Demister causing static, but shouldn't be

[Chappy]

I have a client who had their 2013 Mitsubishi Lancer tinted by me several months ago. The vehicle has now been bought to me by the local Mitsubishi Dealer suspecting the window tint of causing static to the radio reception.

 

When the car is running with the radio on, the reception is perfectly fine. However, when the rear demister is turned on the static appears. This happens for both AM and FM. The dealership spent a week going over the vehicle trying to solve the problem with the help of auto elec, but had no success, then looked to the window tint to see if that was the problem.

 

Yesterday evening I did some final tests myself, recreated the issue both inside and outside of the shed to eliminate structural interference. Then I carefully removed the film from the rear screen, which immediately removed the issue of the static with the demister turned on (again, both inside and outside of the shed). I put this down to possibly the wrong film used initially, maybe a metallised film etc.

I re-tinted the vehicle late last night, in our usual film for them, SunTek Carbon 35 and the problem has come back.

Can anyone give any insight into why this might be happening? As I knew and confirmed over the phone today with SunTek, the Carbon range has zero metal layers, so I don’t see why this would interfere with the reception.

 

What confuses me the most, is this vehicle has an external radio antenna on the rear of the roof, and does not have the aerial internalized in the glass itself, so I don’t see how any window tint, be it metallised or not, should interfere with the radio reception when the rear demister is running.

 

But, it is very evident the window tint is the culprit for the reception interference. To my knowledge Polyester is not a conductor, nor is the adhesive construct. I am waiting until the films dries to rule out moisture issue, but if it was doing this before i doubt it will make a difference.

 

While SunTek is doing some homework for me aswell, I think my last option is to try a few other films, even a dye film, to see if this makes a difference.

It just has me completely stumped!

 

Anyone else have a similar scenario?

[Glass Tinting Supplies]

Hey Chappy,

 

I really don'y believe it has anything to do with the film.

I have seen a few different issues over the past year and here are the scenarios that dealt with it. (Not to say that it is the solution)

 

Issue: Bad interference when car was running...

Problem: USb connected GPS.

Solution: Unplug it!

 

Issue: Radio interference whilst the car was not running

Ploblem: Faulty/poor negative connection between the demister/antenna and the radio/booster

Solution: Add an additional/larger negative wire between the connections.

 

The issue may have accured when the film was installed originally, however I would try and increase the capaciy of the connection between radio/booster and the aerial/antenna

 

Simples

 

I really hope this helps.
Cheers

[Chappy]

Thanks for the reply GTS. When Mitsubishi had the car apart, all plug and play devices where removed, it also does not have a factory fitted GPS unit either.

 

Also i can't really be sure how many ground loops etc they tried and where, but the rear demister itself will only work when the car is running, it just simply doesn't turn on otherwise (standard for that car i'm told). So interference whilst the car is not running can not be replicated. Main reason my fingers points to the film (or potentially any film in general) is because the issue stops with no film on, but is there when film is applied.

 

Investigations will continue this week though! 

[The ///Man]

 

I have a client who had their 2013 Mitsubishi Lancer tinted by me several months ago. The vehicle has now been bought to me by the local Mitsubishi Dealer suspecting the window tint of causing static to the radio reception.

 

When the car is running with the radio on, the reception is perfectly fine. However, when the rear demister is turned on the static appears. This happens for both AM and FM. The dealership spent a week going over the vehicle trying to solve the problem with the help of auto elec, but had no success, then looked to the window tint to see if that was the problem.

 

Yesterday evening I did some final tests myself, recreated the issue both inside and outside of the shed to eliminate structural interference. Then I carefully removed the film from the rear screen, which immediately removed the issue of the static with the demister turned on (again, both inside and outside of the shed). I put this down to possibly the wrong film used initially, maybe a metallised film etc.

I re-tinted the vehicle late last night, in our usual film for them, SunTek Carbon 35 and the problem has come back.

Can anyone give any insight into why this might be happening? As I knew and confirmed over the phone today with SunTek, the Carbon range has zero metal layers, so I don’t see why this would interfere with the reception.

 

What confuses me the most, is this vehicle has an external radio antenna on the rear of the roof, and does not have the aerial internalized in the glass itself, so I don’t see how any window tint, be it metallised or not, should interfere with the radio reception when the rear demister is running.

 

But, it is very evident the window tint is the culprit for the reception interference. To my knowledge Polyester is not a conductor, nor is the adhesive construct. I am waiting until the films dries to rule out moisture issue, but if it was doing this before i doubt it will make a difference.

 

While SunTek is doing some homework for me aswell, I think my last option is to try a few other films, even a dye film, to see if this makes a difference.

It just has me completely stumped!

 

Anyone else have a similar scenario?

 

 

 

The antenna on the roof is generally the satellite antenna for satellite radio and GPS.  There is probably the AM/FM antenna in the rear window.  I would see this in other cars when a metallized film is used.