Electric Vehicle Forums - AM radio sounds terrible

- Honda Civic Hybrid (https://electricvehicleforums.com/forums/honda-civic-hybrid-12/)

- - AM radio sounds terrible (https://electricvehicleforums.com/forums/honda-civic-hybrid-12/am-radio-sounds-terrible-5871/)

Re: AM radio sounds terrible

I agree the sound quality either from CD, FM, or AM is horrible. I think that is due to those cheap speakers. I want to change them for better speakers. Do you know what type of speakers that the HCH have? Thanks!

Re: AM radio sounds terrible

I have changed speakers in the 2001-2005 Honda Civic's and they are a lot easier. you can just use the existing holes and screw them in. in the new models they use a different mounting system. I don't want to drill holes in it just yet. Waiting to see if somebody makes a bracket for them.

Re: AM radio sounds terrible

Quote:

Originally Posted by exbauer

Would you let me know when you find the info.? Thanks in advance! I bet when I get better speakers then the sound quality would improve 100%.:)

Re: AM radio sounds terrible

Quote:

Maybe it's just time to dump the AM garage logic and move to NPR? :-)

I am a little sad to hear of these problems. My car will be delivered later in June (if it doesn't get bumped again) and in Providence, NPR can only be listened to on AM radio. It's an affiliate of the Boston station, which doesn't come in well here until you get north of the city.

Re: AM radio sounds terrible

I read this post when I had my first HCHII and thought people were complaining, I had no issue with the AM or FM. Last month I got my replacement HCHII and I notice that the AM and FM on the new vehicle is much worse than the original. The sound quality is bad regardless if the engine is running or not. So not sure if it is a quality issue with the radio, routing of the antenna wiring, or loose connections that makes it sound so bad. I will try this weekend to remate the connections on the back of the radio, not sure if I can get to the antenna jack on the roof.

Re: AM radio sounds terrible

Has anyone tried putting a Ferrite Core anywhere around the antenna wire?

Thanks,

Michael

Re: AM radio sounds terrible

I found that the wire runs behind the glove compartment and there is a connector on the passenger side. There are a pair of wires, one coax and a single wire, I think the coax is for the FM and the single wire is for the AM. I inspected the connector on the on the passenger side and wiggled the connector on the back of the Nav, but did not make much difference. The wire looks like it is route clear of most signals, but once it drops down on the kick panel on the passenger side I have no idea how it is routed to the back antenna. I will try the Ferrite Core this weekend, not sure if there is enough slack to loop around once or twice. Thanks for the idea.

Re: AM radio sounds terrible

Quote:

Originally Posted by hchowner

Let me know-I will be doing the same if it works!

If you can take a photo, please do so!

Thanks,

Michael

Re: AM radio sounds terrible

The wire running between the two white tie wraps is the antenna wire, it almost looks like lamp cord wire.

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https://www.greenhybrid.com/share/fi...7/IMG_2500.JPG

Here is the connector on the passenger side.

https://www.greenhybrid.com/share/fi...7/IMG_2499.JPG

All of this is visible by pressing in on the sides of the glove compartment and allowing it to fold down.

https://www.greenhybrid.com/share/fi...7/IMG_2501.JPG

Also noticed that the cabin air filter is back there too. I also thought if you have small enough hands that you maybe able to get a bus cable installed for the XM, CD changer, or iPod with out have to pull all the dash trim out. This would be removing the "inside cover" reaching up through this opening, I think you can then fish the cable down to the center console or over to the side of the glove compartment area.

https://www.greenhybrid.com/share/fi...7/IMG_2502.JPG

I do not think you will be able to get the connector out thou without pulling the dash.

https://www.greenhybrid.com/share/fi...503_290076.JPG

I can reach up and feel the empty bus connector socket of the Nav unit.

Re: AM radio sounds terrible

I mainly listen to AM (FM sounds ok to me). I was playing with my radio today and discovered a way to improve the sound a little - I uses the fader to turn the rear speakers off completely and turned the bass down a little. It sounds much, much better this way than with the rear speakers on - almost sounds like a real radio. You might want to give it a try...