Problems with factory fitted radio in Fabia 1.4 MPI

[KChauhan]

Hello,

I am having problems with the radio in my Fabia and was wondering if anyone has any ideas on what could be causing the problem/how to fix it.

The radio will not stay on a station. I use the rocker to manually change frquency, but it keeps running through the entire range (87.5-108 on the FM band) and doesn't pick up a thing. None of the presets work and I can't change over to the MW band. You can get it to stay at a station if you switch the radio off (you have to time it so you turn the radio off at 97.5) - when you switch it on again it remains at 97.5 for a little while, then as you drive along it takes a notion to drift again.

I am trying to get hold of some release keys for the radio (not supplied by the garage that sold me the car) so I can pull it out and check the connections, but has anyone else had any similar problems?

Also, I cannot get a cassette out of the player - the eject button is non-responsive! I don't think that this caused the problem with the radio however - after getting narked with the radio not working, I tried a tape, but now that is knackered and the commute to work is very very quiet!

Cheers!

Edited 22 June, 2009 by KChauhan
Missed out something from the original post!

[Soot1e]

It may not be holding on to a station if the aerial is not properly connected/defective, would also affect the presets.

Cassette stuck, then you will have to take it apart as the magnetic tape may have become unravelled, 9 times out 10 this is the cause.

Release key? do you mean the Keycode? You don't need this as the cars ECU remembers it's own Radio even if it has been removed and refitted.

Or if you mean the prongs to release the radio from the dash, you can buy them from a VAG dealer or ICE shop for a £ or two.

[moley]

I've got a spare HU radio cassette unit from the wifes 1.4 mpi that I took out when I fitted a cd HU. I need to check that I have the code.

[KChauhan]

Hi there...

Sorry...I meant the release prongs on the side of the radio to take it out!

I have been reading on the forums that people have been having problems with the aerial...water ingress seems to be the main contributor..I am assuming it refers to the aerial on top of the car (forgive me if I sound a bit silly - me and cars do not get on!). If it turns out to be the aerial, it is something that I could do to fix it, or would it have to be another trip to the garage?

[Soot1e]

Check out Moley's offer,

Yes the aerial is on the roof and you would need to get above the rooflining, the aerial cable runs from the base direct to the Radio but 1st. you will hve to extract the radio.

[moley]

If the aerial amplifer is faulty you tend to get a poor reception rather than the radio changing stations. Have you had any luck in sorting out the problem. I've been away on business since Monday, but I have just checked the old HU from the Wifes' Fabia and it is a model MS202 and I do have the code.

[wja96]

The antenna isn't as scary as it sounds. It actually runs down the driver's side of the car, so you just need to pull the headlining down at the rear driver's side corner and you can get access to the antenna base from outside the car with the hatchback open. If you're at all worried, get a mobile car audio guy to check it out. It'll take him about 20 minutes to see what the issue is, which as slightly more than it it will cost you to buy a set of radio keys, never mind your time and broken finger-nails.

[KChauhan]

Hi there..

Just bought a set of radio keys - PC5-93 keys from the info I got of the internet - I'm going to have a play with it at the weekend - I tried them briefly in the release holes and I didn't seem to get too much joy - I get a clipping sound which would suggest that something is engaging, but the keys don't seem to go in too far. From looking on this site, I found a post that suggests filing them down (there is a little nipple on the top of the keys), but I am a bit reluctant to do that - the bloke in the shop wasn't too convinced that the keys I had bought would do the job, and told me to come back to exchange for another pair if I didnt get any joy.

Moley - I think you may be right in it not being an aerial problem - the radio "stuck" on a station on the way home from work today and reception was crystal clear. I'll let you know how I get on.

If I ever get to remove the radio, do you think I will need the code to put it back in and get it working again? Just taken a cursory look through the manuals etc that I got when I bought the car, and there doesn't seem to be one in there....if lost, is it easy enough to get a code for the radio? Or would Skoda need to reprogam the whole thing? I only want to listen to chuffing Five Live....

[wja96]

The keycode is a plastic card with a 4 digit number on it. It's very obvious what it is and it's usually stuck in the front of the handbook somewhere.

[Dmac1969]

Isnt the code for the radio in the Fabia stored in the cars ECU? I'm sure I remember seeing that somewhere , so you would only need to recode if you fit another radio??

[KChauhan]

Finally managed to get the radio out of the car yesterday - using Kenwood release keys (saw the tip on another post) - took all the connections out and the aerial - cleaned with WD40 - put the radio back in without turning the engine on and the same was occurring - i.e the radio would not stop any station, the cassette still stuck in the player and generally being a bit duff. Resigned myself to having to buy a new radio and mounting.

Got into the car to go to work this morning, turned on the ignition and the radio - it was working! Managed to tune in to the station I wanted to listen to and the eject on the cassette was working too.

Didn't need to recode the radio either.

Dunno how long this will last, but at least I can listen to summat to and from work. Thank you for all your help and advice! Will keep you posted.

[aliuminium_man]

Sorry to resurrect an old thread, but I'm also having trouble with my factory-fitted radio/tape player. The radio has been great, clear reception and the speakers are pretty decent (except for the drivers one which cuts out now and again for no reason - but that's another story). So basically I get into my car and turn the radio on, and it starts jumping from tuner to tape constantly, and not playing a thing. This has happened completely unexpectedly and have tried fiddling with the buttons and settings but no joy. However when a tape goes in (have one of those ipod-tape connectors) it plays fine again. It's like a loose connection or something, but I fear that even if I get the unit out, the problem may be internal so I am not likely to solve it either way.

I have been considering upgrading to a Symphony radio (as seen on eBay) but I am worried that this will not be compatible or may be supplied with a duff code and I'll be stuck with a dead new unit.

So does anyone have any idea or recommendations please?

[mintgreen]

Sorry to resurrect an old thread, but I'm also having trouble with my factory-fitted radio/tape player. The radio has been great, clear reception and the speakers are pretty decent (except for the drivers one which cuts out now and again for no reason - but that's another story). So basically I get into my car and turn the radio on, and it starts jumping from tuner to tape constantly, and not playing a thing. This has happened completely unexpectedly and have tried fiddling with the buttons and settings but no joy. However when a tape goes in (have one of those ipod-tape connectors) it plays fine again. It's like a loose connection or something, but I fear that even if I get the unit out, the problem may be internal so I am not likely to solve it either way.

I have been considering upgrading to a Symphony radio (as seen on eBay) but I am worried that this will not be compatible or may be supplied with a duff code and I'll be stuck with a dead new unit.

So does anyone have any idea or recommendations please?

Aha, I too have exactly the same problem with the radio in our 'W' reg 1.4mpi, it would seem to be related to damp weather, but as the weather never really gets warm and dry for very long it never 'fixes itself' these days. Did you find a fix or is the unit unservicable?

Regards Mintgreen

[Red Studio]

I had the cutting out on one speaker for some time and then followed on with the unit going silent (with display still on) or turning off completely and being unresponsive too. Also seemed worse in damp weather. In an 02 Fabia.

It seems to be the connection to the two sockets on the rear but internal to the unit rather than the vehicle wiring. Jiggling the connectors brings things back but it goes again as soon as I slide the unit back into the dash.

I'm using a Clarion unit in there now and the problem has gone. Unfortunately it's not storing preset channels so I have to work out where the unswitched live is as everyone elses seems to be the red and yellow wires need swapping where mine are various combinations of blues, reds and browns etc.

[Avalon]

Look for two wires with bullet connectors on the back of the HU and swap them over or invest £2 in an ISO loom that will do the same job, you could also push the pins out of the loom on the car and swap them round if you prefer?

[Red Studio]

No wires on HU, it plugs straight in. When I've worked out which pins in the car loom to swap I'll have to do it there. Anyone know the colours for that?