Electric Antenna Wont Go Down

**redfiress08** · 10-01-2007, 08:39 AM

So I bought my car about a month ago now and am really happy with my purchase. But when I brought it over to show my friends brother who has a 2002 WS6 he noticed that my antenna did not go all the way down. I had never noticed it until he pointed it out and showed me his. I have a aftermarket stereo and head unit. You can hear the antenna wanting to go up and down when i turn on and off the car. So the question is how do I make it work and what do I need to buy? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Is there anyway I manualy do it without messing it up more. Oh also I know how sometimes if you switch out the stock head unit the antenna does work sometimes. Thanks alot for the help.......

**KyleLs1** · 10-01-2007, 08:55 AM

the gears are stripped for the antenna motor most likely. The motor will have to be replaced. If you dont listen to the radio, i would suggest disconnecting it altogether and pushing it down all the way.

Thats what I did when mine crapped out, I never liked it in the first place, and I don't listen to the radio.

You could also swap it out for a short, non-power antenna (Bitviper antenna mod)

**02TransSD** · 10-01-2007, 09:00 AM

ive noticed that on my 02 trans am. it sometimes will stop with about 2 inches left and then sometimes it will go all the way down..but mine is a stock stereo head unit.

**KyleLs1** · 10-01-2007, 09:08 AM

Originally Posted by 02TransSD

ive noticed that on my 02 trans am. it sometimes will stop with about 2 inches left and then sometimes it will go all the way down..but mine is a stock stereo head unit.

same problem, its in the antenna motor

**patriot1136** · 10-01-2007, 09:14 AM

how do you swap it out for a non power antenna?

**KyleLs1** · 10-01-2007, 09:20 AM

Originally Posted by patriot1136

how do you swap it out for a non power antenna?

remove all the power antenna parts (behind the spare tire)
you need to find an antenna assembly from a camaro, because it isn't power, and then swap them out.

Easiest way is to search "Bitviper antenna" on this site or on tech and you will find lots of info about it.

OR send a PM to BitViper, he is a member of this site and he can probably hook you up

**whiteLS1TA** · 10-01-2007, 03:38 PM

it might not even be the motor. have you been through the drive thru car wash or the guy before you might have with the radio on and it could have bent the antenna. i thought the motor went out on mine to but my friend noticed that it was bent a little bit and i remembered that i went through the car wash with the radio on so that could be your problem.

**01ls1ws6** · 10-01-2007, 03:44 PM

gears stripped in mine, cant quite remember but it cost something like 187$, for the original one. but i have an extended warranty, auto zone has a universal one for 40 bucks i think

**redfiress08** · 10-01-2007, 04:14 PM

Well I just went outside about a min ago and looked at my antenna again. It looks like it has been changed or something because the rubber part at the beginning of the antenna doesnt even go down all the way onto the car. So could rain have gotten to it or did the people before me change the antenna and not tell me I will try to get a picture of it up soon.

**wnmech** · 10-02-2007, 02:16 PM

I just this week purchased a kit to repair my 01 formula antenna.Here is the link to the replacement part. I needed mine now so I got it from GM for $58 dollars. What is inside the antenna is what looks like a nylon line which has teeth on it and it breaks. You can remove the antenna like the guys said in a few minutes and you back off on a plastic nut and pull the whole old antenna out and the nylon gear tape comes out with it and you turn the radio on and feed the nylon tape gear into the hole and have someone turn the radio off and it will feed down. The GM part # is 10256439 lists for $58.08. Here is the E-bay link. http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/CAMAR...spagenameZWDVW

**patriot1136** · 10-03-2007, 06:25 AM

Ok I actually dont really want a power antenna, I just dont see the use for it. Since I am a noob I'll admit it, how hard is it to remove all the power antenna stuff and replace it with a regular one?

**SamD_Ind** · 10-03-2007, 08:08 AM

just remove the factory power antenna plug the hole. Buy an amphlified hidden antenna Your car will look better & never have to worry about antenna problems again.

**wnmech** · 10-03-2007, 01:21 PM

Originally Posted by patriot1136

Ok I actually dont really want a power antenna, I just dont see the use for it. Since I am a noob I'll admit it, how hard is it to remove all the power antenna stuff and replace it with a regular one?

Its a breeze to remove the antenna. Just remove the spare tire and it is right there. If you don't want the power antenna for some reason because the motor keeps running just remove the connector and it will be the same as a regular antenna. Especially if the internal texflon line is broken you can still raise and lower the antenna manually at least that was the way mine worked when it was broken but I elected to keep the power option.

**stevensmith2000** · 10-03-2007, 05:41 PM

You can actually buy just the antenna mast from Crutchfield for $25 after shipping and pull the mast out and put the new one in. Unfortunately, mine required a little more work as I had a piece of the texflon line broken inside. Not too hard to get it apart, took out the piece inside put it back together and the new mast went in without a problem. Been working for a couple months now without a problem. Its the same as what was listed on Ebay earlier for half the price.

**Harry M. Lawrence** · 10-21-2007, 05:45 AM

Folks,
Don’t mean to butt in here, but I had a similar problem when mine was new.
I took it back to the dealership and got a ration of stuff about the antenna being bent.
I did a little more research and found out there was a recall.
It was a defective O ring in the assembly. In cold weather it contracted, choking off the antenna, keeping it from going up, or down completely. Mine is a 2000 model, and I would think that GM fixed it in later models.
Just my $.02

**vannatte** · 10-21-2007, 04:47 PM

Simple fix like Steve Smith said. Most likely your motor is good, but the nylon cord that moves the mast up and down is broken. I got mine off of Ebay for $45, pulled the antenna out, popped the motor cover off, removed the old, broken nylon cord, put it all back together, and slid the new mast in...it's worked perfectly ever since. Steve or I could walk anyone through this process if needed.

**Harry M. Lawrence** · 10-21-2007, 06:02 PM

As I said. Didn’t want to torque anyone off. It was just my experience. I joined this forum back in 2000 and that was a problem I had back then.
I’ve rejoined since & hope to have a better experience now!!!!