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Anyone Having Poor Xm Satellite Radio Reception Issues?

20K views 47 replies 34 participants last post by  AZElantra11  
#1 ·
I have a 2011 limited with Nav. I'm using the trial XM subscription. I notice that the signal drops out whenever there are buildings or tall trees to the South. This is pretty annoying. I don't get those drop outs with FM.

I have had Sirius radio for 5 years. It is a portable unit. I used to keep the antenna just sitting on the dash. It would very rarely loose reception.

I was expecting better reception with the built in XM radio because the antenna is on the roof.

I'm wondering if I have a bad antenna connection or something else that's wrong. Or possibly the sirius satellites provide a better signal.

Anyone else notice this? Is this something to mention to the dealer?

Thanks.
 
#3 ·
While I never had satellite radio before I do live near a large metropolitan area and I commute through its streets everyday. There are many tall buildings (Both North and South of me) and overpasses and short tunnels I go through. For the most part my signal has no issue. The only time I had an issue was within a parking garage and that of course makes sense just like long tunnels and what not.

You can have the dealer look at it since its under warranty still sounds like an issue to me. But again I am not sure I have no history to match to.
 
#4 ·
It totally depends on your location, xm has a ground based repeater network and apparently some areas have very spotty service even with this. I noticed the quality of service got worse on several channels I regularly listened to when they changed the channel lineup in April. My other issue is that channels come in at different volumes. I let my service lapse but will probably sign up again in the fall for football coverage even with the issues.
 
#6 ·
QUOTE (Jonathan Hyland @ Jun 28 2011, 10:00 PM) index.php?act=findpost&pid=468543
I have a 2011 limited with Nav. I'm using the trial XM subscription. I notice that the signal drops out whenever there are buildings or tall trees to the South. This is pretty annoying. I don't get those drop outs with FM.

I have had Sirius radio for 5 years. It is a portable unit. I used to keep the antenna just sitting on the dash. It would very rarely loose reception.

I was expecting better reception with the built in XM radio because the antenna is on the roof.

I'm wondering if I have a bad antenna connection or something else that's wrong. Or possibly the sirius satellites provide a better signal.

Anyone else notice this? Is this something to mention to the dealer?

Thanks.
I too had a portable Sirius unit in my old car and noticed I now get fade out in certain areas that I never got it with the Sirius radio. Hooked the Sirius up in the wife's van after getting the Elantra. I also started a thread sometime back where I hear more compression issues with XM. In particular a sound I can only describe best as when a CD skips when words using s are said or sung on the radio. This tends to be worse on some channels than others.
 
#7 ·
2012 Elantra poor XM reception

I also am disappointed with the XM reception in my 2012 Elantra. I have used the XM in a Dodge Ram Hemi and never experienced the drop outs and static I get with my Hyundai. I thought that maybe it was a problem with my specific unit, maybe a bad connection. From looking at others comments It looks to be either the receiver has poor sensitivity or the antenna design is bad.
 
#8 ·
Poor reception here too... I have a 2012 limited as well. I thought it may be due to the fact that I have an US subscription but live in Canada (different sat maybe).. I also notice it more on the "Sirius" channels like Howard Stern. Guess its not just me then. I know in the world of dishes, where you were located and where the satelitte was made a huge difference, not sure it that applies in this world.
 
#12 ·
Southwestern BC here, the reception itself is just fine but there are a few specific places I can drive by where the reception will almost always (90%+ chance) cut out. This is only for a few seconds as I pass through, nothing too major. Not sure if the coverage just misses these spots or if there is some kind of magnetic field or something heh.

I like XM, I only pay about 6 bucks a month (they called me after the free trial and offered that for 3 months, now they just extended it again for another 6 months). I think the service is worth it for that since they carry all the NHL games...I personally wouldn't pay 15 for it though.
 
#15 ·
Northern MN here... I have no issues with my 2012 Limited. I had Sirius in my Dodge Charger also, and had no issues with it either. Of course, it would cut out in my garage, but no problems. I just found it to be very boring (playing the same stuff I've already heard for years over and over, even though I know the group had other good songs) and some announcers thought I wanted to actually listen to their bla-bla-bla... I didn't! And paying around $125 a year is stupid, I think. I ended up downloading and burning several CDs of the music I WANTED and listened to those...
 
#16 ·
I get frequent cut-outs here in the vicinity of Boston, MA. Mainly due to trees along highways. I haven't liked the programming, either - not even the talky stuff. XM could offer this to me for $1/month and I still wouldn't bite. I'm quite happy with my other choices. :) So far, XM has had a hard time taking no for an answer, but now that I've invoked "do-not-call" twice, I think it's over. (This is increasingly becoming a problem for me... companies not respecting the do-not-call laws.)
 
#17 ·
No issues here in NW Oregon although sometimes it will just fart and I'll get a split-second's worth of static, I chalk it up to a signal coming in from freaking outer space. I only lose it regularly in two places, one of which I never drive anymore and both of which have huge embankments with old-growth trees along them to the south so I can totally understand it. I don't even lose it in the Vista Ridge Tunnels on US-26 going into and out of downtown which is astonishing owing to the fact that the tunnels run east and west.

I'll be renewing for two more years come December, mainly because FM around here sucks something fierce.
 
#18 ·
Disappointed from the start with the reception in my brand new Santa Fe Limited w/nav. Infinity should be ashamed to produce a system with such weak sensitivity- or a poor antenna. I had an old Alpine stereo in my '92 Dodge Dakota pickup that was a good 10 years old w/Alpine's XM convertor- the only time I ever lost reception was in a parking garage or tunnel. In the Hyundai, I lose reception just driving down a street with trees- or when driving under an underpass. A good system will not do that. Have used satellite in other car rentals- non-Hyundai- same good reception.
Wes
Atlantic Beach
2 day old Santa Fe Limited w/nav- Red w/tan leather interior
 
#21 ·
Only a couple weeks experience here with my GT and reception is a bit spotty. It will occasionally drop signal briefly in steep terrain and even when the tree cover is heavy. It has been six or seven years since I had XM with an aftermarket system and I recall the reception was better. I think the radio and/or antenna in the car is a bit subpar.

Even with the low rates you can negotiate over the phone, I will probably not sign up beyond the trial period. I might feel differently if I took long trips in the car. My previous experience with XM customer service made me feel like they were a sleazy company to deal with and I really don't want to haggle and play this stupid game of bluffing like I'm going to quit every six months.

- Mark
 
#22 ·
I might feel differently if I took long trips in the car.
- Mark
If you are taking a long trip. Load up 8GB of music on a USB stick. You will not run out with that much music. I made a trip from Seattle, WA to Eugene, OR and back. Never made it all the way through a 4GB of music I had on an SD card.
 
#29 ·
I have noticed that XM satellite reception drops randomly and is not linked to normal reception cut outs that occur while underground or parking structure. The Xm will cut out while driving past certain buildings. However, the Siriusdatellite in my other vehicle has no such issues.
First off, :00000732: and love your SN, haha. Yes, the XM does seem to cut out more in this vehicle than in others I've had. Don't know why, though.