Question about the radio in my “New” 2009 - Smart Car of America Forums : Smart Car Forum

Charles K · 08-13-2009, 07:40 PM

Question about the radio in my “New” 2009 Smart Car Passion Coup.

I enjoy my new smart car very much I only have about 3600 miles on it and only have one complaint that is the factory radio.

My car came with an Am Fm CD player factory radio; I like to listen to AM talk shows
But at night this is imposable!

Oh yes I also had the dealer install a Xenon HID headlamp system and when the headlamps illuminate its game over!

The radio will static out and you will get white noise in fact even in the day time if you apply the turn signals it will beep and cycle over the AM radio.

Also when you first start the car and the electric emissions motor cycles and that interferes with the radio, also when I get near power lines I get major interference

Don’t get me wrong my Michigan dealer Bloomfield Hills is great but it is a long drive so I wonder if there is an easy fixes IE a suppressor or something?

Is this some thing any of the members have come across?

Thanks
Charles

Krootie · 08-13-2009, 07:47 PM

I'm jealous! You mean you actually have talk shows in your area on AM? Ours are gone - with the exception of the usual Rush, etc. Thankful I have my XM Satellite.

John_H · 08-13-2009, 07:53 PM

I had problems with my non-factory radio picking up AM properly. The expert at my Smart Center got me wired back in properly so the AM came in great.

There's an AM amplifier that's been replaced under warranty for a few smarts - part # 81623800 - that has cleared up the static for those factory radios. I think it's this external part which wasn't initially powered properly attached to my aftermarket radio. In the threads that I've found, meaux61 seems to be the first that brought up the solution for the amplifier troubles.

If you call your distant Smart Center, you might be able to figure out some options that could work for you.

**SmartDigger** · 08-13-2009, 08:03 PM

A bad ground wire will do that. Also am signal is weaker at night. It's been a while since I tricked out a sound system but AI know they have power filters that can be installed to reduce noise.