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I installed an aftermarket Pioneer head unit in my 04 A4 1.8t with symphony/Bose sound system a while back. I never connected the radio antenna because I couldn’t find the right adapter to do so. I’ve been searching and ordering many of them just to find out it’s still not the right adapter. I found this picture,
These are what my stereo antenna connections look like from the car, I do know the smaller yellow one is for XM, and the larger round one is for AM/FM. Almost every adapter I’ve found is for the XM smaller yellow one, not the AM/FM. Metro 40VW30 seems like it may work but I’m not entirely too sure. I’ve bought the Metra 40-VW54 one before and that one definitely does not fit as well. The most recent of my purchases is Scosche Vwa-3B. Again doesn’t work and only connects to the XM connector.
If anyone can help and point me in the right direction it’d greatly be appreciated, been trying to get the AM/FM working for 4 months now.
If anyone can help and point me in the right direction it’d greatly be appreciated, been trying to get the AM/FM working for 4 months now.
Sorry that I don't have a specific answer to your question, but thought I should tell you what I did to get the radio going.
A few months ago I installed a color touchscreen, nav, etc system in my '05 3.0, and yes, the AM/FM was the last thing to work. My new sound system didn't match the radio antenna in my car (shown in your photo) but came with an antenna adapter. That unfortunately didn't fit my antenna either, so I cut off my car's radio connector and spliced on the aftermarket plug for the head unit. It still didn't work; I could barely get some strong local stations. Next I pulled the antenna amplifier above the rear window, to inspect and clean the springy glass contacts. That didn't work either. Finally I figured out why the new unit's antenna adapter had a short wire lead attached; the antenna shield isn't supposed to be grounded; it supplies the DC power to run the antenna back there! As soon as I redid my soldering job to include the small box with the wire lead attached to another on the new harness, with a matching ID tag, the radio worked.
Sorry that I don't have a specific answer to your question, but thought I should tell you what I did to get the radio going.
A few months ago I installed a color touchscreen, nav, etc system in my '05 3.0, and yes, the AM/FM was the last thing to work. My new sound system didn't match the radio antenna in my car (shown in your photo) but came with an antenna adapter. That unfortunately didn't fit my antenna either, so I cut off my car's radio connector and spliced on the aftermarket plug for the head unit. It still didn't work; I could barely get some strong local stations. Next I pulled the antenna amplifier above the rear window, to inspect and clean the springy glass contacts. That didn't work either. Finally I figured out why the new unit's antenna adapter had a short wire lead attached; the antenna shield isn't supposed to be grounded; it supplies the DC power to run the antenna back there! As soon as I redid my soldering job to include the small box with the wire lead attached to another on the new harness, with a matching ID tag, the radio worked.
Thanks for the reply! That’s what I was going to do as a last resort, cut the wire and solder an aftermarket adapter, which I still might do. Turns out i wanted to give it a try with that one adapter I got, the VWa-3b, before I sent it back. Connected it to, what I always thought it to be, the XM antenna (smaller yellow one in the photo) and then to my radio, no power running to the antenna amp, and it actually worked. The signal isn’t the best for certain stations but it actually works pretty damn good for what I didn’t think would work at all. But I still may end up cutting the black wire and soldering in a 12v source to the outer wire coating as you stated then to an aftermarket antenna adapter and see if that yields me better signal. Thanks!
Be certain though that the antenna power is supposed to be 12 Volts. I would assume so, but you wouldn't want to ruin the amp if it needs 5 Volts, for instance. My unit came with a bag of various adapter plugs and cables, many labeled in Chinese, and no instructions to speak of. The "manual" left plenty to be desired, but eventually I got it straightened out (Ebay purchase).
Reception problems related to the antenna amplifier are related to the pins on the amp, but also to the circuit board coming apart. Audi would love to sell you the new, improved version for some high number, but this guy fixed his for a lot less:
09-22-2018, 11:34 AM
Which antenna adapter do I need?
