Easy Cracked Radio Reciever Fix

**Albertk** · 08-09-2011 07:17 PM

This is actually a DIY for something I did two years ago. Better news: radio on my car has been working perfectly for the past two years.

So as many of you know, this receiver is known to have the issue of cracking when exposed to lots of heat. Unfortunately, this cracking makes the receiver useless. So if you're receiver has cracked, don't go to the dealer and pay an arm and a leg to fix the receiver. This DIY should do the trick.

Supplies:

A few small bulldog clips.

Procedure:

1. Remove the rear trim

To do this, you will want to pull at a corners of hte trim. You have to pull pretty hard to get the trim off.

2. With the rear trim off, you will see the receiver. It's long, thin and black with three hookups on the right and and another in the middle. Leave these cables on and pull the receiver off. We will need the cables to be attached for the later part of this fix.

3. Now its time for some experimentation. With the radio tuned to a station you know has STRONG reception, apply pressure to areas around the edges of the receiver. Do this with your finger. You should notice that when you press certain locations, the signal will become much stronger. Keep these location in mind.

4. Take the bulldog clips and use them to clamp down on the areas of the receiver you noted in step 3. These bulldog clips will apply constant pressure to the receiver and also hopefully fix your radio.

Here is what your finished product should look like:

**AudiA4Turbo22** · 08-09-2011 09:29 PM

That's a pretty freaking awesome cheap fix. The OEM booster is almost $800!

**Albertk** · 12-21-2011 03:37 PM

Shameless plug for my old thread.

Can an admin move this into the DIY section? This shit is sacred-- especially with our car's starting to require some more TLC.

**heywier427** · 12-21-2011 07:32 PM

brilliant.

**Kittrell** · 12-21-2011 08:09 PM

Originally Posted by AudiA4Turbo22

That's a pretty freaking awesome cheap fix. The OEM booster is almost $800!

More like $250, but still expensive for what it is.

**Drew-B6** · 12-21-2011 09:10 PM

What radio is this for? Sorry a little confused on model. Can't you buy a new symphony2 for ecs for like 20 bucks?

**heateris** · 12-21-2011 09:16 PM

Originally Posted by Drew-B6

What radio is this for? Sorry a little confused on model. Can't you buy a new symphony2 for ecs for like 20 bucks?

this is a fix for the antenna booster at the top of the rear window.

**Drew-B6** · 12-21-2011 10:49 PM

Wow i am way off... Sorry.

**Dwaller** · 12-23-2011 09:58 AM

Somebody give this guy a "Medal"......!!!!!

**Homer** · 12-23-2011 02:29 PM

By moving your hand around the diversity antenna board you are merely acting as an antenna yourself. I don't believe you are fixing it in the way you think you are. The binder clips are acting as an antenna as well.
BUT, if it works it works!
I've got my board sitting here in front of me, mulling over whether or not to tear it apart to see what components failed.

**sean1.8t** · 12-23-2011 02:39 PM

you've waited 2 years to share this WHY???

i mean good job and thanks! but seriously, i haven't been able to listen to my radio in years. i'll be damned if I'm gonna pay $300 for a new one when i have Pandora, but regular radio is nice to have now and then

**Homer** · 12-23-2011 03:01 PM

I might add, I have the P rev board and my RNS-E throws a code but it still receives FM sorta alright. This might help more on the D rev board.

**Albertk** · 12-23-2011 11:45 PM

Originally Posted by sean1.8t

you've waited 2 years to share this WHY???

i mean good job and thanks! but seriously, i haven't been able to listen to my radio in years. i'll be damned if I'm gonna pay $300 for a new one when i have Pandora, but regular radio is nice to have now and then

Wasn't really that involved with audizine until this summer. So decided i'd add my two cents to the community. But yes, the binder clips definitely work. I haven't had to touch them since I put them in a year or two ago. My radio is crystal clear!

**TwinTipSkier** · 12-24-2011 09:45 AM

Whoa, great idea. How did I not see this thread before. Foam strips with crude tape hold mine together. This is way more elegant.

**chrisdeaner** · 02-27-2012 09:00 AM

I can't tell you how happy I am that I found this thread. The radio in my wife's 2003 A4 stopped working about 2 years ago and I finally decided it was time to fix it (we usually would just listen to an iPod so wasn't a big deal). I found several threads discussing buying a new or used replacement receiver/component but wasn't looking to spend that kind of $ just to get the radio working. Looked into an aftermarket antenna...also a pain plus I'd have to mount it, more hassle. This worked PERFECTLY. One slight suggestion, pull the trim off but leave the component attached and just press on it while it's hooked in. You'll get the connection to the antennas this way (there are some metal prongs on the back that make the connection to the wires on the window) so you'll have better reception. Mine ended up needing the clips in exactly the same place as pictured in the first post but I was able to get away with two. FYI these usually come in several sizes, I used the "small" ones. Thank you again!!!

Edit: Not sure if it's possible but if someone could add B6 or A4 or something else to the title of this thread so it comes up more often in a search that would be very helpful. I know there are myriad threads on this issue out on the interwebs but none with a solution as good as this!

**xcmartin** · 03-03-2012 04:38 PM

Just performed this fix using a box of small bulldog clips I got for 82 cents at Wal Mart after trolling this thread yesterday. I peeled the rubber back slowly (definitely a gamble) and noted that the reception got better when I hit a certain point, so I futzed around with the points where the pressure was concentrating at the bend. While I was in there, I cleaned the contact spots for the springs on the back of the booster and bent the springs out slightly. My first DIY on the car (03 A4 1.8TQ, only had it for two days now). Thanks so much for the easy and quick fix!

**Type_Audi** · 03-18-2012 07:08 AM

I tried this idea and it worked well for awhile, unfortunately I think my module was too far gone with too many components were loose.

I decided to take it apart and remove the rubber to see if I could replace the surface mount components that were bad. One tip I wanted to share is to bake the module at about 250F for about 10 mins, this really loosens up the rubber and makes it much easier to peel off without removing more components. It becomes ver pliable (and brittle) at this temp.

In my case, only three components came out stuck inside the rubber/potting material. I was able to carefully pry these out of the rubber and re solder to the board. Unfortunately for me, I also pulled out what is probably the most fragile component on the board, a wire wound inductor. It's close to the antenna connectors and if I'd applied a bit more heat, or gone slower it would have been fine.

Keep some of the rubber chunks intact, since the clamps expect the rubber thickness to be there in order to hold the module snugly to the windows.

Major fail on Audi's part, it would have been better off to expose all of the electronics:)

Edit: problem was fixed by purchasing a used unit from force5 Audi junk yard for $75.00, shokan quoted me $165.00 for a newer part.

**Roadie73** · 05-19-2013 05:54 PM

Bumpity Bump

Just tried the "Bulldog clip" fix on my A4 after ~2yrs with crappy reception...

Pulled the cover off and had a look at the antenna - no cracks were obvious on intial inspection - unlike some of the other photos. Tuned in to a known 'weak' station and started pressing on the module - pressed over the "Germany" lettering and BINGO - crystal clear reception.

Pulled to module out and cleaned the contact areas on the upper sheet metal and reintalled - no change. It wasn't until I tried 2x clips under 'Germany' that the signal improved. Radio's working ok now, so put the cover back on...

Funny thing is, doing a vag-com scan still shows:

1 Fault Found:
00858 - Connection; Radio ZF Output to Antenna Amplifier
36-00 - Open Circuit

Going to see how the radio works in the parking lot at work - it's a brutal dead zone - couldn't get even a whif of a signal pre-fix...

**tangcla** · 10-28-2013 03:14 PM

Bit of a thread bump on this fix.

Has anyone pulled the black plastic off successfully to see what's underneath it?

**Charles.waite** · 10-28-2013 05:16 PM

I did when I fixed mine.

Lots and lots of magic fairies.

**tangcla** · 10-28-2013 05:22 PM

Originally Posted by Charles.waite

I did when I fixed mine.

Lots and lots of magic fairies.

Does it just peel off? I am thinking it is a loose component or a dry solder joint causing the issue.

Sent from my GT-I9305 using Tapatalk

**Charles.waite** · 10-29-2013 11:50 AM

Originally Posted by tangcla

Does it just peel off? I am thinking it is a loose component or a dry solder joint causing the issue.

Sent from my GT-I9305 using Tapatalk

The whole plastic part is glues on to the board. A heat gun would likely make it easier to peel off. I'm not really sure what is underneath, though I remember seeing pictures somewhere...

**old guy** · 10-29-2013 04:11 PM

For the past year or so my reception was going in and out on some of my favorite NPR stations. (OK....feel free to add "old guy" comments here if you feel so inclined). I recalled reading this thread a few years ago so I decided to give it a try. My booster wasn't cracked but I did find a few areas that slightly increased the reception when I pressed on them. I went ahead and added the bull dog clips to those areas and then proceeded to clean up the spring contact clips and adjacent contact areas on the rear glass with some 2,000 grit sand paper. Put it all back together and now my reception is back to normal.

Thanks!

**Charles.waite** · 10-30-2013 08:54 AM

Originally Posted by old guy

For the past year or so my reception was going in and out on some of my favorite NPR stations. (OK....feel free to add "old guy" comments here if you feel so inclined). I recalled reading this thread a few years ago so I decided to give it a try. My booster wasn't cracked but I did find a few areas that slightly increased the reception when I pressed on them. I went ahead and added the bull dog clips to those areas and then proceeded to clean up the spring contact clips and adjacent contact areas on the rear glass with some 2,000 grit sand paper. Put it all back together and now my reception is back to normal.

Thanks!

I listen to NPR too. Nothing wrong with that!

**AudiTurbo** · 07-16-2015 08:35 AM

Does this work on a b7 also? Your amplifier ends in D and mine a P. I don't think that matters does it?
I throwing the 00858 - Connection; Radio Intermediate Frequency (IF) Output to Antenna Amplifier. I see some people saying there's ZF instead of IF? What's the difference?
Thanks.

**AudiTurbo** · 07-17-2015 05:10 AM

So, I have a question. I have been seeing some of the stations messing up and I scanned the car to find the 00858 - Connection; Radio Intermediate Frequency (IF) Output to Antenna Amplifier. I did the antenna amplifier fix with the clips and the code went away, but I'm still not getting all the channels?

**me4tux** · 10-09-2015 11:17 PM

Hi,
It's an old thread but useful to others who picked up old B6 A4's

Where is this located exactly on an B6 A4 Avant ? I have this 00858 - Connection; Radio ZF Output to Antenna Amplifier error code.

Thanks!

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