After my mechanic installed a new battery my car radio doesn’t work. It turns on and lights up but generally only produces static. Every now and then it tunes into a station, with much static, but generally not. The fuse is fine. The radio manufacturer, LG, says this radio has no code so that isn’t the issue. Any suggestions welcome. Thanks!
My car is a 1999 SEAT Arosa 1.4 6h with APQ motor. It’s essentially a small version of the VW Golf.
It sounds like the antenna was inadvertently disconnected when the battery was changed. It is usually a 7-8mm round black wire known as coaxial cable that connects the antenna to the radio. Check behind the dashboard, if possible to see if it got pulled loose. Just plug it in if it’s out. If that looks OK, check for that co-ax antenna cable near the battery, it may have been pinched or pulled loose from the antenna itself. If you find that, the mechanic owes you a repair.
I’ll check. Thanks!
Try pulling the radio fuse (there may be two–one for the radio and one to maintain the memory with the key off), waiting 15 minutes, then putting them back in. (or disconnect the battery and do the same) The radio may have gotten its little brains scrambled and just need a reset.
Or perhaps the battery cables were momentarily connected backwards during the installation…If so, the radio is toast…
Some other posters with VW’s here have reported problems w/their radio after disconnecting the battery. If all else fails, and this is the OEM radio that came w/the car new, be sure to stop by a VW dealership shop and ask them if they have heard of this problem. This may be normal behavior for your car, and some magic elixir is required is required to fix it, something that only a VW shop knows.