Poor Radio reception 2023 corolla ?

[Roy124]

I think the DAB issue is one of aerial masking.  In a dead space I have regained, and then lost, DAB as I open or close my tail gate. Yaris Cross.

Reception is no better nor worse than my MY19 Corolla. 

[RabButler]

4 hours ago, Nocaster5151 said:

Update. Had the update done by the dealer. I think I was being a little hopeful in case it might help the radio reception. Of course not, still as bad as before. Switched over to the new app that replaces my t today. Just as bad as the old one. It has no idea where my car is, or what my last journey was l or if the doors are locked and you can't turn on the air conditioning remotely. Really Toyota shouldn't be allowed to advertise their products with features that just don't work as this swayed me towards a corolla over a honda civic. 

I have been as critical of Toyota IT as anyone, but the new updated version of MyToyota definitely works better for me than MyT. It sounds as if you do have a problem with the DCM. As a matter of interest, did the dealer give you a new 12v Battery. I am beginning to wonder if some of the problems are caused by the 12v Battery being marginal. If I use the 'accessory' setting I get a 'Battery low' message after about 30 seconds and I can't work out whether this is just Toyota being ultra careful or an indication of a weak battery. Since  it has never failed to start, it is probably the former, but it does not inspire confidence.

[FDG]

My 2023 Corolla TS 2.0 also suffers from poor DAB reception and Internet Connection drop out. I'm in Scotland and over the same routes with the same radio station my Mini Cooper has no problems. Dealer can't see a problem and Toyota Customer Relations say that there is no "fix" in the pipeline. Head in the sand territory!

[Paul john]

6 hours ago, FDG said:

My 2023 Corolla TS 2.0 also suffers from poor DAB reception and Internet Connection drop out. I'm in Scotland and over the same routes with the same radio station my Mini Cooper has no problems. Dealer can't see a problem and Toyota Customer Relations say that there is no "fix" in the pipeline. Head in the sand territory!

DAB is shocking in the highlands.  FM not so much

[Nocaster5151]

I'm the original poster. A year on,  nothing has changed. Took it for its first service, raised it again. Dealer hasn't got a clue, there is no fix that they are prepared to attempt under warranty and no one interested.  I was given an aygo as a courtesy car which had perfect radio reception on the same route home where the corolla cuts out. Mentioned that to the dealer, they told me the aygo works because it has a french non Toyota radio... Told them that my old lexus also works fine on the same route... Was told that is because it's an old Toyota/lexus radio. 

Embarrassing really. 

 

[Danharvey]

3 hours ago, Nocaster5151 said:

I'm the original poster. A year on,  nothing has changed. Took it for its first service, raised it again. Dealer hasn't got a clue, there is no fix that they are prepared to attempt under warranty and no one interested.  I was given an aygo as a courtesy car which had perfect radio reception on the same route home where the corolla cuts out. Mentioned that to the dealer, they told me the aygo works because it has a french non Toyota radio... Told them that my old lexus also works fine on the same route... Was told that is because it's an old Toyota/lexus radio. 

Embarrassing really. 

 

Seems to be very much the same with my dealer.

 

My 1.8 2023 TS went in for a service on Friday and I told them the DAB still needed sorting out.

 

Was told there wasn't an issue and Toyota said there were no issues.

The DAB reception and performance has gone as downhill as my dealer has in the last 12 months since I picked this car up. Full of young salespeople who aren't interested in what the customer wants but what they want to sell.

 

[Paul john]

4 hours ago, Nocaster5151 said:

I'm the original poster. A year on,  nothing has changed. Took it for its first service, raised it again. Dealer hasn't got a clue, there is no fix that they are prepared to attempt under warranty and no one interested.  I was given an aygo as a courtesy car which had perfect radio reception on the same route home where the corolla cuts out. Mentioned that to the dealer, they told me the aygo works because it has a french non Toyota radio... Told them that my old lexus also works fine on the same route... Was told that is because it's an old Toyota/lexus radio. 

Embarrassing really. 

 

Isnt the head unit a Panasonic like my Prius which is of a similar manufacturing year to your Corolla ?

i think your dealer will find that Panasonic are Japanese not French…

which dealer was it? I have had really really stoopid sales people at a couple of dealers in essex and have vetoed them in favour of a major concern in central essex and one in hampshire. Both are about an hours drive from my house. 
 

[Cyker]

5 hours ago, Paul john said:

DAB is shocking in the highlands.  FM not so much

The horrible noise up there is normal, it's just what all the bag pipe music and irn bru adverts sound like in clarity 

(Kidding! Kidding! Don't haggis me!  ) 

[Nocaster5151]

1 hour ago, Paul john said:

Isnt the head unit a Panasonic like my Prius which is of a similar manufacturing year to your Corolla ?

i think your dealer will find that Panasonic are Japanese not French…

which dealer was it? I have had really really stoopid sales people at a couple of dealers in essex and have vetoed them in favour of a major concern in central essex and one in hampshire. Both are about an hours drive from my house. 
 

They were talking about the aygo which I think is made in France and shares with Citroen and Peugeot. The corolla is UK built by Toyota. 

[Paul john]

Just now, Nocaster5151 said:

They were talking about the aygo which I think is made in France and shares with Citroen and Peugeot. The corolla is UK built by Toyota. 

Which dealer was it out of interest?

[Mr Billiards]

I had a new 2ltr GR Sport Hatch in October 23 and the DAB reception was very poor and the signal use to drop out maybe 30% of the time.

However I have noticed over the last month reception has improved and the reception is only dropping out around 5% of the time. I have had no over the air updates as far as I'm aware, but the reception has definitely improved. 

[Nocaster5151]

Hills of Woodford/ Hainault 

[Paul john]

6 minutes ago, Nocaster5151 said:

Hills of Woodford/ Hainault 

Thanks. They are not on my veto list lol but will consider because of your experiences.

[FROSTYBALLS]

6 minutes ago, Nocaster5151 said:

They were talking about the aygo which I think is made in France and shares with Citroen and Peugeot. The corolla is UK built by Toyota. 

The Aygo, C1 & 107/108 were made in the Czech Republic in a Joint Venture between Toyota and Stellantis. The plant is now wholly owned by Toyota and makes the Aygo X, and some Yaris.

The Corolla hatchback and Touring Sport are built in the UK, and the saloon in Turkey.

The Yaris and Yaris Cross are built in France.

[Paul john]

8 minutes ago, Mr Billiards said:

I had a new 2ltr GR Sport Hatch in October 23 and the DAB reception was very poor and the signal use to drop out maybe 30% of the time.

However I have noticed over the last month reception has improved and the reception is only dropping out around 5% of the time. I have had no over the air updates as far as I'm aware, but the reception has definitely improved. 

I wonder if both your issues are due to the 3g shutdown and reallocation of spectrum frequencies to DAB and other services?

i dont listen to DAB that much but i do have the setting for ALT frequency turned on.

the only DAB dropouts i have had were on the M11 around stanstead and on the weardale in yorkshire. 

[Paul john]

2 minutes ago, FROSTYBALLS said:

The Aygo, C1 & 107/108 were made in the Czech Republic in a Joint Venture between Toyota and Stellantis. The plant is now wholly owned by Toyota and makes the Aygo X, and some Yaris.

The Corolla hatchback and Touring Sport are built in the UK, and the saloon in Turkey.

The Yaris and Yaris Cross are built in France.

Thank you. All with Panasonic units?

[Padster]

Hi did anyone get an answer to the poor radio reception issue?  I collected a, new to me, 2023 ST last week that has been on a dealers forecourt for a few months, so unlikely any updates completed. The radio is very very very annoying to listen to as it cuts out every minute or two. I do live in the country side but every car I've owned for the last 20 years managed to get a signal! Thanks   

[Nocaster5151]

Afraid not. Toyota and dealers refusing to recognise the problem exists, so nowhere closer to a fix. They are fine in areas with strong radio reception but that's no help to those who do not. 

[Padster]

Thanks.  Mmmm I'll speak to dealer and perhaps talk to a radio specialist there must be a way of increasing the quality of the reception antenna. 

[Padster]

Mine went to the dealer today. I explained the situation carefully they wrote it down and guess what ...yep, when I got it back "the technician says the radio's fine".  Of course it is in the dealer in a big town with lots of signal. On the up side as evidence of the issue the Yaris  that they lent me over night had no problems with signals in all locations where the Corolla drops out, the Yaris's radio in DAB and FM was perfect.  So we discussed and they acknowledge with the facelift cars being only about a year old it could be a warrantee issue that Toyota haven't yet  experienced enough of to acknowledge or it could be my car as an individual unit. I'm doubtful of the later having read this thread. They are suggesting taking out the head unit next week and investigate connections etc. under warrantee. If I elect for that they are going to supply a 23/24 Corolla for me and I'll do another drive by of the drop out areas, see if that ones any better. In the mean time I will be talking to independent radio specialists for their opinion.           

  

[Padster]

So the local radio specialist I spoke to made sense.  He explained it could be the model of car, not faulty or poor quality equipment in it. i.e. the design/manufacture of the vehicle, especially with lots of electronics, could be interfering/blocking/degrading radio reception even if the car has a perfectly good quality head unit and aerial fitted. The result being acceptable reception in strong signal areas but where signal is weaker it drops out, which it does, unfortunately that means I get no signal within 1/2 mile of home and 3 or 4 dropouts on the way to work.  He said there is no reasonable quick fix, no better aerial option or aerial booster etc that will be guaranteed to work. To fix it the manufacturer would need to take responsibility and identify the interference issue. It's an issue he sees with a number of car types. Fitting some type of very high quality aerial circumnavigating the manufacturer installed aerial would be very expensive involve headlining coming out and he still couldn't guarantee a result as the signal interferences may also effect that one!  He suggested the only way you can be sure it's the car design and not an individual vehicle is to drive a similar car on the same route then compare.  Hopefully this will be on Thursday when the garage lend me a Corolla curtesy car.  Watch this space.         

[fotw02]

On 7/29/2024 at 3:32 PM, Padster said:

So the local radio specialist I spoke to made sense.  He explained it could be the model of car, not faulty or poor quality equipment in it. i.e. the design/manufacture of the vehicle, especially with lots of electronics, could be interfering/blocking/degrading radio reception even if the car has a perfectly good quality head unit and aerial fitted. The result being acceptable reception in strong signal areas but where signal is weaker it drops out, which it does, unfortunately that means I get no signal within 1/2 mile of home and 3 or 4 dropouts on the way to work.  He said there is no reasonable quick fix, no better aerial option or aerial booster etc that will be guaranteed to work. To fix it the manufacturer would need to take responsibility and identify the interference issue. It's an issue he sees with a number of car types. Fitting some type of very high quality aerial circumnavigating the manufacturer installed aerial would be very expensive involve headlining coming out and he still couldn't guarantee a result as the signal interferences may also effect that one!  He suggested the only way you can be sure it's the car design and not an individual vehicle is to drive a similar car on the same route then compare.  Hopefully this will be on Thursday when the garage lend me a Corolla curtesy car.  Watch this space.         

Thanks for sharing. Sounds rather disappointing that there is no easy fix/workaround, which could also explain the lack of action from Toyota.