Radio receptions cut when headlights turn on - Toyota GR86, 86, FR-S and Subaru BRZ Forum & Owners Community

sufu05 · 05-18-2015, 09:07 PM

So i installed HID's and ever since then when I turn them on I notice that my radio clarity sucks. When I turn them off I can hear the radio fine. Any ideas?

Poodles · 05-19-2015, 12:46 AM

Cheap POS ballasts that are emitting a ton of RF. This isn't good for the electronics of the car either.

Chimera · 05-19-2015, 10:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Poodles

Cheap POS ballasts that are emitting a ton of RF. This isn't good for the electronics of the car either.

yup,
where did you mount the ballasts?

sufu05 · 05-21-2015, 09:20 PM

honestly i didn't. i Just tucked them in next to the headlights. Where should i mount them?

Chimera · 05-22-2015, 10:46 AM

I mounted mine on the sides of the supports for the front crash bar under the bumper, kinda far away from anything else, but you have to drop the bumper to get at that spot.

HunterGreene · 05-22-2015, 10:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chimera

I mounted mine on the sides of the supports for the front crash bar under the bumper, kinda far away from anything else, but you have to drop the bumper to get at that spot.

Mine are mounted to the top of those supports, you can get in there if you get slim ballasts and have a decent amount of dexterity.

As far as the cause, where did you get your HID kit from? I agree that RF interference is a likely culprit, though it wont affect your electronics as strongly as the radio signal. First time I have ever heard of this problem, though.

As a fix, find some copper mesh and wrap the ballasts. Turn on your headlights and see if the interference is still there.

Chimera · 05-22-2015, 04:12 PM

a faraday mesh?

I thought about suggesting that but didn't know how effective it might be

also have never looked for an appropriate mesh, only ever seen it in square enclosures.

Quote:

Originally Posted by HunterGreene

Mine are mounted to the top of those supports, you can get in there if you get slim ballasts and have a decent amount of dexterity.

As far as the cause, where did you get your HID kit from? I agree that RF interference is a likely culprit, though it wont affect your electronics as strongly as the radio signal. First time I have ever heard of this problem, though.

As a fix, find some copper mesh and wrap the ballasts. Turn on your headlights and see if the interference is still there.

HunterGreene · 05-22-2015, 04:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chimera

a faraday mesh?

I thought about suggesting that but didn't know how effective it might be

also have never looked for an appropriate mesh, only ever seen it in square enclosures.

Yeah, same idea. Copper is ideal, but any metal mesh will provide at least some dampening. The mesh keeps the signals in as well as out, and I believe there are fabrics out there that have copper woven into them that can work as well.

I wonder if window screen material would work--it would look ugly as hell and likely rust (at least in a wet climate), but it might work.

Poodles · 05-22-2015, 06:56 PM

Would be better to just fix the issue...

FirestormFRS · 05-24-2015, 08:14 AM

Had the same issue with very expensive Morimoto ballasts. I asked the vendor for some help and they replied the following way.

I'm sorry to hear of the troubles here. It sounds like the grounds for the harness may be 'looping' to other grounds. I recommend perhaps trying a different metal panel to ground to, or using ferrite rings to reduce the conflict

05-22-2015, 10:46 AM	#5
Chimera Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2013 Drives: FRS Location: Atlanta Posts: 1,181 Thanks: 575 Thanked 291 Times in 216 Posts Mentioned: 17 Post(s) Tagged: 1 Thread(s)	I mounted mine on the sides of the supports for the front crash bar under the bumper, kinda far away from anything else, but you have to drop the bumper to get at that spot. __________________ Car Journal: http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showthread.php?p=1513783

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05-19-2015, 12:46 AM	#2
Poodles Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Drives: 2015 Series.Blue Location: Fort Worth, TX Posts: 1,781 Thanks: 88 Thanked 781 Times in 481 Posts Mentioned: 16 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	Cheap POS ballasts that are emitting a ton of RF. This isn't good for the electronics of the car either.

05-22-2015, 06:56 PM	#9
Poodles Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Drives: 2015 Series.Blue Location: Fort Worth, TX Posts: 1,781 Thanks: 88 Thanked 781 Times in 481 Posts Mentioned: 16 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	Would be better to just fix the issue...

05-24-2015, 08:14 AM	#10
FirestormFRS Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Drives: 2013 FR-S Location: Anytown Posts: 920 Thanks: 73 Thanked 643 Times in 302 Posts Mentioned: 3 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	Had the same issue with very expensive Morimoto ballasts. I asked the vendor for some help and they replied the following way. I'm sorry to hear of the troubles here. It sounds like the grounds for the harness may be 'looping' to other grounds. I recommend perhaps trying a different metal panel to ground to, or using ferrite rings to reduce the conflict

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