Mazda 3 fm radio reception

[1stM3]

I am a new M3 owner and am just woiundering if anyone else out there is having difficulties with the fm stations constantly going in and out of stero? Using the power and 2 button trick all I can ever get is 6 and that is for 104.5 most like z 103 and 93.5 are 3 or 4. l Please let me know your experiences, thanks. Also I am asking this because I feel that I may be headied into a wall with the dealer.

[Cardinal Fang]

Welcome to the board 1stM3. My radio has always sounded pretty good but then again I haven\'t used the \"trick\" you mentioned in order to quantify the reception quality. I\'m going to have to give it a try and let you know.

[TheProfessor]

1stM3, where do you live? I can only assume that reception will vary based on your geographic location. I live in the city and have no issues with reception.

[Mazda3_06]

i have the shark fin antena <--- i cant really spell
anyways i have good reception most places i go
and i live in bramgeldesh

[SABIO]

I\'m up here in newmarket. My reception has always been fine. I switched to a stubby and lost 2 stations...97.7 ans 107.9. but still good. maybe your ant. is not connected properly???

[SIM SIMMA]

Just like Sabio... I had no issues with reception until I switched out the stock antenna with a stubby one. The reception is okay now, but noticeably not as strong as when stock on certain stations.

[majic]

Originally posted by 1stM3


I am a new M3 owner and am just woiundering if anyone else out there is having difficulties with the fm stations constantly going in and out of stero? Using the power and 2 button trick all I can ever get is 6 and that is for 104.5 most like z 103 and 93.5 are 3 or 4. l Please let me know your experiences, thanks. Also I am asking this because I feel that I may be headied into a wall with the dealer.

check my numbers here (http://torontomazda3.com/forum/read.php?TID=1262#24758)

[1stM3]

Thanks for the info, I forgot to mention that I am still using the stock antenna, I live at Young and Eglington, and I haven\'t recieved a station any stronger than 6 which was 104.5 and most are at 4 which means they go in or out of stero with some added static. I really don\'t think it is too much to ask in this day in age a new car with all of the luxury that mine has, should be able to recieve stations properly, a 50$ radio at Crappy tire can pull in everything, so why not the factory one....also removing the antenna entirely results in total loss.

[TheProfessor]

Has your head unit ever been pulled out? It\'s possible the antenna wire going into the back of the HU is loose or not making proper contact.

[1stM3]

It has never been out but car is a 06 with 1800kms.

[Fuman]

i never had the issue your saying.
but my ITrip gets Massive static when I\'m in that area.

[1stM3]

I just installed sat rad on the weekend, (XM) through fm modulation as the whole pie adapter thing doesn\'t work all that well on the 06\'s and all of the conections in the back were tight. as well the antenna seems to be working cause when it is removes the siganal strenght drops to 0. The sat reception works better than 104.5 with no static at all on 90.7.

[_naz]

im also in newmarket and the reception is fine, but once you go a bit up north past newmarket, the reception is really shitty

[jstro]

Sorry to bring back an old thread, but my reception's also not great. Can't pick up 107.9 at all (my sister's Tribute has no problem) and most TO stations are weak.

Has anyone else who is having this problem found a solution?

[ggn00b]

maybe you should check your radio my mazda 3 has perfect reception on that station

[mit-gee-mui]

Audio Diagnostics
http://www.torontomazda3.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=8455

For those that have the sharkfin, there are some comments about radio reception in this thread.
http://www.torontomazda3.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=19961&highlight=bad+reception

Fang has compared the stubby to the sharkfin to the stock antenna.
http://www.torontomazda3.ca/forum/showpost.php?p=88585&postcount=3

I think this thread needs to be merged with this one.
http://www.torontomazda3.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=20838&highlight=reception+static

:)

[bunchi]

or maybe a TTC bus is following you around the city :chuckle notice how those buses kill your reception when you're near them?

[WeatherB]

or maybe a TTC bus is following you around the city :chuckle notice how those buses kill your reception when you're near them?

I find that aftermarket HIDs kill your reception.

[silversurfer]

I have a CX7 stubby installed and live in the MKM Richmond Hill area. I've noticed reception has gotten worse over the past week. My reception was stronger in winter. Not sure what is causing the issue. It's not just the FM stations either...680 news is pretty bad as well.

[Flagrum_3]

I noticed a substancial loss going to the stubby, but then I don't listen to the radio much! Anyone ever notice how you get much better reception on overcast days?...or is it just me :whoa


_3


.

[jstro]

Woah, with grad school application mania taking place in my life these days, I'd completely forgotten about this thread!

Thanks for the links, mit-gee-mui...I tried the diagnostics about 3 months ago and it seems I can never get above 6 on any station. No aftermarket HIDs (I have factory ones), and lol as far as I know, no buses on my tail.

I asked about it at MOT when I had an oil change done a while back (service advisor was Ali), and they said they couldn't find anything. Just had another service a few weeks ago with Raymond at Avante, and again, same result.

At the next oil change, I'd like someone to actually drive around with me in the car, because I know I'm not crazy - my sis borrowed my car for a few days and asked if i knew my radio sometimes sounds like it's broken! Of course, the reception will probably be perfect that day if I can persuade one of the service guys to come for a drive with me. :chuckle

I thought maybe it was the stubby, but it seems to happen whether it's with a stubby or the stock fishing pole antenna.

[sudz]

Wow! Never new this! Thanks for reviving this thread. I drove all the way to work with it looking... I never got below 8 on ANY station, WITH my stubby (4 or5 inch, solid metal) Stations i tried: 102.1, 103.5, 104.5, 99.9, 107.1, 97.7 all at 9, sometimes flicking to 8 under a bridge or something.

Crazygood reception with a stubby IMO. BTW this was in industrial brampton, Kennedy to tomken to derry area.

[Byaaahhh]

Hi I'm in Hamilton and had shit poor reception with the OEM head unit and regular antenna. I switched to the sharkfin and AVIC-z1 and now have better reception than before. The only prob with the sharkfin is my AM capacity has diminished but its AM so who really cares!

[jstro]

Drove back and forth from Yonge/Steeles to Oakville today...terrible reception the whole way in both directions. You can really hear it when the DJ is talking or there's a quiet part in a song. I alternated between 4-5 on all stations that I checked (102.1, 99.9, 104.5, 107.1, 107.9). Bah. :bang

lol I checked for reception-killing buses - none around, as I was on the hwy.

Hopefully it's just a case of the antenna connection being loose at the back of the head unit or something.

[sauga_kid]

I find that aftermarket HIDs kill your reception.

I find this to be true, but it only seems to kill my reception on 93.5. I'm running both HID lows and fogs as well as a CX-7 stubby, the minute I turn my lights on, the reception goes to hell. Any fix or suggestions?

[bunchi]

ok when i'm in FM, i listen to 103.5 usually, but you know how weak their signal is. call me crazy but the reception seems to suffer when i'm stopped, and gets better when i go.:loco

[Tokic_o]

93.5 has the worste signal so far....i think 103.5 has a pretty good signal

[p-o-g-i]

93.5 has the worste signal so far....i think 103.5 has a pretty good signal

Agreed. I listen to 103.5 80% of the time and the signal is always crisp and clear, unless of cousre I'm in an underground parking garage.

[fairleymac]

Any FM Modulated transmitter for MP3/other device is going to be quite literally shit, unless of course you live in the middle of nowhere! Use your AUX input!!!


i never had the issue your saying.
but my ITrip gets Massive static when I\'m in that area.