Adding second antenna
Adding second antenna
Lead Lap
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 3,595
Likes: 271
From: Kansas
If you are not getting decent reception with the one antenna that came with your car then there may be some other problem. What model and year do you have? If it is a model that has the antenna imprinted on the inside of the rear window, then is the rear window tinted with metalized film?
Could there be a loose connection at the radio or is antenna cable damaged?
There was never a reception problem on either LS we have had. The 90 LS had the standard metal electric antenna and the 00 LS has the rear window antenna. Non-metalized tint was used on the rear window of our 00 LS to ensure that radio and phone performance was not reduced. (The 00 LS also has the phone antenna in the rear window.)
Could there be a loose connection at the radio or is antenna cable damaged?
There was never a reception problem on either LS we have had. The 90 LS had the standard metal electric antenna and the 00 LS has the rear window antenna. Non-metalized tint was used on the rear window of our 00 LS to ensure that radio and phone performance was not reduced. (The 00 LS also has the phone antenna in the rear window.)
Thread Starter
Lead Lap
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 3,565
Likes: 48
From: Illinois
Thanks, Jim. I am the second owner, and yes, there is rear window tinting. I've been asked whether it's metallic, and I really don't know. When I look at it closely, I don't see any metallic reflections, but I'm not sure that answers the question. I've been thinking about removing the tint anyway, and this might be the perfect excuse to do so (assuming, of course, that it will solve the problem). What do you think?
e-man
e-man
Lead Lap
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 3,595
Likes: 271
From: Kansas
e-man,
First of all, does your car have the radio antenna on the rear window? I think 98 was the first year with the the antenna on the inside of the rear window - even our 98 Camry's antenna is on the window.. If the antenna is not on the rear window then the tint is definitely not the problem. If the antenna is on the rear window, I wonder if a tinting shop could tell you whether or not it is metalized tint. There seems to be some disagreement about whether or not metalized tint impairs radio reception. Lexus has a warning in the owners manual but my local Lexus dealer said not to worry. But the tint shop person I spoke with said that they had complaints about reduced radio reception so I went with non-metalized tint in the rear window. I'd recommend getting some other opinions before going to the trouble of having the tint steamed off.
Best of luck.
First of all, does your car have the radio antenna on the rear window? I think 98 was the first year with the the antenna on the inside of the rear window - even our 98 Camry's antenna is on the window.. If the antenna is not on the rear window then the tint is definitely not the problem. If the antenna is on the rear window, I wonder if a tinting shop could tell you whether or not it is metalized tint. There seems to be some disagreement about whether or not metalized tint impairs radio reception. Lexus has a warning in the owners manual but my local Lexus dealer said not to worry. But the tint shop person I spoke with said that they had complaints about reduced radio reception so I went with non-metalized tint in the rear window. I'd recommend getting some other opinions before going to the trouble of having the tint steamed off.
Best of luck.
Thread Starter
Lead Lap
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 3,565
Likes: 48
From: Illinois
Thanks, Jim. To answer your question, yes, the antenna is in the rear window. The shop that was going to remove all the tinting said it would be about $150 and they would be able to tell right away if it was metallic or not. I think I'll take a ride over there next week before I commit one way or the other. Thanks for getting back to me.
e-man
e-man
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