Thread title says it best. Is this normal?

My reception previously w/ the stock head unit was pretty damn good. I could pick up a few D.C. area radio stations almost 75 miles south of D.C., just north of Richmond, VA. Now, after installing my Pioneer head unit, it's pretty awful. I can't pick up those same stations at all, and even 30 miles south of D.C., there is static and crappy reception.

I'm pretty sure I installed the antenna correctly (can you really screw it up???), so I don't know what to do about this. Anyone else experience this w/ new head units? Suggestions???

 

Problem solved.

Crutchfield, in all of their bragging about installation help, master installation sheets, etc., fails to tell you what to do w/ the blue wire that is attached to the antenna adapter.

That blue wire needs to be hooked to a switched power source, because the Fit has an antenna amplifier, that when NOT powered, causes your radio reception to be awful.

So, after calling them and reading reviews of the antenna adapter on their website (where people have been complaining about this for almost four years), I removed the radio from my dash (fun!) and spliced the wires together.

Reception now seems to be much better.

 

People still listen to the radio???

 

Yep. I really like my local NPR station in Richmond, often listen to the one in the D.C. area when I'm there as well. I also listen to a news station in the D.C. area for traffic reports when driving around that damn place because I have many friends and family there, as well as work there. Knowing the traffic situation there is crucial to my mental health. There are also a couple of morning radio shows that I enjoy listening to.

As for music, eh...usually stick to XM Radio if not listening to my Zune (yeah, I have one, and I love it!).

 

Ran into the same thing when I installed my head unit. Called critchfield and they told me what was up.

You think pulling the head unit is hard? Two screws for the upper blove box then pry. Man, easiest car to get the head unit out I have worked on. It took me two hours to get the head unit out of my 99 outback, tons of scwes six inches back inside the consol....

 

The initial time was more difficult, took me quite a while to pry it out. 2nd time not so much. Thankfully I used these neat little quick connectors that I got from Crutchfield, and did not solder the wires, so the wire connection wasn't as bad. Had I soldered them, I think it would have been a much larger pain in the ass.

 

Hows the new Headunit ?
does it integrate well with the steering wheel controls ?

 

The only controls on my steering wheel are for the cruise control.

The headunit is fine. The XM controls are lacking, in my opinion, and I'm sure I'll enjoy it much more once I have the speakers, sub, and amp installed.

 

Just got back from a trip to Skyline drive today in a fully occupied Fit.
Gas mileage was great and so was the comfort for everyone in the front and the back seats.
However, we all noticed the road noise - it was pretty damn loud !
this is in a 2011 Fit sport with navi.
Is there anything that I can do to remedy this ? or atleast alleviate it a little bit.

 

You might have more success getting help w/ your issue by starting your own thread about the topic. A topic that is entirely different from the one that this thread is about.

 

Sound deadening.

I'm just getting ready to do mine to help the road noise and improve the midbass response in my doors. See the first few posts in Funkster's thread. I'm doing the interior hatch and rear wheel area, too. Google sound deadening and car, and you'll find lots of information.

For materials at good prices for inside the car, look at Raamaudio (read the HowTo there, too) and Audio Technix.