Finding more things out about my '05 VDP, but still loving it. I've noticed the FM stereo reception is really bad. I live in a rural area, but even my '82 BMW 733i gets better reception. Any tricks I need to know about? Edit: it's the Alpine system; no NAV system.

 

Do you have dealer installed satellite radio? I experienced the same issue just after purchasing my XJ8. It turns out that the Sirius unit in our cars connects to the head unit indirectly by RF frequency. If the Sirius is on, it broadcasts at 93.1 FM and will screw up radio reception altogether. I hope this is the case for you - it's an easy fix.

 

Just the standard AM/FM radio.

 

Just the standard AM/FM radio.

 

Does your power antenna go all the way up(if you have one)?

 

There is no power antenna, they are laminated to the rear screen.

 

Sorry I don't have an answer for you but I have the same problem. I'm sure there are FM boosters available but I haven't had the time to search.

 

I've notice the same thing with my '06 XJR. I chalked it up to the laminated antenna at the rear window. Mine comes and goes - it's not horrible but it's not great either.

 

I have an 04 xjr, same problem, it has the worst radio reception of any factory radio I have had. I believe it has something to do with the antenna in the rear window as well. I traveling north, I get my favorite channel in clear, when I travel south, lots of static on that channel. I have simply drove circles in a parking lot and the reception of the stations would change greatly depending on direction of the car, so I did it in another parking lot just to confirm and same thing. These really need an antenna in the front window as well. My 06 caddy sts-v has antennas in front window as well as rear and has incredible reception. I plan on adding a front window antenna to the xjr (they make aftermarket antennas just like the rear window one that stick to the top of the window) and I have seen adapters to plug both antennas into one, just not sure if the jag has standard antenna ends since I haven't pulled it out of the dash yet.

 

Do you have anything plugged into the cigarette lighters/outlets? I know when I have my iPhone plugged into anything but the plug in the glove box the radio reception goes to nothing.

 

Nope nothing plugged into the any outlet at all, I have had other cars with the same antenna in the rear window and reception would get worse when I used the rear window defogger but it doesn't matter on my xjr. I had cars that when you used the power windows or even turned the heater fan on it would could more static, but none if that matters in this car, it is just generally poor reception no matter what. One of thing I did forget to mention in my last post it that my car does have tinted windows including the rear window, however that didn't make a difference on my other cars with same window antenna.