antenna problem

shocar · #1 02-17-2010, 11:36 PM

I picked up this car a couple of months ago. As usual the previous owner never fixed the power antenna. The antenna would not come up when the car radio was turned on. I replaced the broken antenna nylon gear strip piece connected to a new antenna. The old one was broken in several places inside the housing. It still does not work after replacing it. Is this on a seperate fuse or maybe the previous owner did something to kill the power to the motor. There is no noise coming from he antenna motor at all Any ideas?

K-Dawg · #2 02-18-2010, 07:28 AM

Does it have an aftermarket headunit?

Start by checking to see if it gets voltage when you turn the radio on or off.

eLindemann · #3 02-18-2010, 03:56 PM

To tell the truth. I'd suggest you get a good-looking stationary antenna. Its been my experience that these power antennae are just riddled with problems.

If you want it to really look nice, you could wire an antenna to the top-middle of the back window like a lot of modern cars. Then fill in the hole from the earlier antenna and pretend like it was never there.

sperold · #4 03-06-2010, 05:57 PM

My gen 1 power antennae has a switch on the dash to operate it, and it only had problems when someone broke it when I left it up in the big city.
My gen 2 power antennae is controlled by the radio and has been going up and down many times a day for 15 years without any problems.

K-Dawg · #5 03-06-2010, 07:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sperold

My gen 1 power antennae has a switch on the dash to operate it, and it only had problems when someone broke it when I left it up in the big city.
My gen 2 power antennae is controlled by the radio and has been going up and down many times a day for 15 years without any problems.

Congratulations.

kevinspann · #6 03-07-2010, 11:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shocar

I picked up this car a couple of months ago. As usual the previous owner never fixed the power antenna. The antenna would not come up when the car radio was turned on. I replaced the broken antenna nylon gear strip piece connected to a new antenna. The old one was broken in several places inside the housing. It still does not work after replacing it. Is this on a seperate fuse or maybe the previous owner did something to kill the power to the motor. There is no noise coming from he antenna motor at all Any ideas?

It could also be unplugged. A friend of mine did that to his. The plug is either up behind the dash, or behind the kick panel on the passenger side. Check to make sure every thing is plugged in back there.

sperold · #7 03-07-2010, 06:27 PM

Try and stay with the power antennae. As I mentioned, they are very reliable (once they are working), and it seems the more they are used, the longer they last. But bringing one back from the dead may be hard work, since it is buried behind the front fender. Get another one off this forum, get it working, and install it in one shot. I don't think installing one is super easy, but this way, you only do it once.

Shopower400 · #8 03-09-2010, 03:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shocar

I picked up this car a couple of months ago. As usual the previous owner never fixed the power antenna. The antenna would not come up when the car radio was turned on. I replaced the broken antenna nylon gear strip piece connected to a new antenna. The old one was broken in several places inside the housing. It still does not work after replacing it. Is this on a seperate fuse or maybe the previous owner did something to kill the power to the motor. There is no noise coming from he antenna motor at all Any ideas?

Did you actually pull the old one out? (as in take off the wheel & wheel well, and pull the ant. motor out & open it up for cleaning?) If not you have a bunch of old plastic from the old ant. still stuck inside!

Try taking it all the way out, as described above. Then when putting it back together, drop in the new ant. and test it to make sure it works before putting it back in. I actually put the locking nut back on the top of the ant. and tested it a few times before reinstalling.

So basiclly you would be installing the cleaned out motor, with the new ant. already bolted in. (and in the down position) I've literally done this about 5-6 times so i got it down. The only way to do it right is to take the motor out and clean it. The reason they stop working in the first place is b/c the plastic snaps off inside the motor, hence jamming it up & not allowing it to turn. (in your case) Or..., in my case, not being able to get the new ant. to go all the way down b/c there was old pieces of plastic still inside the motor.

Hope this Helps

Irish Pride · #9 03-09-2010, 07:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shopower400

Did you actually pull the old one out? (as in take off the wheel & wheel well, and pull the ant. motor out & open it up for cleaning?) If not you have a bunch of old plastic from the old ant. still stuck inside!

Try taking it all the way out, as described above. Then when putting it back together, drop in the new ant. and test it to make sure it works before putting it back in. I actually put the locking nut back on the top of the ant. and tested it a few times before reinstalling.

So basiclly you would be installing the cleaned out motor, with the new ant. already bolted in. (and in the down position) I've literally done this about 5-6 times so i got it down. The only way to do it right is to take the motor out and clean it. The reason they stop working in the first place is b/c the plastic snaps off inside the motor, hence jamming it up & not allowing it to turn. (in your case) Or..., in my case, not being able to get the new ant. to go all the way down b/c there was old pieces of plastic still inside the motor.

Hope this Helps

Thats exactly what i had to do. If you dont want to go thru all that hassle you could get an amplified antenna that mounts behind the glove box. Then you can leave the other antenna as is or remove it and patch the hole.

Shopower400 · #10 03-09-2010, 09:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Irish Pride

Thats exactly what i had to do. If you dont want to go thru all that hassle you could get an amplified antenna that mounts behind the glove box. Then you can leave the other antenna as is or remove it and patch the hole.

Where did you get the 'amplified antenna'?? How much? I might look into that...

Irish Pride · #11 03-09-2010, 10:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shopower400

Where did you get the 'amplified antenna'?? How much? I might look into that...

just search on ebay for "taurus antenna" and you will get several options.

this is speciafically what i was talking about though - http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Power...Q5fAccessories

shocar · #12 03-09-2010, 11:50 PM

Sorry I haven't responded back sooner. Yes, I took the unit and installed a new a new antenna with the nylon gear loop. I have done several before so I am certain I installed it correctly. I will check the back of the stereo unit to make sure the antenna is connected . Is there by chance a fuse that runs both the windshield washer pump? I just discoverd that is not working either.

Shopower400 · #13 03-12-2010, 10:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shocar

Sorry I haven't responded back sooner. Yes, I took the unit and installed a new a new antenna with the nylon gear loop. I have done several before so I am certain I installed it correctly. I will check the back of the stereo unit to make sure the antenna is connected . Is there by chance a fuse that runs both the windshield washer pump? I just discoverd that is not working either.

Check your owners manual, but i don't think so. Sounds like a seperate problem.

They say bad things come in 3's, well welcome to the SHO

-Sal

The following user says thank you to K-Dawg for this post:
luigisho (03-06-2010)

The following user says thank you to Irish Pride for this post:
Shopower400 (03-09-2010)