Tha Original i30 Owners Club

GOT PROBLEMS OR ISSUES? => GENERAL => Topic started by: SWDXING on October 22, 2014, 07:16:19

Title: i30 radio gone deaf!
Post by: SWDXING on October 22, 2014, 07:16:19: G'day everyone,

My daily driver, a 2013 Hyundai i30 1.8 L petrol, has been very reliable, well... almost. The only thing that has been giving me issues is the radio tuner.

It's the 5" touch screen unit. When I bought the car brand new in November last year, the FM and AM tuner was extremely sensitive, and received all the stations on the FM band, and even out performed the radio that is in my Nissan Tiida!

But over the past few months, the tuner has been a bit picky. Some days it will receive the stations clearly, and some other days it will not, this doesn't have much to do with weather conditions. A family member of mine also got a 2013 i30 around the same time as I did, and I have done some comparisons with their tuner, compared to mine. Theirs "hears" much more (sensitive), then my one, parked in exactly the same spot. I did a comparison with four different stations, and the weaker ones sounded much clearer in the family's i30.

Now, I checked the antenna, and could not find any water in the base, and I even replaced it with a longer after-market one in hope that it might rectify the deafness issue, but it has not at all.

I have no idea what so ever as to why it has become like this. I have even cleaned out the little antenna base with contact cleaner, and that did nothing either.

Has any one else experienced a drop of reception in their Hyundai vehicle ? I am thinking about taking my i30 to the dealer, and saying what I have stated on here, and encourage them to replace either the head unit, or the antenna base.

This is a very irritating problem, and it is very noticeable at times, almost like something isn't being enabled when the radio is switched on. Sometimes it will come good once the car is started, or vice versa. A very strange problem indeed!
Title: Re: i30 radio gone deaf!
Post by: Phil №❶ on October 22, 2014, 07:23:05: Notice the length of the original antenna, very short and because of this, Hyundai use an amplifier to power the antenna. To capture a full wavelength on AM frequencies, you would need an antenna of hundreds of feet in length. This is impractical on a car, which is why an amplifier is used. Take it to your dealer to sort out. They will check power and connections for you.
Title: Re: i30 radio gone deaf!
Post by: The Gonz on October 22, 2014, 08:24:27: I'd point out that there is more to check in terms of connection integrity nearer the unit, not just at the antenna end, but just for educational purposes because Phil is right in recommending you let the dealer fix it under warranty, rather than them blame you for fiddling with it. :victory:
Title: Re: i30 radio gone deaf!
Post by: Dazzler on October 22, 2014, 08:27:50: Quote from: The Gonz on October 22, 2014, 08:24:27
I'd point out that there is more to check in terms of connection integrity nearer the unit, not just at the antenna end, but just for educational purposes because Phil is right in recommending you let the dealer fix it under warranty, rather than them blame you for fiddling with it. :victory:

I was thinking along the same lines ( the connection between the antenna and the back of the unit)
Title: Re: i30 radio gone deaf!
Post by: The Gonz on October 22, 2014, 08:31:19: Quote from: Dazzler
I was thinking along the same lines ( the connection between the antenna and the back of the unit)
:goodjob:
Title: Re: i30 radio gone deaf!
Post by: SWDXING on October 22, 2014, 10:39:59: Thanks for the help guys, I will put the normal stubby antenna back on, and take the car to the dealer. I suspect the little amplifier module has gone bad inside the antenna base. BTW, is it possible to change the head unit in the GD i30 ?

Cheers
Title: Re: i30 radio gone deaf!
Post by: Phil №❶ on October 22, 2014, 11:01:48: I think the actual amp is located in of the rear quarter panels. It will most likely be a connection issue.

The head unit can be replaced at your expense and with no warranty unless it is found to be faulty on which case a replacement would be fitted.
Title: Re: i30 radio gone deaf!
Post by: SWDXING on October 23, 2014, 04:29:01: Are there any after-marked head units available for the 2013 i30 with the 5" touch screen unit? I have not yet come across one, unless I am searching for the wrong thing? Here is a picture of what the head unit looks like. Can a standard DIN size unit be fitted at all ?

Link : http://aerpro.com/sites/default/files/images/console_picture/i30%20GD2%20Radio.png (http://aerpro.com/sites/default/files/images/console_picture/i30%20GD2%20Radio.png)

Cheers
Sam
Title: Re: i30 radio gone deaf!
Post by: CraigB on October 23, 2014, 05:05:58: Try calling some of your local car audio suppliers/fitters in your area, I know that Westside car audio here in Perth supply universal units to fit.
Title: Re: i30 radio gone deaf!
Post by: SWDXING on October 23, 2014, 21:38:47: I will do that today. What I am interested in doing, is replacing the 5" touch screen head unit with a single DIN head unit, and use a fascia for it.