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Holy Disappearing Satellite, Batman!!

GruvDOne

Keeper of the Cheese
Location
Long Beach, CA
Car(s)
MkV GTI
So, ok this is odd...

Started up my car the other day, and my radio (MFD2) was on it's FM band. I really almost never go there, as I listen mostly to Sat. "No biggie", I thought and changed it back and listened to my usual stations as I went to a buddy's house, without issue. Some time later I departed. I start my car and again, the radio comes up on FM. "What The Deuce?!?"

Here is where it get's interesting. I hit 'Band' and this time (and since) the only option that shows up is FM. Taking a quick trip to my settings revealed this:



This makes me think that some how, something must've jostled loose... I have no idea what what - or rather why that would have happened. Any how, do any of you have any ideas as to where I could look and/or what I need to look for? For that matter is it feasible for me to even try and fix this on my own? I'm still in my B2B period, but - well, I needn't convince anyone here why going to a dealership is a PITA...

Any thoughts?
 

slanky

Ready to race!
Location
Home
Get a t15 torx, a sturdy piece of thin plastic and get ready.

I think the sat radio wires may have come undone - or your HU is shot. easy way to find out. I just installed a Premium 7 HU into my dad's Jetta and he does not have Sirius. I pushed the SAT button to see what would happen - it just says "please wait" and does nothing. I vag commed his car and there was a radio error and a CAN error pertaining to communication.

Here is how to get the radio out

http://www.golfmkv.com/forums/showthread.php?t=693

here is the wiring diagram

http://www.modifiedlife.com/2007-volkswagen-jetta-car-radio-wiring-diagram-for-premium-sound-system/

start sniffin' for loose wires/pins/connectors!


points of interest

When removing the top vent, remove both covers, front and back (knob and where the light sensor would be)

Don't forget the torx screw under where the light sensor would be! it's kinda down there a ways

Remove the glossy black piece directly under the perforated metal vent by lifting from the side - try hard!

pull HARD from the center upwards and away from the windshield to get the actual vent piece out, don't forget the 2 torx screws. Also, it helps to pry the clips in back a bit to loosen it up

When removing the HVAC bezel, start at the top and carefully, at a SLIGHT angle, pop the clips off. they are attached to the plastic kinda shittily and may break otherwise

once the HU is out, there are plastic clips that hold the antenna wire in place - you may need to push these away from the HU to get them undone

to get the mass of wires out from the back, locate the lever (facing in the down position) and look for the little release clip, undo it and then lift it like an old school electric chair style knife switch - pull the whole mess out

Hope that all helps!
 

nhbubba

CEL free until 48,398 mi
Location
Seacoast NH
I have had the same problem with my 'premium 7' unit. Hit the SAT key and I get 'No Satellite Radio' or some such. It started where the sat radio would drop out if I hit a large bump or something, then progressively got worse. Now the SAT radio rarely shows as connected.

I have not bothered to dig as my trial subscription has run out and I have zero interest in subscribing. But I'm curious to see what you find out..
 

GruvDOne

Keeper of the Cheese
Location
Long Beach, CA
Car(s)
MkV GTI
Yeah, I don't even get that message/ When I hit 'Band' I just get FM, there are no other options... usually hitting Band will show the current band - FM, Sat1, Sat2, Sat3 - highlighted yellow with the not-active bands a dark blue color. Hitting the Band button repeatedly cycles through these bands.. or at least it did. I hope that it is just a disconnection, and not a dead receiver.

Unless of course VWAG no longer has any MFD-2's for parts and such, and they are forced to upgrade me to the RMS-510... lol

(I know the Sat receiver and the HU are separate units, but one can dream ;) )
 

slanky

Ready to race!
Location
Home
did you open it up and look to see if there is a loose connection?
 

wireb

Just a noob with a welder
Location
Rochester, MN
Well the easy end to check is the sat tuner end. It is under your passenger seat. Slide the seat all the way back. Pull out the floor mat. remove the plastic cover (pull up gently on the 2 clips then slide towards the front of the car). Should be 3 connectors going into a silver box (unimpressive) The thick black cable is the antenna from the rear of the car. The connector with 2 wires is switched 12V and ground. And the last connector (5 wires I think) is audio out and CAN bus in.

The other end is a PitA to get to. See the forums for how to pull your dash apart and get to the rear of the radio.

Since you are under B2B still and its bad all the time I would just check the connections under the seat and leave the dash pulling to the dealer.
 

wireb

Just a noob with a welder
Location
Rochester, MN
BTW if anyone has a dead sat tuner they want to get rid of let me know. I just need the mating side of the cable connectors for a project. (don't want to tear up my factory harness)
 

GruvDOne

Keeper of the Cheese
Location
Long Beach, CA
Car(s)
MkV GTI
Well the easy end to check is the sat tuner end. It is under your passenger seat. Slide the seat all the way back. Pull out the floor mat. remove the plastic cover (pull up gently on the 2 clips then slide towards the front of the car). Should be 3 connectors going into a silver box (unimpressive) The thick black cable is the antenna from the rear of the car. The connector with 2 wires is switched 12V and ground. And the last connector (5 wires I think) is audio out and CAN bus in.

The other end is a PitA to get to. See the forums for how to pull your dash apart and get to the rear of the radio.

Since you are under B2B still and its bad all the time I would just check the connections under the seat and leave the dash pulling to the dealer.

Great information... that's what I was looking for. I'll check it out tomorrow when the sun she is out ;)
 

nhbubba

CEL free until 48,398 mi
Location
Seacoast NH
Yeah, I don't even get that message
I have a different head unit. Mine doesn't have the ability to show grayed out things like yours does. Our symptoms sound like they are the result of similar, if not identical problems.

Since you are under B2B still and its bad all the time I would just check the connections under the seat and leave the dash pulling to the dealer.
My thing is that I don't want anyone-me or the dealer-dismantling the dash. Not for something I won't use, like the sat radio. I just don't care enough to risk having something not assembled perfectly and rattling or squeaking for the rest of time. Nor do I feel like waiting at the dealer for them to do this.

But checking the receiver side under the seat is a fine idea.
 

vwgtipowr

Ready to race!
Location
NH
The other end is a PitA to get to. See the forums for how to pull your dash apart and get to the rear of the radio.

It isn't that bad, only takes about 5 minutes to take the radio out of the dash. If it is your first time, it will probably take you 15-20 minutes, but everytime after that is no biggie.

Might be worth just checking the connections at teh back of the radio.
 

JetTurbo

geezer
Location
South Florida, USA
Car(s)
2018 GTi Autobahn 6M
So, ok this is odd...

Started up my car the other day, and my radio (MFD2) was on it's FM band. I really almost never go there, as I listen mostly to Sat. "No biggie", I thought and changed it back and listened to my usual stations as I went to a buddy's house, without issue. Some time later I departed. I start my car and again, the radio comes up on FM. "What The Deuce?!?"

Here is where it get's interesting. I hit 'Band' and this time (and since) the only option that shows up is FM. Taking a quick trip to my settings revealed this:



This makes me think that some how, something must've jostled loose... I have no idea what what - or rather why that would have happened. Any how, do any of you have any ideas as to where I could look and/or what I need to look for? For that matter is it feasible for me to even try and fix this on my own? I'm still in my B2B period, but - well, I needn't convince anyone here why going to a dealership is a PITA...

Any thoughts?

The grayed out band setting means the tuner is not reporting to the head unit.
I get the exact same result if I unplug the tuner under the seat.


Interesting your newer unit calls it the band selections Sat 1, Sat 1-2, etc
and my unit identifies bands by the name of the service XM 1, XM 1-2, etc.


Actually, my original XM satellite tuner did the same thing,
became intermittent after about 40k miles of use.
Didn't need to change the head unit,
VW just swapped out the satellite tuner box
with a newer version - it has been fine ever since.
 

GruvDOne

Keeper of the Cheese
Location
Long Beach, CA
Car(s)
MkV GTI
Right, so I had a look at the SAT module, and all of the connections were firmly seated.

Looks like another 3+ hours in dealership hell.

At least this time around they ought to have some MkVI's to look at.
 

GruvDOne

Keeper of the Cheese
Location
Long Beach, CA
Car(s)
MkV GTI
well, as an update (sorry it took so long) when I went into the dealer, they just ended up replacing the sat module, and all is well.
 
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