07 Dodge Charger ignition RFI wipes out VHF MCS2000

[abbylind]

Try a loop of RG-58 attached to a stick. Plug the RG-58 into the antenna jack on the portable. Put the portable on the same freq as the mobile. Start probing around the vehicle with the stick to see where the noise gets the loudest. Once you've located the primary source of the noise start from there.

Fowler

[topcop1833]

FWIW,
We have a statewide VHF trunking system here in Virginia called STARS. Most all of the public safety entities use the system (State Police, Health, Game and Fish, DOT, etc). State Police (VSP) is by far the biggest user, with a fleet of Crown Vics and Impalas, with a few hemi Chargers in the mix. The Troopers with Chargers started complaing of dead spots, “pixilated” audio, and distortion issues with the STARS radio only. The 800mhz mobile extenders, and their VHF low band radios have no issues. VSP took this issue to Dodge, and after several months of testing, all agreed that it was an issue in the coils in the hemi only Chargers. Dodge redesigned some components and some of the Charger cars have been testing them. So far, the redesigned coils have seemed to clear all of the issues.
Hope this sheds some light on the subject.

[tbski]

FWIW,
We have a statewide VHF trunking system here in Virginia called STARS. Most all of the public safety entities use the system (State Police, Health, Game and Fish, DOT, etc). State Police (VSP) is by far the biggest user, with a fleet of Crown Vics and Impalas, with a few hemi Chargers in the mix. The Troopers with Chargers started complaing of dead spots, “pixilated” audio, and distortion issues with the STARS radio only. The 800mhz mobile extenders, and their VHF low band radios have no issues. VSP took this issue to Dodge, and after several months of testing, all agreed that it was an issue in the coils in the hemi only Chargers. Dodge redesigned some components and some of the Charger cars have been testing them. So far, the redesigned coils have seemed to clear all of the issues.
Hope this sheds some light on the subject.

Anything more definitive on the redesigned components/coils, or where one could purchase such parts? My vehicle is still awful. Anything further or a number i could call at dodge or anything else would be appreciated.

[jmr061]

This interesting, I have an 07 Sebring with a 4 cylinder but my receive just gets totally cut down in certain areas. I wonder if this is the same type of issue. Even my FM radio is affected.

Jason

[tbski]

Well, I called Dodge. Called there Fleet number etc. Got bounced all over the place, but in the end got the run around. No one wanted to help just kept passing me off to another dept.
Once you mention its a two-way radio you put in after market they dont wanna listen anymore. One of the people told me his best idea was to simply take the radio out. Gee I woulda never thought of that one. The point of my calls was to have the radio working in the truck.

[Bill_G]

Those high energy ignition systems can throw off a lot of emi. Have you done a desense test to determine if it's a fixed level of noise, or does it vary greatly as different accessories are used? I recovered more than 10db by using an isolated ground VHF end fed half wave on some commuter rail locos with the latest and greatest electronic controls that deafened the RR rcvrs below -90db.

[desperado]

Dodge seems to be good for this. I have a 2000 Durango that will scramble the RF of the garage door opener if it's running. I literally have to shut the thing off
once it's in closed loop to get the remote to work the garage door.

I have lived with this for a while, but now as I am putting radios in the thing I am going to need to work it out.
Hammy grade stuff in this car simply doesn't work, too much noise. Commercial radios are a mixed bag.

Personal feelings is that it's more the injectors than the ignition system.
Diodes across the injectors will be my first attempt to quiet the noise, figuring that the kickback of the coils is dealt with in the computer and
not at the injector turns the wiring for the injectors into a wonderful antenna for the noise generated by the kickback.
Of course you need to verify the polarity of the voltage on the injectors before installing diodes or the car will not run and it may fry the
computer if done incorrectly placing a short across the injectors.

Do NOT try doing this with the coil.
The kickback of the ignition coils is how it generated the spark and muffling that will also cause the ignition system to not work.

One note, Dodge has been using a capacitive discharge ignition system for years. Everyone else just feeds 12 volts to their coil, Dodge runs about 200 volts to the coils.

[WZ1]

The windsheild wipers on my Sebring cause noise on UHF Low... not sure why.

[KJ4RUS]

I too am searching for a fix for this.
I have installed a VHF-UHF ham radio in my new 2010 5.7 RAM
Getting all sorts of noise on Receive ONLY, transmission is fine.

Steps I have taken
1. Bonded the truck bed to the Frame
2. Bonded the truck bed to the main cab
3. bonded the main cab to the frame
4. bonded the hood to the main cab.
5. Used # 10awg from radio to battery
6. radio is grounded to ground point near battery in engine compartment with other grounds
7. Noise is a popping sound but also on weaker signals can hear slight alternator whine
8. Also antenna is installed correctly and have even tried using LMR-400 coax to the antenna

As bonding was done Alternator noise went down but now antenna is really picking up "truck RFI"
really driving me nuts. In my older 06 Ram Radio was plugged into accessory socket (i know you shouldn't)
and was using mag mount on roof.
ZERO noise and reception was wonderful.
Now people I used to talk with I can not hear them or they are way on the background.

Please someone throw me a bone!!!

[KE7JFF]

I'm now curious about putting in a grounding halo in a 1994 Jeep Cherokee that has ignition noise on VHF only. Its not exactly overpowering, but its just there and annoying.

Looks like I kind of just loop 4 gauge wire to all the ground points?

[motorola_otaku]

I'd use 3/4'' wide braid, if you can find it.

And I have to ask because GM does it: has anyone tried grounding the exhaust yet? I doubt highly that it'll be a miracle cure, but every little bit helps.

[rstork]

I also have noted this RFI problem on most 800 MHz radio, but only in Dodge Chargers.
Talked to Virginia State Police rep and they also have this issue.
Dodge said they are not going to do anything about it.
It is clearly RFI in the Dodge Charger only but we found it occurs even with the key on (not started).
Please try this on yours and post.

[kossuth]

It is clearly RFI in the Dodge Charger only but we found it occurs even with the key on (not started).

I'm sure you already thought of this but if it occurs with the vehicle off and key in the on position that makes me think it's something along the lines of a electric motor. If the car has a smog pump on it (most are electric now) I'd look there. As well as HVAC blowers and such. Kinda odd.

[blackwater]

I have a 2008 Hemi Charger Police Package that I just had a Kenwood 7180, 8180 and Motorola XTL 2500 in 700/800 installed and not had a problem yet. The 7180 is VHF and no noise from the coil packs. I've ran the AC, heat, and rear defroster and no whine what so ever. I've heard that the 08's and above got some major re-working done so I don't know if that has something to do with it or not.

[W2MB]

Any update on this issue? I just put a vhf high band transciever back in the 2008 Charger (Hemi) and again experienced the RFI. Amazingly, I have a vhf low band transceiver in the car and experience no ignition RFI at all. I would think that Chrysler must be hearing about it with all of the police packages out there using high band vhf.

[DodgeHemi61]

I too am searching for a fix for this.
I have installed a VHF-UHF ham radio in my new 2010 5.7 RAM
Getting all sorts of noise on Receive ONLY, transmission is fine.

Steps I have taken
1. Bonded the truck bed to the Frame
2. Bonded the truck bed to the main cab
3. bonded the main cab to the frame
4. bonded the hood to the main cab.
5. Used # 10awg from radio to battery
6. radio is grounded to ground point near battery in engine compartment with other grounds
7. Noise is a popping sound but also on weaker signals can hear slight alternator whine
8. Also antenna is installed correctly and have even tried using LMR-400 coax to the antenna

As bonding was done Alternator noise went down but now antenna is really picking up "truck RFI"
really driving me nuts. In my older 06 Ram Radio was plugged into accessory socket (i know you shouldn't)
and was using mag mount on roof.
ZERO noise and reception was wonderful.
Now people I used to talk with I can not hear them or they are way on the background.

Please someone throw me a bone!!!

I am having the same issue with my 07 Ram. I have tried four different VHF-UHF ham radios in the truck, and I am getting RFI into the antenna on VHF only. I have tried powering the radio with a portable battery and I know it is not getting in the radio through the power cord. I have the radio grounded to the chassis and the power lead is attached to the battery. I have done as others and grounded the hood, the exhaust system, and added extra ground wires between the engine and body. The funny thing is, I can have the engine running and open the squelch and I have no ingition noise at all. But when I have any radio signal on the recieve, I can not hear them over the noise unless they are giving me a S-10 signal or higher. I am in the process of making additional changes and if they work I will post them.
Now after all this, I had the same radio in my 04 Durango with the Hemi, and I had no noise at all on either 2-meters or 440.

[kb9suy]

I have a 2007 magnum civi and have the same noise. Driving me insain!!!!!

[sglass]

my 2 cents


My 2004 Durango spits out this crap on vhf as well. A portabe is fairly useless in the car, but the apx mobile seems to do ok.

[abbylind]

Years ago we found the reference xtal for the car computer in Dodges were causing birdies on some VHF freqs. We pulled the computers and padded them with a small capacitor. Birdies went away and car performance didnt suffer at all.