Hi everyone . Just picked up a 2012 titanium x with the Sony head unit and for the life of me can't find any dab stations. When I find dab 1 @ 2 it has the loading circle thing but never finds any the switches back to previous fm Station. Any ideas how to sort it? Thanks

9 hours ago, Morty1977 said:

Just picked up a 2012 titanium x with the Sony head unit

have you just fitted this ?

27 minutes ago, unofix said:

have you just fitted this ?

NO mate already in

If you've just picked it up, you'll have no idea of the radio history. The first thing I would do is make sure it has a DAB aerial fitted to it. You'll have to pop the unit out and look at the back. It's highly unlikely (though not impossible) that the head unit has a fault that simply doesn't play DAB...

The Mk3 unit is the most unintuitive DAB I've ever used, you're probably just not searching the individual ranges correctly.  I can't remember exactly how it's done now but it's an awful system to use! 

Did you use DAB in your previous car btw?  Some areas are just really poor for DAB signal.

 

3 hours ago, TomsFocus said:

The Mk3 unit is the most unintuitive DAB I've ever used, you're probably just not searching the individual ranges correctly.  I can't remember exactly how it's done now but it's an awful system to use! 

Did you use DAB in your previous car btw?  Some areas are just really poor for DAB signal.

 

Yeah mate had sync 3.4 in my other focus no issue with dab

3 hours ago, StephenFord said:

If you've just picked it up, you'll have no idea of the radio history. The first thing I would do is make sure it has a DAB aerial fitted to it. You'll have to pop the unit out and look at the back. It's highly unlikely (though not impossible) that the head unit has a fault that simply doesn't play DAB...

It's a titanium x surely it would have the aerial? Someone mentioned  something about the DAB ariel in the arm rest?? Sounds a bit odd that!

4 minutes ago, Morty1977 said:

It's a titanium x surely it would have the aerial? Someone mentioned  something about the DAB ariel in the arm rest?? Sounds a bit odd that!

Yep I agree, it probably does have an aerial - just make sure it's plugged in! I've made an error before at putting a headunit back forgetting to hook the aerial. If previous owner lived in a strong FM area, may not have noticed, if they indeed ever listened to the radio!

Is it a case of pulling radio out?

Can anyone help? It's doing my nut in not finding dab !😬

9 hours ago, Morty1977 said:

Can anyone help? It's doing my nut in not finding dab !😬

I still don't think you're searching properly if it won't find anything at all.  Unless these were DAB only and not compatible with the DAB+ switchover.

Radio comes out fairly easily, there's a small plastic rectangular cover just below the radio that covers 2 Torx screws.  (See white plastic 'nuts' for location).  After they're removed you can pull the facia off.  There it's more Torx for the actual radio itself.

I've searched the same way I do for fm but just get the loading circle thing. Doesn't even give me the highlighted Manuel search option. Perhaps it doesn't support the new dab!

8 minutes ago, Morty1977 said:

 Perhaps it doesn't support the new dab!

'Old' DAB still broadcasts, albeit with a limited selection...

11 minutes ago, Morty1977 said:

I've searched the same way I do for fm but just get the loading circle thing. Doesn't even give me the highlighted Manuel search option. Perhaps it doesn't support the new dab!

Can you post a pic of the loading screen?  You may have to stop the auto search before you can select the manual search...it's that kind of 'procedure' that was needed for the DAB stuff on the PFL. 

1 hour ago, TomsFocus said:

Can you post a pic of the loading screen?  You may have to stop the auto search before you can select the manual search...it's that kind of 'procedure' that was needed for the DAB stuff on the PFL. 

 

22 minutes ago, Morty1977 said:

 

Hmm, no button options at all...  Does look like an actual fault then.  You could remove it to check the DAB aerial is plugged in but I'd guess the HU itself is faulty.

Just now, TomsFocus said:

Hmm, no button options at all...  Does look like an actual fault then.  You could remove it to check the DAB aerial is plugged in but I'd guess the HU itself is faulty.

Cheers pal . I'll have a look at some point. I'll make do with fm and amazon music for now  just don't like stuff not working . Probably annoy me if the am frequency wasn't working lol 👍

On 10/8/2021 at 12:07 PM, Morty1977 said:

Cheers pal . I'll have a look at some point. I'll make do with fm and amazon music for now  just don't like stuff not working . Probably annoy me if the am frequency wasn't working lol 👍

 

On 10/8/2021 at 12:07 PM, Morty1977 said:

Cheers pal . I'll have a look at some point. I'll make do with fm and amazon music for now  just don't like stuff not working . Probably annoy me if the am frequency wasn't working lol 👍

Hello mate, did you ever get this sorted/figured out. Would be interested in knowing if you did. My wifes 2013 fiesta has the same issue. Been doing it a while apparently but DAB was working when we bought the car. Cheers.

17 hours ago, Barnesy2013 said:

 

Hello mate, did you ever get this sorted/figured out. Would be interested in knowing if you did. My wifes 2013 fiesta has the same issue. Been doing it a while apparently but DAB was working when we bought the car. Cheers.

No mate don't know what I can do to sort it

1 hour ago, Morty1977 said:

No mate don't know what I can do to sort it

Ah no worries, cheers for the reply. I've had a read about the ariel antenna booster module maybe being an issue so going to replace mine and see what happens. It's located right were we had a bit of a bump around the time the DAB went so makes me wonder. I'll let you know the outcome if it's not something you've tried. I'm not holding my breath though 👍

10 hours ago, Barnesy2013 said:

Ah no worries, cheers for the reply. I've had a read about the ariel antenna booster module maybe being an issue so going to replace mine and see what happens. It's located right were we had a bit of a bump around the time the DAB went so makes me wonder. I'll let you know the outcome if it's not something you've tried. I'm not holding my breath though 👍

 

Where abouts is it?

On 2/27/2022 at 6:43 PM, Barnesy2013 said:

 

Hello mate, did you ever get this sorted/figured out. Would be interested in knowing if you did. My wifes 2013 fiesta has the same issue. Been doing it a while apparently but DAB was working when we bought the car. Cheers.

DAB is obsolete - on legacy support last 8 years 

DAB+ transmission started Feb 2016 and is a totally different set up that needs suitable hardware - some tuners got both chipsets - but in merc land a 2013 car never had it turned on - it requires a dealer update to get you there... not sure where ford are but I can imagine they got it all wrong

I have the same unit as yours as far as I can tell.

I don't know if it helps, but when my radio is searching for a DAB station, the display says "Station Seek". I don't get the circle that you're getting. Also, I still get the List/Manual/-/- description for the four soft function buttons displayed, while it's searching. So I can select the 2nd button which brings up the manual tuning screen. So I am beginning to wonder if there is indeed a fault on your unit which wouldn't be solved by a better aerial. 

20 hours ago, Morty1977 said:

 

Where abouts is it?

In my fiesta its behind the boot lining rear o/s although a focus might be different. Missed the postie today so it will be Friday when I give it ago although from Botus it could be that DAB has been phased out and it just won't receive DAB+ which would be rubbish 🤷‍♂️

2 hours ago, Botus said:

DAB is obsolete - on legacy support last 8 years 

DAB+ transmission started Feb 2016 and is a totally different set up that needs suitable hardware - some tuners got both chipsets - but in merc land a 2013 car never had it turned on - it requires a dealer update to get you there... not sure where ford are but I can imagine they got it all wrong

Thanks for this, I wonder if this is the case and DAB was phased out to a point I couldn't receive it.I had it until 2021 on the car but then just stopped working one day.