AM band not working. Ideas??

[harlon 10+ year member]

My wife's car (a 2000 Buick Century) had a Kenwood aftermarket head unit in it (a KDC-415S, I think). The AM band of the radio has never worked (we've had the car for several years). Yesterday I installed a new Alpine head unit. The AM band still does not work.

So I'm quite sure it's not the head unit (which is what I always presumed it was). And I believe everything is wired up correctly. I used the existing wiring harness and spliced it with the Alpine's wiring harness.

Keep in mind, the FM, CD, iPOD - all work fine. It's just the AM that does not work - gets nothing but static. Do you think the antenna is bad, or something in the wiring?? I'm not sure which direction to go first.

If you need more info please let me know and I'll provide what you need.

Thank you.

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[jmanpc 5,000+ posts]

Does it have 2 seperate antenna wires? I know in some European cars with 2 seperate antennas, you pretty much have to pick one or the other.

 

[JimJ 5,000+ posts]

Is it a "windshield" type of antenna or a regular whip one?

Most aftermarket radios have horrible AM receivers to begin with, and in-windshield antennas are about as bad as you can get for AM reception. So unless you happen to live next to a 50kW transmitter it's not surprising you're not hearing anything.

 

[JohnnyChuttz 10+ year member]

I dunno my 880 gets better AM reception than my old 7600 which was better than the stock I ran in the Ranger when I first got it. I listen to WBAP 820 out of Dallas(~140 miles) when I am sick of my cds.

 

[harlon 10+ year member]

Thanks for the quick replies. To answer a few questions - it only has one antenna input (it is an Alpine 9856) and it is a mast antenna - not a windshield type.

Just seems strange I wouldn't get any signal at all. I have a 9857 in my truck and it gets perfect reception. I can see one being a little bit better or worse - but nothing at all? Makes me think something isn't working. If it was my antenna - I would lose FM reception as well, right? Or could a bad antenna only affect AM? Or could something be wrong with the wiring harness that could cause this??

Thanks again for the help.

 

[JimJ 5,000+ posts]

Install the radio in the Buick, but hook up a jumper to another antenna outside the car. If you can get reception then, you know it's something in the car's antenna system that's killing AM reception.

 

[harlon 10+ year member]

Ok - just got home and took a look at the car. I was mistaken - it is indeed a window antenna. Funny - I've driven the car hundreds of times but never noticed. Guess I should work on those observation skills.

I'll try another antenna and see if that solves the problem.