Crappy Radio Reception (Audi A3)

Thargor · 14-10-2015 11:16am #1

Hi, my sister got an Audi A3 for work and it seems to have the extremely weak radio reception issue due to the aeriel being set in the back window as far as I understand. It can barely pick up Today and 2fm and struggles to tune in any local stations.

Anyone know a way to sort this? I dont know much about car radios but I was thinking pop out the radio, disconnect the old aeriel and just connect an aftermarket one even if it just means shoving it in under the dash somewhere? I think from what I can see the Audis aeriel is just crappy design for whatever reason.

Anyone got a better idea?

ironclaw · 14-10-2015 12:30pm

The aerial in the back is a perfectly valid design and works well. Carefully look at the aerial in the glass and check for any breaks or nicks, same for any connector. Trace the whole way back to the radio. Furthermore, ensure its tuned correctly and using RDS etc so it autotunes as you drive or move.

Aftermarket and under the dash won't improve as its possibly the worst space for an antenna you can imagine (Wrong polarization, surrounded by metal, possibly metallic / shielded windscreen etc)

Thargor · 14-10-2015 1:31pm

Tried all that, its a very common problem in Audis if you Google it, its definitely badly designed and it spans generations, dont know why they never fixed it. Replacing it seems to be the only option. Surely if you had a length of aeriel snaking around inside the dash it would do the job? My cheap mp3 player gets by with a tiny length of headphone wire for an antenna and it works everywhere on the island, never a dip in reception. Is there anything I can buy to try out? I assume its a standar connection or an adapter can be got...

grange mac · 25-10-2015 10:43am

Thargor wrote: »

Tried all that, its a very common problem in Audis if you Google it, its definitely badly designed and it spans generations, dont know why they never fixed it. Replacing it seems to be the only option. Surely if you had a length of aeriel snaking around inside the dash it would do the job? My cheap mp3 player gets by with a tiny length of headphone wire for an antenna and it works everywhere on the island, never a dip in reception. Is there anything I can buy to try out? I assume its a standar connection or an adapter can be got...

Hi Thargor,
Just wondering if you came up with a solution for this, my A4 04 reception getting slowly worse last few months. V annoying.

newwan · 25-10-2015 1:52pm

I have the same problem on a Peugeot and it's driving me bananas.

From what I've read online the key to it is. Better grounds and better aerial and better ground to the aerial.

So I'm going to get a really old school car aerial and bolt some cable directly to the chassis and debug from there. Isolate each piece until you've figured out is it the ground, the radio or the aerial...

Any advice on good wire to use as a ground for a car aerial? Would iIhave to buy some or would old wire from a kettle cable for example do?

Thargor · 25-10-2015 2:59pm

grange mac wrote: »

Hi Thargor,
Just wondering if you came up with a solution for this, my A4 04 reception getting slowly worse last few months. V annoying.

No not a thing, still brutal, and she likes the radio on her commute aswell and doesnt really listen to mp3s. If you think of anything or take it to an Audi dealer please let me know.

Thargor · 25-10-2015 3:02pm

newwan wrote: »

I have the same problem on a Peugeot and it's driving me bananas.

From what I've read online the key to it is. Better grounds and better aerial and better ground to the aerial.

So I'm going to get a really old school car aerial and bolt some cable directly to the chassis and debug from there. Isolate each piece until you've figured out is it the ground, the radio or the aerial...

Any advice on good wire to use as a ground for a car aerial? Would iIhave to buy some or would old wire from a kettle cable for example do?

Why do you need all that though is what I want to know, wish a mod hadn't moved this thread into this dead forum because we'd probably have an answer by now.

Why can I walk into a pound shop and get a radio with a tiny aerial that will work perfectly in the car/on top of a mountain/out in the countryside without a flicker while the one in the car needs massive rewiring, there must be something I can buy on Ebay or Aliexpress to fix this.

Thargor · 24-11-2015 3:32pm

Just bumping this to see if anyone else has any ideas, its actually getting worse now.

newwan · 24-11-2015 4:10pm

I bought a new aerial. A big ugly joke but great reception off it. Not mounted on anything just under the seat... Try that

Thargor · 24-11-2015 4:16pm

How do you mean? Is there a wire sticking out of the dashboard going under the seat or something? Can I get a link please?

grange mac · 24-11-2015 11:57pm

In process of getting Magnetic Aerial for car as dont want to drill the car...but it will have to follow wire through car ceiling to aerial.

Thargor · 25-11-2015 3:39pm

newwan wrote: »

I bought a new aerial. A big ugly joke but great reception off it. Not mounted on anything just under the seat... Try that

Does anyone know what this is referring to? Is there a standard off the shelf aerial you can buy, connect to the back of the radio and shove in anywhere? Not ideal but it would be better than whats there.

grange mac wrote: »

In process of getting Magnetic Aerial for car as dont want to drill the car...but it will have to follow wire through car ceiling to aerial.

Can I have more detail please? Did you just buy an aerial on Ebay and it will work? Or is there special Audi aerials or an adapter required or something like that?

grange mac · 25-11-2015 3:41pm

grange mac wrote: »

In process of getting Magnetic Aerial for car as dont want to drill the car...but it will have to follow wire through car ceiling to aerial.

Standard Magnetic car aerial....will run through car internally & hook into back of radio.

Thargor · 25-11-2015 3:44pm

Do you have a link to a forum or website where someone does this or a link to the aerial you're using? Is it a standard connector in all car radios or Audi specific?

grange mac · 25-11-2015 4:05pm

Thargor wrote: »

Do you have a link to a forum or website where someone does this or a link to the aerial you're using? Is it a standard connector in all car radios or Audi specific?[/quot
Standard connection but getting small am FM aerial..not the long ones...eBay is your friend.

Thargor · 25-11-2015 4:13pm

There are millions of results and different ones for every brand of car on the road, would there be any chance of a link to a specific one or even a picture of what you're talking about please? Completely clueless about car audio sorry...

grange mac · 25-11-2015 4:18pm

Thargor wrote: »

There are millions of results and different ones for every brand of car on the road, would there be any chance of a link to a specific one or even a picture of what you're talking about please? Completely clueless about car audio sorry...

Fee hours wait till I get home on laptop.

newwan · 25-11-2015 4:29pm

I dont have an audi. I have a peugeot. I just went to a car shop and bought a 7euro truck aerial and used it. Will take pic later. Its v messy but my cars in **** anyway

Thargor · 26-11-2015 11:03am

Would something like this do the job?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Electronic-Stereo-Radio-AM-FM-Hidden-Antenna-12v-Universal-For-Car-Vehicle-SUV-/281727332361?hash=item419841f009:g:GAYAAOSwHnFVhA5p&clk_rvr_id=937841556158&afsrc=1&rmvSB=true

Is that a standard aerial connector that will work in the Audi?

ironclaw · 26-11-2015 2:01pm

@Thargor, without the year of the car its hard to say, but yes, that should work as by general consesus this seems the most common on an A3:

Thargor · 26-11-2015 2:16pm

Oh sorry its 2004 with the Symphony radio. Thanks for that I think Ill try it.

ironclaw · 26-11-2015 3:28pm

Thargor wrote: »

Oh sorry its 2004 with the Symphony radio. Thanks for that I think Ill try it.

I actually ordered one for another dodgy radio so I'll report back how it works out.

Thargor · 26-11-2015 3:35pm

Please do thanks, every aerial I look at is amplified though, as in it needs 12v power, same as the one in that link. Does the power come from the back of the stereo or do you have to get that wire all the way to the battery or into the engine or what?

ironclaw · 26-11-2015 4:29pm

Thargor wrote: »

Please do thanks, every aerial I look at is amplified though, as in it needs 12v power, same as the one in that link. Does the power come from the back of the stereo or do you have to get that wire all the way to the battery or into the engine or what?

You will need to make a connection from a 12V supply near the radio to power it. You could get away with not powering it but that would defeat what you are trying to achieve. Btw, its also not trivial to remove the radio in the first place, you generally need the radio keys to pull it out. Have a quick look on YouTube.

I'm not a commercial fitter but if you want to PM me your location I could try call by some evening and fit it if you wish.

Thargor · 26-11-2015 4:39pm

Thanks a million Ironclaw I have the keys ordered from Ebay for one whole pound delivered, Im going to try it with a conventional unpowered aerial first and then if that doesnt work we have plenty of neighbours who know their stuff enough to fit something like that.

What about these kinds of ones or their variants you see all over Ebay?

http://www.aliexpress.com/item/Car-Antenna-Radio-FM-Signal-Amp-48-860Mhz-20db-Digital-FM-Amplifier-Booster-Auto-Radio-AMP/32293237165.html?spm=2114.031010208.3.77.AzHnDV&ws_ab_test=searchweb201556_1_79_78_77_80,searchweb201644_5,searchweb201560_7

No sign of a 12v cable but it says amplified, can some of them draw power from just the standard connector in the link you posted? Do you absolutely have to fit an amplified aerial or will just one with one standard connection do?

ironclaw · 26-11-2015 5:18pm

No problem Thargor.

Unfortunately eBay is full of deceit and lies when it comes to this stuff. Yes, you can power an amplifier down the cable but you generally have an input and an output unit i.e. A small box at the end to 'inject' power into system and then within the aerial you take off the power supply into the amplifier circuit. Its pretty rare on cars, its usually a two cable set up e.g. A cable for the radio signal and a separate power circuit for the amplifier. Putting 12V across the input of an antenna would not be a good idea.

You should have no problem without power if you put the aerial in a good position. If its buried behind the dash or covered in some way, you might run into issues in areas of poor reception or around the city.

Crappy Radio Reception (Audi A3)

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