Hi

I bought a 1997 mk3 gti last year. It had the std unit in it (Sony
xr-6859rds).

It worked ok (incl MW reception - see below), but i wanted to change it for
a Sony cdx-c5000r which is a single cd unit.

The switch was fine.

However I discovered soon after that the radio reception esp MW (Radio 5
Live) is dire.

Also (and I;m not sure if the thatcham immobiliser i had fitted soon after
is the cause) it loses any settings (e.g. radio stations) once the ignition
is switched off.

So i'm fed with this and want to revert to the original xr-6859rds. However,
when i plug it back in, i get no display at all. It seems dead?!

So advice please on
1) what could i be doing wrong re the xr-6859rds (i would prefer this unit
if i can get it working) ?
2) can i get the cdx-5000r to retain the settings?
3) can i improve the MW reception on the cdx-5000r

Many thanks!
Mark.

mark wrote:
Hi

I bought a 1997 mk3 gti last year. It had the std unit in it (Sony
xr-6859rds).

It worked ok (incl MW reception - see below), but i wanted to change
it for a Sony cdx-c5000r which is a single cd unit.

The switch was fine.

However I discovered soon after that the radio reception esp MW
(Radio 5 Live) is dire.

Also (and I;m not sure if the thatcham immobiliser i had fitted soon
after is the cause) it loses any settings (e.g. radio stations) once
the ignition is switched off.

So i'm fed with this and want to revert to the original xr-6859rds.
However, when i plug it back in, i get no display at all. It seems
dead?!

So advice please on
1) what could i be doing wrong re the xr-6859rds (i would prefer this
unit if i can get it working) ?

Don't know

2) can i get the cdx-5000r to retain the settings?

Yes , you hve the permanent and switched 12v supplies the wrong way round.
On your sony wiring harness unplug the bullet connectors on the yellow and
red wires and swap them over.

3) can i improve the MW reception on the cdx-5000r

Your aerial has an amplifier built into it which requires a 12v feed.
The OE stereo supplies this , the new one doesn't.
Any half way decent car audio dealer can sell you the necessary adaptor to
provide the power , and your reception will improve.
--
Alex

YZF 600

"I laugh in the face of danger"

"Then I hide until it goes away"

www.drzoidberg.co.uk

"Dr Zoidberg" wrote in message ...
mark wrote:
Hi

I bought a 1997 mk3 gti last year. It had the std unit in it (Sony
xr-6859rds).

It worked ok (incl MW reception - see below), but i wanted to change
it for a Sony cdx-c5000r which is a single cd unit.

The switch was fine.

However I discovered soon after that the radio reception esp MW
(Radio 5 Live) is dire.

Also (and I;m not sure if the thatcham immobiliser i had fitted soon
after is the cause) it loses any settings (e.g. radio stations) once
the ignition is switched off.

So i'm fed with this and want to revert to the original xr-6859rds.
However, when i plug it back in, i get no display at all. It seems
dead?!

So advice please on
1) what could i be doing wrong re the xr-6859rds (i would prefer this
unit if i can get it working) ?

Don't know

2) can i get the cdx-5000r to retain the settings?

Yes , you hve the permanent and switched 12v supplies the wrong way round.
On your sony wiring harness unplug the bullet connectors on the yellow and
red wires and swap them over.

3) can i improve the MW reception on the cdx-5000r

Your aerial has an amplifier built into it which requires a 12v feed.
The OE stereo supplies this , the new one doesn't.
Any half way decent car audio dealer can sell you the necessary adaptor to
provide the power , and your reception will improve.
--
Alex

YZF 600

"I laugh in the face of danger"

"Then I hide until it goes away"

www.drzoidberg.co.uk


Cheers Alex - took your advice re 2) and works.

re 3), is there a special name for this adapter? (so i ask for the right thing)
also, any idea of approx price (so i don't get fleeced)


cheers

MarkC wrote:
"Dr Zoidberg" wrote in message
...
2) can i get the cdx-5000r to retain the settings?

Yes , you have the permanent and switched 12v supplies the wrong way
round. On your sony wiring harness unplug the bullet connectors on
the yellow and red wires and swap them over.

3) can i improve the MW reception on the cdx-5000r

Your aerial has an amplifier built into it which requires a 12v feed.
The OE stereo supplies this , the new one doesn't.
Any half way decent car audio dealer can sell you the necessary
adaptor to provide the power , and your reception will improve.
--

Cheers Alex - took your advice re 2) and works.

re 3), is there a special name for this adapter? (so i ask for the
right thing)

If you explain you have changed the stereo in a VW and need an adaptor to
power the aerial then any half decent shop will sell you the right thing.
I think halfords sell them if you have one nearby.

also, any idea of approx price (so i don't get fleeced)

I paid about a tenner for the one in my Skoda which has the same aerial
--
Alex

YZF 600

"I laugh in the face of danger"

"Then I hide until it goes away"

www.drzoidberg.co.uk

"MarkC" wrote in message
om...
"Dr Zoidberg" wrote in message
...
mark wrote:
Hi

I bought a 1997 mk3 gti last year. It had the std unit in it (Sony
xr-6859rds).

It worked ok (incl MW reception - see below), but i wanted to change
it for a Sony cdx-c5000r which is a single cd unit.

The switch was fine.

However I discovered soon after that the radio reception esp MW
(Radio 5 Live) is dire.

Also (and I;m not sure if the thatcham immobiliser i had fitted soon
after is the cause) it loses any settings (e.g. radio stations) once
the ignition is switched off.

So i'm fed with this and want to revert to the original xr-6859rds.
However, when i plug it back in, i get no display at all. It seems
dead?!

So advice please on
1) what could i be doing wrong re the xr-6859rds (i would prefer this
unit if i can get it working) ?

Don't know

2) can i get the cdx-5000r to retain the settings?

Yes , you hve the permanent and switched 12v supplies the wrong way
round.
On your sony wiring harness unplug the bullet connectors on the yellow
and
red wires and swap them over.

3) can i improve the MW reception on the cdx-5000r

Your aerial has an amplifier built into it which requires a 12v feed.
The OE stereo supplies this , the new one doesn't.
Any half way decent car audio dealer can sell you the necessary adaptor
to
provide the power , and your reception will improve.
--
Alex

YZF 600

"I laugh in the face of danger"

"Then I hide until it goes away"

www.drzoidberg.co.uk


Cheers Alex - took your advice re 2) and works.

re 3), is there a special name for this adapter? (so i ask for the right
thing)
also, any idea of approx price (so i don't get fleeced)

between 8-12ukp.

"Avanti" wrote in message ...

snip by Mark


re 3), is there a special name for this adapter? (so i ask for the right
thing)
also, any idea of approx price (so i don't get fleeced)

between 8-12ukp.

I went to my local Halfords - they knew what i was on about and I paid
£9.99 for a little booster device. One end has an aerial jack, the
other a blue lead to receive 12v.
I wired it up to the 12v power supply (yellow lead) and all seemed
well. MW sounded great. However after no more than a few seconds the
unit switched itself off. I discovered the car fuse for the radio had
blown (not the fuse in the back of the radio).
I switched everything off, checked the aerial booster connection,
replaced the fuse and reconnected the stereo - no life from the radio
and another fuse blew. Switched everything off, removed the aerial
booster, replaced the fuse...fuse is ok but now stereo does not turn
on!! Any ideas chaps??

Mark.