Hillside Joe Posted February 27, 2017 Share Posted February 27, 2017 I have a 2013 Legacy 25i Premium that I bought used last year. The satellite radio antenna is inside on the windshield, which the manual confirms is the factory install. The reception is very spotty compared to an older, cheaper car I previously had with satellite radio and a "sharkfin" antenna on the roof. The manual also says the reception will fail if I'm driving away from the satellite, and actually it is much worse than that. The dealer says the antenna is working as it should. But, really, it's very unsatisfactory. Has anyone else experienced this problem, and has anyone found a solution for it? If I get a magnet /exterior antenna that attaches through the insulation of the windshield, or however that would work will that improve reception? I've been advised a sharkfin cannot be retrofitted (they make ones that go over a stick-handle radio antenna, but not a situation like this, from from I understand). Any input welcome, thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capttris Posted February 28, 2017 Share Posted February 28, 2017 I didn't know any of the 2013 models with satellite antenna had it in the windshield. I thought they were all shark fin on the roof. Interesting... Mine worked great when I used it. I just haven't used it in years now... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NVAKeith Posted February 28, 2017 Share Posted February 28, 2017 Sounds like you have the Subaru "accessory" satelite radio add on. Part number H621SAJ100 for 2010-2014. Likely dealer or port installed. I would Google the install instructions and see if the tuner box has a standard XM/Sirius antenna plug on it. If it does, you could add an external magnet mount antenna. My 2011 with nav has the shark fin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hillside Joe Posted March 1, 2017 Author Share Posted March 1, 2017 Yes NVAKeith, great info. what you suggest doing is what a custom audio dealer just said they could do, and likely I will do it. I was wondering why many other Subarus as old or older than mine have the sharkfin, you just explained it to me. Thanks ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hillside Joe Posted March 1, 2017 Author Share Posted March 1, 2017 Capttris, does your 2013 Limited have the nav system? NVAKeith's response makes me think they were putting the sharkfin on models with navigation at that time. don't know about now. Kind of cheap of them considering Iknow Hyundais had sharkfins pretty much standard since 2009! Thanks for your response. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NVAKeith Posted March 2, 2017 Share Posted March 2, 2017 A quick look at cars.com pics suggests all 2013 limiteds have the shark fin, even without nav, suggesting satelite radio is standard on them. None of the 2013 premiums I clicked on had the shark fin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capttris Posted March 2, 2017 Share Posted March 2, 2017 Hillside Joe, I have a 2.5 Limited with NO NAV. My shark fin is painted body color, along with the side mirrors. I think the base and premium in 2013 had black plastic (unpainted). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hillside Joe Posted March 2, 2017 Author Share Posted March 2, 2017 Thanks, Capttris. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hillside Joe Posted March 6, 2017 Author Share Posted March 6, 2017 Here's the update; Whatever Subaru antenna I have, don't know whether it's the part NVAKeith referred to, the Audio installer said a magnetic exterior aftermarket antenna does not fit the connector for the Subaru Satellite radio receiver in the dash. So all he could do was move the existing antenna to the front of the dashboard, so it is not being blocked by the roof the way it was being up at the top of the windshield, where the roof could interfere with satellite signal.. It is an improvement in reception, but not as good as I was hoping for. I'll go with it for a couple of weeks and see if it is good enough to live with. Thanks to all who responded! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FLlegacy Posted March 6, 2017 Share Posted March 6, 2017 Our Tribeca had the interior windshield antennae I wouldn't call it terrible. Granted our odyssey seems to get better reception. Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G920A using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drace60 Posted March 10, 2017 Share Posted March 10, 2017 Have the Sat provider Refresh the signal , That some times works Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hillside Joe Posted March 11, 2017 Author Share Posted March 11, 2017 Drace60, An astute and logical suggestion. I tried that as soon as I read your post, and unfortunately, it didn't help. But you are right it is a variable I needed to eliminate in chasing this issue down. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drace60 Posted March 12, 2017 Share Posted March 12, 2017 On my Garmin Zumo GPS W/Nav I often have to call the sat provider while im riding , needless to say its a real pain . Occasionally I have spotty reception in my 14 legacy limited , then I call my Sat provider and tell them the problem and they ask the most Stupid Questions , So I give them A stupid answer ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hillside Joe Posted March 12, 2017 Author Share Posted March 12, 2017 Moving the antennas from the windshield to the dashboard top, BTW seems only to have made the problems more frequent and sustained. Following my interactions with Sirius XM (refreshed signal twice) I spoke to their tech support and it was suggested that the chip in the module/receiver itself needs replacing by the dealer, who would have to communicate with Sirius because that would necessitate a new ID for their signal. SO I guess that's next step. Thanks again for reading and responding! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NVAKeith Posted March 13, 2017 Share Posted March 13, 2017 Assuming you are out of warranty I was going to suggest buying a new XM accessory kit and installing it yourself to save some $, but I see the install kit is $300. If the dealer can replace just a part of the kit then it may be cheaper to have them fix it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hillside Joe Posted March 14, 2017 Author Share Posted March 14, 2017 I do have warranty protection, but to have that kick in, Subaru would have to concede the thing is not working properly, which they refuse to do. So replace the chip, replace the antenna, anything like that will be on me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hillside Joe Posted March 14, 2017 Author Share Posted March 14, 2017 I do have warranty protection, but to have that kick in, Subaru would have to concede the thing is not working properly, which they refuse to do. So replace the chip, replace the antenna, anything like that will be on me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SVXdc Posted April 14, 2017 Share Posted April 14, 2017 The antenna connector on the OEM sat radio tuner box is just an SMB connector inside a FAKRA shroud. You can find a FAKRA-to-plain SMB adapter that will allow you to connect an aftermarket magnet mount sat antenna to put on your roof. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hillside Joe Posted April 18, 2017 Author Share Posted April 18, 2017 Just in case anyone is still interested, NVAKeith was exactly right on the part #, (which, as I said, the custom audio shop said cannot be adapted to any aftermarket antenna). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hillside Joe Posted April 20, 2017 Author Share Posted April 20, 2017 Apparently I can only replace the module (the kit includes the antenna) The old module has been discontinued and new Subaru part supercedes it. Old part: H621SAJ000 New part H621SAJ100. Does anyone have any experience with this? Is the new part truly an upgrade? Or just a new part #? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hillside Joe Posted April 20, 2017 Author Share Posted April 20, 2017 Thanks, SVXdc I only saw your response this morning. I researched this and ordered the part this morning. I wish the audio installer I talked to knew there was an adaptor (I asked!). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hillside Joe Posted April 25, 2017 Author Share Posted April 25, 2017 The connector coming from my factory satellite module is female of the same type as my Sirius magnetic antenna connector. It appears what I need is male SMB/male SMB adaptor Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NVAKeith Posted April 26, 2017 Share Posted April 26, 2017 Try digikey.com for the adapter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hillside Joe Posted April 30, 2017 Author Share Posted April 30, 2017 Yesterday I got the Sirius aftermarket antenna installed, connected to the Subaru Satellite module with the SMB male/male adaptor. One day of driving reveals the dropouts are much worse! The roof-mounted antenna fails to maintain signal even more than the Subaru windshield mounted one. I did refresh the signal. I am at a loss. Again, the dealer has diagnosed the satellite module and asserts that it works. Is there something I'm missing? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FLlegacy Posted May 2, 2017 Share Posted May 2, 2017 Are you positive it's a hardware problem and not a signal problem. Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G920A using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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