Radio Removal / Antenna Question and Problem

[Svashtar]

Guys, I'm hoping you can help me with this issue, as you have done with so many others. But first, what the hell happened around here over the last couple of weeks!? :confused: I post a thread about my new chrome grill from Zack, and then take off for two weeks and come back to a huge thread from Logan. Must have been thrilling, but maybe I'm lucky I missed out on all the excitement... (Not trolling for a response and don't want to start up any old threads; I'll PM someone and get the scoop. I'm sure Logan has enough to do! Just curious...)

ANYWAY, here's the deal. My CD player works fine, but my AM/FM reception has gotten really bad. It sputters and snaps and pops and sounds exactly like when you are listening to a station, and drive out of range and start to lose it. First it's loud, and then soft, and then has big static bursts in between sound. The AM is really bad, and the stations across the band can't even be heard. FM plays, but is so interrupted and sounds so bad that I turn it off. I was convinced it was the antenna connnection, but maybe just a bad unit.

It's still under warrantly, so took it to my idiot dealer. I dropped it off at 7:30 a.m., and do without it all day, and when I go back at 5 he tells me that when the tech test drove it (and I stopped him right there and asked him who gave him permission to drive my car 10 miles, when all they had to do is sit and listen to the damned radio), he reproduced the problem, which is easy, and is sure that it is my rear window tint. What this means is, that they let the car sit all day, then went for a joyride at 4:30 p.m., and didn't look too hard to find the problem, and then split for the day and blamed it on the tint, which is just the CA legal one.

I told this genius that since I had the tint put on at the beginning of the year, and the radio worked fine, and has only screwed up in the last week, that that could not be the problem.

Then he said that this was "normal" and that it could take several months for the tint to wreck the radio, and he had a TSB on this to prove it!

I asked how the tint could have the FM working, with a strong ST stereo indicator on all channels, but have the sound go in and out without the signal being affected. And how the AM would not work at all? No answer.

So he wants it back for another full day, but he's done enough damage to my car. I'm going to try and fix this myself.

So, can anyone tell me how you get the radio out of the dash, and where the antenna leads for the rear window antenna are located?

I would like to think it's just a loose wire, but here's the kicker: the radio works fine for 5 minutes when you first turn it on, whether the car is running or not. But after 5 minutes it just goes to hell. I don't think that's a wire. Once it warms up, then it's no good. But I thought I would crawl around in back anyway and see if I could find the problem.

Thanks for any info as always, and for all you guys with rear window tint on your MM, remember! you are going to screw up your radio! After all THERE'S A TSB ON IT!!!

Where do they find these service guys...?! Freakin' :censor:!

Thanks as always,

Norm

[FordNut]

Guys, I'm hoping you can help me with this issue, as you have done with so many others. But first, what the hell happened around here over the last couple of weeks!? :confused: I post a thread about my new chrome grill from Zack, and then take off for two weeks and come back to a huge thread from Logan. Must have been thrilling, but maybe I'm lucky I missed out on all the excitement... (Not trolling for a response and don't want to start up any old threads; I'll PM someone and get the scoop. I'm sure Logan has enough to do! Just curious...)

ANYWAY, here's the deal. My CD player works fine, but my AM/FM reception has gotten really bad. It sputters and snaps and pops and sounds exactly like when you are listening to a station, and drive out of range and start to lose it. First it's loud, and then soft, and then has big static bursts in between sound. The AM is really bad, and the stations across the band can't even be heard. FM plays, but is so interrupted and sounds so bad that I turn it off. I was convinced it was the antenna connnection, but maybe just a bad unit.

It's still under warrantly, so took it to my idiot dealer. I dropped it off at 7:30 a.m., and do without it all day, and when I go back at 5 he tells me that when the tech test drove it (and I stopped him right there and asked him who gave him permission to drive my car 10 miles, when all they had to do is sit and listen to the damned radio), he reproduced the problem, which is easy, and is sure that it is my rear window tint. What this means is, that they let the car sit all day, then went for a joyride at 4:30 p.m., and didn't look too hard to find the problem, and then split for the day and blamed it on the tint, which is just the CA legal one.

I told this genius that since I had the tint put on at the beginning of the year, and the radio worked fine, and has only screwed up in the last week, that that could not be the problem.

Then he said that this was "normal" and that it could take several months for the tint to wreck the radio, and he had a TSB on this to prove it!

I asked how the tint could have the FM working, with a strong ST stereo indicator on all channels, but have the sound go in and out without the signal being affected. And how the AM would not work at all? No answer.

So he wants it back for another full day, but he's done enough damage to my car. I'm going to try and fix this myself.

So, can anyone tell me how you get the radio out of the dash, and where the antenna leads for the rear window antenna are located?

I would like to think it's just a loose wire, but here's the kicker: the radio works fine for 5 minutes when you first turn it on, whether the car is running or not. But after 5 minutes it just goes to hell. I don't think that's a wire. Once it warms up, then it's no good. But I thought I would crawl around in back anyway and see if I could find the problem.

Thanks for any info as always, and for all you guys with rear window tint on your MM, remember! you are going to screw up your radio! After all THERE'S A TSB ON IT!!!

Where do they find these service guys...?! Freakin' :censor:!

Thanks as always,

Norm
It's a bad radio. If he won't replace it find another dealer.

[RCSignals]

It's a bad radio. If he won't replace it find another dealer.

Based on your description of what is happening, I agree, there is something bad about the radio, probably heat related, since it is fine at first.
Often grounding is a problem, but that would show right away, not degrade.

You should have had him give you a copy of that TSB. Put them on the spot.....

[Marauderjack]

Mine did the same thing and was replaced by my dealer with a "rebuilt" one. :beer:

It is a common problem with the frequency lock!!

They can order one and replace it or send yours out for repair......I bought one from a member here and still have it if you cannot get anything done under warranty......Let me know if you are interested?? ;)

Marauderjack :D

[GreekGod]

I hope if at all possible, you can find a good dealer. Ford, Lincoln-Mercury or ? Until you have trouble, many people don't realize how important a good dealer is. When our choises are limited, it can be a sad situation. Too bad but sometimes complaining to the State regulators is an alternative. I see you are Salinas. Would that be Salinas, California? If so, I understand the Socialist Peoples Republik of Kalifornia is a regulated nightmare and maybe complaining to the State would/could straighten out your dealer rather than complaining to Ford.

[wchain]

First and last time my car was at a dealer, I found the lube tech opening my DVD screen and revving the car up in the back after he changed the oil. I stood there staring at him from the time he pulled it in to the time he pulled it out and was screwing with all the bells and whistles. He realized I was there and turned ghost white. They also didnt fill the washer fluid or check the air in the tires. :mad:

Why cant carfixer and David Morton travel the country from dealer to dealer and work on these cars? :cool:

[GreekGod]

When I worked at a large Ford dealer from 1969 to 1976, we had a new car prep mechanic who was pretty sharp, probably the best mechanic in the garage. I once witnessed him do a burn-out with a customers new 428CJ Torino at the service desk. The customer that had just dropped it off was still talking to the service writer about the car. It really was funny to see it happen, even though I suppose it wasn't appreciated by the customer. Messing with a DVD isn't very cool, but burn-outs well....I guess you had to be there.

[warren]

Norm,
Yes had the same thing happened to me in May. and it was inside the radio.
Signal dropped from 57 to 17. ( plush 3&6 then 3again for signal. )
Do not have tint on rear window.
Replaced the radio for $$$.
Now it is starting to happen again.
Radio tech. said to ck. ground from ant. to body.
I will ck. it however I think it's the radio.
It starts to happen after the radio is on for awhile.
First the AM then the FM - CD's ok.
Then it gets worse.

Warren

[Svashtar]

Norm,
Yes had the same thing happened to me in May. and it was inside the radio.
Signal dropped from 57 to 17. ( plush 3&6 then 3again for signal. )
Do not have tint on rear window.
Replaced the radio for $$$.
Now it is starting to happen again.
Radio tech. said to ck. ground from ant. to body.
I will ck. it however I think it's the radio.
It starts to happen after the radio is on for awhile.
First the AM then the FM - CD's ok.
Then it gets worse.

WarrenThanks Warren and everyone else for all the good detail. I took it to another dealer and they gave me the same BS about the tint until I had the manager sit in the car and listen to the radio. He said he would order another one, and then admitted that they had had several problems with these radios.

I have had the car for 15 months, so am keeping my fingers crossed it doesn't happen again. Thanks again.

Norm

[Cheeseheadbob]

If you have 3M tint, there will be no interference. It is specifically designed to inhibit only UV, not FM! I have 5% all around and have experienced no problems. On a side note, I took my 300A into the dealer to have my headlight assemblies and sidelamp assemblies replaced (the old ones were becoming slightly opaque) and the the Senior Master Mechanic took the work order so he could check out my car. He invited me into the service bay and asked me alot of questions about the S/C and how it performed. Needless to say, every other tech came by to ask questions and to have a look. I was in and out in 40 minutes and the guys in the shop were all top notch. Dulaney Lincoln/Mercury in Timonium Maryland. Like anything, there are professionals and those who aspire to mediocracy!
I took it to another dealer and they gave me the same BS about the tint

[hdirish50]

Sounds like another example of what great customer service For/ Lincoln/ Mercury has to offer their customers.

[AzMarauder]

When I worked at a large Ford dealer from 1969 to 1976, we had a new car prep mechanic who was pretty sharp, probably the best mechanic in the garage. I once witnessed him do a burn-out with a customers new 428CJ Torino at the service desk. The customer that had just dropped it off was still talking to the service writer about the car. It really was funny to see it happen, even though I suppose it wasn't appreciated by the customer. Messing with a DVD isn't very cool, but burn-outs well....I guess you had to be there.
Doing burn outs in a customer's car is the ultimate in disrespect. :nono:

A young man did just such a thing with a 2003 Cobra that was in for service in Texas. Of course, Einstein wasn't too bright... he talked about it on a Mustang Forum. Didn't take long before his little thread made it to the SVTPerformance site...

The owner was located.... and ummm:mad2:

Let's put it this way... the dealer settled (unspecified) out of court... and the young man (*****HEAD) no longer has a job.

[Svashtar]

My brother-in-law took his SC'd Mustang to the dealer for work, and then got a ride over to the golf-course to get in a round. On one of the greens with his partner, he spied his car racing along the frontage road at about 80 MPH, with a couple of kids doing their best to thrash it.

When he got back he raised 7 kinds of hell about it, and got I don't know what all out of them. I have a list now I read to the dealer when I take it in:

Do not take the car for a test drive (I check the mileage). Do not get into the car with sharp tools sticking out of your back pocket and gouge huge holes in the upholstery. Do not get into the car with grease or permatex on your overalls and smear it all over my upholstery. Do not sit on the door with the window down swinging back and forth and bend the door hinges. Do not blast the stereo and blow out the speakers; in fact, don't play the stereo at all. Do not race the engine. Do not steal parts off the car. Do not steal personal items that are in the car. As you are only driving it less than 50 feet do not adjust the seat. Do not reflash the computer without consulting me. Do not play with the alarm. Do not autostart the car with the remote 50 times because it's cool. Do not eat or drink in the car. In short, do just what you need to do to fix the problem and then leave the car the hell alone, as it is my car, not yours.

All these things have happened to me in this car and different cars at dealerships, and I am sick of it. Every visit means a follow up visit to fix what they screwed up the time before.

Norm