M35 Radio Reception

[Sage222]

Hi all me again

Just wanting to know if anyone else has pretty bad radio reception in their m35?

I have changed over the head unit though its pretty rubbish can get a couple of FM channels perfectly though AM is terrible and so is alot of the smaller stations on FM.

I am guessing i am up for a new aerial? Has anyone ever changed one over on their car? Easy? Hard? Recommendations?

Appreciate the help gents.

[BigBoyDan]

Not sure about the m35 but in the c34 the aerial is built into the rear window and has a booster. I'd start by cheaking it's still got power, the wires are in the stereo harness.

[BigBoyDan]

http://www.skylinesaustralia.com/forums/topic/327311-terrible-radio-reception/page__fromsearch__1

[Sage222]

thanks Dan, i did see that thread though not sure if its the same in a m35. Hope i can get some clarification.

[iamhe77]

Nup, I had great reception in my M35 and I am nowhere near the station source either.

[Sage222]

so can someone confirm if the m35 has a booster? and if so where it is located?

[Commsman]

so can someone confirm if the m35 has a booster? and if so where it is located?

It would most likely be one of the items labelled in this pic. Hint, probably not the round things in each door, lol. Unfortuantely, because it's a picture, I can't copy into a translator.

Also check out the AV manual for the G35 which should be available on the awesome forum. That will tell you (in English) how to test for correct operation - even tho it's different it should be close enough to confirm working or not. The AV manual for the M35 is half the size of the G35 one (8mb v's 3.8mb) so not sure what's missing on our cars. Maybe Japanese is more efficient at explaining this stuff.

[zei20l]

in the picture its the smallest box in the boot. it should be on the drivers side

[Dunc]

In Leons diagram, the bottom right corner is a speaker amp (for Bose systems only), the one above that is a radio antenna amp

[Sage222]

nice one gents

Now i just need to work out how to take off the trim in the boot

[zei20l]

the top trim above the window line all pops off and on

the straight bar below the window has 4 bolts on each side, plus some pop thingos. its not difficult, so dont be worried

[Sage222]

gotta love this forum thanks zei20l

[zei20l]

no worries dude!

[Chris Rogers]

how about popping the radio back out and powering it up

if you have no AM then that will be your issue.

[Sage222]

i do get AM and FM though barely. my other car (golf) is perfect everywhere. Stagea is hit and miss all the time.. one i get a chance i will check out the antenna amplifier and make sure its got power. if it doesnt i hope i can find some constant power in the boot and hook it up

When i did my stereo install i took out a LOT of wiring from the old Factory Optioned Pioneer unit. so might have removed something i shouldnt have.

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Edited March 3, 2012 by Sage222

[zei20l]

its possible there is a power wire running back down the antenna wire from the head unit to power the amplifier

[andy65b]

its possible there is a power wire running back down the antenna wire from the head unit to power the amplifier

I think it might be more like a switching wire. As in the rear windows are 4 antenna's for the TV (2 each side) and 2 for the radio (1 either side).

from memory the amplifiers are on the D pillars at the back of the window.

I know there is a power wire for the TV aerials at the back but can't recall if there is one for the radio. And I threw away my spare tv loom the other week.

[jidge]

My problem is quite specific.

The reception is usually pretty good in the M35... but when driving close to the CBD of Adelaide triple j seems to get crappy reception.

Does anyone else find that? Perhaps it a transmission problem rather than reception problem?

I have an FM transmitter for my Ipod and sometimes the reception goes crappy for that too.

Not sure if these are the same issues but thought I would pipe up anyway.

[Sage222]

So i pulled it all apart on the weekend. There is no amplifier in the place listed in the diagram above. (pic attached).

There are 3 wires running from the antenna on the driver side rear window. 1 to ground and 2 identical black ones that run down along to the floor of the rear driver side door. Nothing that runs straight down to an amp. (I also have an identical antenna in the passenger rear window).

I think this might be as i said earlier i had an aftermarket pioneer unit in my car so maybe the amp was elsewhere.. or maybe even in the box i removed.

I think i might just use my android tablet and stream the radio digitally..

[zei20l]

thats an aftermarket TV antenna

see the straight wires IN the window glass running horizontally?

thats the radio antenna. the connection is in the top right of your pic. follow those wires to the amplifier