Sirius? how does it work?

[Dodge trucker]

HELP

2012 SLT reg cab 8' bed.
I bought new years eve 2021. So I haven't had it 4 months yet. Bought used from a Buick/GMC/Nissan dealer.
I never inquired to SIRIUS once. But in the 1st 3 months I kept getting mail from them. I never told them I had bought a vehicle so equipped. WHO TOLD THEM!?
Among the last 2-3 mailings they kept telling me my "free trial" was ending the last day of March.
So I tried to use it. I've used it in my daughter in laws Yukon when I followed my son home in his "new" '17, Ram 2500.
He has SIRIUS in that truck. Big TV screen display. His works fine. Got to listen to it for ~6 hours today as we went to a swap meet and back, plus some running around town when we got back close to home.
but I cannot get mine to work. Couldn't get it to go past "searching channels" while I had my "trial" so I gave up.
I wasn't gonna activate it /as the regular radio works /// though I don't get the reception with it that my wife does in her 01 Durango (stock radio) or the pioneer in my 96 Dakota.
But my daughter in law said she could put my truck under the same plan she has on her Yukon, much cheaper than any of the options they tried to hook me with. She already did so with my son's Ram when he got that, and it works fine.
My son said she had gotten an Email from SIRIUS later that evening and said my truck is "active" on her account now. *********. still don't work.
She came over 3-4 days ago and we went into my truck, she did something on her phone/ and said that "it should work now" though her phone said to put my radio on Channel 1 which does not exist on my radio. We had a choice of Channel 0 or 2. Not 1.
I didn't drive this truck since, but my wife went to use it today to go to work, said "radio wont play at all, whata boring ride".
She got home and I hit the AM/FM button and we had the regular radio.
I hit "SAT" and it again said "SEARCHING STATIONS" or some such, whatever it was, it was same message as when I had tried it under my supposed "free trial". and it will not come off of that while I have it in "SAT" mode. and dead silent. HOW LONG DOES THIS STATION SEARCH TAKE???? Like do I have to leave the key in it and radio on "SAT" overnight or some such?
I have a plain looking radio, no fancy display, or anything. just a factory, AM/FM/CD with a "SAT" button, and in the bottom corner of the display window, it does say "SIRIUS" on it.
If it aint gonna work, I don't want it on any "plan".
I plugged my Snap on scanner into it and no help there... I tried opening up the "RADIO" file via scanner and saw nothing taht looked like it might be any help.
If it aint gonna work, and I have to get a different radio to get it going, I will probably forget it. but IF I did put a different radio in there will I have to have the dealer program the truck to "see" it?
I keep hearing about "Alfa" on here but have no idea what that is or how I access that.

 

[jawzs2]

It may be the antennae, they call it a puck antennae, up on the roof. The fakra connector for it may have come loose or broke on the back of the radio, there's also a connector up under the headliner about 3" - 4" away from the antennae. It also possibly could be the radio. Getting a sat signal only takes a few seconds. I don't think AlphaOBD will help you in this situation. I'd pull the radio and check the connections first. Maybe the previous owner, had a different radio in it and swapped the original one back in and didn't connect it correctly. I'd also suggest putting your VIN in this site and get the build sheet, make sure it lists SIRIUS Satellite Radio.

FCA RAM

fcacommunity.force.com

A replacement factory radio is plug and play, no changes required.

 

[Dodge trucker]

I put my vin in that link and came up "vin not found"

 

[Dodge trucker]

I went across the street to the dodge dealer with the Carfax in hand before I bought this truck, and had my buddy in the parts department run the vin and tell me what the truck came with originally
I just dug that printout out and it does list Sirius on that printout for this truck.

 

[Dodge trucker]

"fakra connector".... Huh?

 

[Fediej]

When you registered/titled your vehicle, that's how they found out that you had it.
And this may seem like a stupid question, but is your truck parked inside? The satellite radio antenna needs clear line of sight to receive it's signal, so it works best outside.

 

[jawzs2]

"fakra connector".... Huh?

That's what these are called, different colors for AM\FM - XM radio - GPS

 

[Dodge trucker]

Nope. It's outside since the weather has broken. I did have it in the garage more than out when I first got it /now that road salt season is gone and my 99 Dakota is also gone it's been outside most of the time it has never been in the garage since I have tried to get the Sirius working. I've tried it on the driveway (sometimes I have to back about 1/2 way down the driveway to get regular radio reception, has been that way in every vehicle I have owned since I moved here in 98.
But I've tried it at work, while driving home from work, in town and among the (currently barren) cornfields on the country roads near home. Don't matter, isn't working.
My wife got admitted to the hospital today so I am driving the Durango today, never even opened the door on the truck.

 

[Dodge trucker]

Well... Wife been in hospital for the last few days, truck Sirius still stuck on "updating channels" whenever I push the "sat" button, I just go back to am/fm. I haven't had a chance to pull the radio out to see if something isn't connected yet

 

[Irishthreeper]

Not sure what electronics were available on the ‘12 Rams. I’m assuming you have at least one USB connector? My 2500 came with Sirius and it works well. Wife’s ‘22 Civic did not but Sirius subscription allows you to also stream it. Short story is that we put my info into her iPhone and she just plugs into a USB and listens to Sirius. Almost like 2 subscriptions for the price of one.

 

[Irishthreeper]

Forgot to add, hope your wife is doing okay and recovers well! Prayers for her!

 

[Wild one]

HELP

2012 SLT reg cab 8' bed.
I bought new years eve 2021. So I haven't had it 4 months yet. Bought used from a Buick/GMC/Nissan dealer.
I never inquired to SIRIUS once. But in the 1st 3 months I kept getting mail from them. I never told them I had bought a vehicle so equipped. WHO TOLD THEM!?
Among the last 2-3 mailings they kept telling me my "free trial" was ending the last day of March.
So I tried to use it. I've used it in my daughter in laws Yukon when I followed my son home in his "new" '17, Ram 2500.
He has SIRIUS in that truck. Big TV screen display. His works fine. Got to listen to it for ~6 hours today as we went to a swap meet and back, plus some running around town when we got back close to home.
but I cannot get mine to work. Couldn't get it to go past "searching channels" while I had my "trial" so I gave up.
I wasn't gonna activate it /as the regular radio works /// though I don't get the reception with it that my wife does in her 01 Durango (stock radio) or the pioneer in my 96 Dakota.
But my daughter in law said she could put my truck under the same plan she has on her Yukon, much cheaper than any of the options they tried to hook me with. She already did so with my son's Ram when he got that, and it works fine.
My son said she had gotten an Email from SIRIUS later that evening and said my truck is "active" on her account now. *********. still don't work.
She came over 3-4 days ago and we went into my truck, she did something on her phone/ and said that "it should work now" though her phone said to put my radio on Channel 1 which does not exist on my radio. We had a choice of Channel 0 or 2. Not 1.
I didn't drive this truck since, but my wife went to use it today to go to work, said "radio wont play at all, whata boring ride".
She got home and I hit the AM/FM button and we had the regular radio.
I hit "SAT" and it again said "SEARCHING STATIONS" or some such, whatever it was, it was same message as when I had tried it under my supposed "free trial". and it will not come off of that while I have it in "SAT" mode. and dead silent. HOW LONG DOES THIS STATION SEARCH TAKE???? Like do I have to leave the key in it and radio on "SAT" overnight or some such?
I have a plain looking radio, no fancy display, or anything. just a factory, AM/FM/CD with a "SAT" button, and in the bottom corner of the display window, it does say "SIRIUS" on it.
If it aint gonna work, I don't want it on any "plan".
I plugged my Snap on scanner into it and no help there... I tried opening up the "RADIO" file via scanner and saw nothing taht looked like it might be any help.
If it aint gonna work, and I have to get a different radio to get it going, I will probably forget it. but IF I did put a different radio in there will I have to have the dealer program the truck to "see" it?
I keep hearing about "Alfa" on here but have no idea what that is or how I access that.

Phone them,and have them resend it. Don't take their first offer on the phone,play hard ball with them. They'll usually drop down to under 5 bucks a month. I cancel the sirus subscription every fall on my truck and the wifes car,as they sit parked all winter,then renew them in the spring,and i won't go any higher then 5 dollars a month Canuck,they'll eventually come to your price.

 

[Dodge trucker]

No, don't see any usb anywhere just a plug like an earphone plug on an old school transistor radio. I am not sure because I haven't seen the inside of anyone else's '12 but it appears to be a stock oem radio to me.

 

[Dodge trucker]

Phone them,and have them resend it. Don't take their first offer on the phone,play hard ball with them. They'll usually drop down to under 5 bucks a month. I cancel the sirus subscription every fall on my truck and the wifes car,as they sit parked all winter,then renew them in the spring,and i won't go any higher then 5 dollars a month Canuck,they'll eventually come to your price.

Well supposedly I'm now on my daughter in laws plan.

 

[Dodge trucker]

Well still no dice. I pulled the radio and everything is connected. I pulled the headliner down and it appears to be connected there.
My son tried to do a reset on it, looked it up on his phone as we did it. Went from "updating channels" to "searching (for something)". I left my key on afterwards for an hour as we ate and I helped him hang his mower deck on his Kubota.
My daughter in law noticed something different about mine vs her Yukon, my son's 17 Ram 2500 and her former trailblazer. My "antenna" is a flat, Black puck and theirs is like a "wing". Mine is a former fleet truck from new, I believe it to have been a Fastenal truck. Even though I have the Sirius radio, and my build sheet says my truck is so equipped, could the flat Black plug in the antenna hole be a dummy plug? It does have wires going to it.

 

[Dodge trucker]

No, no usb connector

 

[jawzs2]

A few quick questions.

On the lower right corner by the AUX plug should be a three letter code, I'm guessing it is RES

How many of the fakra connectors on the back when you checked, one or two? Should be one white and one yellow

Do you get the preview channel at all, I think its 184?

When you added it on your daughter's account, did you double check the radio number? If I remember correctly, tune to channel zero to get the code from the radio.

I'm leaning towards a bad radio, If you are going to try a new radio, before you buy one, I actually have one out of my 2010 in the garage, if you want, I can ship it to you to test, if it works and you want to keep it, shoot me whatever you think it's worth to you. If you buy one off ebay, don't spend more than $40 - $50 on it, these things are a dime a dozen.

 

[73Thumper]

I am having the same issue. mine is newer as it is a 2018 - and the SiriusXM was working fine when I test drove it. The previous owner cancelled the subscription a few months ago. Now I am trying to get it working again with this new Sirius trial offer. So far they have resent the signal 3 times - but so far it is not working. Latest info I have now from support is the vehicle must be turned on - but the radio needs to be off - and stay off for at least 10 minutes once the signal is sent - or the reset won’t work. The catch is in my 18 - the radio never shuts off and is always “on” when the truck is on.

 

[GTyankee]

Dodge Trucker
in the lower right corner, there are 3 letters, it will start with R
RER, RBZ, REN, RHB, RES to name a few

which is yours ?

I liked the 2009 - 2012 dodge ram radios
i used to sit in my 2009 dodge ram 1500 with RER MYGIG Radio, insert the CD in the player & watch movies in stereo

It had the puck type roof antenna on the back of the roof
It had a fender antenna on the front right fender

I always listened to Sirius radio all the way across the US & up in Ontario Canada.

Watch this on how to activate Sirius Radio, with your radio

SiriusXM Basics: How to Listen with the Uconnect® 130S System

SiriusXM is available with the Uconnect® 130S system in the following vehicles. Screen display will vary by vehicle make and model.• Dodge Grand Caravan• Jee...

www.youtube.com

 

[73Thumper]

This may not apply to your situation, try #4 with the online Siriusxm help - got me working. Whatever they did on there end - to again "send a signal" - I had to have my key set to on (in my case I left the truck running), but the radio had to be set to a non XM mode (FM is where I had it set). I needed to leave the truck on and not touch any buttons on the radio for 10 minutes after they said they sent the signal. After 15 minutes the XM radio is now working for all stations.