Electric antenna stuck in closed position

[tkt117]

So... I just finally got my subaru running good again, and my antenna gets stuck in the down position during our last freezing spell. Now that everything has defrosted the thing is still stuck. I removed the panel that houses my tire jack, and I can feel the housing of the antenna, but it doesn't seem like I can get to it without removing the whole panel.

 

Has anyone had this happen in the past? I can hear the motor running, but the antenna won't budge. I am an AM radio listening freak, and this is making me crazy because my stations won't come in!!!!

 

Any insights would be much welcome! Thanks

[tunered]

the first thing i would do is turn the radio off before you burn up the motor,my guess would be put a hair drierin the trunk and get it thawed out,it is probbally froze where the antena telescopes out of the holder.

[nipper]

actually you can unplug the power at the antenna. DO you feel the motor getting hot? check for power at the connector.

 

 

or is it just time to go hunting on ebay?

nipper

[Jerry DeMoss]

Some moisture may have gotten in the telesoping part of the antenna.What I think would help is to spray some penetrating oil where the antenna retracts.PB blaster or similar.I have had to do this on several different cars.

[k88241]

Hello,

 

If the antenna is stuck it could be it has a kink in it. I just replaced my antenna and you have to unscrew it from the outside. Look for two small holes in cap that the antenna goes down into. The holes are for a tool that unscrews that cap. The antenna will fall over and then power up the antenna and it should unroll the nylon thread coil and come out. Install the new one the same way. Be very carefull not to kink the new one. They cost about $50.00..ken

[gbhrps]

tkt117,

1.Your mast may be frozen inside the mast tube, and you may be able to thaw it out with some silicone spray/WD40, or you may have to bring the car inside a heated garage to accomplish the same thing overnight. 2. The mast top section is attached to a nylon whip that is gear toothed down one side for its entire length, and if the whip has been stripped of its teeth, or the gear on the motor that drives it, you'll have to replace one or the other. Your motor will not burn out as it operates on a timer. 3. If you're handy, replacing the mast assembly, is not rocket science, but the carpet comes up first, then the side panels. Unscrew the chrome ring around the top of the antenna mast on the outside of the car, then inside the car undo the one or two 10mm bolts that hold the antenna motor assembly to the car body, unplug the antenna cable from the antenna, and the wiring connector from the antenna timer box (attached to the antenna assembly), pull the drain tube off the bottom of the motor body, and pull the entire assembly from the car. Once out of the car either replacing the entire unit with a used or new unit, or repairing the mast assembly or gear box is straight forward for anyone who is handy with tools. Whichever way you go, test the new/newly repaired unit inside the car, making sure that the antenna has room to expand, simply by plugging the wiring connector into the timer box, as the assembly lays inside the trunk. You don't want to reinstall the whole thing and then find out it doesn't work. I've done maybe 5 or 6 of these units over the years and they are fairly simple, if you know your way around a tool box. Good Luck!