just had my avic-z1 installed in my 2007 scion tc. i was trying the radio stations and the AM doesnt work at all. all i hear is static. anyone kno how to fix this?

thx

Tune it to satellite radio or FM.... Seriously though, is your antenna hooked up, and are you outside? Being under cover will affect AM reception. Try it again at night to see if that helps. With as hot as it has been this year (just about everywhere) I wouldn't be suprised if the heat was affecting the atmosphere in some way as to not reflect the AM waves as well...

Make sure the adapter you connected to the Z1 has all the wires connected. It's not enough to just connect the Motorola end to the HU. If there is an extra blank wire I'm most certain that it needs to connect to power. If it needs power, you can connect it to the HU's antenna remote 'blue' wire. I use the blue wire of the HU to turn on my amp and power my antenna (I have a Honda and the antenna is amplified). Hope this helps.

your vehicle has a powered antenna module that need the orange wire at the factory radio harness powered. if the installer used a harness plug you should use the blue wire at the connector (power antenna) and connect that to the blue wire at the back of the radio (power antenna control wire). they probably looked at your car and was like there is no power antenna so we dont need to connect this wire. most foriegn car are being built this way. if you need more help just email or pm

brachoza said:

they probably looked at your car and was like there is no power antenna so we dont need to connect this wire.

More reason to do the install yourself. There are many shortcuts an installer can make so, trust your installer or do it yourself.

great info!
I have problem with reception too. Here is the wiring diagram for my unit.
There appears to be a "antenna amplifier" as you can see (with a white/green lead connected to it).



Would you guys say that is the wire that needs to be connected to my avic? (remote amp wire would be ok?)

Mark

From what I see, you're correct...you need the wire from pin 10 going to the antenna amp connected. You connect the lead from the Z1 that is labeled "power antenna" or however it's worded. Not the amp turn on.

Now, the antenna module in your diagram has an integrated relay by the looks of it since I see another power source. What I would do if I were you is check the voltage that is being used to turn it on....that is, the voltage coming out of pin 10 from the radio. It could very well be something like 5 volts. The Z1 will be applying 12V to their wire. In that case, you will need to add a regulator. The only way I know for sure to check the factory voltage (assuming you don't have a manual, etc that gives you this spec) is to install the factory radio real quick, turn it on, and measure the voltage at that pin. Do not connect the amp to make this test as a voltage drop could give you a false reading. It sounds complicated...but it's not if you are comfortable with electric circuits.

AWESOME! I got radio now! Perfect reception! I am clearly an idiot for not finding this out sooner. I didnt have AM for about a year and a half. Thanks!

thanks guys. appreciate it and it works! yippe :D

I'm having this problem also...2003 Explorer with no power antenna...was getting some am stations to come in, but now, all static...

all I remember doing was trying to tune them in better by pressing the 'local' button and then having the Z1 find all the best stations....now all I get is static when I know for a fact in my other vehicle (2006 Avalon), the stations come in much clearer.

anyone have any ideas? Maybe I should do a method 1 reset?

It's very possible that in a 03 Explorer that you still have a powered antenna even though you don't have something that goes up and down. Do you have an antenna in the window glass somewhere or do you have a normal antenna. I don't know if the 03 explorer has it. But if it's in the window glass, chances are you need to hook the power antenna to the power antenna wire in your truck, it will power on an amplifier for the antenna. Without this power, a window glass antenna doesn't pick up stations very well.

ducatiboy said:

It's very possible that in a 03 Explorer that you still have a powered antenna even though you don't have something that goes up and down. Do you have an antenna in the window glass somewhere or do you have a normal antenna. I don't know if the 03 explorer has it. But if it's in the window glass, chances are you need to hook the power antenna to the power antenna wire in your truck, it will power on an amplifier for the antenna. Without this power, a window glass antenna doesn't pick up stations very well.

No, I have a stationary antenna outside on the passanger side. I tried it during lunch, and it's picking up 'some' am stations, but it seems after I had the Z1 installed, their signal is weaker and I pick up less stations. Any thoughts?