How to get Sirius/XM in a Tesla

[Dan203]

I wish Sirius/XM would make an antenna that worked like the Echo Auto. It would connect to your phone via BT and then your phone would connect to the car. That way the phone would have the primary connection to the car, so it would still have full features, and the Sirius/XM music would just proxy through the phone. Bonus.... the phone would act as the screen for the antenna so that you wouldn’t need that secondary screen/dock just to change the channel. It could even do some sort of handoff where it used the antenna whenever it was connected via BT but then automatically transition to the streaming app, using data/wifi, as soon as the BT connection to the antenna was lost.

 

[crackers8199]

Where did you put the antenna?

i have mine on the rear deck. wire runs along the lower passenger side, under the back seat and then under the seat belt trim and comes out from the corner and magnetically sticks to the rear deck. i've thought about moving it to the middle at some point, but it works just fine where i have it with very few cut outs so i haven't had any real need to move it yet...

on this pic i took before i put the seat belt trim back, you can see the antenna sticking out there in the back corner. it works just fine because the roof is all glass so it doesn't block the signal...

https://i.imgur.com/ATuowTI.jpg

 

[ArtK]

dmurphy: Let us know how it goes on your end. The unit clearly refers to adding phone calls through the unit as well with bluetooth. I wonder if it's my iPhone that's limiting this feature. The Tour is based on Android OS, so perhaps an Android phone would be better.

Once you pair your Tour with your Tesla, make sure that you don't accept contacts on your Tour unit. It was causing a constant disconnection at first on my unit

0pp

Interesting. New pictures were released of the SiriusXM Tour and it confirms that it has built-in Bluetooth. Hopefully, it is well implemented so that we will get the data passed to the Tesla screen:

SiriusXM Tour with 360L Receiver with Pandora and Vehicle Kit

As an original Sirius lifetime subscriber, am I correct in assuming this new unit would be useless for me? It seems to be an XM-specific unit.

 

[crackers8199]

0pp

As an original Sirius lifetime subscriber, am I correct in assuming this new unit would be useless for me? It seems to be an XM-specific unit.

since the "subscription packages" PDF for the tour shows the select package as not including howard, that seems to be accurate.

 

[ArtK]

since the "subscription packages" PDF for the tour shows the select package as not including howard, that seems to be accurate.

Thanks, Crackers.

 

[crackers8199]

Thanks, Crackers.

i'd consult with them first to make sure if you're interested, but that's my understanding of how the different packages work. if select gets howard stern, it's a sirius radio and package. if not, it's XM.

again though, just in case i'm wrong, probably wouldn't hurt to check with them directly.

 

[Skyking1066]

I just tried the new Sirius Tour and it wouldn't stay connected via Bluetooth. Very disappointing. Crackers are you the same fellow who posted the great video of putting Sirius in the M3? Hope the Y is the same because I'm going to have to rely on that to get the FM direct installed.

 

[Germ]

I just tried the new Sirius Tour and it wouldn't stay connected via Bluetooth. Very disappointing. Crackers are you the same fellow who posted the great video of putting Sirius in the M3? Hope the Y is the same because I'm going to have to rely on that to get the FM direct installed.

I also had the same issue when I added the unit. I was using the wrong option on the dashboard to add this bluetooth unit. You need to use the headunit option and decline contacts. It works perfectly after a reboot. I have been using it on bluetooth ever since I installed it. When I get a phone call, I simply switch to my iPhone on the Tesla screen. I am able to get the call on time before missing it.

 

[crackers8199]

I just tried the new Sirius Tour and it wouldn't stay connected via Bluetooth. Very disappointing. Crackers are you the same fellow who posted the great video of putting Sirius in the M3? Hope the Y is the same because I'm going to have to rely on that to get the FM direct installed.

wasn't a video, but i did write up a blog post about it that referenced a few videos lol...

Installing SiriusXM Satellite Radio in a Tesla Model 3 - grecobon

interfacing with the FM tuner should be the same (or at least similar), but i don't know if anyone has figured out where it is in the Y yet. it can't be in the same spot as the 3 because that C-pillar is part of the tailgate...right?

 

[Germ]

0pp

As an original Sirius lifetime subscriber, am I correct in assuming this new unit would be useless for me? It seems to be an XM-specific unit.

I am also an original Sirius lifetime subscriber, and I get every channel with this unit. It should work for you as well.

 

[crackers8199]

I am also an original Sirius lifetime subscriber, and I get every channel with this unit. It should work for you as well.

make sure they didn't change you to a different package. AFAIK, if the radio doesn't include howard stern on the select package (as this one appears not to), it's an XM radio. if they changed you to all access, you would then get every channel...but that doesn't necessarily have anything to do with your lifetime sub.

either way, it'd be valuable information for everyone to know exactly what's going on. either the radio works for sirius subscribers from the jump without any issues, or they somehow switched you to XM all access (which would then get you every channel but isn't the same plan and likely wouldn't transfer with a lifetime sub). if they somehow transferred you to all access AND allowed you to keep the lifetime sub (i'd be shocked if this were the case but i guess it's possible), that's something that would be valuable for everyone to know...

 

[Germ]

make sure they didn't change you to a different package. AFAIK, if the radio doesn't include howard stern on the select package (as this one appears not to), it's an XM radio. if they changed you to all access, you would then get every channel...but that doesn't necessarily have anything to do with your lifetime sub.

either way, it'd be valuable information for everyone to know exactly what's going on. either the radio works for sirius subscribers from the jump without any issues, or they somehow switched you to XM all access (which would then get you every channel but isn't the same plan and likely wouldn't transfer with a lifetime sub). if they somehow transferred you to all access AND allowed you to keep the lifetime sub (i'd be shocked if this were the case but i guess it's possible), that's something that would be valuable for everyone to know...

On my account, it says that I am SiriusXM Premier with Sirius Premier Lifetime. I have Howard, NFL, NHL, literally everything. I had paid an extra amount in 2017 to add lifetime XM to my Sirius lifetime subscription. I guess that's why I have this status. I had it done to my Canadian and US lifetime subs. I kept my lifetime streaming on my Canadian account but lost it on my US account. Go figure

 

[crackers8199]

I had paid an extra amount in 2017 to add lifetime XM to my Sirius lifetime subscription. I guess that's why I have this status.

ah, yeah, that's an important point. it's cool that they allowed this, but it probably won't apply to everyone.

 

[Skyking1066]

I also had the same issue when I added the unit. I was using the wrong option on the dashboard to add this bluetooth unit. You need to use the headunit option and decline contacts. It works perfectly after a reboot. I have been using it on bluetooth ever since I installed it. When I get a phone call, I simply switch to my iPhone on the Tesla screen. I am able to get the call on time before missing it.

Thanks Germ--Can you give more specific instructions on how to find the headunit option?

 

[Skyking1066]

I was able to pair the Sirius Tour today using it as a second phone. You do lose functionality of the phone as others have noted. We need a fast one tap method to switch between devices or better yet Tesla figure out a way to multiplex two "phones". Everyone should leave this as a bug report!

 

[Skyking1066]

wasn't a video, but i did write up a blog post about it that referenced a few videos lol...

Installing SiriusXM Satellite Radio in a Tesla Model 3 - grecobon

interfacing with the FM tuner should be the same (or at least similar), but i don't know if anyone has figured out where it is in the Y yet. it can't be in the same spot as the 3 because that C-pillar is part of the tailgate...right?

Crackers, In the Y the C-pillar is not part of the tailgate.

 

[Germ]

I was able to pair the Sirius Tour today using it as a second phone. You do lose functionality of the phone as others have noted. We need a fast one tap method to switch between devices or better yet Tesla figure out a way to multiplex two "phones". Everyone should leave this as a bug report!

It's annoying, but I can switch pretty fast in-between Bluetooth sources as needed.

 

[crackers8199]

Crackers, In the Y the C-pillar is not part of the tailgate.

its possible the FM tuner is in the same spot then.

 

[Skyking1066]

I have learned some interesting things about the Sirius XM Tour radio. There is a microusb connector on the left side of the unit. The user's manual states it is "not used" but I found it powers the radio when attached to a USB port in the car. HOWEVER, unless you use the clunky power adapter that has a cigarette male to a barrel connector plugged into the dock, you won't be able to connect to the car radio via FM. It is so clunky you can't use the box for the center console because it won't fit. So you would have to relocate the 12V female cigarette jack into the more forward console area (like Cracker's nice blogpost shows). You can connect via Bluetooth using the microusb power method (but this makes your phone difficult to answer unless you have Germ's quick reflexes!! Hope this is helpful information.

 

[Germ]

I have learned some interesting things about the Sirius XM Tour radio. There is a microusb connector on the left side of the unit. The user's manual states it is "not used" but I found it powers the radio when attached to a USB port in the car. HOWEVER, unless you use the clunky power adapter that has a cigarette male to a barrel connector plugged into the dock, you won't be able to connect to the car radio via FM. It is so clunky you can't use the box for the center console because it won't fit. So you would have to relocate the 12V female cigarette jack into the more forward console area (like Cracker's nice blogpost shows). You can connect via Bluetooth using the microusb power method (but this makes your phone difficult to answer unless you have Germ's quick reflexes!! Hope this is helpful information.

Interesting, I hadn't tried that USB port. Did you try if your Tesla would also recognize it as a USB music source? That would solve the bluetooth issue altogether