JBL Charge 5 Power Button Not Working

When the Power button on your JBL Charge 5 is not working, this likely means one or more things.

JBL Charge 5 Power Button Not Working: Causes

Now in this model, one or more of the following causes may be the reason this button does not work.

1. 1. The button mechanisms may have sand, dirt, or other debris in them. To repair this, take the speaker apart if so inclined. Then blow, brush, or polish switch contacts if you can reach them.
   2. Your charger cord is dead. To resolve this, swap in a working charger for the suspected bad one. The speaker should then boot up once more.
   3. The battery inside no longer recharges due to age, excessive charging, or heavy use. To solve this, install a new battery.
   4. Your JBL Charge 5 is defective. In this case, get a replacement unit.
   5. Now since the Charge 5 has a Service Mode, you may have inadvertently activated this mode. There also is a Lock mode, which you also may have entered the same way.

Now we assume here that all the hardware and software in the 5 is working correctly. So we cover below the possibilities in the last item; Service Mode and Lock Mode. Thus, we describe below how to get out of these modes, and restore proper operation.

JBL Charge 5 Service Mode Explained

First, service mode may be active when the speaker does not power ON without the charger. Thus, it will not run on the internal battery while in Service mode.  Moreover, when you do connect outside power, it powers ON right away, without you pressing the Power button.

Also, you cannot turn off the 5 while  in Service mode. Well, you cannot unless you disconnect the power first. And then, it powers off without pressing the Power button.  So when this service mode is active, the Power button appears to not work.

Finally, none of the buttons seem to work in Service mode, except for the ones needed to exit that mode.  E.g. The 5 won’t pair with any devices or other speakers. And as stated earlier, the Power button does not switch it off either.

How to Enter Service Mode

This is what you may have done by accident as follows. Power up the 5 first. Then press the Pairing and Play-Pause  buttons at the same time. Hold in for around 10 seconds, until the 5 powers OFF. After that, Service mode is in effect.

Find these buttons pointed out in the next picture.

Note that you can enter this mode as long as the 5 is ON. It matters not whether you connect it to external power.  But remember that once in this mode, you cannot exit it without first connecting the charger.

JBL Charge 5  Lock Mode Explained

Firstly, what is a symptom of active lock mode? When in effect, the 5 does not power ON. This is true whether a working charger is feeding it or not. When you press the Power button, it just flashes ON for a second or two.  And then it goes dark once again.  And again, the speaker will not work while in  Lock  mode whether the charger is running or not. Thus it will not pair with devices or play any streams. And finally, all button lamps may glow while Lock mode is active.

And in this mode as well, none of the buttons work.

How to Enter Lock Mode

This is another action you may have performed by accident just before the Power button stopped working. You might have done that by activating  Lock mode as follows. Power up the Charge 5 first. And then press the Pairing and Volume UP (+)  buttons at the same time.  Hold them in for approximately 10 seconds.  Then release when the 5 makes the falling guitar strum power down sound.

Find these buttons pointed out in the next picture. Note that you can enter this mode as long as the speaker is ON. Note that it doesn’t matter whether the unit is getting external power or not.  But remember that unlike in Service mode, you don’t need to connect the power adapter to end this mode. This is true as long as the battery has enough juice to power up the unit.

JBL Charge 5 Power Button Not Working: How to Fix

Exit Service Mode

Now you can restore normal operation by deactivating this mode. But note that when active, you must connect external power to switch it OFF. Why?  Because when in Service mode, the 5 won’t power up without outside power. But you can’t change modes without switching on the unit first.  Thus, you need the AC adapter to make this fix.

1. 1. So, connect your JBL Charge 5 to AC power and turn on the unit.
   2. Then, with the speaker Power button glowing, press the Pairing and Play-Pause button combo. Then hold for ten seconds or so. Release when  the unit powers off.
   3. Then, normal operation should return.
   4. Verify this by powering ON the 5.

Exit Lock Mode

Again, you can restore correct operation by cancelling this mode. But note that when Lock mode is active, you can switch it back OFF without the charger. But you can do that only if the battery is not dead.

1. 1. Connect the 5 to AC power.
   2. Then, press and hold the Power button for ten seconds. If the button lamps are glowing, then they’ll go dark at this point.  When you see that thus, then release the Power button.
   3. Wait two seconds.
   4. Finally, press and release the Power button.  The 5 should then boot up normally, with proper operation returning after that.

Now you may not know battery status.  So to be sure that you can power up the 5 after exiting Lock, just connect external power.

Other Posts About the JBL Charge 5

1. 1. Specs Watts
   2. Fixing the Not-Charging Problem
   3. How to Turn On Low Frequency
   4. Solving the Red Light Stuck ON Problem
   5. Pairing Instructions

References for JBL Charge 5 Power Button Not Working

1. 1. JBL Charge 5 Product Page
   2. Where to Buy the JBL Charge 5