AM Radio Noise

[fdekat]

Hello:

I'd be looking at the rear defrost as the source of your problems, not the
radio/antenna.

Specifically, a bad (or going bad) connection, or a flaky relay contacts.

A bad connection can generate 'electrical noise', and possibly get picked up
by AM radio. As the rear defrost usually pulls a fair bit of current, it's a
prime cadidate to get a bad connection (wiring to rear window connection,
both live + ground sides? Sometimes just taking the connector off and putting
it on again will clean it up enough to help)? 

If not there, perhaps pull out the relay (or switch, if there is no relay),
and check for bad connection, or overheating, and perhaps even open up the
relay (or switch), and see what the contacts look like.

Regards,

-Frank de Kat-


>I'm having a problem with noise on the AM band on my radio
>I have a 2001 A4 1.8T Quattro, with the stock radio (not the Bose).  It
>started out that when ever I turned on the rear-defroster, I would get noise
>when listening to an AM station (800 AM is the one I listen to).  This was a
>static noise, not engine speed related.  Dealer thought it had something to
>do with the antenna booster, since the antenna is actually the top lines on
>the rear window. 

>They have replaced the antenna booster, and then they later on replaced the
>whole radio again.  It also made more noise the colder it was, so I guess it
>had something to do with how hard the defroster had to work (turning it on
in
>the Summer made almost no noise).

>Lately, it's been making more and more noise all the time.  I even tried it
>with the whole car turned off, and just turning the radio on, and I would
>still have static.  I don't know what to think now.  I guess it's the radio
>again, but I don't know if the dealer will change it a second time.

>Anyone have any suggestions?    
>Is it a grounding problem?  
>Do I just have to live with it?
>If you have anything you can suggest, let me know.

Thanks.

Mitchell Segal
2001 A4 1.8TQ
Montreal, Quebec