Whitmanpc1

Greetings,

Anyone else have very weak reception on their AM radio? I've got a 93 SC400 with the Nakamichi radie.

FM works great...but AM is really bad, pretty much unuseable.

Any thoughts?

Kind regards,

Jeff Whitman

Phoenix88

I haven't actually tried to listen to the radio, however I know that when I listen to FM (Never listen to AM) that the reception is VERY poor. I have a 93' Nak as well, atleast I have cd player I'll listen to some AM stuff see how it is on the way home tonight.

Phoenix

Whitmanpc1

Thanks Phoenix please let me know! I've heard from the Lexus dealer that they have had others come in with that problem.

I wonder what the workaround would be? As for me, I'm looking for a good quality portable...I need my news in the morning and my Red Sox games at night!!

SC300T

I don't have the NAK, mine is the stock Pioneer but my AM is horrible as well... Something like 70 miles max range even on level terrain with a very powerful station. I'm wondering if some of the connections have degraded. I can also hear all kinds of ignition noise, but my plug wires are old. I can't imagine Lexus putting a system in with this poor reception, so there must be something wrong. AM is pretty succeptable to ignition problems as well. The noise level went down a bit when I changed to smaller gapped plugs. I also get ignition noise from the potentiometer that controls the dash lighting. If its all the way up, I get less noise. AM reception is also very reliant on having a good ground connection to the chassis. Since my FM is not too bad, I'm assuming that there could be a problem within the AM tuner section of the radio.

Phoenix88

Reception was ok? I don't really listen to AM so I don't really know what it is suppose to be like. I got only about 3 stations clear, one being a local station. I would probably asume that the reception will be poor, seeing as the FM reception is as well. Not too big of a deal for me, but Lexus should have a good radio in the car? Wierd I guess.

Phoenix

RoNSX

I have been looking for a solution to this problem for some time. A couple years ago when I had my 93 SC400 antenna replaced, I asked the dealer to fix the AM reception. He told me that it was a design flaw and there was nothing he could do to improve my AM reception.

I can't believe that this hasn't been addressed either by Lexus or an aftermarket solution.

I've been told that cleaning the antenna connectors might help. Also, another SC owner said disconnecting his mobile phone power supply, which he said was near the antenna, substantially improved his reception.

Any other suggestions for fixing this problem?

DanielPBNY

I have the same problem and was told that the way Lexus has run the cable, bundles it from the radio to the antena in the trunk with other electrical wireing. The way to correct the proglem is to go to Radio Shack and by a new antena cable. Then rerout it from the back of the radio under the console, then under the center carpet to the trunk so that it runs alone and receives no interference from being bundled with the electrical system wireing.

Lexmex

I don´t use my radio much anymore (have XM...works very well down here), but even when I am above the city in the hills with a clean line of site, my experience with AM has not been too good with my RX300 and the Nakamichi unit.

T0ked

iTrader: (2)

AM radio reception is pretty bad. I've had the car since new in 1993. Regular pioneer and Nak. AM never worked well. Even in NYC, when driving under a lightpole, I get slight buzzing! At a local drive-in, they told me to tune my radio to an AM station since that's how they broadcast the sound... very very bad audio. ended up just turning it off...

rcodey

The AM reception on my 2004 RX-330 is a joke.30 miles from NYC 50,000 watt stations are barely heard.A few weeks ago I had a RX-350 as a loaner and the AM reception was a lot better.

OutlawTita

iTrader: (1)

XM radio has a ton of news programs and every baseball game.....problem solved.

I replaced every component of the Nakamichi system in my GS400 and have never looked back.

engin_ear

iTrader: (1)

Sirius Satellite Radio has no AM interference.