Turn Signal Interference?

[timmer]

Every now and then I can hear my turn signals when I'm listening to AM radio. It's sort of an interference type of static that's in time to the audible clicking in the cabin.

It's only happened maybe four times.

Has anyone else experienced this?

Edited to add: It's a 2002 KJ Limited

 

[Dave]

No, but in the old days they used to have "resistor and non-resistor" spark plugs and some times if you put the wrong ones in you would get radio interference - but all the time. I don't think they make them that way any more but I was thinking about a bad plug? Check the connections. The only other thing I can think of is maby a ground that is intermittently breaking contact. (antenna?) But if is only happening on AM and only once in a while it's probably the station. I'm just thinking out loud here.

ps - if it didn't throw a code - probably the station.

 

[timmer]

Thanks for the reply.

It's happened on a couple of differnet frequencies, but ony on AM so I'm thinking it's just an RF quirk with the AM band.

I wasn't sure how many people listen to AM here but I thought I'd post it anyway.

 

[RickM]

Thanks for the reply.

It's happened on a couple of differnet frequencies, but ony on AM so I'm thinking it's just an RF quirk with the AM band.

I wasn't sure how many people listen to AM here but I thought I'd post it anyway.

tune your radio to a frequency that has no station on it, then try your turn signals. Do you still hear them?

I would imagine that when you hear it, you were receiving a weak AM signal.

I'm not sure if the Liberty uses a mechanical flasher or not, but if it does, everytime the flasher contacts open, there is some RF noise being generated, and it's probably in the AM radio band spectrum.

If you are not hearing it on strong local AM stations, I wouldn't worry about it.

There are lots of things that make noise in the AM radio band. Just drive down any street in a mid size town and try to listen to a weak AM radio station. You'll hear all kids of humming, buzzing, and popping. One of the major contributors to that are electrical power line connections being loose.

Another good test to see where RF noise is coming from in your car is to take a portable, battery operated radio, tuned to a frequency with no station on it, and hold it near different electrical or electronic components under the hood or dash of your car.

 

[Corwyyn]

There are lots of things that make noise in the AM radio band. Just drive down any street in a mid size town and try to listen to a weak AM radio station. You'll hear all kids of humming, buzzing, and popping. One of the major contributors to that are electrical power line connections being loose.

Yep, the urban enviroment is full of RFI. One thing I've noticed occasionally is the 'Walk/Don't Walk' signs will give me some RFI, and this is while listening to a 10KW local staion :-s