Android Auto .. (Chinese clones) FM reception

[anotherjohnv]

I have installed one of these in my 2018 VW Caddy, and the FM reception is too poor to be of any use. Some research would suggest that it's a known problem with these clones, and you can never get useable FM .. any one substantiate (or otherwise) this, before I splash out on an expensive powered aerial?
All the other functionality works very well .. I find it quite hard to believe that FM can't work.

I realise that the Caddy has an aerial in the wing mirror, I have an adaptor to make sure it's connected to the right one. I'm thinking that maybe the head unit does not power it .. in which case I'm happy to get a quality shark's fin installed to remedy this, but it's a bit of a gamble if it's a known issue.

[James_N]

got a cheap Chinese android auto unit in my Pug 107.

FM recepton works absolutely fine.

[V8forweekends]

The android head unit I had for a while claimed to have RDS but it didn't. As I tend to do a lot of long trips that meant retuning regularly. Even back then (ages ago) most people I asked said they only listened to stuff streamed from their phone so they didn't care.

[beko1987]

I fitted one to my Qashqai at the weekend and its FM works fine. No RDS but I never use FM anyway so it's no big concern.

Mine came with the adapter harness for the car, I plugged the aerial lead in and it worked.

[Decky_Q]

I've fitted a few of them and the radio functioned with no issues.

Battery drain has been an issue with some of the more integrated ones that can control functions like HVAC as they seem to stay online using the +ve which if you swap to IGN+ve then loses any settings each time the car is switched off.

[Cambs_Stuart]

James_N said:

got a cheap Chinese android auto unit in my Pug 107.

FM recepton works absolutely fine.

I fitted one into my Son's 107, i was impressed at how good it was and how well it fitted. Whoever wrote the wiring instructions needs a slap though. "Connect the new wiring to the old wiring" is crap, even by haynes manual standards.

[anotherjohnv]

Ok it sounds like there's nothing intrinsically wrong with the unit, I'll maybe take a gamble on getting a decent aerial fitted. I don't listen to it much, I just like things to work if they're there ..

[drcarlos]

anotherjohnv said:

I have installed one of these in my 2018 VW Caddy, and the FM reception is too poor to be of any use. Some research would suggest that it's a known problem with these clones, and you can never get useable FM .. any one substantiate (or otherwise) this, before I splash out on an expensive powered aerial?
All the other functionality works very well .. I find it quite hard to believe that FM can't work.

I realise that the Caddy has an aerial in the wing mirror, I have an adaptor to make sure it's connected to the right one. I'm thinking that maybe the head unit does not power it .. in which case I'm happy to get a quality shark's fin installed to remedy this, but it's a bit of a gamble if it's a known issue.

Does the inline amplifier (this will usually be a silver cylinder about 15cm long in line on the aerial cable) have power? The blue remote switch on wire is used on a lot of vehicles (including VW) to power an inlline amplifier which in not powered would result in poor FM like you describe. Quite often in generic looms this wire is life unconnected an you have ot do a manual connect using a bullet connector. THe earthing is usually taken care of by the aerial grounding to body work.

[anotherjohnv]

Thanks . Whereabouts is the cylinder located?