AM Radio Reception Bad

[Fission]

Wanted to post some research in order to help anyone who may have the same problem.

 

I was getting intermittent static and weird, morse-code like beeping sounds on AM radio. So bad you could not even listen to AM. The strongest few stations were fine, but all the rest were terrible. Seemed like some days it would be OK, other days bad.

 

Had dealer look at it, they had no clue. Did a little research and found similar problem on another Ford forum. Google FocusFanatics AM Radio Static, you will find it. Some on that forum had experienced the same problem on various Ford models.

 

Turns out the Antenna Base, part number 18936 is a known problem. It is about a $50 part. You have to drop the headliner in the back of the car to replace it. There is a You Tube video on that (search 2014 Fusion Headliner Antenna Base, you will find it). Doesn't look too hard.

 

I tapped on the antenna base on my car with a block of wood, sure enough, the problem either went away or came back as I tapped. When it worked, AM came in great. In my case, after providing this info to the dealer, I am waiting hear back. They have been good and am sure they will fix it under warranty.

 

Hope this helps someone at some point! Now excuse me, I have to go listen to some hate-filled AM radio host :). Actually in my case, it is polka music and farm reports :).

Edited September 15, 2017 by Fission

[sschnath]

Wow - on the ride home today I was thinking about how bad the interference is on my local 50,000 watt Boston station when I'm in Boston, never mind when I'm home which is 90 mins out. And yours was the topic at the top of the forum when I checked for new content. I'll have to check out the video right after I run out to get a lottery ticket!

 

I'm not getting morse code but getting significant RF noise every time the ICE kicks in. It gets better when the engine stops but not as clear as it should be. Certain sections of telephone poles make it impossible to hear the station. Never considered the antenna.

 

Unfortunately I'm way out of warranty but I listen to news (I hate hate-filled talk shows :)) and sometimes a non-hate-filled talk show in the evening if I'm working late so I will have to get this fixed. Not keen on taking out the headliner myself but sounds like an expensive repair if I let the dealer do it.

 

For the rest of the forum, is the same base used even if I switch to a shark fin antenna and how badly does the shark fin impact reception in general?

[Fission]

I looked online at that Shark Fin aftermarket for our cars. I am 95% sure you replace the antenna base, which means you have to access the screw(s) inside the car, which means dropping the back of the headliner. The only comment I could find on reception is that the Shark Fin reduced it "slightly." Don't think I am going to bother with it, it looks a little better but not worth the trouble for me.

 

I did read somewhere you may be able to access the antenna base through the dome light opening, rather than dropping headliner, but I think that was on another model, not the Fusion. If some day I need to replace the part outside of warranty, I will try to figure it all out. But really, dropping the back of the headliner did not look difficult on YouTube. The guy said 30 minutes.

[ceilidhdog]

I have the CD3 shark fin antenna. You don't replace the antenna base. A wire in the shark fin simply screws into the base. I haven't noticed any decline in radio reception, although I never listen to AM.

[sschnath]

I'm wondering whether the stock antenna may be causing the base to fail due to external pressure being applied by car washes. I don't have to have the shark fin antenna but I'd hate to replace the base and then have more problems downs the road.

[Fission]

To finish the story, dealer replaced the antenna base under warranty, problem solved, excellent reception AM, FM, and Sirius.

[tonto]

I had a similar problem.  Found out I had lost the screw-in tip of the antenna -- probably in a car wash.  New replacement from Amazon and all is well!