Factory XM radio intermittently goes NO XM SIGNAL, dealer not helping.

dketchum

Our factory radio suddenly has a XM no signal problem for the last couple of months. It will stay on and then all of a sudden go on and off, or stay off for hours. It does not matter if we are moving or stationary and our other cars have XM signal just fine when setting right beside the ACADIA. Our ACADIA still as the GM full warrantee but the dealer will not fix. We have taken it and they saw it with no signal for 2 hours then said they would have to call someone at “GM”. Then they had to order a “tool”. Then we finally get it back this week to them and they say everything is fine (Trip NUMBER 4!!!) That day it must have been ok but the next day, off and on again. The XM people have been great and have done everything they can to help. They say the dealer will have to replace something in the car but the service manager at the dealer will not do anything. He says that unless its throwing a “code” that “GM” won’t let him do anything. What do we do? Has anyone seen this before? It has worked fine for 4 years what do you do when the dealer refuses to acknowledge a problem that they have witnessed before but now deny? My whole family is in disbelief as to how they are treating us. What is our warrantee good for?

Almost forgot, the XM people said there was a XM Module in the factory radio and this would need to be replaced. The dealer didn’t know what they were talking about. I don’t know either; I would think it was built-in.

dketchum

UPDATE: 9-9-2015 Have a case with GMC and dealer restated they won't do anything unless it happens there!!! Have not heard back from my GMC case worker but have left a message over 24 hours ago. We did happen to get this on video. We are going to try to get some more video to put this out there for others to see and know what to expect when you try to get service.

dketchum

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pkf8caMn9JI

surrfurtom

Thanks. Did you need to do this yourself or did GM take care of it?
I have a new Toyota Highlander with 2300 miles that started doing the same. I only called dealer and he said about the same thing that they need to see it happen. I took about 8 minutes of video starting in a shopping where it would go to no signal then come back for a short while. XM has reset the radio. We'll see what happens. I will mention this about the antenna. Since it is new under warranty they should fix it.

dketchum

We had to take care of it ourselves. Simple fix with the antenna that dealer refused to believe after they saw it for occurs themselves so we disassembled antennae and reassembled with the appropriate conductor aids and it has worked fine for almost a year.

cmhj2000

Great info!

johnncathy

I have a 2016 Chevrolet Traverse. XM cuts out. Dealer tells me its fault is from cell towers. My other chevy has no problems and previous chevy had no problems. 31 years making chevys. Im fighting this. If they can't fix it at least allow me to take it to an outside vendor. They tell it will boid my warranty.  But what good is the warranty if there not gonna fix it. I've had XM for years gotta have it. Im gonna rattle some cages. Decals made up, Do Not Buy Chevrolets from Nash Chevrolet. Jojn

kyfdx

johnncathy said:

I have a 2016 Chevrolet Traverse. XM cuts out. Dealer tells me its fault is from cell towers. My other chevy has no problems and previous chevy had no problems. 31 years making chevys. Im fighting this. If they can't fix it at least allow me to take it to an outside vendor. They tell it will boid my warranty.  But what good is the warranty if there not gonna fix it. I've had XM for years gotta have it. Im gonna rattle some cages. Decals made up, Do Not Buy Chevrolets from Nash Chevrolet. Jojn

XM doesn't come from cell towers, it's satellite based. So, it's a little like AM radio. If you go under things that block the signal, then...

ray80

kyfdx said:

johnncathy said:

I have a 2016 Chevrolet Traverse. XM cuts out. Dealer tells me its fault is from cell towers. My other chevy has no problems and previous chevy had no problems. 31 years making chevys. Im fighting this. If they can't fix it at least allow me to take it to an outside vendor. They tell it will boid my warranty.  But what good is the warranty if there not gonna fix it. I've had XM for years gotta have it. Im gonna rattle some cages. Decals made up, Do Not Buy Chevrolets from Nash Chevrolet. Jojn

XM doesn't come from cell towers, it's satellite based. So, it's a little like AM radio. If you go under things that block the signal, then...

Or Hills will block signal, happens all the time here in New England and there is no fix for it (other then staying on flat roads )

johnncathy

Yea I know that signal come ftom satellites. It is cell towers interfering with signal. 

johnncathy

There blaming cell towers

Michaell

johnncathy said:

There blaming cell towers

I guess I'd ask the dealer to prove this theory of theirs by taking a new Traverse off the lot and demonstrate the problem. That way, you can determine if the problem is with the environment (cell towers) or with your specific vehicle.

Mr_Shiftright

There have been reports of T-Mobile cell towers (but no reports of other carriers) interfering with SAT radio. You can go to THIS SITE and see if there are any T-Mobile towers near where you are having difficulties. If not, that sort of shoots that theory to hell.

johnncathy

I had the same problem. We filed a complaint with the BBB. How do you design, sell, warranty a product then when it fails you dont fix or repair? We won a settlement to have it repaired by an outside company. 

dketchum

If it helps anybody... our problem occurred when it was HOT and SUNNY outside. Had more to do with heat ... not cell phone or interference. We re-did all connections with stuff that protects connections from moisture, has worked ever since.

thecardoc3

When I see issues like this it makes me wonder why anyone would want to be a technician. Knowing how to troubleshoot and solve this kind of a problem isn't anything that anyone taught techs like myself how to do. We had to go out and find our own way and in some cases invest in equipment that we don't even get paid for let alone take the time to use. These antenna issues can be very difficult to analyze even with the right tools and are a complete losing proposition for anyone who has stepped up to try to handle this stuff. Many of the problems are random and not easily repeatable. Failures can be exposed by specific terrain features and yet the system works perfectly in the absence of them making for nothing for the technician to confirm.

Nobody wants to resort to trying to do something that is barely above a guess because that can be wrong any given time no matter how many times it has ever been right. To techs these kinds of problems leave them facing the dilemma that no matter which way the coin flip ends up this time there will always be someone who will take the final answer AFTER it's handed to them and use it to question the techs knowledge, skills, training and investment, even though they are totally lacking any ability to do any better.

BTW. Do you have any idea what it costs to have tools that would allow us to measure and prove if the antenna is receiving a satellite signal and if that signal is a viable one for the receiver? Do you have any idea what it would cost to be able to substitute antenna's and/or receivers if regular troubleshooting efforts are inconclusive?
Facing those facts often results in someone loading the parts cannon and has them throwing an antenna or antenna cable at the issue while not knowing if that is really the problem this time.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antenna_factor

timfromtx

Well, I see this problem is much older than just a year. Having the same problem with my 2015 Traverse - started about a year ago. XM signal lost for no apparent reason, not a weather issue, not a geography issue, not a bridge or overpass blocking the signal. Have had XM resend the signal multiple times and multiple ways, no effect.

No issues with my wife or son's cars, and they're driving the same roads, during the same times that I am. Having no trouble with a hand-held device, either. Something is wrong with the radio.

Is it possible XM sold GM defective radios? I got the same response from the dealer others above got, says there is a "bulletin" issued and waiting on XM to respond to GM. Well? It's 2017, what's happened since dketchum's first post above? I hated to do it but I cancelled my XM subscription today. Don't know how else to get some attention on this issue. Sad, really liked XM when it worked properly.

dianamo1

I just purchased a used 2013 Chevrolet Silverado Duramax 3500 and I too am experiencing this issue. I also drive a VW Jetta with no issue at all other than the occasional interference but nothing like I am having with the truck, it's out for very long periods of time. The car has a Sirius channel lineup, and the truck has an XM channel lineup. I know they are one in the same company, but when I switched the service over, my account noted that my channel line up may change from Sirius to XM. I am leaning towards the fact it has to have something to do with a defective radio or the antennae. I am with timfromtx this has obviously been an issue for a long time, there must be a recall of some sort?

n9ssham

Thanks dketchum for posting the solution on this forum,  however the others don't seem to grasp the significance of all of your posts since they keep commenting on other causes!   I have suspected the same problem on my 2015 Jeep Cherokee which has been to the dealer 4 times now,  had 3 radios replaced, and is telling me it is not the antenna.   I acts like an intermittent connection in the antenna or antenna cable, but I am not sure how to get to them to investigate further.  Can you describe the process of your dissassembly and reassembly a bit further? Did you have to pull down the headliner to get to the antenna mounting screws?  Thanks for any help you can provide! 

bbodean

xm radio signal goes in and out fix. its the base unit on the acadia that needs to be replaced not the antenna.its on the top of veh that the antenna attaches to.moisture gets in base and it goes bad hope this helps.

dketchum

bbodean post is spot on! this is what happens. the local dealer should have not given us so much trouble. We take our car to a larger dealer in another town now. All i can say is WOW. there is a big deference in the "Service" department. I wont mess with this local dealer any more. Forget ever buying a car from them. They should just close up shop.

curiousjorge07

I have 2006 Silverado never had problems with my XM Satellite Radio until recently. It has started cutting out ( losing reception) over the lsat 2 months, but mostly in the same place. I have been driving the same route every day for the last 5 years and now all of a sudden it’s cutting out pretty much the exact location every time? There are no trees or tall obstructions to block the signal. My thought was the the antenna is the culprit. Could be that it just needs to be brushed or sanded off on the outside the clean it up? Has anyone heard of this or have further ideas?

thejazze

Here is the fix for this on a Buick enclave.
https://jergraphx.wixsite.com/xm-fix

thejazze

I had the same problem. Did some research and found out that GM's antenna has three different antenna's in them. One for AM/FM, one for the ONSTAR and one for the XM radio. For some reason they all try to pull in signals at the same time. I came up with the fix I posted above and has worked flawlessly. No more dropped signal. I hope this helps some people.

NCBrian

2018 Chevy equinox. Loosing sat radio signal; but also the roof mount antenna vibrates above 60 mpg creating loud rattling and wind noises. In looking at how the antenna was mounted, it does not have a robust rubber boot or gasket between hard plastic and metal roof. I used to sell antenna to GM years ago and recognize that this mounting design is sub-standard (in my opinion). Vibrations in the antenna will also disrupt signal. Anyone else hearing vibration and wind noises from antenna when driving at higher speeds?

MiataSailor

I had this problem with my 2014 GMC Acadia XM radio. I put dielectric grease on the antenna bolt. Problem solved! Free fix! I am so happy I didn’t buy that new radio I was considering. I hope it holds up. I will let you know if it doesn’t.

agmonaco

I have a 2014 Honda Accord Coupe. It looses signal when it gets warmer outside ( above 40 degrees). During winter it works fine. When warmer it is 90% unusable, constantly cutting out or completely inop. Must be the antenna. Comments welcome. I would like to know how to replace this antenna and not go to a dealer where I will be charged a ton. It would have to be restrung from radio to aft portion of roof where the exterior antenna cover is located I assume.

Beth2001J

I have a 2007 Suburban. I have check the antenna as well as the radio and the tuner. I tried to activate it last year and would't do anything. I could only get the preview channel. Last week I decided to buy a different antenna just to find that the radio was working on a free trial. So I assumed that the antenna was fine and the trial ended so I called and activated the radio and to no surprise I cannot get service. I don't understand why my radio receives a free signal but not one I pay for. Could the tuner under the dash have been changed? If so how do I tell and if I install a new tuner do I need to activate that instead? Any help would be great!

Nomoretrump

I had the same problem with my Subaru Outback, After numerous calls to Sirrius and discussion with the dealer I just cancelled the service and stream music through my phone or use downloaded music through thumb drive. Sirrus xm is a ripoff unless you can't live without Howard

DC56

I have same issue with 2021 Acadia and a friend with a 2020 Silverado does too. This is obviously something wrong with GMC that needs recall.