Kangoo Radio Interference

[claude van rouge]

Hi

I have a 2001 Renault Kangoo van 1.2 petrol - I am having (always have had ) problems with LW on the radio. I get very bad interference when the ignition is turned on - the interference doesn't get any worse when the engine is running and only occurs on LW not MW or FM. If anyone can shed some light on this problem it would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

 

[malcolm]

Hi Chris,

I've had the thing on meduim wave where when the station isn't tuned or the signal is weak I'd get an engine note.

Just turning the ignition on and just longwave sounds very odd.

I can suggest some words to help in google searches though - must be electro-magnetic interrference (EMF) from maybe the coil or the ECU.

 

[Steve Hennessey]

I have trouble with Long Wave as well. I think the beeb have made the signal weaker in recent years as it's not as popular as it once was. Fine if you're listening on a static radio in the house. It used to be a very strong signal once as the Light Programme was broadcast on 1500 metres (where radio 4 is now) and the crystal set I built when I was 16 picked it up loud and clear.

 

[claude van rouge]

Thanks for your help guys - I spent a couple of evenings searching Google with no real answers to the problem - I'll learn to live with it for now .

I was only really wanting to get LW to listen to France-Inter on 162 with the hope that it might improve my French a bit.

Cheers.

 

[malcolm]

What does the interference sound like? Is it just white noise (random hiss) or does it have a tone (whine)? If there are distinctive characteristics to the sound what do they sound like? Might help narrow down the cause of the interference.

 

[claude van rouge]

Difficult to describe a noise but it's not a white noise hiss more of a pulsing sound - I'll do a recording and add a link to a wave file. The interference isn't just limited to the in car radio, a portable radio (in the van) tuned to LW gets the same noise.

I'll let you know when I've got a recording uploaded

 

[claude van rouge]

This is a short 16s recording of the interference (127kb wav file) - the radio is tune to 198LW with the ignition on but the engine not running.

The wav file

Chris

 

[malcolm]

Thanks for the recording. Sounds like a fuel pump to me.

The noise is probably being passed through the electrical supply, so you'd be looking at suppressors (capacitors) to cure the problem. I found a useful (albeit slow loading) page that suggests some ways to cure the problem - essentially go to some car audio place that knows what they are taking about and buy a device to plug into the supply (and if possible the earth as well) of the radio to get rid of electrical noise in the power feed.

http://www.popularmechanics.com/automotive/how_to_central/electrical_electronic/1272491.html?page=3&c=y

 

[Wingnut]

My parents' new Clio has a similar problem. Only with stations with a weak signal, mind you. Their old Renault 9 doesn't have this problem so it must be something with the new electrics. I'm no electrician, it's all multi-colour spaghetti to me. It could have something to do with the onboard computer or a relais. Door opens, switch gets tripped, current travels to either a relais or the onboard computer, relais or computer decides to switch on internal lights for x number of seconds, alternating whine is heard on the radio.

 

[claude van rouge]

Having talked to some motoring friends a couple of weeks ago the conclusion was that it was the fuel pump - it's a bit annoying but I think I'll live with it now as I'm not delving to the electrics.

Chris