Radio reception has suddenly stopped

Rob Dog

Member
I was driving my 1.4TDi SE a while back, whilst it still belonged to my mum, when all of a sudden the radio reception disppeared. Having read some of the other threads on here, the radio aerial appears to be in the back windscreen. This hasn't been damamged, and seeing as it was working one minute and then suddenly not the next, I would assume that this isn't the problem.

It's as if the wire connecting the aerial to the head unit has come loose. Does anyone know how to easily remove the head unit from the dash so that I can investigate? I didn't acquire any specific tools for doing this when I purchased it from my mum, and there doesn't look as though there are any 'holes' in the head unit for inserting any kind of removing device.

Has anyone the same problem? I thought it may have had something to do with the battery compartment in the boot well filling up with water (which I now know, having looked at other threads on this site, is likely to be a dodgy seal beneath the luight clusters). This is another headache that I still need to sort out. Apart from that, the car's fine!

Cheers in advance.
 
Hi Rob Dog, welcome to the A2oc.
Easiest solution would be to contact our A2 guru, Skipton01 (Mike) who also lives in the Manchester area. If Mike has the time, I'm sure he would do a diagnostic scan and check out any radio reception issues for you - and his rates are very reasonable.

For radio removal you need special flat bladed keys which fit in narrow slots at either end of the front panel, 2 for the std radio and 4 for the double din units

Cheers Spike
 
Rob's been in touch and I've advised him of the likely problem.

However, for other members who might suffer the same fate, the clue is in the boot filling with water - if you have a diversity antenna system (shown by a box of electronics behind the slot next to the battery on the right hand side), then it's likely that this has gone duff with water ingress and that's why the signal is lost.

A new unit is around £160!

So, keep an eye on water in the boot.

Cheers,

Mike
 
Now sorted

Mike (and anyone else viewing this link),

I think the replacement vents behind the rear bumper have stopped the boot well filling with water. Checked it today after having quite a bit of rain recently and it seemed pretty dry in there!

Re the radio antenna, well we had already worked out that the damp had knackered the powered antenna in the boot, so I booked it into 'Safe & Sound' in Droylsden (Manchester) and they provided a new powered antenna kit fully fittyed for just £75!! It connects directly into the back of the head unit - the actual antenna being on the inside of the front windscreeen at the top. It works the biz and am well happy with it.

Just need to get those scuffs that my mum did taken out now!
 
Got the same issue my diversity antenna is junk

Although i cant find any water in the boot and its not damp even :confused:.

Is it possible to take out the tray that holds the spare wheel kit so i can inspect more closely?

I'd like to diagnose the cause before fitting a new unit and have that go duff aswell.

Maybe i'll go for a powered antenna kit in the end...

kook
 
Kook,

You can remove the whole tray that sits in the boot well, but you need to remove a bit of interior trim just inside the boot rim first otherwise it won't come out. Closer inspection may actually reveal some water in there perhaps?

If you live close to Manchester, contact Mike (Skipton01) via this site. He actually took the one out of his and connected it in mine just to see if a properly working one was going to fix the problem. As it happens, it did not work in mine so we knew the water had probably penetrated some of the wiring too. His rates are very reasonable and is a sound guy - knows much more than the so called experts at Audi do too!! It therefore made more sense to go for the new powered antenna directly into the back of the head unit. Don't forget a new one will cost around £160 unless you can find a decent used one (that is still working of course!).

Good luck with it. If you need me to, I can let you have an image of the powered antenna in the boot well so you at least know what you need to replace.
 
Good luck with it. If you need me to, I can let you have an image of the powered antenna in the boot well so you at least know what you need to replace.

Yer that would be great thanks

I had the car checked out at an independant vw/audi garage and he confirmed the unit was the culprit so hopefully the wiring is still ok.

With regard to the boot trim, i tried to get this off before. I took out the 4 screws holding it onto the bottom of the boot but it still wouldn't budge. I gave up as i didnt want to snap something. I'll be more bold on my next attempt when this damn rain stops :D.

Cheers
 
Yes - attaching the images worked! Just click on them for a larger version. If you remove the antenna unit, just remember which connections go where. Take a pic of it with your moby first to refer to later.

Hope this helps. Let me know how you get on.
 
I will possibly have my diveristy unit for sale soon, as I dont need it - got an aftermarket head unit.

Give me a PM if you do still require one

John
 
Back
Top