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2000 Escalade Radio Reception Very Poor

6753 Views 7 Replies 4 Participants Last post by  Dennis Yates
We've had this Escalade for over three years, and the radio reception has been very bad the whole time. Seems to me that the antenna is not connected, as we can receive the strongest of local stations, but nothing that is more that a few miles away.

There is a VCR/TV tuner under the rear seats, with overhead display, that gets good reception, and the sound for both are tuned by the radio just fine.

Where should I look for a bad antenna connection? Or is there some other known problem with this setup that I should be looking for? I've searched the forum and found a few CTS and STS owners with reception problems, but I don't see any Escalade owners complaining about radio reception, which makes me think something was knocked loose before I got the car.
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There is a VCR/TV tuner under the rear seats, with overhead display, that gets good reception, and the sound for both are tuned by the radio just fine.
BINGO.

100 bucks says the FM Modulator for that is your problem, either a bad connection to/from it, or its just a shitty design that either stays on or is causing interference in general.

Try disconnecting it and connecting the antenna lead straight to the back of the radio, I bet your problem goes away.

I hate FM Modulators so much.
Thanks for the reply. I don't think I will take you up on that bet, though, you probably are right. I would be glad to by-pass the FM modulator, we have never used the VCP and used the TV tuner only once, in all the time we've had the Escalade. We would probably use the radio every day, if we could get better reception.

Would I have to have access to the back of the radio (in the dash) to connect the antenna lead straight to the back of the radio? Looks like yes, to me. How do I gain access to the back of the radio? I have not installed a car radio in....Oh...25 years. Maybe longer.
Hmm... if one of the 99-00 guys doesnt reply here shortly, Ill check the design of the dash in your truck. Im *pretty* sure its very similar to my 2003. In my 03 there is a giant trim piece that surronds the gauge cluster, radio, climate controls, steering wheel and light controls. This ENTIRE piece just pops right off with a little pressure. Once that piece is off, the radio is just held in by a few philips screws. Once in there, you can get to the connections behind the radio. There you should be able to see the split or interconnect for the TV/VCP modulator. Luckily, dash access in the GM trucks is very easy.

Btw... before you take apart the dash, make sure there isnt some sort of master power switch for the VCP setup. It sounds to me like what is happening is that the modulator is stuck in the transmit position which severely distorts every other FM channel, as used to happen when I had the CD changer on in my Continental.

Good luck!
Ian.
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It sounds to me like what is happening is that the modulator is stuck in the transmit position which severely distorts every other FM channel.
Good call!

Couldn't find a master power switch for the modulator, so I just pulled the power plug, and cut power off to the modulator. Radio works fine now.:cloud9:

Thanks again!
No problem, Glad you got it figured out!

Ian.
Good call!

Couldn't find a master power switch for the modulator, so I just pulled the power plug, and cut power off to the modulator. Radio works fine now.:cloud9:

Thanks again!
Where is the master power swithc or the power plug located?

Jennifer:eek:
Please help me with the same problem. Where is the master Power switch for the modulator or the power plug located?
I have a 2008 Escalade Ext with the same issue.
Thanks
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