Non-existent radio reception- aerial base replaced

Patrick Bateman

  Clio Trophy

• May 27, 2017

• #1

Recently changed back to a standard CD player giving me bugger all radio reception. Read about the aerial base giving problems so I just replaced that today and it hasn't made a difference.

Could it be the aerial itself?

 

Louis

I Park Like a C**t

ClioSport Club Member

  BG 182

• May 27, 2017

• #2

Has it got a stubby aerial?

 

Patrick Bateman

  Clio Trophy

• May 27, 2017

• #3

It's just the original Renault one AFAIK. Certainly not stubby though.

 

Louis

I Park Like a C**t

ClioSport Club Member

  BG 182

• May 27, 2017

• #4

It's worth replacing as it could be knackered inside. For the cost of one. Either that or swap one over from a friends? Where you from?

 

Louis

I Park Like a C**t

ClioSport Club Member

  BG 182

• May 27, 2017

• #5

I got good signal in my 1.2, but since fitting a stubby aerial in my 182 it's crap. You could get a booster

 

Patrick Bateman

  Clio Trophy

• May 27, 2017

• #6

Also worth mentioning, the car is a Trophy so it has the V6 spoiler but I only noticed recently that the boot struts the previous owner fitted allowed the boot to open too far and actually foul the aerial and spoiler.

I've since replaced the struts but if the aerial itself could be sensitive to getting stressed like that then it would explain it.

 

Louis

I Park Like a C**t

ClioSport Club Member

  BG 182

• May 27, 2017

• #7

Patrick Bateman said:

Also worth mentioning, the car is a Trophy so it has the V6 spoiler but I only noticed recently that the boot struts the previous owner fitted allowed the boot to open too far and actually foul the aerial and spoiler.

I've since replaced the struts but if the aerial itself could be sensitive to getting stressed like that then it would explain it.

Click to expand...

Worth changing over then mate. You say you just refitted the standard radio, what was the signal like on the headunit you removed?

 

STEVE.M

  PH2 172

• May 27, 2017

• #8

Driving different vehicles at work, I have noticed that radio reception is poor when I connect my phone to the power/lighter socket with some installations.
Try a dedicated power supply & earth arrangement.
@Patrick Bateman

 

Patrick Bateman

  Clio Trophy

• May 27, 2017

• #9

Louis' said:

Worth changing over then mate. You say you just refitted the standard radio, what was the signal like on the headunit you removed?

Click to expand...

Pretty good but I'm assuming as it was an aftermarket affair it was digital. Never gave it any thought.

 

Patrick Bateman

  Clio Trophy

• Jun 7, 2017

• #10

Aerial now replaced too and not a blind bit of difference. Still zero signal.

What are the odds on the radio itself being the issue? CD works fine and it goes through the preset stations no bother.

 

Louis

I Park Like a C**t

ClioSport Club Member

  BG 182

• Jun 7, 2017

• #11

Try putting in your other headunit if you still have it. Where are you from? I have a spare you could try.

 

Patrick Bateman

  Clio Trophy

• Jun 7, 2017

• #12

I binned the aftermarket unit but there was nothing wrong with it functionally. Just not sure on the likelihood of the radio itself being duff.

It's an 'update list' which is what I should need for my car (2005) as far as I could find.

I'm in Carnoustie, appreciate the offer but I'll hold off at the minute.

 

Patrick Bateman

  Clio Trophy

• Jun 8, 2017

• #13

On the drive to work today there was the faintest of signals and it would find stations when searching through. It was fleeting though.

If it is the signal, what else could it even be with a new aerial and base fitted?

 

Coops Mk1

ClioSport Club Member

  Lots of Scrap...

• Jun 11, 2017

• #14

Have you actually removed the radio again and made sure the aerial connection to the back of it hasn't fallen off when you slid the stereo into the dash?

 

Patrick Bateman

  Clio Trophy

• Jun 11, 2017

• #15

This is what I've got.

Please tell me there's just a cable in the wrong place.

 

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Louis

I Park Like a C**t

ClioSport Club Member

  BG 182

• Jun 11, 2017

• #16

There's another cable for the aerial. A seperate black one.

 

Patrick Bateman

  Clio Trophy

• Jun 11, 2017

• #17

Do you mean the one behind the C-pillar? I checked all that while I still had the headlining out.

 

Louis

I Park Like a C**t

ClioSport Club Member

  BG 182

• Jun 11, 2017

• #18

No there's the actual aerial plug that goes into the back of the headunit. On the other side to that block

 

Patrick Bateman

  Clio Trophy

• Jun 11, 2017

• #19

Louis' said:

No there's the actual aerial plug that goes into the back of the headunit. On the other side to that block

Click to expand...

What a f**king pillock.

You are a god send. It was tucked away down the side, had never noticed it before.

 

Stay Puft

ClioSport Club Member

  Clio 172

• Jun 11, 2017

• #20

The cliospor USB/lighter thing stops my signal from working, dont suppose you have that plugged in??

 

Louis

I Park Like a C**t

ClioSport Club Member

  BG 182

• Jun 11, 2017

• #21

This thread delivers.

 

Louis

I Park Like a C**t

ClioSport Club Member

  BG 182

• Jun 11, 2017

• #22

I can't believe you went to all the effort of removing your headlining too.

 

Patrick Bateman

  Clio Trophy

• Jun 11, 2017

• #23

Don't worry, I'll be telling myself the aerial base was fucked anyway.

 

Louis

I Park Like a C**t

ClioSport Club Member

  BG 182

• Jun 11, 2017

• #24

It's the fact you must have disconnected the aerial from the other headunit too???

 

Patrick Bateman

  Clio Trophy

• Jun 11, 2017

• #25

Louis' said:

It's the fact you must have disconnected the aerial from the other headunit too???

Click to expand...

Can't honestly remember.

Having left it overnight and the cable hiding away out of view I must have just forgot. Just had the 3 connections in my head and that was me.

 

Gus

ClioSport Moderator

  182Turbo,DCi90

• Jun 11, 2017

• #26

@Patrick Bateman can you tell me more about replacing the aerial base. What tools, how it's fixed and is there a connector of some sort . Also is there room to work without damaging the headlining.

Want to change mine but don't want to jump in to it blindly

 

Louis

I Park Like a C**t

ClioSport Club Member

  BG 182

• Jun 11, 2017

• #27

optical said:

@Patrick Bateman can you tell me more about replacing the aerial base. What tools, how it's fixed and is there a connector of some sort . Also is there room to work without damaging the headlining.

Want to change mine but don't want to jump in to it blindly

Click to expand...

I believe you can get to the aerial nut, by just unpopping the back of the headlining. I'm not sure how far the connector runs through underneath the headlining though to unplug it.

 

Patrick Bateman

  Clio Trophy

• Jun 11, 2017

• #28

optical said:

@Patrick Bateman can you tell me more about replacing the aerial base. What tools, how it's fixed and is there a connector of some sort . Also is there room to work without damaging the headlining.

Want to change mine but don't want to jump in to it blindly

Click to expand...

The bit everyone forgot to mention in all the posts I saw was that one of the connections (there are 2, the easy one is within a few inches of the base) is right down the driver side C pillar. As in the video, you'll want to remove some of the boot trim and rubber cover on the top mount to allow a bit more movement to get access.

The base itself is simple enough, think the socket I used was 20/21/22mm, can't remember which. It shouldn't be too tight though. Plastic pry tools make all the difference for getting the headlining and trim loose without damaging anything like a screwdriver can.