How to Replace a Defective Retractable Antenna (Convertible) for $13
03-07-2010, 11:43 PM
#41
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Not a 10 minute job if the cable has broken off INSIDE the motor.
You must remove the right most tail light lens, the grounding wires and straps held onto the mast by phillips screws and then guide the whole antenna motor and mast out of the rear tail light hole so you can work on it. Remove the bracked on the bottom of the motor. Cut the tiewrap on the top of the rubber boot and push the boot up. VERY CAREFULLY drilll out the plastic rivets on the cover which is almost completely round. I went with a very small drill at first and increased sizes until I JUST drilled out the rivet not any larger. Remove the cover CAREFULLY so you don't drop any parts. Pull out the broken piece (I had about 6 inches of cable inside mine) and lubricate the gears and moving parts with some white lithium grease. Make sure everyting goes in to the place where it was before and watch the orientation of the inside parts as well as the plastic cover. Find 4 suitable self tapping screws to hold the cover on. Run the motor a few times by turning the ignition and radio on. Turn the radio off and wait for the motor to run in the opposite direction. Make sure you haven't jammed anything before proceeding. Then feed the new riobbon in so it will engage the gear
with the radio ON. Turn it off and it should DRAW the mast in with almost all of it in the housing. Put on the new "CONTACT SPRING" or reuse your old one (the sleve with the flange on one end which stops the mast from popping oout when you extend it). Replace the nut and then reinstall everything inside the fender. Total time including taking my kid to the bank before it closed was about 3 hours. but I think you can do it in 2. Get the GREASE off of your hands before reassembling the beast. $20 fix instead of $100 or more and have the same function.
BIGHANK
You must remove the right most tail light lens, the grounding wires and straps held onto the mast by phillips screws and then guide the whole antenna motor and mast out of the rear tail light hole so you can work on it. Remove the bracked on the bottom of the motor. Cut the tiewrap on the top of the rubber boot and push the boot up. VERY CAREFULLY drilll out the plastic rivets on the cover which is almost completely round. I went with a very small drill at first and increased sizes until I JUST drilled out the rivet not any larger. Remove the cover CAREFULLY so you don't drop any parts. Pull out the broken piece (I had about 6 inches of cable inside mine) and lubricate the gears and moving parts with some white lithium grease. Make sure everyting goes in to the place where it was before and watch the orientation of the inside parts as well as the plastic cover. Find 4 suitable self tapping screws to hold the cover on. Run the motor a few times by turning the ignition and radio on. Turn the radio off and wait for the motor to run in the opposite direction. Make sure you haven't jammed anything before proceeding. Then feed the new riobbon in so it will engage the gear
with the radio ON. Turn it off and it should DRAW the mast in with almost all of it in the housing. Put on the new "CONTACT SPRING" or reuse your old one (the sleve with the flange on one end which stops the mast from popping oout when you extend it). Replace the nut and then reinstall everything inside the fender. Total time including taking my kid to the bank before it closed was about 3 hours. but I think you can do it in 2. Get the GREASE off of your hands before reassembling the beast. $20 fix instead of $100 or more and have the same function.
BIGHANK
03-08-2010, 03:48 AM
#42
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2023 C5 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
Ever seen or heard of an antenna motor that won't shut off, either after the antenna is fully extended or when its fully retracted?
Mine even continues to run after you pull the keys out of the ignition. I pulled the fuse for RDO/ANT to stop the motor, to prevent my battery from draining.
Frustrating.
Mine even continues to run after you pull the keys out of the ignition. I pulled the fuse for RDO/ANT to stop the motor, to prevent my battery from draining.
Frustrating.
old antenna was nasty to handle though...
09-15-2011, 03:19 PM
#45
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Antenna replacement not too difficult
OP's post made the first part of this job easy but also needed Big Hank's post to guide me through removing about eight inches of broken cable in the motor. Once you remove the right taillight and take a minute to view what's in there it's a fairly straightforward job to remove the antenna motor. Removed the mounting bracket and grounding cable to gain easy access to the motor. Followed Big Hank's post and drilled out the four plastic tabs, popped off the cover, removed the broken cable piece, regreased the mechanism, resecured the cover and then remounted the motor and taillight. The most comical aspect was feeding the new cable into the motor. Since I was doing this job solo, it required I (1) turn on the radio to activate the antenna motor, (2) place the cable into the antenna hole until it seemed to "catch", (3) turn off the radio and (4) race back to the cable to help guide it into the motor gears. Had to do this about six times before the cable "caught" and was drawn into the motor. Pushed the antenna clip into the mount, secured the nut, turned the radio on/off and, voila, it works! 
All told took a little over an hour.
All told took a little over an hour.
09-27-2014, 09:27 AM
#47
Le Mans Master
I had been having problems with my power antenna. Sometimes it did not go up or down all the way. I ordered the mast because I figured the teeth were wore out. After removing the nut I noticed it was full of crud and was binding on the mast. That was my problem since the teeth were fine. I did put the new mast on as long as I had it, but it could have been an easy fix costing nothing to clean out the nut. Something to check before ordering new mast.
09-28-2014, 04:13 PM
#48
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Bear in mind that I posted this in 2007. What might have been a quick fix then might be a bigger problem in 2014.
Still its always worth trying the easy fix first.
Still its always worth trying the easy fix first.
09-28-2014, 04:28 PM
#49
Le Mans Master
I followed your directions and it worked great. I think my problem was a clogged up retaining nut that was binding the mast since the teeth on the mast were good, but I replaced it as long as I had it apart. It was a quick fix 5 minute job.
04-17-2015, 07:04 PM
#50
Instructor
The info shared on this forum is awesome!! This is the 2nd car that i have refered to this thread for how to info. 10 minute job and vioala...i have a new and properly functioning power antenna...Thanks
07-04-2015, 05:27 PM
#51
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Location: Springfield MO
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Do I need a new motor?
I had to go the route of removing the motor to remove several inches of the plastic antenna cord that had broken off. All went smooth and I was excited to finally put the new antenna in the motor, but alas, the motor is not working. I've changed the fuse just to be sure, but still no motor function.
When the problem first started a couple of years back, there was a grinding noise, which lead me to remove the antenna mast and plastic geared cord. I've had a plug in the hole in the top of the antenna motor to keep water out. Now that I've finally gotten around to taking it all apart, seems the motor is not working. I hear no noise in the motor when turning radio on and off.
Any thoughts before I go looking for a new motor to purchase?
Or maybe time to just go with a shorty antenna.
When the problem first started a couple of years back, there was a grinding noise, which lead me to remove the antenna mast and plastic geared cord. I've had a plug in the hole in the top of the antenna motor to keep water out. Now that I've finally gotten around to taking it all apart, seems the motor is not working. I hear no noise in the motor when turning radio on and off.
Any thoughts before I go looking for a new motor to purchase?
Or maybe time to just go with a shorty antenna.
07-04-2015, 05:43 PM
#52
Le Mans Master
I had to go the route of removing the motor to remove several inches of the plastic antenna cord that had broken off. All went smooth and I was excited to finally put the new antenna in the motor, but alas, the motor is not working. I've changed the fuse just to be sure, but still no motor function.
When the problem first started a couple of years back, there was a grinding noise, which lead me to remove the antenna mast and plastic geared cord. I've had a plug in the hole in the top of the antenna motor to keep water out. Now that I've finally gotten around to taking it all apart, seems the motor is not working. I hear no noise in the motor when turning radio on and off.
Any thoughts before I go looking for a new motor to purchase?
Or maybe time to just go with a shorty antenna.
When the problem first started a couple of years back, there was a grinding noise, which lead me to remove the antenna mast and plastic geared cord. I've had a plug in the hole in the top of the antenna motor to keep water out. Now that I've finally gotten around to taking it all apart, seems the motor is not working. I hear no noise in the motor when turning radio on and off.
Any thoughts before I go looking for a new motor to purchase?
Or maybe time to just go with a shorty antenna.
06-12-2016, 11:00 AM
#53
Bad Day to a Great Day !!
Just backed my running '03 AE Vert up so that the rear end was sticking out of my garage with the door lowered enough that no one could come by and drive off in it while I charged the battery for a bit...
Yup, you guessed it - now I need a new antenna mast!! So I'm bumping up this thread. Thanks, DeeGee!! Just bought a new OEM mast on eBay (it's only $19 now,) and I'll replace it next weekend when it arrives.
From a bad day to a great day!! (And a mistake I won't make again!!)
Yup, you guessed it - now I need a new antenna mast!! So I'm bumping up this thread. Thanks, DeeGee!! Just bought a new OEM mast on eBay (it's only $19 now,) and I'll replace it next weekend when it arrives.
From a bad day to a great day!! (And a mistake I won't make again!!)
07-08-2023, 01:40 PM
#55
3rd Gear
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Hello all. First time poster here. 2001 C5. I am at my whits end with this project. I followed all of the instructions and the antenna still won't go all the way down. Even if I apply some pressure to it, it stops about 6" down. The plastic was not broken inside of the motor. It's almost as if there is something in there at is supposed to stop it at that point. Is there something that I am completely not accounting for here? Is the antenna supposed to stick out that far on the 2001 model?
07-08-2023, 02:14 PM
#57
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Everything but the motor assembly. The motor seems like it is working as it should. It just feels like there is something stopping the antenna from going past that point. I put quite a bit of pressure on it to make it go down all the way and it would not budge. It still extends all the way. Just won't go down, even after the mast replacement.
07-08-2023, 08:19 PM
#58
Melting Slicks
It sounds like you have a small piece of the old ribbon stuck in the motor assy. Try removing the mast very carefully then turn on the radio to raise the antenna.......the motor just may push the obstruction is out.
07-08-2023, 09:33 PM
#59
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There wasn't any stuck in the motor. I even compared the original to the replacement and they were the exact same length. There has to be something more going on. Is there anything else within that canal that stops the mast as it collapses?
07-09-2023, 08:49 AM
#60
Melting Slicks