Garbage Reception

[Hurricane87]

Hello, this question also applies to my Aurora, they have the same antenna.

I have garbage reception on nearly all local radio stations, and having the CD changer isn't really helpful during football season. I know the popular perception is that the windshield antennas are garbage, but I also know that the popular perception is wrong because my dad had one that was just fine in 1976, and I'm sure the technology didn't get worse in 25 years.

Local stereo shops won't repair OEM systems, and I won't tolerate anything else in my cars. So...

Why do I have such lousy radio reception, and how do I fix it?

[DCJREDLINE]

Have you checked to make sure the little button type connector that plugs the antenna into the wire is not corroded or even actually plugged in? It also could be loose. Other than that maybe the in windshield antenna some how broke (maybe from sun exposure) total guess there but ya never know.

As a last resort you could try an antenna booster...never had good luck with them in my experiences. MECP certified Installer for 5 years 1996-2001

[nos4blood70]

Agreed with the above. I'd remove the radio and see if all is well behind it, too. The 2000+ has the windshield antenna as well and I've never experienced any issues.

[harofreak00]

2000+ Bonneville uses antenna on the front and rear glass.

[Archon]

Are you having problems with AM, FM, or both? AM uses just the rear window antenna, while FM uses both the rear and the front. This is controlled by the antenna module that is under the headliner, near the rear window. Along with what had already been posted, that module could be causing your problem.

Antenna Module
The radio receives tuner signals from an antenna module. This module uses the following antennas to pick up tuner signals:

Front Windshield Antenna - Mounted in the upper right corner of the windshield and used for FM reception only
Rear Window Antenna - Mounted along the top grid of the rear window and used for AM and FM reception

The module utilizes the signals of the two antennas for the following reasons:

To reduce the amount of fade and breakup due to tall buildings in cities
Additional signal strength in fringe reception areas The radio sends a signal to the module to adjust the signal strength received by it for optimal FM reception.

[Bugsi]

I think some obvious troubleshooting is in order. Why not buy a cheap wired antenna, and just plug the *dang* thing in and see if your problem goes away or sticks around. If it goes away, you know your problem is with the antennas. If it doesn't go away, you know it's with the head unit. Proceed appropriately from there.

[Roadrunner]

My '03 gets garbage reception when you plug a usb charger in the cigarette lighter.
Un-plug it and reception becomes great instantly.
I know there is some kind of problem with car but right now the fix has been not to use charger when listening to radio.
Not sure if its related to your problem - just a suggestion for you to consider starting from.

[White64Goat]

Hello, this question also applies to my Aurora, they have the same antenna.

I have garbage reception on nearly all local radio stations, and having the CD changer isn't really helpful during football season. I know the popular perception is that the windshield antennas are garbage, but I also know that the popular perception is wrong because my dad had one that was just fine in 1976, and I'm sure the technology didn't get worse in 25 years.

Local stereo shops won't repair OEM systems, and I won't tolerate anything else in my cars. So...

Why do I have such lousy radio reception, and how do I fix it?

If you're looking for OEM repair, check this place in Richmond, Va. I sent them a radio once for repair because the CD played wasn't working and they sent it back, no charge, because when they received it, the CD player worked. They thought that while it was in transit something jostled loose and they tested it for a few days and sent it back. http://www.carradio.com/