# Please help **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** pontiac, montana\ **Created:** [March 7, 2015, 4:37am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/please-help/89229 "2015-03-07T04:37:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![JKZ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@JKZ](https://community.cartalk.com/u/JKZ)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2015, 4:37am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/please-help/89229/1 "2015-03-07T04:37:16Z")
I have a problem with my radio…my local stations are SUPER quiet, everything in between is static of course but the static and the cd player work at the normal volumes…but I miss my radio and I dont know what to do ☹ ---
**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2015, 4:40am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/please-help/89229/2 "2015-03-07T04:40:33Z")
It sounds like the antenna is defective or isn’t making a good connection to the radio, or the antenna ground has come loose. ---
**Author:** ![BustedKnuckles](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bustedknuckles/32/25_2.png) [@BustedKnuckles](https://community.cartalk.com/u/BustedKnuckles)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2015, 4:59pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/please-help/89229/3 "2015-03-07T16:59:17Z")
It could also be a problem internal to the radio. Find a good aftermarket replacement with features you like and have it professionally installed. I just put a new Bluetooth radio in my car, originally had Am/Fm and CD. Luv that Bluetooth. They also have new radios with navigation and other fancy features. Don’t lose sleep over this old, crappy one. ---
**Author:** ![Mustangman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mustangman/32/44130_2.png) [@Mustangman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Mustangman)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2015, 7:14pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/please-help/89229/4 "2015-03-07T19:14:06Z")
+1 to each of the 2 replies. This is minor compared to posts we usually get like — I have a big hole in my engine gushing oil, how long can I drive before I have to fix this? Radios are cheap, buy a new one. ---
**Author:** ![oblivion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/3ab097/32.png) [@oblivion](https://community.cartalk.com/u/oblivion)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2015, 7:30pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/please-help/89229/5 "2015-03-07T19:30:25Z")
I second BustedKnuckles reply. It sounds like the stations are being tuned in correctly, but something is internally open or malfunctioning between the receiver section and the amplifier. If your car is a few years old and you like the factory radio just fine, you might see if someone at a salvage yard or on ebay has a radio that will fit your car. Bear in mind that on some cars the anti-theft system works through the radio and even on some vehicles, the radio is part of the car’s computer network and this will not work right with an aftermarket radio and may need to be reprogrammed if you do a swap even with a same-model radio. Things are a lot more complex than they used to be. If you do decide to go with an aftermarket radio, I would call Crutchfield ([www.crutchfield.com](http://www.crutchfield.com))–they can give you professional advice on what will work with your vehicle. ---
**Author:** ![keith](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/keith/32/5518_2.png) [@keith](https://community.cartalk.com/u/keith)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2015, 12:33am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/please-help/89229/6 "2015-03-08T00:33:12Z")
Technically, the problem is in the detector circuit or the AGC circuit of the radio. I suspect its the AGC. AGC is automatic gain control and it keeps all the stations at the same output level regardless of their signal strength. To put it into simple terms, a $100 to 200 fix IF you can find someone that still fixes radios. Since new audio systems or head units as they are called these days can cost less and offer more features than the cost of the fix, there aren’t many fixers around anymore. What is happening is that as soon as the detector detects an output from the IF (intermediate frequency) amplifier, the AGC is sending a voltage that drives the IF amp to cutoff, meaning no sound from the radio stations. Between stations, the AGC is allowing the IF amp to go to maximum output which is nothing but static. ---
**Author:** ![oblivion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/3ab097/32.png) [@oblivion](https://community.cartalk.com/u/oblivion)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2015, 12:45am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/please-help/89229/7 "2015-03-08T00:45:43Z")
@keith: I’m voting for an open coupling capacitor or resistor between stages. Not that it matters. The radio of course needs to be replaced or repaired. ---
**Author:** ![keith](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/keith/32/5518_2.png) [@keith](https://community.cartalk.com/u/keith)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2015, 1:32am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/please-help/89229/8 "2015-03-11T01:32:03Z")
Naw, I thought that at first but the static gets through when between stations and goes silent when tuned to a station, it has to be AGC or the detector that controls it. The detector itself would be working but it might be putting out too high a voltage to the AGC.