UK-POLOS.NET - THE VW Polo Forum

Had my radio replaced as I had some problems with it where it would play with no display, and on occasion would switch itself on.

Also when I switched the old radio on DAB would play for a few seconds and then lose signal (no signal icon displayed) the DAB station would then return after a further few seconds and all would be okay. Now I have a new radio in it still does the same, short signal loss and then okay. This only happens when the car has been left for a while, if you turn the radio on and off while driving the signal remains. Is anyone else experiencing this and any ideas why it does it? I am waiting for a response from VW on the issue, my dealer has checked everything out and says all is ok

sounds like weak signal, is the dab aerial roof mounted?

Joe9n3 wrote:sounds like weak signal, is the dab aerial roof mounted?

Yes, standard roof mounted. To me it seems when the radio is turned off and ignition switched off the signal becomes lost and not stored, when you restart the radio appears to be looking for that last used signal/station again.

You'd need to try and rule out weak signal in the area I'd say, maybe in a different car or a standalone unit

I have a RCD 510 with DAB. It's next to useless in built-up areas, tunnels, underground car parks - even under bridges it loses the signal. I usually find it has usually reverted to the same station on FM.

The UK is almost alone in using DAB now. France uses a different system (DRM or some such) and many countries now use the improved DAB+.

Add to that the fact FM usually sounds better and DAB takes a few seconds changing station, I cannot find any reason for having it...

ubiquitous-j wrote:You'd need to try and rule out weak signal in the area I'd say, maybe in a different car or a standalone unit

My wife has a Polo with the lesser RCD310, this is fitted with DAB and never loses signal where my RCD510 does. It certainly seems to point to something dodgy within the 510 DAB radios.

VW Customer care finally contacted me regarding this radio issue and advised I book the care in again (3rd time) and in the mean time they will pass my fault on to there technical guys, I can see this issue dragging on and remaining unresolved. Still we will see next week, fingers crossed they sort it.

I have the RCD310 and the exact same thing happens with loss of signal on start up. Weird thing it doesn't happen every time. However i have excellent dab reception the rest of the time never having drop outs unless packed behind some high rises or the like. I think it has something to do with the bury kit i have, or perhaps this may apply to any bluetooth connection that can interrupt the system on start up whilst it is looking for connections and thus interrupting the dab signal. Bluetooth is notorious for drop outs and clashes in wifi set ups, ie. wireless computing peripherals and the like. I just wonder about that in reference to this dab cut out. They should really test these things out. Couldn't live without my dab in the car though, 6music esp. and bbc worldwide. I dislike the RCD310 really though. It is rubbish with an ipod or iphone when it comes to playlists! i end up using spotify offline - but this cannot be controlled from my MF steering wheel. I don't really like the other models 315 or 510 either as they all have the downfalls too, so unsure what to do. Let us know what VW come back to you with on this drop out issue though?

VW have come back with a next to useless response saying that its a 'feature' of the radio!! and all DAB radios experience something called shadowing. They could not understand why my wifes polos DAB radio does not lose reception in the same places as mine or on start up. I feel very disappointed with VW and feel fobbed off, they just haven't grasped the annoyance of this problem