Rhythmic / pulsating static on AM radio only when moving

[MDG]

I have a 2020 Aviator with 4500 km on it and also have the static on AM band when the car is moving. As mentioned previously it is fine in the city (strong AM signal) but static happens when I get about 15 to minutes out of the city.

I just got back from the dealership service - they acknowledge the issue (saying Ford/Lincoln is aware) but still have no solution.

I still listen to AM on occasion and it is mostly when I am a long drive... disappointing for such an expensive vehicle

Should anyone hear of a solution, or getting this escalated through Ford, please post. In the interim I will look up how ask Lincoln.

 

[peterk9]

^^Welcome to the Forum.
I doubt that contacting Lincoln would result in any different outcome regarding the issue. Other than possibly changing/upgrading the antenna, I don't see what else can be done.

Peter

 

[waynesworldtx]

I have a 2020 Aviator with 4500 km on it and also have the static on AM band when the car is moving. As mentioned previously it is fine in the city (strong AM signal) but static happens when I get about 15 to minutes out of the city.

I just got back from the dealership service - they acknowledge the issue (saying Ford/Lincoln is aware) but still have no solution.

I still listen to AM on occasion and it is mostly when I am a long drive... disappointing for such an expensive vehicle

Should anyone hear of a solution, or getting this escalated through Ford, please post. In the interim I will look up how ask Lincoln.

I will be taking my 2020 Aviator in for service in the next few days and will talk to the service manager again about this problem. Hopefully, Lincoln/Ford will act soon to resolve this annoying and surprising design flaw. Hard to believe this issue even exists with all the automotive technology and experience our automakers have today !!!

 

[waynesworldtx]

I don't know about the radio noise suppression cap, but it would seem if that is missing, the plug static would be constant rather than pulsing ?

 

[MDG]

Is the RadioNoiseSuppressionCapacitor missing\disconnected from the 12v Supply for the Ignition Coils?
Without this capacitor, SparkPlug static will interfer with Radio\TV signals, especially the old AM frequency band.

Thanks for the suggestion - I will ask my service guys about this.
DillardD00, do you know if the SparkPlug static you mention is static that will vary in pitch with engine RPM ?

 

[peterk9]

..........................do you know if the SparkPlug static you mention is static that will vary in pitch with engine RPM ?

I believe it would, based on past experiences with some of the first vehicles I've ever had.

Peter

 

[N3DD]

Just an observation. I had my ACM (radio) replaced for the 3rd time due to failure of the HD to work on both AM and FM. The service advisor told me that this ACM had a new part number from the previous ones, however it does not receive AM HD. Now I don't know if it was programmed correctly when installed and the AM HD switch is on but no AM HD. Since there are only 2 stations in my area I'm not going to complain.

However, I have noticed that I no longer have the pulsating static on weak AM signals. Maybe the issue was in the AM HD.

 

[Classicradio99]

I realize that I'm probably the only one here who listens to AM radio, but there's a local oldies station I tune into once in a while. Problem is, my Explorer's AM radio generates loud, pulsating static noise to the point where all I can hear is the pulsating static.

The weird thing is this only happens when my Explorer is moving. If I'm stopped at a traffic light or stop sign, the AM radio signal is crystal clear -- until I start moving again.

I've paid attention to nearby power lines and utility cables, and the pulsating static does not seem to come from those. Rather, it appears that something within the Explorer generates this AM interference, but only when the vehicle is moving.

Before I take my Explorer back to the dealership, I'd like to know if other 2020 Explorer owners have experienced this AM radio issue and determined the cause of the annoying pulsating static. Thanks!

Greetings!

I noticed that this post is a few years old, but.... I just got a 2023 Explorer XLT 4WD that has the same problem, at least intermittently. I see that several people contacted Ford / Lincoln, did anything ever result from this? Did Ford ever come up with a fix?

Thanks!

 

[peterk9]

Greetings!

I noticed that this post is a few years old, but.... I just got a 2023 Explorer XLT 4WD that has the same problem, at least intermittently. I see that several people contacted Ford / Lincoln, did anything ever result from this? Did Ford ever come up with a fix?

Thanks!

Welcome to the Forum.
A few of the members who posted here are still around and have posted in the last day or so.

Peter

 

[Exit32]

Greetings!

I noticed that this post is a few years old, but.... I just got a 2023 Explorer XLT 4WD that has the same problem, at least intermittently. I see that several people contacted Ford / Lincoln, did anything ever result from this? Did Ford ever come up with a fix?

Thanks!

Since I started this thread, I've traded my 2020 Explorer Platinum toward the purchase of a 2022 Lincoln Aviator Reserve. Also, the local oldies AM radio station has transitioned to a country/western format, and I no longer have a reason to listen to AM radio.

That said, you'll be pleased to know that Ford Motor Company has issued a Technical Service Bulletin to address the AM radio-static problem. You can find a copy of the bulletin here:

Technical Service Bulletin 22-2040

I suggest you print a copy of this document, show it to the service manager at your dealership, and request they follow the service procedure described in the bulletin.

Please let us know if you're able to resolve this issue.

 

[peterk9]

Since I started this thread, I've traded my 2020 Explorer Platinum toward the purchase of a 2022 Lincoln Aviator Reserve. Also, the local oldies AM radio station has transitioned to a country/western format, and I no longer have a reason to listen to AM radio.

.................................................................

The lease on my 2020 Reserve is coming to an end and I'm waiting for my 2023 Reserve I to be delivered.
How is the AM reception in the new vehicle?

Peter

 

[Exit32]

The lease on my 2020 Reserve is coming to an end and I'm waiting for my 2023 Reserve I to be delivered.
How is the AM reception in the new vehicle?

Peter

My 2022 Aviator's AM radio is not perfect, but it's definitely better than the AM radio was in my 2020 Explorer.

When listening to an AM radio station, the Explorer generated rhythmic/pulsating static loud enough to overwhelm the radio program and render it unlistenable. With the 2022 Aviator, I can still detect the same familiar static when listening to a weak AM station, but the Aviator's static is less intense, more variable, and allows the radio program to be heard.

I have not complained about this to my Lincoln dealer but would not hesitate to show Technical Service Bulletin 22-2040 to the service manager if I wanted the problem corrected.

Hopefully, Lincoln has made a production improvement and your new 2023 Aviator will not have this problem when you (eventually) take delivery.

 

[Classicradio99]

Since I started this thread, I've traded my 2020 Explorer Platinum toward the purchase of a 2022 Lincoln Aviator Reserve. Also, the local oldies AM radio station has transitioned to a country/western format, and I no longer have a reason to listen to AM radio.

That said, you'll be pleased to know that Ford Motor Company has issued a Technical Service Bulletin to address the AM radio-static problem. You can find a copy of the bulletin here:

Technical Service Bulletin 22-2040

I suggest you print a copy of this document, show it to the service manager at your dealership, and request they follow the service procedure described in the bulletin.

Please let us know if you're able to resolve this issue.

Excellent, Thanks!!! I'm going to do just that in the near future.. We'll see how this works out.. It's a good thing there is a documented fix, as my vehicle did have the noise really bad, at this time, it's very mild to nonexistent. Funny that it has to do with the rear suspension. Now that I think about it, when I had the very bad noise, the truck was heavily loaded. Now I'm running it empty... I wonder...

In any case, thanks for the bulletin!