My dealer just installed a 910BT in our brand new VW EOS. The car did not have factory NAV, so the option was to have the Avic 910BT installed. This was at Capistrano volkswagen in orange county ca.

Well the 910BT seems to work OK, even though a cheap Garmin has much a better navigation system, we would be satisfied if the AVIC fm radio worked. It is simply terrible. It is not something they could justify charging money for.

I complained about it immediatley, and at first they tried to say, "there is no problem, it gets plenty of stations", but then I had them pull up a random new car with the stock radio and the same antenna and of course the reception was fantastic. Just like the reception we had in ours for the first week before they swapped out the radio for the AVIC.

SO then the insaller, from a place called audiophonics, tells me that "that pioneer tuner is just no match for the stock radio". I found that hard to believe but he assures me that the pioneer just sucks bad. Worse that even a $15 radio from the swap meet? Yup, that bad. He says no way did he not know how to hook up the antenna.

I find it hard to believe that pioneer would put an inferior tuner in the AVIC. I think he only hooked up half of the antenna. The VW has an antenna in the front windshield, and one in the back window defroster grid. My guess is he only hooked up one. He says there is only one place to hook up an antenna wire. Audiophonics of Irvine ca, I guess is a pioneer dearler, so they might know that the product they sell is inferior, but I just cant see how pioneer would gain by putting in a tuner that bad into their top receivers.

So in audiophonics of Irvine ca correct in their assessment of the pioneer tuner? Or is the installer to blame?

I emailed pioneer but they have not responded. That's kind of a bad sign too I guess for pioneer.

Thanks for any help!

DM

your installer is at fault. he may not have hooked up the correct antenna amp. turn on wire. the aftermarket plugs are sometimes wrong with labeling or pin out position function. also he could have a bad antenna adaptor. they are also crap half the time. i have been installing for over 25 years. ive seen every beginner mistake going. you must pay attention these days. have him check out the adaptor with a meter. and verify the turn on i can almost guarantee that will be it. i also have the z 110 in my escalade ext. my antenna is 6 inches long. i cut it and put the ball back on. i have no use for am/fm. however the avic picks up stations in crystal stereo. great tuner. dont let him bullshit you. jim action glass llc east windsor ct 06088

some audi's and VW's have two antennas (as you mentioned) and there are two antenna plugs at the back of the radio, the AVIC only has one plug into it, the antenna adapter has a power booster that needs to be powered up to corectly ampifly the signal, you could use two antenna adapters w/ boosters and a antenna Y adapter to plug both antennas into the radio, also there was a post on here a little while back where somebody found an antenna adapter online the had the amp and two antenna connectors (for both of the VW's antennas), i would bet that the guy at the dealer either didn't hook up both antennas or didn't power up the ampiflier (or just didn't use the antenna adapter that has the amp when he did the install) and that is why the reception is crap, pioneers do have one of the better tuners of all the brands thaat i install, and it is true that some factory tuners do a slightly better job pulling in stations (usually with AM), pioneers are not bad, especially as bad as he claims it is, search for the thread on the double antenna adapters and i would order that one and try it out.

i just did the search for you, the title of the thread is " dual antenna adapters" search for that title for more info, the brand and part number for the antenna adapter is "Connects2 CT27AA25" if you google it, it will bring up many places to purchace, most of which look like they are out of the UK, i would definitly check and see what antenna adapter the guy used and see if it was the non amped version, that where my money is on the problem. being an installer is more than knowing how to put parts together, its knowing what are the best parts to use and why.

http://cgi.ebay.com/40-VW53-VW-Antenna- ... (Amplified)-(METRA)_W0QQitemZ260480998267QQcmdZViewItemQQimsxZ20090923?IMSfp=TL090923145005r8329

You will likely need that adapter or one similar to it. From a VW forum I read in a google search, your Factory radio shot +12v down the antenna inner wire to power the antenna amp on the other end. This adapter needs to be hooked up and the "Radio Amp Turnon" wire needs to be soldiered up to this little pigtail.

Thank you all!

I called pioneer support today and the guy there said that this problem is usually the fault of the adaptor, or more specifically when the installer under-estimates how much force it takes to attach the adaptor to the antenna wire. He said it needs to be checked with a meter, but most installers dont do that because they dont even have a meter.

He did mention the two antennas, but was pretty miffed that one of their "dealers" AUDIOPHONICS of irvine ca was blaming the problem on a cheap tuner from pioneer. He also explained that the pioneer tuner is one of the very best you can get. I would hope that capristrano volkswagen of orange county ca would use a better qualified third party to install systems in brand new cars. Especially if they are going to charge $600 more than the RETAIL price!

Thanks again for the information

Doug M

I have installed close to a hundred avic navigation units in VW vehicles in the past year and have never had one complaint about radio reception. I wonder what radio station this guy cant get in that has made him so bitter. I use a Metra antenna ( fakra ) adapter the part number is 40-EU55. It is an ampified antenna adapter that sends the 12 volt signal down the center conductor. As far as using a Y adapter with two amplified antenna adapters. Well for one I have never seen an antenna adapter that will plug into the second diversity antenna without modifying the plug, besides that the second cably is not amplified so there is no need far an amplified adapter, you will possibly blow a fuse somewhere down the line. Have searched for this part CT27AA25 and none of the major supplyers carry anything like this. Not Metra, Scoshce, American International or Best kits. Does any one know if this is sold in the United States? Again I have had great experience with these navs in VW. What radio station is this guy not getting??

Did you test the radio before they did the swap? My Volkswagen had a factory antenna issue that affected AM stations.

I did the install myself and the antenna was definitely easy to screw up. I ended up soldering the blue antenna booster wire to the blue wire with a white stripe from pioneer. If I remember right, apparently you can usually solder blue to blue, but the manual from Pioneer says not to use the solid blue for an antenna booster.

You can try plugging in the other antenna?