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Radio reception gone bad

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Old Aug 2, 2017 | 06:55 PM
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Default Radio reception gone bad

All of a sudden the FM radio reception on my C5 is virtually gone - very scratchy reception . I just changed all 4 speakers and added a Polk 4 channel amp - kept the Bose Radio. Any ideas what is causing this and how it can be fixed ?
TIA
Bob
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Old Aug 2, 2017 | 07:20 PM
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Originally Posted by Bobd207s
All of a sudden the FM radio reception on my C5 is virtually gone - very scratchy reception . I just changed all 4 speakers and added a Polk 4 channel amp - kept the Bose Radio. Any ideas what is causing this and how it can be fixed ?
TIA
Bob

How was the reception before you added those components?
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Old Aug 3, 2017 | 09:14 AM
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Reception was excellent - here in Boston there are lots of AM and FM stations and I was getting perfect reception . now i don't get a lot of stations and the others come in very poorly
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Old Aug 3, 2017 | 09:17 AM
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Originally Posted by Bobd207s
Reception was excellent - here in Boston there are lots of AM and FM stations and I was getting perfect reception . now i don't get a lot of stations and the others come in very poorly
Then it has to do with installing your new components. Check your work.
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Old Aug 3, 2017 | 09:23 AM
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You didn't happen to run the power cable alongside the RCA cables, did you? This would cause a lot of electrical/static interference... Not doubting your work, just trying to rule out some obvious things that could cause this to occur.
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Old Aug 3, 2017 | 02:31 PM
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Originally Posted by Bobd207s
All of a sudden the FM radio reception on my C5 is virtually gone - very scratchy reception . I just changed all 4 speakers and added a Polk 4 channel amp - kept the Bose Radio. Any ideas what is causing this and how it can be fixed ?
TIA
Bob
Check the antenna connector in the right rear trunk, it may have come off.
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Old Aug 3, 2017 | 03:53 PM
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Originally Posted by Nurburgring
Check the antenna connector in the right rear trunk, it may have come off.
Mine is pretty bad too, but I bought it like that. However, I did notice the
wire going to the window was disconnected, is that the wire you are talking about? I thought that might be a rear defroster.

Last edited by Heyspike; Aug 3, 2017 at 04:03 PM.
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Old Aug 5, 2017 | 05:03 PM
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Originally Posted by Heyspike
Mine is pretty bad too, but I bought it like that. However, I did notice the
wire going to the window was disconnected, is that the wire you are talking about? I thought that might be a rear defroster.
The wire is located in the rear right trunk. Right rear fender are, the carped should have Velcro to each

Pull​​​Pull that apart and you'll see 2 cables. 1 to power the antenna by raise and lower. The second cable will be all black and has a rubber shield to protect the connection. Pull apart and reconnect or it could not be connected at all.

If you need more help, pm me and I'll make a video for you.
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Old Aug 6, 2017 | 12:18 PM
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IIRC, both the defroster and radio antenna are in the back glass..or am is in the front and fm is in the back, I forget which.

Bose does strange things with speakers and such - again IIRC, the use 1/2 the OEM rating as most other manufacturers. GM in turn does strange things with the radio, like routing all chimes, buzzers, etc through the radio. Most aftermarkets I've seen use some sort of adapter to retain all those functions. IIRC when I swapped out the radio in another GM car, the antenna connector was plugged in to that adapter, not the radio. Given the lack of space, wonder if the antenna connector has become undone behind the radio or at that adapter?
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