Power Antenna/Radio Issue

The other night my power antenna decided to take a fit. It would not go down and then the motor starting running constantly whether the car was on or not. I went into a store and a half hour later I came back and it was still running.

With my temper and it being dark I was determined to stop the friggin thing so I tried to unplug it but that wouldn't work and it was dark out so I did the next best/dumbest thing and cut the wires to shut it up. I was however smart enough to cut the harness to just the antenna not the actual main harness.

Well wouldn't you know the friggin radio won't turn on now. Great! So today I go and splice the wires back together and still no radio! What gives?!

Has anybody run into this and why is it not working when the wires are put back? I checked the fuses and they are fine. I didn't have my voltmeter with me so I couldn't tell if it was getting juice or not. I want my damn radio back!

If I install my after market head unit it will it bypass this problem or do I have to resolve this first?

Any help would be great. I miss my music. Thanks.

Maybe Delco loc

Any help?

1) do you really wanna reconnect the power to the power antenna?Antenna running constant\ly = limit switch in the antenna motor housing has died... time to replace antenna. So reconnect the power?!?! maybe as a test or to lock it in the up position until you can get a replacement from a boneyard or a Metra PW-22 (it's a universal power antenna, I had one on my Riv for a while, works fine on the Riv, pull the connector off the dead antenna, splice it onto the replacement and plug that in the harness). Run it up and leave it while you wait to get an OE antenna..

2) check the splices. Splice consists of a mechanical and an electrical connection. A good splice can't be pulled apart. You may need clean, twist and solder the wires. If you want more detail (soldered wires before?) just ask. If you don't want more detail please just take this as a friendly reminder concerning splicing.

3) do you think your temper, on balance, adds value to your life or costs you unnecessary time and money?

4) I don't understand if No Radio means the radio has power but no reception (problem in antenna wire) or it has no power at all. If your antenna is down odds are your radio dial will light up, the CD player and cassette will work, but you won't get any radio reception. Please tell us (well, tell me) what No Radio means.

5) replaceent aftermarket radio = steering wheel ontrols quit unless you get an adapter (and that constrains what head units you can buy).

Albertj

flyineagle96 wrote:

Maybe Delco loc

Don't think so, there is no power to the headunit.

albertj wrote:

Any help?

1) do you really wanna reconnect the power to the power antenna?Antenna running constant\ly = limit switch in the antenna motor housing has died... time to replace antenna. So reconnect the power?!?! maybe as a test or to lock it in the up position until you can get a replacement from a boneyard or a Metra PW-22 (it's a universal power antenna, I had one on my Riv for a while, works fine on the Riv, pull the connector off the dead antenna, splice it onto the replacement and plug that in the harness). Run it up and leave it while you wait to get an OE antenna..

Well I wanted to reconnect everything to see if the radio would start working again and then worry about the motor after. I think the reason why the antenna has failed is because it has locked in the up position and when the car turned off it was trying to retract, something broke and the motor wouldn't turn off. The antenna is now stuck in the up position and any kind of force put on it will not get it to go down so I left it alone before it broke. There are a few junkyards around that have OEM antenna's on the cheap so I'll check that out today maybe.

2) check the splices. Splice consists of a mechanical and an electrical connection. A good splice can't be pulled apart. You may need clean, twist and solder the wires. If you want more detail (soldered wires before?) just ask. If you don't want more detail please just take this as a friendly reminder concerning splicing.

I understand splicing, I've done it plenty of time and learned how to do it the proper way in an electrical class way back in the day. While I didn't solder these I'm pretty sure they are connected pretty solid but thank you for the friendly reminder.

3) do you think your temper, on balance, adds value to your life or costs you unnecessary time and money?

Oh believe me I know my temper interferes with things but its usually under control, just not this time. In this case it has caused more headache then necessary. Stuff happens.

4) I don't understand if No Radio means the radio has power but no reception (problem in antenna wire) or it has no power at all. If your antenna is down odds are your radio dial will light up, the CD player and cassette will work, but you won't get any radio reception. Please tell us (well, tell me) what No Radio means.

What I mean is that the radio gets no power, the display doesn't work, no time display, nothing. Its dead, has no power.

5) replaceent aftermarket radio = steering wheel ontrols quit unless you get an adapter (and that constrains what head units you can buy).

I have that one covered. I was planning on installing an aftermarket head unit before this debacle started. I already has the new head unit and steering wheel controls adapter made by PAC. I just wanted to resolve this before installing it.

Thanks for taking the time to try and help!

OK I'm still on it.

Is the THEFTLOCK light on the radio blinking?

Is there power at the connector to the radio (might want to pull the radio then check with a meter)? I am thinking there is an outside chance that in disconnecting/reconnecting radio maybe a pin in the connector got bent? If you have power at the connectors then I guess it's time to disconnect the battery and then install the aftermarket head and PAC unit. And sell the core to United Radio or some such.

Glad you're feeling better and I'm thinking you'll have ti working soon. I'd put in a replacement radio and make those splices permanent; then put in the PAC unit. .

Albertj

Albertj

Nope, no theftlock light on. Completely dead.

I guess my next step is to pull the radio to check for power.

Is it that GM decided to run power from the radio to the antenna and if that is interrupted the whole system dies? Seems like it but what I still don't understand is why it wasn't restored when the wires reconnected. That is the real mystery.

I think its the heat here driving me crazy and my A/C just died in the car. The infamous A/C clutch. So now I have that on my list. Its all good!

you might want to carefully re-check the fuses. Sometimes they blow funny and you can't tell by looking.

Albertj

I'll try that also. Never hurts to check again.