[steveh]

Apparently the problems we have had with the satnav recently are down to a broken connection between the satnav unit and the aerial. The dealer reckons it would cost a small fortune to fix and we'd be better off using a TomTom (which I have on a PDA). Although it would be covered by the warranty (third party) it's only the parts that are covered and it's the labour that will cost the most.

Not sure what to do as I am really loathe to spend any more money on this car (it's become a bit of a money pit) but we (the wife in particular) really miss the convenience of a built-in satnav.

Anybody got any ideas as to the location of the satnav aerial and how practical it would be to do a DIY fix or is it something that someone other than a VW dealer would/could fix at a much lower cost?

 

[Buster]

I thought the receiver was was in the dash above the unit

In my first treg I had one fitted vw unit but not the colour screen in the dash near the speedo and I am sure it is above the unit

Hope this helps

I can give you the number for the chap who fitted mine if you wish

 

[steveh]

I thought the receiver was was in the dash above the unit

In my first treg I had one fitted vw unit but not the colour screen in the dash near the speedo and I am sure it is above the unit

Hope this helps

I can give you the number for the chap who fitted mine if you wish

That's what I would have thought but the wife got the impression, from the dealer, that all the headlining would have to be removed

. I'm going to go out now and have a look to see if I can see anything that looks like an aerial.

Thanks for the offer but we're down in West Sussex so I would probably need to find someone more local if it comes to that.

 

[hunterlees]

Below are the aerial locations taken from the service disks.
I have the diagrams as well in Word and on a PDF but the forum won't allow these document types.
If anyone wants them, PM me with your email address

Alasdair

Overview - aerial system

1 - Aerial amplifier -R24-
For AM/FM and TV.
Installed above the left side window.
Removing and installing → Chapter.

2 - Aerial -R11-
Installed in the rear left side window.
3 - Aerial amplifier -R111-
For FM and TV.
Installed in upper section of rear lid.
Removing and installing → Chapter.

4 - Rear window aerials -R130- and -R131-
Installed in rear window.
5 - Aerial amplifier -R112-
For FM and TV.
Installed in upper section of rear lid.
Removing and installing → Chapter.

6 - Aerial amplifier -R113-
For FM and TV.
Installed above right side window.
Removing and installing → Chapter.

7 - Radio aerial 2 -R93-
Installed in rear right side window.
8 - Aerial selection control unit -J515-
Installed behind rear section of roof headliner.
Removing and installing → Chapter.

9 - Mobile telephone operating electronics control unit -J412-
10 - Navigation aerial -R50- and telephone aerial -R51-
Installed beneath right front wing.
Removing and installing

Removing the navigation aerial:-

Removing
? Remove right front seat → Rep. Gr.72.

? Remove right front seat frame → Rep. Gr.72.

? Remove centre console → Rep. Gr.68.

? Remove lower dash panel trim → Rep. Gr.70.

? Remove front right wheel housing → Rep. Gr.66.

? Remove window washer reservoir in front right wheel housing → Rep. Gr.92.

? Remove right headlight → Rep. Gr.94.

Remove securing nut on aerial -arrow-.
? Raise floor covering in front right foot well and lay aside over middle tunnel towards left foot well.
NoteThe floor covering cannot be removed from the vehicle for this procedure because it is one piece for both the drive and front passenger side.

? Release both connectors for the aerial wires on the side of the centre console -arrows-.
NoteDepending on vehicle equipment with telephone and/or navigation, there may be just one connector.

? Release aerial wires in foot well -arrows-.

? Release aerial wires to opening in A-pillar -arrow-.

? From wheel housing side, pull aerial wire through opening in A-pillar -arrow-.
? Release aerial wire from clips in wheel housing and remove aerial together with aerial wire.

 

[steveh]

Wow, thanks for that Hunterlees. If they have to do all that to get to the aerial it's no wonder they reckon it will cost a fortune :shock: .

Strangely, I went out in the Treg today and set the location on the satnav at the end of our road. It then worked perfectly for the rest of the day. I know there are accelerometers etc which the satnav uses when you're in tunnels to maintain position but are they accurate enough to maintain position over several miles?

 

[chrisbin]

In case the problems start again...

I would have thought the easiest/cheapest solution would be to get a new Sat nav aerial (c. ?15 off ebay) and fit and connect. This can be fitted under the dash storage box. Simple and straightforward (I'm told!!) and gives good results.

hth

 

[steveh]

In case the problems start again...

I would have thought the easiest/cheapest solution would be to get a new Sat nav aerial (c. ?15 off ebay) and fit and connect. This can be fitted under the dash storage box. Simple and straightforward (I'm told!!) and gives good results.

hth

Thanks for that idea. Might be worth a try if there's no other fix.

 

[steveh]

In case the problems start again...

I would have thought the easiest/cheapest solution would be to get a new Sat nav aerial (c. ?15 off ebay) and fit and connect. This can be fitted under the dash storage box. Simple and straightforward (I'm told!!) and gives good results.

hth

Update. The treg went in for it's MOT today and the wife asked them to look at the satnav again. They've now said that it's definitely the aerial that needs replacing and it requires all the work in Hunterlees post at a cost of ?50 for the aerial and ?800 labour :shock: :shock: . So Chrisbins solution is looking very attractive right now but can anyone give me any guidance on which aerial to get and how to connect it all up?

 

[Hipflyguy]

Steve,

I was looking to upgrade my radio to an in dash sat nav.... And in all install docs I've seen, you can iterally just connect the aerial to the underside of the dash, or cubby in the top of the dash...

You need to search for an MFD2 gps aerial - http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/GPS-areal-anthena ... dZViewItem

The difference is the factory fit has connection to the axle which then gives the unit the input of speed and 'true' location.......

But if a Tom Tom can judge your speed and location without an aerial, then why can't the in dash VW do it with an aerial attached with accurate readings...?

Previous posts of people doing aftermarket fixes said they had no issue with 'not' connecting to the axle. (think the new forum/wesite may mean you can't search for the posts)

I'd say for 15 quid, it's worth a try....!!!

 

[chrisbin]

Yep, thats the kind of thing you need, and as mentioned earlier can be mounted underneath the dash top cubby.

 

[steveh]

Thanks guys. So I need to get the aerial off Ebay, pull out the MFD using the tool(s) you can get from Halfords, plug the aerial into the back of the MFD and then thread the wire through the dash somewhere and mount the aerial in the cubby on the dash?

It all sounds very straight forward, even for a DIY avoidance expert like me, and to save ?800 it's definitely worth a try.

 

[chrisbin]

Yep!

 

[steveh]

Just a brief update.

After plugging in the new aerial we couldn't get the MFD all the way back into the dash however hard we tried so, when the car was in the dealers last week, the wife asked them to put it in properly. They were very impressed with the new aerial, which is hidden in the box on top of the dash and works really well, and asked the wife where she got it from as they said it will be good to be able to tell people in the future who also baulk at an ?800 bill for the OEM article. They said that nobody ever tells them these sort of things so they only know the one option.

Nice to hear that they are willing to learn.