Rear Defroster = Horrible Radio Static????

[ArcTec34]

Dealer replaced my window. No more issues

 

[VXCL]

tint killed my am recpetion but fm is fine

[croll326]

Went to the dealer today and they are denying me a new back window saying its not covered under warranty. I called SOA and I think they are going to straighten the dealer out. Funny part is they could never give me a good reason why its not covered.

[ArcTec34]

you're dealer is screwed up. find another one! what morons

[loak]

I randomly stopped by (w/o appointment) #1 Cochran Subaru out in Monroeville a couple weeks back.

I walked into the service area and mentioned to the tech that I was having some issues with my rear defroster and radio reception.

He asked what type of car I was driving and as I said "a Subaru Legac..." he just started nodding his head.

He ordered a replacement rear windshield and scheduled an appointment with the auto glass people (next door) to do the physical replacement of the window. The window itself and the labor were both covered under warranty.

Now that my window has been replaced, I don't have any issues between my defroster and radio:)

[socalsleeper]

How many miles do you have i have 40K and am out of the bumper to bumper. Will this still be covered?

[croll326]

if i go to another dealer will they know i was denied service somewhere else?

[loak]

How many miles do you have i have 40K and am out of the bumper to bumper. Will this still be covered?

 

I'm at about 13k miles so I'm still within warranty.

Not sure if you'd be covered since you're past the 36k mile warranty. If you have the time, you could always go to the dealership and see what they say.

[Andyjo]

Anyone know about how much the fix is?

I'm completely out of warranty (78k), and i just noticed the problem this morning.

Same stuff, radio's fine w/ defroster off, turn on the defroster, radio goes static.

[croll326]

I had to pay for mine to be fixed. I needed a new rear window from Subaru was $440 installed. Subaru of American then sent me a check to cover the repair cause the dealer was being dumb and wouldnt cover it. This should be a recall.

[bman]

I've *just* got Outback and my wife found this same issue:

Radio on and working fine(FM stations). Turn on the rear defroster and the radio can't pick up any stations; only hears static.

The car has 69K miles on it so it's out of (60K) warranty. I'm debating whether to make the used car shop deal with it or complain to SOA and try to get them to pay for a new rear windshield.

Opinions?

[bman]

Update: This might save someone the $100 the dealer charged me.

 

Service technician told me the radio static was being caused by a break in the defroster line. He pointed-out the break to me. (cha-ching). I then drove to the parts store and bought a defroster repair kit (~$20). Painted the broken line...viola!

 

So far, the radio stations stay tuned in when the defroster is on.

[DiscoPete]

This will be the second winter that I've had the car.

 

It didn't have this problem last year when the warranty was still good, but it started doing it this week.

Actually, it isn't really so much excessive noise as it is background hiss as the radio signal strength drops out. It does it on AM & FM. A strong station will barely come in and weak stations disappear when the rear defroster is switched on. The problem gets better after the defroster has been on a few minutes. Moisture? Bad connection?

 

Now that I've found out the possible problem, I'll take a look at it myself. Great forum, here!

[urs1ne]

I wonder if this is true on the MY07? I notice a difference, its not severe, but noticeable.

[revolutionair]

no thats not how it works.

theres a grounding strap which gets placed between the R defrost harness and antena wire within the hatch.

you don't get a new glass

 

Does anyone have a picture of this strap, or can you explain where it is located so I can see if I have one, or know where to install it when I get one? Would an autoparts store have it, or is it Subaru dealer specific?

[jp233]

My 06 LGT sedan has this same problem. I'm within warranty luckily, so the dealership has ordered a new rear glass and will be installing it.

 

EMI is annoying. It's no wonder this is happening; due to the proximity of the large elec grid for the defroster and the grid for the antenna. Plus I bet the wires from the defrost button, and the antenna feed from the back of the radio, all travel along in the same bundle/harness from behind the dash, all the way back to the rear glass. (aka, not sufficient shielding of the antenna wire to protect against interference).

 

I wish the car had a small shark-fin antenna like the BMW's have in the center/rear of the roof...

[ArcTec34]

yeah, im sure it could have been fixed w/o a whole new window, but my dealer just replaced the whole thing- it was under warranty, so I don't really care, works either way without me paying any $$

[Instanced]

due to the proximity of the large elec grid for the defroster and the grid for the antenna.

 

Plus I bet the wires from the defrost button, and the antenna feed from the back of the radio, all travel along in the same bundle/harness from behind the dash, all the way back to the rear glass. (aka, not sufficient shielding of the antenna wire to protect against interference).

 

I agree with your first statement, but not really the second... the only way the wires would be a problem is if the two separate bundles were twisted together. they do have shielding on them, and they probably are in their separate bundles... if the car is pumping to much power through the wires then you might have a problem... but you'd also have melting and smoking and maybe fires.... if they're just laying next to eachother it's not as bad... I do believe that the grid for the defrosters is where the noise all comes from, unshielded wire just laying on your rear window. in a GIANT loop... yaaaaaaa Definitely noisey!

The shark fin does look awesome! but i'd rather have that on my bmw then on my subaru

[DiscoPete]

The rear defroster is a heating element that runs on 12 VDC. How can the radio pick up interference from a direct current source?

[jp233]

whatever the cause, it is obviously a design flaw that Subaru has failed to properly address on these cars. I'll report back after they swap the rear glass, but I bet it won't fix the problem.

 

I'm not an EE and don't really care about the engineering nitbits about it. Shouldn't have to be my problem. Sorry I posted the conjecture but it's a very frustrating problem on this car.

 

No wonder Honda has their grid antennas in glass, on the side glass instead of sharing it with the defroster!

[absolutsnwbrdr]

crap. this just started happening this morning (or its taken me 2 years to notice)

 

 

it doesnt happen on all stations... just the ones that are further away. local fm stations still come in fine.

 

btw i have a sedan. im out of warranty. is a new window the only option for the sedan? is the ground strap fix only for wagons?

[jp233]

update:

 

the dealership got the new rear sedan glass in and installed it last week. it works!

 

mine was doing it the worst on one of the most powerful FM stations in Atlanta. So the Bulletin they had out about it being seen on low power AM stations is a bunk theory. Anyways they said that "the glass you had, the whole grid was bad", which was funny to hear since the first time I took it to them and complained, they said they checked the whole grid and it was OK. whatever, it works now and didnt cost me anything except my time to take the car there and pick it up.

 

i advised them over the phone to check the wires and grounds, dunno what came of it though.

 

one thing is for sure, the defrosters on these cars are very powerful. they melted some ice and snow very, very quickly. at least 4 times faster than my 93 or 94 Legacy does!

[clabough]

The rear defroster is a heating element that runs on 12 VDC. How can the radio pick up interference from a direct current source?

 

Although the electrical is a 12VDC system, the power system is generally not completely isolated from the alternator. Ever been in a car and heard whining come through the stereo that changed pitch with the RPMs of the engine?

 

When there's a break in the defroster, it changes the resistance of the defroster grid and the slight A/C from the alternator causes a radio signal to be generated.

 

I have the static on my 2006 LGT, but even through resistance testing, I cannot find any breaks.

[Rick D.]

My 06 Outback XT (wagon) has what seems to be antenna probs. Follow me on this and give me your thoughts, please.

 

I noticed my AM reception disappearing. I noticed the hatch was open and figured it was a ground. I slammed it shut and got reception again. A month later, it failed again. No change hatch open or closed. FM seems maybe weak but OK. Turned way up, I can hear a clear-channel (big wattage) AM station, but weakly and with static.

 

I pulled the hatch trim figuring a connection to the glass antenna was off. It was not. However, I noticed there was an antenna amplifier. Figuring it was the culprit, I special ordered one for $80-ish. Bad call. New one no different. So, I checked to see how well the wires to the embedded antenna were attached. Seemed fine. At this point I noticed that there appears to be two antenna runs, probably AM and FM. I took a wire coat hanger and touched what I thought to be the AM portion (the output connection from the amp to the antenna wire) and it did kick up the volume considerably, but still nowhere near what it used to be. Just to test myself, I touched the other lead without noticeable difference.

 

My next step was to inspect the embedded antenna wire. I noticed the AM portion has a break about 1/2 inch wide. However, the break appears factory in that it has a slight beading at the end of the breaks and there is no evidence of burning et al. It seems centered too, so it does not appear to be a failure.

 

My next thought is that the antenna lead to the radio itself had come loose. However, the fact that when I touched the wire hanger to the antenna and the volume went up, tells me that connection is likely good.

 

So, thoughts? Anyone know how big a job it is to get to that antenna lead in the back of the radio just in case I want to check it?

 

Thanks for your thoughts. My first post, so forgive any board fouls please.

[DiscoPete]

Did you check for bad ground connections? The fact that you once slammed the hatch , causing reception to improve, suggests a loose connection. Earlier in this thread was mentioned a grounding kit that improves reception, but cleaning and tightenting existing grounds might help.

 

My car has a mild, intermittent case of the same problem that I have not yet tried to fix, so I haven't yet checked the wiring myself. You mentioned the "AM portion" of the antenna; were there seperate AM and FM inputs into the antenna amplifier?