How to Set Your Car to Get Radio Stations

Select the source you want, tune to the station or channel, and save it to a preset button. The exact button names differ by car, but the order is almost always the same: choose the source, find the station, save it, and test the saved button. Do the setup while parked so your favorite stations are ready before you drive.

How Car Radio Reception Works

A car radio receives broadcast signals through the vehicle’s antenna. AM and FM stations are local over-the-air broadcasts, so what you can hear depends on where you are, the station’s signal strength, terrain, buildings, and antenna condition.

Satellite radio works differently. Internet radio is different again: it streams through your phone or the vehicle’s data connection.

Choose the source that matches the service before you tune.

A preset is not a new station. It is a saved shortcut to a station or channel you already tuned.

How to Tune and Save a Car Radio Station

Use this table to choose the right source before you start.

What You Want to Hear	Select This Source	What You Tune
Local talk, news, music, sports, or public radio	Radio or Tuner, then AM or FM	A broadcast station
SiriusXM programming	Satellite Radio	A SiriusXM channel
A station or show from an app	Bluetooth, USB, CarPlay, Android Auto, or the car’s app screen	The station inside the app

Step 1: Choose the Right Radio Source

Park the car and turn on the radio or infotainment screen.
Press the AUDIO button to select the source you want to use.
For ordinary local stations, select Radio or Tuner, then choose FM or AM.
SiriusXM’s preset instructions use Satellite Radio as the source setting for its service.

Bluetooth, CarPlay, and Android Auto can connect your phone to the car stereo.

Step 2: Find the Station or Channel

Use Seek, Scan, the left/right arrows, or the tuning knob to move through stations.
For FM or AM, stop when the station comes in clearly.
If your radio has a manual tuning option or on-screen frequency keypad, use it when you already know the station’s frequency.
For SiriusXM, use the radio’s seek controls to move up and down through channels. SiriusXM specifically directs listeners to find channels by seeking up and down with the vehicle’s radio controls.

Seek is usually the easiest choice when you are looking for whatever is available in your area. Manual tuning is useful when seek skips a weak station you know should be there.

Step 3: Save the Station as a Preset

Leave the radio tuned to the station or channel you want.
Press and hold an empty preset number, on-screen preset tile, or memory button.
Keep holding until the radio confirms that it saved the station. The confirmation may be a beep, a changed preset label, or a message on the display.
If you are replacing an old favorite, save the new station on top of that preset. The old station will be overwritten.

For SiriusXM, save a channel by pressing and holding a numerical memory preset button. SiriusXM radios may show a message on the display and play an audible confirmation when the preset has been stored.

Some radios need an extra action: press SET first, then press and hold the preset number. If holding the number does not save anything, try the SET button and confirm the procedure in the vehicle’s audio instructions.

Step 4: Test the Saved Preset

Tune away from the station you saved.
Press the preset button or tile once.
Confirm that the radio returns to the correct station or channel.
Save your most-used stations in the easiest-to-reach preset positions.

On a SiriusXM radio, pressing the corresponding memory preset should reopen the saved channel.

Fix a Car Radio That Is Not Picking Up Stations

Start by separating a reception problem from a source-setting problem. Select the source you want before looking for a station.

Check the Source and Band First

Select the radio source. Then make sure you are on the correct band:

Select FM for most local music, public radio, and many talk stations.
Select AM for AM news, talk, sports, and other AM broadcasts.
Select Satellite Radio only when you want SiriusXM channels.

If the radio appears to work but only plays sound from your phone, it is probably still set to Bluetooth, USB, CarPlay, or Android Auto.

Try Seek and Manual Tuning

Use Seek in both directions. If it stops on stations but they sound weak, noisy, or fade while driving, reception may be limited.

If seek finds nothing, try manual tuning if your radio offers it. This helps distinguish whether the radio is scanning too quickly from a broader reception issue.

Check the Antenna and Location

Poor reception can happen in garages, parking structures, valleys, dense city blocks, or remote areas. Move to an open area and try again.

A damaged roof antenna, antenna cable, or radio receiver may need professional diagnosis. Satellite-radio reception can also fail when the vehicle’s satellite antenna has an obstruction or fault.

Using Touchscreen Radios and Older Car Stereos

Touchscreen systems and older stereos let you tune to a station and store it using preset, save, Memory, Set, or Favorite controls.

Peugeot 3008 and Other Touchscreen Systems

Use the radio controls to tune to a station. Once the station is playing, touch and hold a preset position or use the screen’s save option if one appears.

Older Radios With Physical Buttons

Older factory radios and aftermarket stereos usually use physical controls:

Select the source you want to use.
Use the tuning controls to locate a station.
Press and hold a numbered button to store it.
Press the numbered button briefly later to return to it.

If the stereo does not have preset buttons, look for a Memory, Set, or Favorite control near the display.

Listening to Online Radio in Your Car

Internet radio gives you access to stations that may not be available over local FM or AM. You need a mobile data connection and a way to send your phone’s audio to the car stereo.

Apple CarPlay and Android Auto

CarPlay and Android Auto put compatible radio and audio apps on the vehicle screen, allowing you to choose a station without handling the phone directly.

On a compatible iPhone running iOS 7.1 or later, CarPlay settings are available at Settings > General > CarPlay. Connect the phone to the vehicle using the connection method the car supports, then open a compatible radio app from the car display.

On phones running Android 11 or above, Android Auto is already installed. Connect the phone to the vehicle, open Android Auto, and select a supported radio or streaming app from the car screen.

Set up the app and choose your regular stations before driving. Do not search for stations or handle the phone while the vehicle is moving.

Bluetooth for Older Stereos

If the car stereo supports Bluetooth, pair your phone in the car’s Bluetooth menu, then start the radio app on the phone. Choose Bluetooth as the car’s audio source.

If an older stereo lacks Bluetooth, a Bluetooth adapter can add streaming capability when the car has an available 12-volt power port. Pair the phone with the adapter, select the adapter’s matching audio source on the stereo, start your radio app, and test the sound.

Aux Cable Connection

If the stereo has a 3.5 mm aux-in port, connect the phone with an aux cable and select AUX as the audio source. Start the station in the phone’s radio app, raise the phone volume enough for a clean signal, then use the car’s volume control for listening.

This method is simple and reliable, but you will usually control station selection from the phone.

Built-In Infotainment Apps

Some vehicles have radio or streaming apps built into the infotainment system. Open the car’s app screen, choose the radio app, sign in if required, and select a station. If the station is not available in that app’s directory, use a phone connection instead.

Confirm Your Stations Are Ready

Before your next drive, run through this short check:

The radio returns to AM/FM stations when you select Radio or Tuner.
FM and AM stations appear on the expected band.
Each saved preset opens the correct station.
SiriusXM presets work only when the service is available.
Your phone reconnects to Bluetooth, CarPlay, Android Auto, or AUX if you use online radio.

If a preset opens the wrong station, tune the correct one and overwrite that preset. If the radio loses all saved stations repeatedly, the vehicle may have a power, battery, radio-memory, or stereo problem worth having checked.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Is the Difference Between a Radio Station and a Preset?

A preset is a saved shortcut to a station or channel. You can change a preset at any time by tuning a different station and holding the preset button or tile again.

How Do Cars Connect to Radio Stations?

For AM or FM, select the source and use the radio controls to find a station. For SiriusXM, the vehicle uses a satellite-radio receiver and antenna. For online radio, the connection comes from a phone or built-in data service.

Can I Listen to Online Radio Through CarPlay or Android Auto?

Yes, if your car, phone, and radio app are compatible. Compatible iPhones running iOS 7.1 or later can use CarPlay, with setup available at Settings > General > CarPlay; Android Auto is already installed on phones running Android 11 or above.

Why Does My Car Radio Pick Up Stations in One Place but Not Another?

Radio reception can vary by location. Try the station in a more open location; if reception is poor everywhere on both AM and FM, inspect the antenna or arrange a stereo-system check.

Do I Need to Save SiriusXM Channels Separately From FM Stations?

Usually, yes, because SiriusXM uses the Satellite Radio source while local stations use the Radio or Tuner source and AM/FM bands. Select Satellite Radio, seek to the channel, press and hold a numerical memory preset, and then press that matching preset to return to it later.