Hi All.
My Tipo S design DAB radio has stopped receiving signal. It was working fine until about 3 or 4 weeks ago. I still get good FM signal, and can get all the stations I want, but it annoys me that DAB is there, and it doesn't work. I know Im in an area where I can receive DAB signal.

When I select a DAB station, it just says unavailable, and reverts back to FM. It does this on every DAB station. Ive tried a factory reset on the uconnect system, but no joy.

Is this something I could probably fix myself ? or should I get it booked in once lockdown has ended ?

thanks

Probably a problem with thee aerial such as water ingress so will need the dealership to look at it under warranty

That happened with my Easy Plus, it went back for a diagnostic, which confirmed the fault, the fault was the aerial base.

Then it went back for the base to be replaced, they can do that while you wait, just take a book or magazine.

All done under warranty

I've had the same issue on mine - it was the aerial base. I've been waiting for the new part to arrive, which has been on back order for a good few weeks now because of the current situation.

I'd suggest going to your dealer after the lockdown and get it looked at under the warranty, seems to be a common problem.

Is there a Tipo out there that hasn’t suffered this problem at some point?

Mine had the same issue, would basically work when it felt like it.

I was getting fed up with listening to FM radio so bought another aerial base from a breaker car on eBay and swapped it over today.

Only cost me £15 and works a treat, really easy to change too, literally 2 ‘fir tree clips’ need to be removed then the headliner just pulls down enough to get a 10mm spanner inside to remove the old one. Anyone taking this job on, I recommend using a ratchet spanner as you’ll struggle otherwise.

mikey2017 said:

Is there a Tipo out there that hasn’t suffered this problem at some point?

Mine had the same issue, would basically work when it felt like it.

I was getting fed up with listening to FM radio so bought another aerial base from a breaker car on eBay and swapped it over today.

Only cost me £15 and works a treat, really easy to change too, literally 2 ‘fir tree clips’ need to be removed then the headliner just pulls down enough to get a 10mm spanner inside to remove the old one. Anyone taking this job on, I recommend using a ratchet spanner as you’ll struggle otherwise.

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How does the aerial cable remove from the base I just my head in there once to have a look and couldn't see how the fitting went

chris3234 said:

How does the aerial cable remove from the base I just my head in there once to have a look and couldn't see how the fitting went

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The wiring has little push in clips that hold it to the roof of the car, once you pull these out you’ll see the aerial connectors - these are removed by pushing down the clip on each one and pulling it out.

Not my photo but this will give you more of an idea.

Good to know if I ever need to remove mine

My Tipo (also an S-Design - we're a rare bunch!) had this problem. I took it in to the dealer in Feb for this and a washer pump that dribbles the back washer when using the front washers and they ordered the parts, then lockdown came.

However, since the dry weather came the DAB signal has returned, so it definitely appears to be linked to water ingress. I'm wondering if I could just seal the base a bit better myself and save bothering with a new part if it's just going to go the same way when the weather gets wetter again.

Incidently the washer pump seems to have fixed itself too, so i'm quite happy - a self-repairing car, who'd have thought!?

21 months (albeit only 11,000 miles because of this lockdown) and no other problems besides a bit of lacquer peel on a couple of the alloys. Pretty pleased with the Tipo!

If its under warranty, get it replaced.

If there is water in the base, they'll be corrosion eventually, so best get it changed

If its under warranty, get it replaced.

If there is water in the base, they'll be corrosion eventually, so best get it changed

JTD_Liam said:

I'm wondering if I could just seal the base a bit better myself and save bothering with a new part if it's just going to go the same way when the weather gets wetter again.

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I may be wrong but from what I can gather they’ve replaced this part with another item now so I assume they’ve learned their lesson due to all the warranty claims as pretty much every Tipo including mine has been affected.

RichardH13 said:

If its under warranty, get it replaced.

If there is water in the base, they'll be corrosion eventually, so best get it changed

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mikey2017 said:

I may be wrong but from what I can gather they’ve replaced this part with another item now so I assume they’ve learned their lesson due to all the warranty claims as pretty much every Tipo including mine has been affected.

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Yeah you're probably right. It'll be due its second service in September so i can ask them to fit the new part then, hopefully before any prolonged wet weather arrives and causes problems with the current aerial again. Hopefully as it'd already been assessed as needing a new part before lockdown, they won't need to go through that part of the process again. I don't particularly want to make two 100 mile round trips to the dealer for such a minor fault.

The DAB reception in my Tipo went just when the car was out of warranty. It comes and goes, works for a few weeks and then stops. Fiat did a diagnostic and replaced the antenna, which did nothing, and cost me £140 in total. They did suggest the base would be their next attempt at a fix, but I felt I would be just throwing good money after bad and they were just guessing.

Is this fix, of replacing the base, a reliable one? Can anyone provide the actual part number?

Thee aerial base unit is listed on the shop 4 parts website it's around £120 I think when I Looked before

Can't believe the garage changed just the aerial part itself and not the base unit


Don't think I've ever heard of any faults with that part

I suspect Fiat know that just changing the antenna has worked, so start with that, then suggest the base unit. My issue was they charged for a diagnostic, when they knew what they would have to do anyway.

I will ask my local garage, when the car goes in for its service next week, to source and change the base unit.

So far, so good and changing the aerial base has worked.