[i30manUK]

It's been warm and sunny in S.E. England for the last two days. On the way home from work yesterday and today the AM channel on my radio was very distorted, especially when going over bumps, until the interior of the car cooled down. However, this morning, because the interior was cool (?) the AM channel was fine.

The only reason I can think of was that the dashboard area was almost too hot to touch at first (and therefore the head unit was also extremely hot), as the car had been in direct sunlight all day and this may have caused the sound distortion problem for some reason. Any thoughts, anyone?

[Shambles]

... Any thoughts, anyone?

Yeah, Geoff.

When you say "warm and sunny", are you actually in the UK, I mean really?  

[eye30]

It's been warm and sunny in S.E. England for the last two days.

I must have blinked and missed it!

Re: AM (morning) problem. Only use it PM (afternoon)

One and a more likely explanation is that due to atmospheric pressure etc due to the unprecedent good weather in the UK, this can cause wave distortion as the signal travels thro' the air.  
But I'm no expert, but if you are old enough to remember Radio Luxemborgh (if not ask an oldie i.e someone over 40 at least) you would spend hours turning the radio one way then another trying to get a clear sound to no avail, give up and listen to the Home Service!!!

If continues take back to Dealer to look at.

Anyway what so interesting on AM??

[Thumper]

Anyway what so interesting on AM??

Not sure. I have 160GB worth of music in my little one, so it's almost like having your own radio station in the car.

Radio On Demand.  

[i30manUK]

a more likely explanation is that due to atmospheric pressure etc due to the unprecedent good weather in the UK, this can cause wave distortion as the signal travels thro' the air.  

Thanks for the reply, but I don't think it's atmospheric interference (it doesn't sound like 'wave distortion', it sounds like 'some other kind' of distortion - and the sound gets better as the car cools down, although the outside conditions remain the same). It really does seem to be caused by the heat 'inside' the car, even to the extent of the sound breaking up when I go over small bumps. I don't know about I.C.E., but my intuition tells me that something is overheated or expanded in the region of the head unit. It was fine again this morning and as the weather is cooler today I'll be interested to listen to AM on the way home. My guess is that it will be OK

I thought that someone in Australia may have encountered this problem.

...and if you really want to know, I listen to Radio 5 on AM  

[Thumper]

it sounds like 'some other kind' of distortion - and the sound gets better as the car cools down, although the outside conditions remain the same). It really does seem to be caused by the heat 'inside' the car, even to the extent of the sound breaking up when I go over small bumps.

I thought that someone in Australia may have encountered this problem.

Yes, what you are describing is a dry joint on the motherboard inside the radio.

As it heats up, the gap in the joint expands (Or the resistance within the joint rises, thus stopping the flow of electricity) Also when you go over bumps, this can upset a dry joint.

Time to visit the dealer I think.  

[i30manUK]

Yes, what you are describing is a dry joint on the motherboard inside the radio.

As it heats up, the gap in the joint expands (Or the resistance within the joint rises, thus stopping the flow of electricity) Also when you go over bumps, this can upset a dry joint.

Time to visit the dealer I think.  

Thanks Thumper - I think you may be right mate.