Radio interference stops when brake depressed.

[Laval]

I recently bought a 2012 Ram with the Uconnect Radio. When using the am there is considerable static which completely clears up when the brake is depressed. If I Bluetooth a radio station it is completely clear. The previous owner had installed some led strip lighting on the tailgate which I suspected was the problem. I disconnected the strip and this did not solve the problem. Ideas?

 

[emjohn4]

Well, I also have a 2012 Ram. Guess what...I have the same thing. It only seems to come through the front passenger door speaker.

I thought it was the aftermarket radio, amp, etc - wasn't. After getting super duper shielded cables, moving them, different amp, etc, it is still there.

I will probably remove the uconnect altogether since I'm not really using it with the aftermarket radio I have - that might do something.

Let me know if you find anything out!

 

[SitKneelBend]

I recently bought a 2012 Ram with the Uconnect Radio. When using the am there is considerable static which completely clears up when the brake is depressed. If I Bluetooth a radio station it is completely clear. The previous owner had installed some led strip lighting on the tailgate which I suspected was the problem. I disconnected the strip and this did not solve the problem. Ideas?

Does the EMI change when you turn on the headlights and foglights?

 

[crash68]

If the static only happens with radio stations via the antenna, it's possibly a ground and/or connection issue between the radio and antenna

 

[Laval]

Thank you everyone who replied. For some reason I never got any notifications about replies so I didn’t see them until today. A friend of mine suggested a bad ground as did Crash 68. I cleaned all of he obvious ones(2) near the battery. No change. While crawling around underneath I located a braided ground strap which simply clips onto the fender. This strap is almost completely burned thru where it passes over the exhaust. It appears to bolt up somewhere at the back side of the block. I think I will just replace it with a generic strap - block to the body. The original mount can’t be seen so I will just pick an accessible location on the block and go with that. Thoughts?

 

[GTyankee]

This may not have anything to do with your interference

I do recall,
with the 2009 - 2012 Radios
a Ground could be attached to the E Brake & possibly any Good Ground & that allowed you to watch Videos while in Motion

2010 dodge Ram watching videos while driving - Google Search

I found this, while looking for Videos while driving, vehicles newer than 2012

HOW TO WATCH MOVIES AND PLAY YOUTUBE VIDEOS IN YOUR CAR! *NO JAILBREAK NEEDED*

Thanks for watching!Link to item: PLEASE MAKE SURE TO MENTION THAT I SENT YOU :)https://streamtoyourcar.com/products/media-box

www.youtube.com

 

[crash68]

Thoughts?

Replacing a bad grounding strap definitely won't hurt anything. There's a mod called the big three in which the battery and engine block grounds are upgraded in size/oversized

 

[Laval]

Well I added an auxiliary ground strap from the head to the body. Did not fix the issue. Time to ask uncle Google again

 

[Mister Luck]

Well I added an auxiliary ground strap from the head to the body. Did not fix the issue. Time to ask uncle Google again

You mean the head unit not the engine cylinder head?

Have you tried RFI , FERRITE RING CLIPS ?
Around the antenna cable ?

https://a.co/d/8WUWvEz

Do you have ab RF hub below your rear window inside the cab ?

 

[Wild one]

You mean the head unit not the engine cylinder head?

Have you tried RFI , FERRITE RING CLIPS ?

https://a.co/d/8WUWvEz

Probably cylinder head.Post #5 he mentions finding a bad ground strap under the hood.

 

[Mister Luck]

Your truck probably has a connector similar to this that is identified as
C238 - LT. GRAY (HEADLINER_LT) 20 WAY

It may be possible that it’s grounding source is compromised.

When you apply the brake pedal the high marker stop light maybe helping this connector complete it’s ground connection.

There maybe corrosion or water intrusion around the stop light bezel and could be effecting grounds or the led power supply from the bed lights you removed ?

 

[GTyankee]

I think that RADIO Interference is the issue

there is no static when Listening using Bluetooth

Things like the alternator can cause static
CB radios that are being boosted, can cause interference on a neighbors TV, quite similar to what was mentioned in Post #9

 

[Mister Luck]

I think that RADIO Interference is the issue

there is no static when Listening using Bluetooth

Things like the alternator can cause static
CB radios that are being boosted, can cause interference on a neighbors TV, quite similar to what was mentioned in Post #9

Is this something that’s new when you step on the brakes does it go away ? RFI comes in many forms, did you ever see that post where a CB/ mobile coms installer was looking for a radio kit that is commonly offered for emergency/ first responders vehicles to promote clearer reception..

Did you know this first HAM amateur radio operator used a spark plug to transmit code for communication and two could disrupt a whole network.

There is more radio interference with AM than FM and Bluetooth radio which many refer to as Satellite radio which is actually transmitted by WiFi .. static might actually be the issue but related to stepping on the brakes clearing it up I can’t wait to find out what the actual fix is .

When troubleshooting vehicle wiring a common practice is to use a piercing probe… this practice is not always in the best interest of wiring because some critical systems wire has foil covering the wire to act a a shield from RFI interference.

There is a new thing now where thief’s use a vehicles wiring to back probe through a connector to wake up a response code used to remote start a vehicle and gain access called CAN injection.


You MIGHT have something there GT.

 

[mtofell]

When using the am

Ideas?

Ideas? Move out of 1985 and ditch the AM radio I'm kind of just joking but really? Is AM radio still out there? I thought I heard (at least in my area) that it was going away. Anything you can/could find on AM radio can be streamed, Podcast-ed, or whatever in such a better way than listening to crappy (on it's best day) AM radio. I was a huge AM radio guy years ago but podcasts and streaming are just such a better way to get things. Add in bluetooth and I just couldn't imagine trying to use the radio on a vehicle.

 

[GTyankee]

AM radio's audiences declined greatly due to competition from FM (frequency modulation) radio, Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB), satellite radio, HD (digital) radio, Internet radio, music streaming services, and podcasting.

In Australia, AM radio transmissions operate in the medium frequency (MF) band in the frequency range 526.5–1606.5 kHz. AM signals travel over much greater distances, giving wider coverage which is suitable for providing services to sparsely populated areas.

40 miles outside of San Diego, the FM stations begin to drop off, so does Cell Phone coverage.
When i am traveling cross country, i use Sirius, i dislike using the Search on the Ram radio.

I have no need for a Smart Phone, my Flip Phone makes & receives phone calls

 

[Mister Luck]

AM radio's audiences declined greatly due to competition from FM (frequency modulation) radio, Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB), satellite radio, HD (digital) radio, Internet radio, music streaming services, and podcasting.

In Australia, AM radio transmissions operate in the medium frequency (MF) band in the frequency range 526.5–1606.5 kHz. AM signals travel over much greater distances, giving wider coverage which is suitable for providing services to sparsely populated areas.

40 miles outside of San Diego, the FM stations begin to drop off, so does Cell Phone coverage.
When i am traveling cross country, i use Sirius, i dislike using the Search on the Ram radio.

I have no need for a Smart Phone, my Flip Phone makes & receives phone calls

GT is correct the cellular services outside the metropolitan districts of San Diego are sparse here is a picture of a cell tower in Southern California near the town of Borrego Springs and for scale of reference the telephone poles near the tower are close to 40 ft / 12 meters

 

[mtnrider]

Do you have a trailer brake controller? Just another thought as it was something that came up when doing a google search on this issue.

.

 

[RamDiver]

GT is correct the cellular services outside the metropolitan districts of San Diego are sparse here is a picture of a cell tower in Southern California near the town of Borrego Springs and for scale of reference the telephone poles near the tower are close to 40 ft / 12 meters

I don't see any cellular antennas on that tower, only directional microwave dishs. Maybe my phone isn't providing enough content.

Is that tower possibly used only for terrestrial backbone transmission?

.

 

[RamDiver]

I think that RADIO Interference is the issue

there is no static when Listening using Bluetooth

Things like the alternator can cause static
CB radios that are being boosted, can cause interference on a neighbors TV, quite similar to what was mentioned in Post #9

I agree that it's definitely an RFI problem.

IIRC, back in the 70s & 80s, I've seen both alternators and individual spark plugs create parasitic RFI.

Again IIRC, sometimes the diodes in the alternators would be the source and by changing the rectifier module, the problem was solved.

These days, you likely have to change the entire alternator. I do recall that the pitch of the buzz would change with the rpm, that would be a good indicator.

I don't know if parts stores test for RFI when they test alternators, you could ask them.

I'd be tempted to dive under the hood with small AM radio to see if you can isolate where the RFI is being generated.

Chances are that you will have to detune the radio to a place in the am band that is less sensitive, otherwise you will have too much noise.

.

 

[Laval]

Thank you everyone who replied. After further searchs on Google it appears this is not really an uncommon problem with Ram trucks of my vintage. One fellow claimed to have cured it by sanding the grounding location of the antenna. I tried this - no luck. And to answer a question about the ground strap I replaced it was from the engine head to the body. Possible that the alternator is the problem. I will try disconnecting that and see if it cures the problem. As to why I listen to am - I am old cranky and set in my ways. I like a specific talk radio and I dont want to Bluetooth my phone every time I get in the truck for a five minute trip. Out in the boonies where I live lots of am stations are crystal clear. If I want music I use Bluetooth cause I am fussy about what I listen to.