I have a 2011 MCS with the HK system installed, no Nav. Around NYE I was in a rainstorm and the satellite reception started to cut out. It can be perfectly clear day, on the freeway with no obstructions, and it will cut out at random. Finally had enough, took to the dealer and the experienced the problem and replaced the radio. Got it back, still messed up and no change. Now they are telling me it was set to HD satellite and when the drop it down to standard it doesn't cut out. WTF I've been very happy with the audio system in this car and if it sounds like a freaking internet radio on speaker phone I don't even want the car.

Does anyone know anything about this? HD satellite radio? I've never heard anything like this and can't find anything on it.

I really want them to replace the antenna but they say the car checks out fine. Clearly not because I didn't change anything while I was driving to set it to HD mode. And they obviously found something wrong because they replaced the radio which I'm sure isn't cheap. Is this just the dealer throwing up their hands and saying I don't know?

 

HD radio is the digital part of AM/FM tuner, only part of the Tuner function.

Has nothing to do with the sat radio.

Since they replaced the head unit, the sat module, antenna wire, or antenna itself could be bad.

The diagnostics software does show signal strength, but obviously something is wrong.

 

Hi there-

Could you please send us an email with your contact information to SXM_Help@siriusxm.com, so we can help.

Thanks,
SiriusXM Digital Care Team

 

Email sent

 

We just purchased our 2010 Clubman S and it was doing the exact same thing. They replaced the Sat radio antenna and it cured it.

 

i fixed the poor sirius reception by not renewing after the free 1 year was up ... to bad mini did not choose XM over sirius, a portable XM receiver plugged into the aux port sounds better than the sirius built into the car

scott

 

+1
amazing the dealer did not know better....

 

Currently my car is at another dealer who totally agrees with me that something is wrong. They know the previous dealer changed the radio so they are in favor of replacing the antenna. Unfortunately since it's not something common for them, they are required to talk to corporate to see what other dealers are doing before they start messing with stuff. Keeps dealers from having to solve issues that have already been solved by someone else.

Donnie1 I'm glad to hear your problem was solved with the antenna. This dealer was shocked the previous dealer let my car leave the lot with the terrible reception. Needless to say I think they are happy to steal me away from my old dealer

Hopefully this is solved soon. Over 2 weeks in the shop now total with this issue. Before the incident reception was amazing even working in my garage. I just would like to drive to work without it cutting out 20 plus times.

Also SiriusXM has been very helpful on this issue so bonus points for them for taking a strong interest in my issues.

 

The folks at xm will likely extend you subscription...if not ask for it imo.
Amazing the dealer swapped the radio out, but never looked at the antenna....anybody that has ever had a sat radio in a car can spot signal break-up....distinctive sound...and with a clear sky, points to the antanta....some rsdios have a signal strngth bar, like on a phone (nor sure bon the gen2 oem)...makes it EASY to isolate the issue.

 

I am amazed they kept the car....
Why not send you home, order the part, then have you come back for an install....
Amazing.....

 

Sirius and XM are the same company now. Have been for a few years.

Sent from my Galaxy S4 using NAMotoring

 

true, but the hardware is still different ... they use different sats and different receivers

an a/b listening test is all you need to hear the difference

scott

 

VERY true!!
even though the stations are mostly the same now, the technology is different....
xm uses salalites parked in a stationary orbit about 22,500 miles above the equator....so getting a good signal is pretty easy...Sirius uses low-orbiting salites, close to the horizon.....
That and more compression...music just sounds better, less compressed on xm. Once had more of an indy music scene...less corporate than Sirius, but since the merger, it is much more bland....

 

Interesting. I had no idea that one could still choose between them. I thought that , within a year or two of the merger, everything had homogenized.




Sent from my Galaxy S4 using NAMotoring

 

I will admit I haven't done my homework on the technology, but I do miss some of the pre-merger XM stations. Lucy, Fred, Ethel... I knew ye so well.

 

With the top down on my Roadster, the difference between XM and Sirius would not even be noticeable.

 

My SA replaced my antennae and told me its quite common to get water under the mount, especially after some good storms. When they replaced it they put some sealer around the underside perimeter of the base so it couldn't happen again.

 

Hi all, I'm having a similar issue with my '13 Roadster - the Sirius XM cuts out quite frequently. I've also noticed that anytime time I drive under a viaduct, parking garage (above ground), or basically have any obstruction over the antenna at all, the radio immediately cuts out. I thought this seemed strange since I do not have the same issue streaming pandora or spotify from my mobile phone via bluetooth.

Sounds like it's the antenna, though I'm also experiencing issues with the amp/speakers. Lots of fuzzy, cracking sounds from the speakers with any music featuring a lot of bass tones.

Sigh. . .my first maintenance issues!

 

Satellite radio is very directional intensive. If you are under something or have large buildings around you, it will stop from time to time. I assume you are doing Pandora and Spotify via a cell phone? Different technology..

 

Agreed with azdsrt. Pandora and spotify work off your cellular network is not as line of sight dependent. But when I'm I'm downtown San Diego, I still get service on my xm. When the antenna was acting up I could not. The dealer was pretty difficult but finally when I went to a new one and drove with the tech he heard it cut out when sitting at a stop ought and nothing above us. New antenna no more problems. Bridges occasionally get it and parking garages will always kill it

Your crackles could be the plastic in the car.ine buzzes like crazy. The dealer pulled everything out and added a lot of tape and that worked for a while but not anymore. Doors are the worst. Pull on them and see of you noises go away

 

My 2005 Silverado XM radio cutouts really bad in towns. Does great on the highway and in the country, but gets to the point it's not worth listening to in the city's. I also noticed that it doesn't do it if I'm listening to the music channels, but if it's a news channel it's worthless. Are the news channels a weaker signal than the music?
Glenn

 

Follow up to this old post. Satellite ratio is working great and has been for a while. The solution? The antenna like I thought due to water damage. Finally took the car to a different dealer. Drove with the technician and he said yes your signal is totally broken We were not around buildings or bridges are anything which would normally degrade the transmission and it still cut out. Hope this helps someone

 

There is an issue with T-Mobile cell sites and SiriusXM. (In the city)
T-Mobile is causing intermodulation in SiriusXM 1.7/2.1 GHz spectrum band reception, and the FCC won't step in.