Radio interference!!

[JPC]

Right, problem guys. Radio reception is great whilst the engine is off. When I go to start the car, forget it. Sounds like White noise when the ignition is on. I had this before with my mk4. It was because I had cheap hid ballasts.

I've tried turning the headlights off, heater off, ac off but I'm still getting interference! Doing my head in cos my iPod is far from updated! Haha!

[Richn83]

Could it be your aerial is earthing on the body at some-point? caught in a screw, etc?  Or is running along next to another wire with live current?

Does the interference increase with engine speed?  Used to get this on my focus when listening to AM, made it sound like a race car if you de-tuned from a station.

[JPC]

could be that! god knows! sounds like a can of worms!!

And no, it doesnt change with engine speed, but thats FM, never even had my RNS on AM

[Richn83]

Have you tinkered with anything since the radio reception went bad?  and did you go for the adpater lead for the aerials or just removing the plastic housing?  maybe try AM to see if you get the same issue?

[JPC]

Have you tinkered with anything since the radio reception went bad?  and did you go for the adpater lead for the aerials or just removing the plastic housing?  maybe try AM to see if you get the same issue?

Adaptor leads i went for. i think...the £12 jobbie from VW?

[Richn83]

I was thinking you might have a wire on the connector if you bodged it like I did!  All I can think is try AM to see if its the same, might help to narrow down if its an aerial fault or something else, not sure if the GOlf has noise/interference suppressors on the Aerial but maybe that could have given up the ghost, other than my ideas above kind of at a loss.   

Hopefully someone else will be along soon...... You got any nice cars in for a spruce up today? 

[JPC]

Thanks for the help mate, ill try AM.

And cars, No mate, thank god im already knackered this week! Just gotta tidy
the unit, and get some web work done!

[mortygttdi]

Jay try swapping the AM and FM over some times they can be mixed up when fitting, I've done it myself from time to time and it can sound okay for a bit.

Darren

[Garth]

If it's good with the engine off, but poor with it on, it will almost certainly be an earthing problem. Check there are good earth's on all surrounding connections. It may not be a problem with the aerial wiring itself, but something else. All the earth's are connected by the car remember 

[JPC]

Right, still not sorted this! its doing my head in!!

Ive only had this problem since ive installed My ipod MDI and Reversing camera.

I wonder if one of these could be the problem?

[Richn83]

Could be worth checking the earth youve used for the reversing camera?, does the MDI have an independent earth?  Also have you removed the stereo to check that the extra cabling hasnt dislodged the Aeriel lead since fitting the two new units? (probably all stuff youve already checked.

Ive you used the fiscon adapter for the MDI try taking this out of line to see if that cures the problme?? if not   

[JPC]

guna have a go at all these tomorrow afternoon when i get a minute!

Cheers rich! ;)

[Poppa Dom]

Does sound like a poor earth return somewhere. Can#t suggest more than has been discussed already on this one.

[JPC]

thanks for the replies guys.

Im working on the car now and im still scratching my head.

Ive connected the RNS STRAIGHT to the vehicle loom and i still have this problem.

So by doing that i ruled out The MDI, and Bluetooth. Not sure if i ironed out the RVC camera as it receives power even if the RNS plus for it is disconnected.

I checked the only earth for it i could find and that is earthed properly.

I do have this fault code..

Tuesday,25,May,2010,16:31:45:30084
VCDS Version: Release 908.2

                Address 37: Navigation       Labels: 1T0-035-680.lbl
Control Module Part Number: 1T0 035 680 C    HW: 1T0 035 680 B
  Component and/or Version: RNS-MID       H02 2680
           Software Coding: 040004400100000100
            Work Shop Code: WSC 00000 000 00000
              ASAM Dataset: ------------------------- ------ ()
2 Faults Found:

00821 - Antenna 2 for Radio (R93)
            007 - Short to Ground - Intermittent
             Freeze Frame:
                    Fault Status: 00100111
                    Fault Priority: 5
                    Fault Frequency: 1
                    Reset counter: 101
                    Mileage: 51800 km
                    Time Indication: 0
                    Date: 2000.00.00
                    Time: 01:27:17

Im wondering if this is a problem from going to my RCD300 to my RNS.

Can any experts rule out this is not because i need to swap pin 2 and 3 as in this link...

http://www.my-gti.com/1336/cd-changer-audio-sound-quality-problems-after-changing-head-unit

So pissed off at not having good radio signal!!

[Richn83]

If the reverse camera isnt connected to the head unit then I would doubt that to be a problem, as it would be unable to affect the radio input.

I dont have any experience with the cd changer audio issue but that sounds to me like it would only affect the sound quality from the CD changer to the unit not the radio signal. 

So the error from VCDS looks to be your gremlim which ross tech give the following for
http://wiki.ross-tech.com/wiki/index.php/00821

so looks like a bad aeriel connection. (which we kinda already suspected)

Can I ask a couple of questions?  Firstly was there a nav in the car before fitting the MFD3?  What aerial do you have, shark fin, bee sting, or just rear window?

And was the earth you used for the reversing camera used for earthing anything else? ie could it also be the earth for one or both of your aeriels?