# Radio affected by bad brakes? **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** radio, lexus, 330, brakes\ **Created:** [May 20, 2010, 1:14pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/radio-affected-by-bad-brakes/49102 "2010-05-20T13:14:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![gramster11](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8c91f0/32.png) [@gramster11](https://community.cartalk.com/u/gramster11)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2010, 1:14pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/radio-affected-by-bad-brakes/49102/1 "2010-05-20T13:14:51Z")
I had a tune up and was advised the car would be needing brakes soon. About a month later, I stopped getting reception on the two public radio stations I listen to. NO KIDDING. All other FM stations come in great. Can these two things be related? ---
**Author:** ![tardis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f0a364/32.png) [@tardis](https://community.cartalk.com/u/tardis)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2010, 1:28pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/radio-affected-by-bad-brakes/49102/2 "2010-05-20T13:28:04Z")
No. ---
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2010, 1:34pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/radio-affected-by-bad-brakes/49102/3 "2010-05-20T13:34:44Z")
Assuming that this question is not meant in jest, all I can do is to echo tardis’ response. ---
**Author:** ![missileman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/missileman/32/1366_2.png) [@missileman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/missileman)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2010, 2:15pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/radio-affected-by-bad-brakes/49102/4 "2010-05-20T14:15:03Z")
Same here. ---
**Author:** ![mcparadise](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mcparadise/32/32_2.png) [@mcparadise](https://community.cartalk.com/u/mcparadise)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2010, 2:39pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/radio-affected-by-bad-brakes/49102/5 "2010-05-20T14:39:09Z")
Coincidence, nothing more. ---
**Author:** ![Cougar](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/cougar/32/21348_2.png) [@Cougar](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Cougar)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2010, 2:59pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/radio-affected-by-bad-brakes/49102/6 "2010-05-20T14:59:37Z")
The trouble with the reception may be due to a bad antenna connection. I think your vehicle may have an antenna preamp in the headliner and if so the trouble may be with it. You may also want to check to see if the stations reduced their power ouput for some reason so reception would be less. They may be doing some tower work. ---
**Author:** ![MikeInNH](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a587f6/32.png) [@MikeInNH](https://community.cartalk.com/u/MikeInNH)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2010, 6:47pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/radio-affected-by-bad-brakes/49102/7 "2010-05-20T18:47:54Z")
Can you pick up this station on another radio?? ---
**Author:** ![the\_same\_mountainbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@the\_same\_mountainbike](https://community.cartalk.com/u/the_same_mountainbike)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2010, 6:51pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/radio-affected-by-bad-brakes/49102/8 "2010-05-20T18:51:54Z")
No, they cannnot be related. I liked Mike’s question. Perhaps the stations are no longer transmitting. ---
**Author:** ![gramster11](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8c91f0/32.png) [@gramster11](https://community.cartalk.com/u/gramster11)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2010, 6:59pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/radio-affected-by-bad-brakes/49102/9 "2010-05-20T18:59:59Z")
I appreciate the responses. it’s not a joke. I clearly get it that the breaks are not related but the two stations in question can be heard on any other radio and there has been no change in power that I notice. just cant get them in the car. It seems as though I should check the antenna connection. ---
**Author:** ![Cougar](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/cougar/32/21348_2.png) [@Cougar](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Cougar)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2010, 12:16am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/radio-affected-by-bad-brakes/49102/10 "2010-05-21T00:16:10Z")
The trouble could be with the antenna system but there is most likely a problem within the tuner section of the radio causing the trouble. It would nice to know what the frequencies are that you are trying to listen to. If they are are on the lower or upper sides of the FM band then it isn’t a good sign for the radio. ---
**Author:** ![gramster11](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8c91f0/32.png) [@gramster11](https://community.cartalk.com/u/gramster11)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2010, 12:45am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/radio-affected-by-bad-brakes/49102/11 "2010-05-21T00:45:49Z")
It seems to be everything below 100 on the FM band. The stations I miss are at 89.3 and 91.9. Occasionally they work when I start the car but as soon as I travel a block or so, its solid static. ---
**Author:** ![Cougar](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/cougar/32/21348_2.png) [@Cougar](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Cougar)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2010, 7:24am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/radio-affected-by-bad-brakes/49102/12 "2010-05-22T07:24:57Z")
I think you may need to repair or replace the radio. It would be pretty hard to believe that something in the antenna system is causing that kind of trouble. You could try connecting another antenna to the radio and see what happens. Even using a 10 foot piece of wire would do for a test. ---
**Author:** ![Triedaq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/65b543/32.png) [@Triedaq](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Triedaq)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2010, 4:33pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/radio-affected-by-bad-brakes/49102/13 "2010-05-22T16:33:45Z")
This is probably a shot in the dark, but some radios have a local/distance button to minimize interference on local stations. Is it possible that your radio has such a button and somehow it got pressed? Check your owner’s manual for the radio controls. ---
**Author:** ![gramster11](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8c91f0/32.png) [@gramster11](https://community.cartalk.com/u/gramster11)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2010, 5:59pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/radio-affected-by-bad-brakes/49102/14 "2010-05-22T17:59:56Z")
Thank you thank you thank you a thousand times. I didnt find the button you mentioned but I did get out the owners manual and research the radio. I have a DVD player that hadnt been used in a couple of years. Somehow a button in the DVD player was left on and as soon as I shut it off, my stations returned in full glory. This is a small thing that has given me back my radio listening pleasure. Again, thank you for taking the time to respond. ---
**Author:** ![Cougar](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/cougar/32/21348_2.png) [@Cougar](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Cougar)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2010, 7:38pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/radio-affected-by-bad-brakes/49102/15 "2010-05-22T19:38:23Z")
Interesting fix to this trouble. Good suggestion Triedaq.