More Kangoo French electrics

[mat_the_cat]

I normally get on well with electrics, but one problem has me baffled, and the other one I'm seeking a lazy option!

 

First the puzzling one - the radio has always had poor reception. At first I put it down to living in a remotish area, so if something is a bit marginal this will highlight any weaknesses. I first replaced the original radio with one known to work acceptably in another car. No improvement.

 

Aha, must be the aerial then. Bought a decent, amplified one which I've used on the van with great success [/borat] No better.

 

I was wanting to move to DAB after being spoilt by my wife's new car with a DAB unit, so I bought a new radio - hoping that maybe my original replacement unit had developed a tuner fault. STILL no better!!!

 

The new aerial came with all new cables, and I'm sure it's making a decent ground connection with the roof. It must be something to do with the installation, but what??? Surely 'because it's French' can't be the reason?

 

Second problem which I could probably solve if I traced the wiring...just wondered if anyone knew the cause. It's a base spec. Kangoo and hence no front foglights although does have the wiring behind the front bumper. I got a set from a scrapyard, fitted them along with the stalk and relay. What happens is that the relay switches and the warning light works, but nothing from the front fogs (bulbs and earth OK).

 

I've read somewhere that they might have to be 'enabled' in the ECU, but to stop them from working when the relay contacts are, the ECU would need to interrupt the high current path between it and the lights. So if it contains a power transistor capable of switching 10 amps or so, why bother with the relay in the first place?!