OCJeff

I've searched, and didn't have any luck, so if I missed somethinbg let me know.

I had installed an aftermarket radio (AVIC-Z1) in my 2003 C32, and the FM reception is now VERY poor. Practically unusable. Did the installers miss something? Is there an amplifier they maybe unplugged, or possibly a power turn on to an existing amp?

Anyone else have this problem? And ideas on how to resolve it, or tests I can run?

Thanks all! I've been looking around for a while, but this is my first post!

-Jeff

savvy75

I am having the same poor-FM-reception issue with my AVIC D3...
I was thinking of getting a booster or an aftermarket hidden antenna from eBay, but I dont know which one to get and where to mount it.

saer1one

you will need a radio antanna amplifier for you to get good radio reception. i had the same problem with an Alpine i installed in a c240. the shop said i needed an antanna amplifier and it would only cost no more than $10.

evilsaint

There's actually a TSB for crappy radio reception too, but the antenna amplifier that MB wants to sell you goes for entirely too much to be worth it ($200+ including install), plus, I don't know if it'd work with an aftermarket head-unit.

I think your best bet would be to look into something similar to what Saer said, just a plain ol' cheap remedy to an "expensive" problem

C24owner

I had the same problem with my D3. I just ignored it and ordered sirius.

WaveyKat

try attaching a regular piece of speaker wire to the antenna connection and run it along side the dash it might help alittle!

more151please

i have a kenwood unit in my car, the reception was crap, i said i wouldn't tolerate it, they looked again and saw that they needed a power antenna adapter. Maybe that is the issue, perhaps not. Just what happened to me, the reception now is as good as stock, even with a tinted window.

WaveyKat

do you remember what Brand Power antenna they got?

1qikctr

Glad you guys bought this up, I have the same problem... the booster does not work, my shop install it already.

more151please

the more i think about it, basically they needed to connect the power antenna cable to another cable that would turn it on. The poor reception is because it basically is working with no antenna. I hope that makes sense. Once they did this, the difference was night and day....

Eleventeen

Yes, I believe the factory antenna is actually built into the rear window. To assist reception, there are some sort of electronics (booster) involved. You must hook up a wire from the car to the power antenna lead on the head unit. The correct wire is black, but I don't remember if there was more than one black wire or not. Since the rest of the radio is hooked up, you probably only have one black wire left to hook up from the car side. Hook that up to the power antenna wire (blue/white stripe) wire on the radio side. Your reception will be crystal freaking clear

more151please

11teen you said it better than i could....

c32benbrook

I have a comand installed will the aftermarket stereo adjust my clock on instrument cluster

riverace

No you must set that up separately, since COMAND will no longer be there (wont update from GPS)

riverace

I have the same problem, I have gone through 3 powered boosters and still nothing, HD Radio works and then loses digital connectivity then sounds like crap. Im just sort of ignoring it and living with XM, I rarely listen to regular radio though, it does hurt that I got the HD Radio module and its worthless to me at this point. The stereo shop has told me this is a pain in the *** with MB's and they dont have a real solution at this point...

idiotter

I was curious about this myself as I have terrible reception as well. I did some probing around the MB service manual (as best I could) and then gave up and went to Advance Auto Parts and checked out the Chiltons Manual.

Chiltons shows that the antenna is infact in the rear window and the AM/FM wires x2 are clear. I'm assuming these are the ones that act as a booster and should be connected to a power source--the white and blue wire like eleventeen was mentioning before. I'm not exactly sure either...

c32benbrook

Thanks Riverace I'm going to install an aftermarket radio, any suggestions? Anyone? I want bluetooth with streaming audio.

MIKESV8

yea.pm me if you want to talk about different stereos.

riverace

I've gone through maybe 4 head units so far in this car and I'm very happy with the Pioneer avic-x920BT for me it's the best price/feature combination in a head unit. I had an F90BT, X710BT and a dreadful JVC nav unit they were all painfully slow, poor touch screen, no BT audio streaming and no Pandora integration! This one does it all, again very pleased with it.

MIKESV8

4 head units huh? That's quite impressive.we're installing an avic z130bt in a porsche 997tt tomorrow I'll post pics on here of the install and headunit upon request.

riverace

Yeah not impressive, sad.

F90BT stolen at The Tabernacle while at a concert, JVC given to my son since I didnt like it, X710 too many problems to list, traded up at stereo shop for X920. I get my work done at American Radio they are pretty good and have done all my cars:

http://www.facebook.com/AmericanRadioGA

My original install by them - note they put 05 C55 I have an 06, not a big deal

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?ai...id=66194952455

MIKESV8

Looks good.they definitely installed it right.i saw their fj cruiser at this booth at ces recently, looks good.i am not the biggest fan of pioneer sql though.