CD/Radio Problem

[Dosco]

I appear not to be getting any signal from the antenna to drive the radio.

Does anyone know if the above could be connected to the vehicle alarm system? The reason for such a seemingly silly question is since I had my local MB dibbler sort out a failed security system by replacing the alarm unit the radio has failed to work, they say nothing they would have done had any effect on the radio and I need a new one. Currently fitted is a Sony CDX-CA850.

I have tried another radio and that also fails to work so that rather blows the MB theory out of the window

The antenna co-ax cable was replaced by the dealer two days after I purchased the car - 5 yrs ago since that time the radio has worked fine:grin:

 

[BlackC55]

What car is it?

 

[Dosco]

What car is it?

Missed that, it is W210 E240 Classic 1998

 

[BlackC55]

Borrow a co- ax lead and aerial from a radio install shop and connect it up and see if that makes a difference.

You may find the amp is bu66ered also. (C-pillar behind the trim from memory)

 

[television]

If my memory is correct on this car, there is a re routing mod for the cable as it gets damaged on the rear seat.

Put up the next 3 numbers after 210 and I will give you details of the cables and Amplifier

 

[Dosco]

If my memory is correct on this car, there is a re routing mod for the cable as it gets damaged on the rear seat.

Put up the next 3 numbers after 210 and I will give you details of the cables and Amplifier

Are these the three? 061

 

[Dosco]

Borrow a co- ax lead and aerial from a radio install shop and connect it up and see if that makes a difference.

You may find the amp is bu66ered also. (C-pillar behind the trim from memory)

Thanks for this, will give it a whirl.

 

[television]

Thanks for this, will give it a whirl.

If you have access to the rear of the radio, by holding a nail or small screwdriver in your hand and if you stand outside the car, put the nail into the center contact while still holding it and you should be able to tune into some stations if the radio is OK

 

[Dosco]

If you have access to the rear of the radio, by holding a nail or small screwdriver in your hand and if you stand outside the car, put the nail into the center contact while still holding it and you should be able to tune into some stations if the radio is OK

Thanks Malcolm, will a co-ax cable do with me holding the copper conductor?

 

[television]

Thanks Malcolm, will a co-ax cable do with me holding the copper conductor?

You do not need to use coax as this is only a test, a peice of single wire will do just hanging outside of the car, just push it into the centre hole

 

[Dosco]

You do not need to use coax as this is only a test, a peice of single wire will do just hanging outside of the car, just push it into the centre hole

Right on - when it has stopped p-----g down

 

[Dosco]

If you have access to the rear of the radio, by holding a nail or small screwdriver in your hand and if you stand outside the car, put the nail into the center contact while still holding it and you should be able to tune into some stations if the radio is OK

Malcolm, just done that with a length of (bare) copper wire poking out of the window and no signal just hissing:-(

The old radio I tried before does not respond to that test either so I guess that is also faulty.

Do I assume it is the radio then?

 

[television]

When you say bare wire the wire must not touch the outer connection, if you look at the aerial plug it has two contacts the center pin and the outer sheild grounding, so the wire must only touch and go into the center hole.


If there is nothing have you tried MW as this uses a different circuit to FM and to have a faullt on both is very rare

 

[Dosco]

When you say bare wire the wire must not touch the outer connection, if you look at the aerial plug it has two contacts the center pin and the outer sheild grounding, so the wire must only touch and go into the center hole.


If there is nothing have you tried MW as this uses a different circuit to FM and to have a faullt on both is very rare

Made sure it wasn't touching, didn't try MW though, will advise.

Thanks again Malcolm

 

[brandwooddixon]

I had a similar problem after installing a new radio.

I thought that it was the antenna amplifier (about £16 and behind the trim rear nearside pillar - next to the rear window), but after replacing it I found that it wasn't.

I found that my radio would occasionally receive FM - no Am though, although it was very hissy and indistinct. This should have told me something, but I didn't think about it at the time.

Test out the coax for breakage. Disconnect the coax from the radio and the antenna amplifier. You'll need to remove the grab handle above the door and pull away the door seal in order to prise the rear quarter trim panel away.

Short the contacts between either the centre pin and earth shield at the radio end or the jack contacts at the antenna end and test for contiuity at the other end.

I found that the centre wire of the coax is very thin and had broken inside the plug at the radio end. This I prised open and with a little soldering it was fixed. I must admit that I was horrified to see just how fine a wire they have as the central conductor and with there being so little slack I can see why flexing the radio connector could break it.

 

[Dosco]

I had a similar problem after installing a new radio.

I thought that it was the antenna amplifier (about £16 and behind the trim rear nearside pillar - next to the rear window), but after replacing it I found that it wasn't.

I found that my radio would occasionally receive FM - no Am though, although it was very hissy and indistinct. This should have told me something, but I didn't think about it at the time.

Test out the coax for breakage. Disconnect the coax from the radio and the antenna amplifier. You'll need to remove the grab handle above the door and pull away the door seal in order to prise the rear quarter trim panel away.

Short the contacts between either the centre pin and earth shield at the radio end or the jack contacts at the antenna end and test for contiuity at the other end.

I found that the centre wire of the coax is very thin and had broken inside the plug at the radio end. This I prised open and with a little soldering it was fixed. I must admit that I was horrified to see just how fine a wire they have as the central conductor and with there being so little slack I can see why flexing the radio connector could break it.

Thanks for this and I will check it out this PM. I did what Malcolm suggested and the radio worked on MW with the copper wire but not FM.

I then removed the set from the Mem Saab's car and tried it out in my car. Would not work with the antenna connected but would with the copper wire on both FM and MW.

So I have deduced that there is a problem with the car antenna wiring/amplifier AND the FM circuitry in my SONY radio. I can sort out the antenna stuff in the car myself then need to find a repair centre to fix the SONY radio, at least that is how it appears to me

and yes I did try my radio in the Mem Saab's car and it would not work on FM but would on MW

 

[Dosco]

Replaced the antenna amplifier and all is now sound, just need to get the radio fixed.

R

 

[television]

Good work you are getting there, the fault on the FM will be a transistor in the front end, though I used to fix these things, I do not know how economical it is to do these days

 

[Dosco]

Good work you are getting there, the fault on the FM will be a transistor in the front end, though I used to fix these things, I do not know how economical it is to do these days

Not sure as I am up to that Malcolm, so I am Yellow Paging at the moment to see if I can find someone locally to fix it - on the other hand I might just have to chuck it away