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Electrical discharge

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Old Apr 10, 2014 | 06:18 PM
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Exclamation Electrical discharge

The radio on my focus is rubbish (pioneer aftermarket)
It only picks up strong signals and gets interferes with them (bbc radio etc)

I have noticed if you tune in a station and it's fuzzy, if you switch the engine off it stays fuzzy for 10 secs then signal gets good. I assume this is after the alternator finishes charging. The alternator was new very recently, but pr.oblem has been there a while, any sugggestions where to start looking for a fault/fix?

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Old Apr 10, 2014 | 06:19 PM
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try a inline signal booster
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Old Apr 10, 2014 | 06:37 PM
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Check the aerial is earthed properly behind the interior light. Is it plugged in to the back of the headunit properly? They do pop off pretty easily.
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Old Apr 10, 2014 | 08:06 PM
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I hate car stereos mine is doing my head in! I've not got the best of bits but when listening to the radio it sound tiny and shit but listening to music off my phone plugged into it it's like a totally different system?
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Old Apr 10, 2014 | 09:20 PM
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Originally Posted by ajamesc
I hate car stereos mine is doing my head in! I've not got the best of bits but when listening to the radio it sound tiny and shit but listening to music off my phone plugged into it it's like a totally different system?
Your car has an amplifier fitted for the antenna, so first make sure this is functional...

OP, it sounds like you have EMI (Electro Magnetic Interference) this will change in proportion to engine speed. The first things to check are is the ignition system and alternator. To prevent this they are 'supressed' basically there are capacitors which are in turn grounded. The ignition leads should also be supressed.

Martin
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Old Apr 10, 2014 | 09:35 PM
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I don't have a signal problem that's perfect just sounds so tinny and quiet no bass but once playing music from the phone sounds 10 times better far more sound quality
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Old Apr 11, 2014 | 03:16 PM
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Originally Posted by ajamesc
I don't have a signal problem that's perfect just sounds so tinny and quiet no bass but once playing music from the phone sounds 10 times better far more sound quality
How do you know that? If that is the case then the head unit is probably at fault, issues like this though are usually down to poor signal IME.

Martin
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Old Apr 11, 2014 | 03:54 PM
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Originally Posted by martysmartie
Your car has an amplifier fitted for the antenna, so first make sure this is functional...

OP, it sounds like you have EMI (Electro Magnetic Interference) this will change in proportion to engine speed. The first things to check are is the ignition system and alternator. To prevent this they are 'supressed' basically there are capacitors which are in turn grounded. The ignition leads should also be supressed.

Martin
I doesn't change in proportion to speed, it's as simple as the radio is great with the engine off but turns to dogs hit when the engine is running. Where do I is start looking for these suppressors on a 2003 focus???
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Old Apr 11, 2014 | 04:24 PM
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Originally Posted by martysmartie
How do you know that? If that is the case then the head unit is probably at fault, issues like this though are usually down to poor signal IME.

Martin
Head unit is brand new signal must be good as I can pick kiss 100 that normally you can't

Last edited by ajamesc; Apr 11, 2014 at 04:33 PM.
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