CD player still works, but no AM/FM reception of any kind on car radio?
Check the antenna. See if the antenna on the vehicle is damaged (this time of year car washes take off 90% of vehicle antennae). Assuming the vehicles antenna is intact and in one piece, check the antenna connection behind the radio. If the antenna is connected behind the radio, there could possibly be a problem with the radio's tuner (internally). The only way to properly diagnose this problem is to place a radio that is known to work into the vehicle (simply to test) and check the radio reception. If the radio reception is improved and working, you know the problem lies within the radio itself. If it still does not work, there is a problem with the antenna on the vehicle (disconnected, damaged, cut, etc.)
The reception of a radio station I like is "crackly" on my car radio. How can I improve reception?
Hopefully someone who knows more about a Honda Fit can answer as far as the antenna is concerned, but that is only one of the factors that could be causing the problem. Four other factors to consider:The strength of the broadcast: Go to Radio-Locator.com and search for the specific station you are trying to listen to. There is a possibility that it is an extremely low-power station that would struggle to reach out 15 miles from it’s transmission point. This would be especially true if this is an AM station that is operating an FM translator, as my station does. Due to location and power, one of my FM translators at my station does not even come close to covering a 15 mile radius around it’s antenna.Direction of broadcast: Most FM stations are non-directional, but the possibility of it being a directional signal could exist, however unlikely. Radio-Locator.com’s coverage map can help you determine if this is the case.Geography: If the antenna is on one side of a mountain, and you are on the other, the mountain itself can be partially blocking the signal. My station has another FM translator that has this effect. On the correct side of the mountain, the signal covers the entire valley. On the other side of the mountain, you cannot receive the signal, even being just 5 miles away from the antenna.Technical issues: Contact the station and ask to speak to the engineer. If they are having any issues with their transmission, the engineer would be able to inform you of that being the cause. Depending on how helpful they are and also their current workload (engineers are some of the most over-worked and underpaid people in radio), they may also offer to investigate the issue you are having to eliminate their equipment as the cause of the issue.
Why do most cars have way better FM radio reception than most home/handheld/mobile FM radios?
Car radios are engineered with the assumption that the user may tune into a station and then drive into areas where reception is marginal. Thus, designers are often careful about the following:The input stages should be able to tolerate strong signals without overloadingThe input stages should add as little noise as possible for best sensitivity to weak signalsAggressive filtering is used to help separate adjacent stations on the dialSpecial, often proprietary, methods are used to deal with situations that make stereo reception difficultFurthermore, a car radio’s cost is rolled into the price of the car, so the extra cost of building a superior radio is fairly trivial, from the consumer’s point of view. Other types of receivers, particularly portables, are designed around very low price points.In the case of modern stereo and home theater receivers, the FM section is not a major selling point, as it would have been in receivers from the 1970s and ’80s. In general, the industry mindset is that up-to-date features, such as the capability for digital interconnects and Bluetooth, a modern-looking interface, and possibly the wattage of the amplifier are what make the sales.
How can I improve radio reception in my car?
The antenna plays a critical part.If you have a non-amplfied fender mounted antenna, be sure to use a full-length (about 30") whip antenna. Do not use a "rubber duckie" antenna.If you have an amplfied roof-mounted antenna, replacing the whip with a longer one will likely improve sensitivity on AM.If your antenna is mounted on the windshield glass, consider replacing it with a roof-mount or fender-mount antenna.Unplug the antenna from the back of the radio and measure the resistance at the antenna cable (pin to ground shield). It should measure infinity. Corrosion and moisture can cause leakage paths to develop, and this causes reception to degrade. This problem occurs on fender mounted antennas.If you are hearing interference from your engine (that changes with RPM), it is possible that there is not a good electrical connection between the hood and body of the car. Installing a wire to connect the two will cut down on this type of interference.If you hear interference only when you drive by certain places, such as under utility lines or traffic signals, there is not anything that you can do.
How to fix bad radio reception?
I have not owned a late model car in 20 years that gets good AM reception. The antennas are more finely tuned for FM. Talk to the Chevy dealer to see if there are any adjustments that can be made. If you have trouble with picking up FM stations, I would consider a new antenna, or there is a bad connection in the antenna wire. I fixed a Jeep Cherokee radio reception by repairing a loose connection on the antenna cable. Where this would be on your car I have no idea. Sorry.
Why does my car radio get better reception when the car is moving?
The radio stations that your car radio pick up are broadcast through the air in waves, similar to the ocean. When the vehicle is still, certain obstructions such as terrain or buildings, will make the signal weak or fuzzy. When the car moves, your antenna is able to pass through more of that wavelength giving you better signal with less static.
My car radio gets very fuzzy reception suddenly?
There is a lot of chatter on the I-net about this problem. Most occurs after new radio installation or recent window tinting. Other ideas include fuse for a radio componet, antenna wire adapter at radio, antenna wire damage, changing antenna and adding a radio signal booster sold at stereo shops. Did not see any recalls nor any solid answers. Appears to be a time and effort fix. Stop by you local dealership and/or car stereo shop to see if the have encountered the same problem.
Why do I get poor FM radio and Bluetooth A2DP reception on my car stereo?
Im sorry but you purchase the worse brand available at the moment, you will never get anything good from the radio and the cd sounds louder because of the infinity amplifiers not the radio and last thing you are going to damage the factory amplifiers with that radio the signal is to high good luck
Do I need an antenna for my CB radio to get reception?
Yes, you need an antenna. If you leave the antenna inside the car, the transmit and receive capabilities will be greatly reduced, but it will work. Mounting the antenna outside on the metal body shapes the radio wave form during transmit, but does essentially nothing for reception. I ran my antenna inside my trunk for awhile, and while the SWR was 2.5:1, I could hear truckers from about 1 mile away.
Does window tinting affect my car radio's reception?
I have recently bought a car. The first weekend I had the car, I had the windows tinted. That week I noticed AM reception was bad. Since the windows were tinted right away, I do not know if the reception was bad before or after the window tinting. Thanks.