'95 A6, 197,000 miles. For over one year AM reception on 'GAMMA' radio was very poor. I thought there may be a problem with the rear antenna amp behind the driver's side rear "D" pillar, faulty connections to wires printed on the back window or a break in those wires.

Here's an easy test to see if those wires printed on the back window are making good contact with the antenna cable. Get a length of any kind of wire about 3' or longer. If insulated wire, strip insulation so that wire is visible. With radio on in AM mode,touch the test wire to each of the printed wires on the back window. Each time you touch a wire with this test wire, you should hear a definite click from the radio.If you get no clicks on any of the wires, the connection of the coax leading from rear ant. amp to the solder pad at the window may have failed or fallen off completely. If the connection has come apart, touching the test wire to the antenna lead going to the rear ant amp should cause a click and better AM reception. If still no click or improvement in AM reception,then the rear antenna amp may not be working.

My tests showed all the wires intact so I next tried an old trick I learned years ago when learning about troubleshooting electronic equipment. I took my fist and sharply banged the trim by the "D" pillar that covers the rear Antenna Amplifier. Lo and Behold....the AM reception came back to normal.

Obviously I had a loose or corroded connection back there. If it fails again, and the banging fist fails to correct it, I'll have to remove the trim and do a serious investigation of the wiring or rear antenna amp.

 

Thanks for the info --

I thought you were going to tell us that it had returned from vacation.

 

NH USA....after one year without AM....I think you are right. It did return from vacation!!!!

 

A one year vacation and you had to hit it to get it to return!

Where can I get a job like that?