Out of Cars
One of the lesser-known dangers of using a subwoofer in your car is that it can make nuts and screws come loose. This is because the sound waves from the bass are so powerful that they can actually vibrate these objects out of place.
If you’re not careful, this could lead to some serious problems down the road. For example, the screws and nuts may fall out completely and cause other parts in your car to detach or come loose.
So if you’re considering using a subwoofer in any part of your vehicle, it’s important that you do so with caution. You’ll need to tighten all of the bolts and screws before turning on heavy music and make sure that everything is properly secured before and after each session.
Too Much Bass Can Make Factory Paints Crack
Another lesser-known danger of using a subwoofer is that it can actually cause your factory paint to crack or chip off. This happens when there’s too much bass and the sound waves vibrate the car body panels too much.
This usually isn’t an issue for those who have aftermarket paint jobs, as they are designed to withstand more vibrations and pressure. However, drivers with factory paint jobs should be careful about going overboard on the bass levels if they want to preserve their car’s exterior as much as possible.
Can Subwoofers Damage Your Hearing?
Most car audio systems can’t produce sound levels that will damage your hearing.
However, the exact opposite is true if you have a powerful subwoofer installed in your vehicle without any sound dampening material. This is because it has the ability to produce dangerously high levels of loudness and output sounds with too much power created by its amplifier.
If you’re not careful and use this for long periods of time, then there’s a chance that you’ll suffer from permanent hearing loss or tinnitus (ringing in the ears) as a result of this exposure to such high sound pressures. One way around it is by adding proper sound dampening materials to protect those areas where the subwoofer is installed. Plus, never turn up the sound to a level where it becomes uncomfortable.
Another thing to keep in mind is that hearing loss can be irreversible and it’s never too late to prevent the damage from getting worse if you have a subwoofer inside of your vehicle or anywhere else for that matter.
Do Subwoofers Affect Engine Performance?
No, subwoofers do not affect the engine performance. Engine performances are associated with other factors like the air intake, the exhaust system, and the ECU.
Do Alternator Go Bad Due to Subwoofers?
While subs do not affect the alternator directly, they can make the alternator work more due to excessive power draw from the batteries. This may lead to early alternator failure.
Conclusion
Now that you know the dangers of using a subwoofer in your vehicle, it’s important to take precautions and add sound dampening material or insulation around each one.
This will help keep them from vibrating too much and causing other parts of your car like nuts and screws to come loose.
You’ll also want to make sure not to turn up the bass levels too high as this can cause some serious problems with factory paint jobs (cracking) and hearing loss if used for extended periods of time without any protection.
