GearJamr Posted August 26, 2022 Share Posted August 26, 2022 Okay, long back story: 2005 GT Wagon. Had body work done last year. Radio worked perfectly prior. After, only FM stations with a strong signal come in clear, the rest are weak/spotty/garbled. The one I usually listen to comes in clear as day in my other vehicle, at home etc. What I have done so far to remedy: 1. Swapped in another antenna amplifier I got from a recyclers. This initially worked as it was just connected to the wires and not secured to the hatch. Once I secured it to the hatch, signal went bad again. 2. Checked wiring through the hinge, there were some small spots where the insulation had cracked and copper wire was exposed, spliced in longer wires. No change. 3. Covered one antenna amplifier in electrical tape and secured using a plastic screw. No change. Actually might have been worse. 4. Ran new ground wire from hatch to roof. No change. 5. Checked antenna in rear window, some areas seemed suspect, so repaired them with defogger repair kit. No difference. 6. Had my mechanic check into it earlier this week when car was in for something else. They confirmed good electrical signal in the wiring, no ground issue, good conductivity in the rear window antenna. Suggested amplifier is the problem. Also noticed signal was better when amplifier was not secured to vehicle. To me, this would indicate some sort of grounding issue, but eliminating all forms of metal/electrical contact did not make it better. I suppose there is a small chance both antenna amplifiers are no good, but that seems rather odd. Could some ground wiring in another part of the car be contributing to this problem? Can someone suggest another step to take to try and resolve this issue? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TMBLKDG Posted October 11, 2022 Share Posted October 11, 2022 You posted this awhile ago... Ever find the problem? In #1 you say that the new amplifier worked until it was secured to the body of the car. Did you un-secure it to see if it started working again? In #3 you say you wrapped an amplifier with tape and that didn't help. Was that the same amplifier that worked previously? It definitely sounds like a grounding issue but you could've won the lottery and gotten two bad amplifiers too. Or, if there's some kind of ground fault, it could have cooked the second good amplifier. I get faulty parts all the time at my work and one time I cooked a cheap car stereo just by touching the chassis of it with a live 12V wire. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GearJamr Posted October 11, 2022 Author Share Posted October 11, 2022 (edited) No, have not found the problem yet. Full disclosure - I haven't been motivated to frustrate myself further. For #1, yes. When I connected the "new" amplifier the signal was good until I fastened it to the hatch. Signal went back to bad, so I removed the bolt and let it hang by just the wiring and signal was good again. #3, correct. It was the one that worked while hanging. I also used a nylon/plastic bolt to secure it and got the same result. The second amplifier I got was pulled from a scrap yard car, so it is possible it is bad too. Perhaps more detail on the body work might provide a clue. I had some rust repair done on the hatch. Would presume the wiring was removed in order to facilitate that work, but everything else on the hatch works. The rear quarter panels were cut out and carbon fiber ones were installed. Maybe there is a short somewhere in that area from that work? Again, everything else is working a-ok. Fuses have been fine, and last check were good. Mechanic tested it all and they figure it is also the amplifier. Maybe the original got dropped or jostled enough to make it go wonky and the one I replaced it with was either bad or got blown after shorting against the car. Maybe some weird problem with HU that happened to appear? Maybe the HU got shorted somehow and the receiver in that is affected? just grasping at straws and I don't really want to just go replacing random parts. Though the BT portion of my HU is not very good.... Stupidest thing I have encountered with a car ever. I have to wonder if getting a new amplifier from a dealer would even be possible. Might have to go "dumpster diving" again and try another one. Edited October 11, 2022 by GearJamr added more info Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GearJamr Posted October 20, 2022 Author Share Posted October 20, 2022 Strange update for anyone who actually looks in this thread: I'm pretty sure it's a grounding issue now. Just not sure where. Perhaps this will help anyone who might have a suggestion.... Yesterday it was raining, and I was at a stop light where the radio signal was clear and strong. The windshield wipers were on intermittent, and every time they made a sweep, the signal would go weak, and when the wipe was finished, the signal would be back to normal. I've read of the rear wiper making the signal change because of broken wires in the hatch, but never the front wipers.....Is there somewhere the front wipers and the antenna are commonly grounded? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TMBLKDG Posted October 22, 2022 Share Posted October 22, 2022 I'm following this thread but damned if I have a clue as to what's going on. Just figure I'd better keep an eye on it in case this ever happens to me and you figure it out. Sure does sound like some kind of ground issue... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KZJonny Posted December 13, 2022 Share Posted December 13, 2022 (edited) Any chance you may have missed a bad wire in the hatch pass through? I had a problem with my rear wiper intermittently where it wouldn't park in the right spot. This was after I had spliced in a bunch of replacement wires in the hatch passthrough to correct the brake lights shorting out, and taking out their fuse, which prevented the car from starting. It wasn't until I took the area apart a second time and ripped all the plastic trim in the area off as well that I found more breaking/broken wires... Replacement of wires x 2 did the trick. All good now, tho the reception in the trunk antenna is a mediocre as it has been as long as I owned the thing... (This is the Outback, somehow the GT still has all function OKAY in the hatch, even tho I have looked at the passthrough bundle, and can see cracks all over the insulation.... I'm not touching that until it causes a problem....) Edited December 13, 2022 by KZJonny Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GearJamr Posted December 13, 2022 Author Share Posted December 13, 2022 I replaced the entire wire "assembly" for the right side - rear wiper, lights etc. All of those things work 100%. The antenna passes through on the left side. Only 3 wires, one is the coax cable for the antenna itself. Spliced in on the other two. Mechanic tested and getting correct power and ground, so...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KZJonny Posted December 14, 2022 Share Posted December 14, 2022 Huh. Definitely strange. Hopefully it becomes obvious when you take a look around where that body work was done? I wondered if something grounding out on the other side could be creating interference, but clearly not if that harness is still good… Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GearJamr Posted December 14, 2022 Author Share Posted December 14, 2022 It seems to me to be a grounding issue since when the amplifier is not attached to the hatch the signals are stronger. As soon as the amp makes contact the signal gets weaker. I found it odd that the front wipers actuating caused the signal to fluctuate as well. Might be a ground somewhere in the engine bay that is causing it since the rear electrics checked out at the garage. Weird problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GearJamr Posted January 12, 2023 Author Share Posted January 12, 2023 For s***s and giggles I looked up if an antenna amplifier is available from Subaru. Turns out they are. I think I will try ordering one, plus the wiring harness that connects to the wiring to the front of the car. Then get a grounding kit in the spring and replace the ones in the engine bay. Hopefully that will cure this ridiculous issue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KZJonny Posted January 12, 2023 Share Posted January 12, 2023 I'm parting out an 05 GT. As far as I am aware it had decent radio reception. How much is the amp from Subaru? I could send you the one from this car if you want to try another old one before spending new part money.... I certainly think a new wiring harness is a good idea, and will probably do that myself some day, since I think they're like $150 USD? vs. a couple of evenings fixing 18 year old wires..... Be curious to hear what you think of any grounding kit you might find. I was looking at that a little, but they all seemes really spendy for what you get, so I'm leaning towards making my own with some multi-strand welding wire and a hydraulic crimp for the ends. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GearJamr Posted January 13, 2023 Author Share Posted January 13, 2023 I checked subaruonlineparts.com and the amplifier is about $50 US. Plus shipping of course. I have already spent time splicing in new wire. The garage said the electrical signal is all good. I figure is a new antenna amp doesn't fix it, then the wiring would be next. With the front wipers affecting the radio signal as well, seems like the engine bay grounds would be a logical next step. And I would like a full double din HU with android auto so that might also make it on the list since I got some $$ back for my old cats. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KZJonny Posted January 16, 2023 Share Posted January 16, 2023 Righto. Sounds like you're good for amps, and I think at this point you must have a few lying around. I also replaced the rusted-to-dust OE engine grounds etc.. with CT ones when I got my car, and amazingly it idled pretty well, instead of ah... not idling properly at all? Still, the woven straps don't last long even in a summer only car, so I think I'm also in for a new set. Wouldn't be too surprised to find out it takes care of at least some of your reception/interference problems. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GearJamr Posted January 17, 2023 Author Share Posted January 17, 2023 That's the hope. Will try a new amp first and go from there. I don't really notice any other electrical gremlins, but putting in new grounding wires can't hurt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GearJamr Posted February 15, 2023 Author Share Posted February 15, 2023 Not a totally on topic update, but I hit a mini version of the Maginot Line Sunday night. I figured my front end was about to drop out, it was pretty nasty and accompanied by a large BANG sound. Oddly enough, the car still rides smooth on nice pavement and the alignment is good. Tires all holding air still, no rim bending visible. The issue is that the Mariana Trench encounter made the display on my HU (Alpine single DIN, don't remember the model) go blank. It is back lit, but nothing displayed on it. After turning off the car and restarting, the display came back. But now when I start the car, the display starts out okay, but after about 10 minutes the display goes out. So, looks like I will be getting a new HU as well. Looking at probably this one: Sony XAV-AX5600 Digital multimedia receiver at Crutchfield Canada FM Sensitivity is only 7 dBf - lower is better and 8-12 is considered excellent for reception, so should help my situation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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