Replace The Am Radio

[panch0]

2001 Lexus rx300 with AM & FM radio and CD player. AM does not work(a) can I just replace the AM? (2) any forums, movies, etc \showing how?

[1990LS400]

The AM is not separate. Very unusual problem. Could it be an antenna problem?

[dcfish]

Never heard of just AM not working...Maybe a faulty tuner ...Does the display show the AM stations ?

[VBdenny]

Now that you mention it, I have never even realised that there was still an AM setting on these. Never tried mine but it is pretty easy to replace the radio. Not sure I would go to all that trouble and expense for AM though. AM needs a pretty good antenna and the ES cars don't have one.

[panch0]

If as it has been said, the AM and FM are one unit, and the response is the antenna, do AM & FM use separate antennas? If so, which is which? When I turn the radio on, either AM or FM, the antenna raises out of its fender well. Which antenna is assigned AM only?

[1990LS400]

pancho, you did not answer dcfish's question. Does the radio display show the AM stations?

Here are more questions:

Do you get good FM reception? Nice clear sound?

Did the AM work in the past in the same area where you are now? Do you get any sound at all from AM? Static? Faint reception?

Your RX has only one antenna which functions for both AM and FM.

I have very little experience with AM radio since I rarely use it.

[VBdenny]

Not sure if this will help. In my 2004 ES330, I needed to install my Sirius unit. Very easy to pull the radios out of these cars. Mostly snap connectors and 4 10mm. I suppose you could swap out the unit with one from a yard.

[panch0]

2001 Lexus RX 300

1. The radio display DOES show the AM stations

2. We get good FM reception; nice clear sound

3. The AM station DID work in the past. Now we get faint static

We use to get good AM reception; listening to talk radio

Please suggest possible remedies

panch0

[panch0]

Is it the radio or the antenna?

[VBdenny]

Can't say how to help. I know AM is subject to interference but other than that. I would suggest that if you like to hear people talking you should get SiriusXM as they have many channels where people talk all the time and no commercials. AM radio is mostly all commercial format mixed with some intense B&C'ing about a wide variety of topics.

[Hadyourphil]

Has to be the antenna. Does it come out of the fender when the radio is turned on? The FM uses a wire antenna in the rear window in addition to the mast antenna, so the FM can work even if the mast antenna doesn't work. The mast antenna could have a problem in its base, also. That requires getting to it, which is well documented elsewhere.

[panch0]

Thanks for your reply. YES, the antenna comes out of the fendor with the radio on. Could the problem be the antenna itself, cable, grounding, etc?

[Hadyourphil]

There are two antenna connectors on the radio, a small one and a larger one. I believe the larger one is the mast. It could be something as simple as the plug not making good contact with the jack! If you can get the radio out far enough to plug (temporarily) a regular radio antenna in to that jack, you should be able to determine if the antenna is the problem. In answer to your questions yes to the antenna or cable. A bad ground would give you a very noisy AM with ignition noise audible.

[panch0]

No ignition noise, just static; no talk, music, etc. FM works fine, as well as the CD player

[Hadyourphil]

CD player has nothing to do with this. You'll have to substiture another antenna. You could try wiggling the antenna when you have the radio on AM and see if you hear anything change.

[panch0]

Thanks! I'll check this out