window tint film and in-glass antennas

[Seanz0rz]

Not a toyota, but a 08 Honda Civic Sedan. The rear glass houses the AM/FM antenna as well as the defroster. we recently had the car's windows tinted with a metalic film. theres my problem, and i know that. ive talked to my tint guy and hes said i will have the problem no matter what film i use. ive heard of solutions of cutting the one piece tint just above the defroster line, to release the antenna from grounding to the body via the defroster lines.

any one have any experience with this type of thing? any advise? ive searched the civic forums, but none are as helpful in their entirety as this site is in one thread. thanks!

[corax]

be careful cutting the tint. most of the time the antenna isn't actually in the glass, but instead "glued" or molded on the surface much like the defroster grid.

I'd bust out the drill and put on a roof mount, it isn't really yours till you start cutting on it

[Seanz0rz]

thats what i was looking at doing. and yes i know about the antenna being on the surface and to not cut into it.

thanks for the post.

[paddlenbike]

Use non-metallic tint on the back window. Our Subaru has no mast antenna, only the one in the rear glass above the defroster lines. We have no issue with antenna reception or intereference when the defroster is used.