Radio Interference

I can't help you to fix it, but that problem is not normal. Subaru used to have shared grounds on the radios, I do not know if they still have that crazy setup or not.

Was it hit before you bought it?

The paint on my '01 Outback was quite good, maybe not up to Lexus standards, but very good.

IS the antenna fully extended? Does the noise happen on both AM and FM?

Try reaching out the window and wrapping your hand around the antenna. Does the noise go away? Do the radio stations come in better?

The heater and A/C use the same fan. it's rare but bad brushes in the blower motor can cause a staticy noise in the radio. Does the sound of the static change when you change speeds on the blower? Does it change with engine RPM?

This one would be fairly easy to diagnose *if* the car was parked in my driveway, but it isn't.

If it is mainly on the AM band, I had same problem on 1999 Impreza and 2000 Forester.

It is 1. lousy grounding, 2. lously anntenna plug, and 3. lously Clarion radio.

I fixed mine by removing the Clairion radio and reseating the antenna connector and power/speaker connector and tightening the mounting screws. This lasted for about two months...the second time I fixed it, I removed the Clarion radio and replaced it with a Pioneer. Have done this routine on both vehicles.

Thanks all for the information. Regarding the paint job - it appears to be original. The radio interference is only on the am as D&SW has said. Touching the antenna makes no difference. The static becomes higher as the speed of the fan increases. Greta

Some after-market window tinting may block reception on cars with in-glass antennas.

Carl