[wake]

Several of the vehicles I've owned over the last few years had the window based radio antennas as stock, replacing the old mast design. I never had any problems with radio reception until my 07 Escalade. My 05 Escalade also had the window based antenna and had good radio reception. I notice I can't pull in stations on the 07 that I can on my other vehicles.

Anyway, something I'm wondering if I'm alone here and need to look at the antenna circuit, or is this a known common complaint from the 07-14 owners?

 

[CoupeDTS]

I notice this on my 07. All other cars i can get the weaker radio stations that are 60 miles away but with this truck they barely come in or not at all.

 

[AZKlaus]

The Escalade is mast based- is your antenna possibly missing? I got rid of mine because i never use FM radio (XM all the time) and it looks cleaner without it. It should be behind the hood on the passenger side.

 

[wake]

I notice this on my 07. All other cars i can get the weaker radio stations that are 60 miles away but with this truck they barely come in or not at all.

Ah, that seems to answer my question then. Looks like a general issue then. I wonder if it would be worth trying to hook up an FM booster. I still have one of those things lying around from the 90s.

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The Escalade is mast based- is your antenna possibly missing? I got rid of mine because i never use FM radio (XM all the time) and it looks cleaner without it. It should be behind the hood on the passenger side.

I believe that is only the EXT that uses a conventional mast. Most vehicles nowadays use an antenna integrated with the rear window side glass. I'm guessing the EXT still uses a mast since it doesn't have the rear windows that the SUV does in the rear cargo area.

 

[CadX6]

The Escalade is mast based- is your antenna possibly missing? I got rid of mine because i never use FM radio (XM all the time) and it looks cleaner without it. It should be behind the hood on the passenger side.

Your EXT has (had) a mast on the front fender since it doesn't have any rear side windows for the embedded antenna. All "normal" Escalades - standard & ESV have the antenna embedded in the far back side windows.
Personally I never had any problems with any of my Escalades - however, the OP doesn't say if he's having trouble with AM or FM reception or both. There's a big difference.
(Sorry for the overlap with wake's post - we must have been typing at the same time)

 

[wake]

I never had any problems with any of my Escalades - however, the OP doesn't say if he's having trouble with AM or FM reception or both. There's a big difference.

Good point. I didn't mention AM or FM. I'm having issues in FM although they could extend to AM as well (never listen to AM).

 

[CadX6]

Good point. I didn't mention AM or FM. I'm having issues in FM although they could extend to AM as well (never listen to AM).

If it's FM you're having problems with It would suggest you actually do have a problem since FM can basically be received by sticking a screwdriver in the antenna connector. The higher frequency FM operates on allows it to require a much shorter antenna & in an urban area it "penetrates" better. Sounds like you've either got a problem in the receiver or a connection has come loose in the antenna system. If you're really ambitious, one way to figure out which it is would be to pull the head unit & plug an old fashioned mast antenna into it and see if it works any better (you'll probably need an adapter). Or - you could just take it to the dealer or a good auto stereo shop & have them them troubleshoot it. Expensive - but that's probably what I would do since I'm inherently lazy

 

[AZKlaus]

Cadx6 and Wake.... :facepalm: of course makes sense there would be no way to get a diversity antenna in the back windshield with it being removable and not exposed! Alright ignore me lol