I have an issue with the radio in my 2009 HHR that is driving me nuts. When I'm driving to work or the gym each day, my FM reception goes out in the exact same place. I can turn the radio off and drive about a half mile and turn it back on without a problem. AM works fine, but the FM just goes to static. If someone knows what is causing this or how to fix it, I would be incredibly grateful. Thanks.

 

It seems to me that you are simply in a dead zone for radio reception.

I'd be willing to bet that if you could dig up a portable FM broadcast radio that has a signal strength meter in it that you will see the needle pin {or the indicator bar if its a digital indicator would be at full scale} and that signal is just swamping your radio.

Now if you were to drive somewhere else and the radio works OK you would prove this to yourself.

That's why I am so happy with the CD player in my HHR. I rarely bother to listen to commercial radio broadcasts anymore.

I figure if I'm going to listen to very restricted set of ancient tunes they may as well be ancient tunes I like.

 

I agree it is a dead zone. We them all over southern CA although there are not as many as a few years ago since most of the stations put their transmitters and electronics down in Mexico as their power limits are higher. It could also be various other signals that are causing the cancel out. We have that near the Naval station in San Diego when ships fire off their fire control radars which happens very little now since it opens everyone's garage doors and causes pace maker problems!

 

Ditto X2.

You're hitting a dead spot, FM works on a "line of sight" principal, the waves radiated from the transmitting tower travel in straight lines so they can be blocked by buildings creating areas of signal loss.

The only way around it is to change the route you travel.

 

Take a detour!

Jim