DAB Radio

jeffg162 · May 11, 2021

Hello people...quick question relating to CT200 and DAB audio. Model is CT200 F Sport, 09/14.

I can select DAB in the menu but it says 'no signal'. Am i missing something to make it function? There is a shark fin on the roof (doesn't have any cables going to it) and also what looks like a ribbon aerial tucked inside the tailgate spoiler. Image of my radio unit attached.

Thanks in Advance.

Herbie · May 11, 2021

I take it that you haven't had the car very long?

Could be a few possibilities:

Maybe DAB was an optional extra that wasn't taken up by the original owner so you may need to add a DAB module
You're just in a bad reception area for DAB
Aerial wire broken off the shark fin
Have you tried to actually 'tune it in' or scan for ensembles?

jeffg162 · May 11, 2021

Hi Herbie

Thanks for your reply. Correct, only had the car for 6 weeks.

Your first option...I wouldn't have thought I'd be able to select DAB if it didn't have the module.

Second option...tried a few different areas but all the same

Third option...I stripped it to have the roof painted and there's no wiring in the roof for the shark fin (odd) but is it because the F Sport has the DAB aerial in the spoiler?

Fourth option...it won't allow tuning...just says 'no signal'

TIA

Jeff

Herbie · May 11, 2021

Sorry then Jeff, afraid I'm out of ideas my friend. Good luck in getting it sorted.

stormchaser · May 11, 2021

I know on mine i have the DAB button but in the menu it,s greyed out and cannot use it.Lexus are quoting me £450 to fit a module and an internal aerial.Basically it,s plug and play on mine(2011).

You should have some sort of wiring in your shark fin aerial as i don,t see what an empty case can do.Maybe it,s not reconnected?

jeffg162 · May 12, 2021

Hi Stormchaser...this is the weird thing, I can access DAB, ie not greyed out.

The shark fin has the internals but nothing in the roof to connect to it, the aerial seems to be in the spoiler on 'F Sports'

Maybe I need to do some further investigation on the car...was hoping someone on here had come across the same issue and could save me the time lol.

Cheers

Jeff

Phil xxkr · May 12, 2021

10 hours ago, stormchaser said:

I know on mine i have the DAB button but in the menu it,s greyed out and cannot use it.Lexus are quoting me £450 to fit a module and an internal aerial.Basically it,s plug and play on mine(2011).

You should have some sort of wiring in your shark fin aerial as i don,t see what an empty case can do.Maybe it,s not reconnected?

Mine is the same Paul, but I connect my phone via BT, I mainly listen to Talk Radio and it works fine, occasionally signal drops out but not often enough to be a pain.

Thackeray · May 12, 2021

22 hours ago, jeffg162 said:

I can select DAB in the menu but it says 'no signal'.

There was a thread a couple of years ago where someone else also had "no signal" for DAB radio. This was on an IS300h so it may not be the same. But just in case it's any help here's a link to the thread. Scroll down to the sixth post for my explanation of the problem.

jeffg162 · May 12, 2021

Hi Thackeray...many thanks for that. I'll have a play later.

I have to agree with that thread, navigating the Lexus system is awful...tried using the sat nav the other week and gave up and used Google maps on my phone instead!

stormchaser · May 12, 2021

12 hours ago, Phil xxkr said:

Mine is the same Paul, but I connect my phone via BT, I mainly listen to Talk Radio and it works fine, occasionally signal drops out but not often enough to be a pain.

Yeah me too i,m not bothered about the Lexus DAB as i have it all on my phone.

jeffg162 · May 12, 2021

Many thanks for the assistance Thackeray…did exactly what the thread said and now have DAB 👍🏻
Handy to know that F Sport shark fin is clearly a dummy too.

ColinBarber · May 12, 2021

25 minutes ago, jeffg162 said:

Handy to know that F Sport shark fin is clearly a dummy too.

Nothing unique to the F Sport. The shark fin is a telephone antenna. Won't be connected if you don't have a phone car kit installed.

The DAB antenna is on the windscreen, near the rear view mirror.

All CTs have some sort of high level rear spoiler which houses the AM / FM antenna. There is a second diversity FM antenna in the rear window.

Herbie · May 12, 2021

46 minutes ago, jeffg162 said:

Many thanks for the assistance Thackeray…did exactly what the thread said and now have DAB

So it was a matter of 'tuning it in' albeit in a complex 'Lexus' way :laughing:

jeffg162 · May 12, 2021

Yes Herbie…’complex’ being the operative word!

So there are aerials dotted around all over the car 🤦🏻‍♂️.
I’m not disputing your knowledge but I have full Bluetooth phone connectivity but nothing connects to the shark fin 🤷🏻‍♂️

DarkoDarko · May 13, 2021

I bought mine 3 weeks ago and I managed to tune the DAB but have no idea what I did, the tuning was super complicated.

I managed to save my favorites and I wont be touching it again.

Darko

Las Palmas · May 23, 2021

Never listen to radio, but sometimes my music is disrupted by traffic announcements. Must be pre-installed in settings somehow.

Trunkz · May 23, 2021

On 5/12/2021 at 9:50 PM, ColinBarber said:

Nothing unique to the F Sport. The shark fin is a telephone antenna. Won't be connected if you don't have a phone car kit installed.

The DAB antenna is on the windscreen, near the rear view mirror.

All CTs have some sort of high level rear spoiler which houses the AM / FM antenna. There is a second diversity FM antenna in the rear window.

My 2012 CT has this antenna to the right of the mirror; however the DAB button does nothing. Do i require some manner of module?

ColinBarber · May 23, 2021

4 hours ago, Trunkz said:

My 2012 CT has this antenna to the right of the mirror; however the DAB button does nothing. Do i require some manner of module?

DAB was an option on all CTs at that age rather than standard - sounds like you don't have that option installed.

They are around £400 - £500 from a dealer + fitting.

https://lexuspartsdirect.co.uk/parts/lexus-ct/lexus-ct-2010-onwards/lexus-ct-electrical/lexus-ct-phase-1-dab-tuner/

There is more than one kit, depending if you have Sat Nav or not so you need to make sure you get the correct one (probably only cabling differences).

stormchaser · May 23, 2021

4 hours ago, Trunkz said:

My 2012 CT has this antenna to the right of the mirror; however the DAB button does nothing. Do i require some manner of module?

Dealer wanted to charge me £450 fitted for this.It,s basically a plug and play set up with a module and internal antenna if reqiured.I,m not too bothered about it as i use my phone for the stations i want.

Las Palmas · May 23, 2021

4 hours ago, ColinBarber said:

DAB was an option on all CTs at that age - sounds like you don't have that option installed.

They are around £400 - £500 from a dealer + fitting.

https://lexuspartsdirect.co.uk/parts/lexus-ct/lexus-ct-2010-onwards/lexus-ct-electrical/lexus-ct-phase-1-dab-tuner/

There is more than one kit, depending if you have Sat Nav or not so you need to make sure you get the correct one (probably only cabling differences).

When did DAB radio come to all CT cars? Or only to Luxury etc? Don't know if I have it as never listen to radio. The ML is so good for quality music that I listen to that all the time and only traffic radio interrups now and then. Have to turn that off.

ColinBarber · May 23, 2021

2 minutes ago, Las Palmas said:

When did DAB radio come to all CT cars? Or only to Luxury etc?

In the UK DAB was a £360 option on all grades from launch.

The first model to have it as standard was the Premier (when it replaced the SE-L Premier) in Oct 2012 as it became part of the Premium Nav. If Nav was added to the other grades they therefore also got DAB rather than having to purchase a separate option to get it.

With the facelift in early 2014 it became standard across the grades.

Las Palmas · May 23, 2021

1 hour ago, ColinBarber said:

In the UK DAB was a £360 option on all grades from launch.

The first model to have it as standard was the Premier (when it replaced the SE-L Premier) in Oct 2012 as it became part of the Premium Nav. If Nav was added to the other grades they therefore also got DAB rather than having to purchase a separate option to get it.

With the facelift in early 2014 it became standard across the grades.

So it can be DAB that is interrupting my music. Must look in the manual and see if I can find out how to stop that.

Thank you

thealpher · June 8, 2021

Please be aware that this oem Lexus DAB-module does not support DAB+. It only supports the older DAB standard, and as such it will receive fewer any fewer stations as the radiostations themselves convert to DAB+.

Edited June 8, 2021 by thealpher
spelling

stormchaser · June 8, 2021

Yes i spotted that on lexuspartsdirect website.

Las Palmas · June 10, 2021

On 6/8/2021 at 8:37 PM, thealpher said:

Please be aware that this oem Lexus DAB-module does not support DAB+. It only supports the older DAB standard, and as such it will receive fewer any fewer stations as the radiostations themselves convert to DAB+.

Most of you are in UK.

Have Halfords nearby maybe.

DAB+ is supposedly easy and cheap to get.

https://getdigitalradio.com/ways-to-listen/dab-in-your-car/