Technical Radio Reception

[nigel3a]

We have a 2009 Fiat 500, all working fine until the other month the radio reception died. Initially thought it may be the cable, but all seems intact. Then the aerial base, so replaced that, still the same issue. Some stations play, but others are just feint or crackly. Is it possibly the actual cable is damaged, if so, how easy is it to replace. Or could the head unit be at fault. Is there any way of testing it

 

[ben]

Another chap had this problem last week, does this help?

Poor radio reception | FIAT 500 (2007+)

resurrecting an old thread again! Replaced the aerial base - first one was new but the wrong type as it was only a single cable one (I needed two cable as my one has DAB radio) - so returned - second one was a used one from a 6 month old car but looked like it had water ingress - so returned -...

www.fiatforum.com

 

[nigel3a]

Another chap had this problem last week, does this help?

Poor radio reception | FIAT 500 (2007+)

resurrecting an old thread again! Replaced the aerial base - first one was new but the wrong type as it was only a single cable one (I needed two cable as my one has DAB radio) - so returned - second one was a used one from a 6 month old car but looked like it had water ingress - so returned -...

www.fiatforum.com

Sadly not. Replaced the aerial base with a new one, no different. Replaced the head unit, slight improvement. Took the connection apart at the base, shoved a bit of wire in it, Boom! Loud as you like. Moved it an inch to replace the lining, off it went. Confused is an understatement

 

[Donut123]

We have a 2009 Fiat 500, all working fine until the other month the radio reception died. Initially thought it may be the cable, but all seems intact. Then the aerial base, so replaced that, still the same issue. Some stations play, but others are just feint or crackly. Is it possibly the actual cable is damaged, if so, how easy is it to replace. Or could the head unit be at fault. Is there any way of testing it

When my Fiat 500 was a year old I could only get Radio 4. My dealer said it’s probably just frequencies changing. Eventually I got the dealer to change the aerial. They gave me free labour which would have been £270 and I had to buy the aerial which was £200. It should have been free. All was fine until last week. After 4 years the same things happened again. I haven’t got a spare £500. It’s one thing I can’t be without. My car radio. Currently using an old iPod as Radio 4 is boring. This time though. When I start the car the radio works. I pull away and I lose the stations. On motorways it can work again. Odd. I’ve never known anyone with car radio issues and to happen again. This is as good as the door handles breaking. Poorly made car parts!

 

[Donut123]

Having the same issue. Fiat replaced my aerial when the car was a year old as I suddenly lost all the radio stations. They provided free labour but I had to pay for parts which was mean. 4 years on. Lost my stations again apart from radio 4! I don’t have a spare £500 to get it done again. I can do without most things but I can’t be without my radio! Would a portable radio work if it could be plugged into the usb socket? My old iPod works but the music on it is well old.

 

[lubhz]

Having the same issue. Fiat replaced my aerial when the car was a year old as I suddenly lost all the radio stations. They provided free labour but I had to pay for parts which was mean. 4 years on. Lost my stations again apart from radio 4! I don’t have a spare £500 to get it done again. I can do without most things but I can’t be without my radio! Would a portable radio work if it could be plugged into the usb socket? My old iPod works but the music on it is well old.

I had the same problem with bad radio reception, what I do is to use my phone as the source and connect it using a cable to the Aux input. Most radios are on the internet, and I have my music streaming and podcasts via 4G, using my data allowance.