Picture of the JBL Go 2 Bluetooth speaker front view, highlighting the red status light, meaning that the speaker is charging.

JBL Go 2 Red Light Stays ON, Won’t Turn OFF

Many JBL speakers, including the Go 2, sport a status light that shines red while charging / recharging these speakers. Sometimes though, this light stays on.  E.g. It does not turn off once charging is done, and this is concerning for many JBL Go 2 owners.  So in this post, we offer reasons that this occurs and possible fixes for this common problem.

Why JBL Go 2 Red Light Stays On

It’s normal that this red light glows while the charging cable is connected. It usually glows for up to a few hours, and goes dark when the battery completely fills up.  Or it turns white if the speaker is powered ON.

Picture of the front of the JBL Go 2 with the -Power / Status- lamp glowing white.
Front view of the JBL Go 2 with the -Power / Status- lamp glowing white.

Or, the light should turn off when recharging is finished, and the speaker is powered OFF, as shown next.

Picture of the speaker, fully charged, powered OFF, but is still connected to charger power. The status lamp is not glowing at all.
The speaker, fully charged, powered OFF, but is still connected to charger power. The status lamp is not glowing at all.

If the red lamp does not change to white or go dark, this might have several causes.

1.The Power Outlet May Be Defective

The Problem

The AC or car adapter for the JBL Go 2 may not deliver any power. Why not?  Because it is not receiving any to begin with. This can happen due to a defective AC or car circuit or a tripped circuit breaker. blown fuse, faulty wiring, power failure, and the like.

The Fix

Check that your outlet has power by testing it by plugging in a lamp or other device.  Reset circuit breakers if tripped. And if the outlet has a light switch that controls it, then turn ON that switch.

2. Power Supply is Too Weak or Broken

The red light stays on, maybe because the recharging adapter you’re using provides SOME but not ENOUGH power. Or, it did at one time work well. But recently, its output power has decreased due to aging components inside.  The speaker needs at least 1.0 amps at 5 volts (5 watts) to charge in the shortest time.

The fix is to replace the power adapter, preferably with a beefier, higher output model.

3. The USB Charging Cord is Too Long, Thin, or is Defective

The USB cable can cut the charging current, even if your power supply is working correctly.  This might happen with extra long, thin, or defective cables.

To solve this, use as short a cord as you can. Or, upgrade to a thicker, higher current wire. We suggest keeping cable lengths to six feet or less. Choose one certified to carry at least 1.0 amps. When in doubt, use a new cord.





4. The Battery Needs Replaced

As lithium ion batteries age, they lose their ability to fully charge. Plus, the characteristics of the charging current they draw changes as they “mature”.  Normally, as a battery charges, it draws less and less current as the recharging progresses.  The speaker monitors this. And when the charge current falls, then it shuts off the red light.  But a faulty battery may not behave this way, and continue consuming higher power.  So in this case, the current never falls to the fully charged value. So the red lamp never turns off.  Instead, it stays on as the system continues pumping more charge into the defective battery.

To fix this, replace the battery.  Now you can’t easily get to it in the JBL Go 2. So you disassemble the speaker.  Note that taking apart the unit will likely break the waterproof seal. This means that the unit will no longer resist damage should you dunk it. Destroying this seal may also change how the unit sounds as well.

So battery replacement should be done by someone who knows about such things. They should be aware of how to choose the right replacement battery. And they should know how to restore the seal as they reassemble the speaker. A good battery should fit inside and provide 3.7 volts and at least 730 mAh (2.7  watt-hours). But we suggest using only JBL certified replacement batteries for the Go 2.

5. The Speaker Might be Defective when the JBL Go 2 Red Light Stays On

Now you may have a big enough power supply and cable with a working battery. Yet the charging current that actually reaches the battery may be too low or too high.  The can happen when the battery management system inside fails.  Now these circuits watch the battery, and shut off the charging current when they deem it fully recharged.  But when they fail, the battery might receive no charging current at all, and thus never recharge.  Again, in this case, the red light might never turn off while the charger is connected. You would also notice that the speaker doesn’t play as long before going dead. Or it might not play at all except when you’re recharging it.

The best solution here, given the low cost of the JBL Go 2, is simply to purchase a new speaker.  The miniaturized circuits in this model are indeed quite small.  So unless you can replace the system board(s), just buy another speaker to avoid the time and headache of repairs.

Picture of the Blue colored JBL Go 2 Bluetooth speaker, front view.
Blue colored JBL Go 2 Bluetooth speaker, front view.

Other Posts About the JBL Go 2

    1. Firmware Update Instructions
    2. Low Frequency Mode Explained
    3. Specs for the JBL Go 2 Bluetooth Speaker
    4. Reset Routine
    5. Buttons, Meanings Functions Combinations

References for JBL Go 2 Red Light Stays On

    1. JBL Go 2 Official Product Page at JBL.com
    2. Where to Buy the JBL Go 2