Power antenna woes...
Thread Starter
Joined: Nov 2001
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From: Schiller Park, ILL Member: #317
Power antenna woes... This issue is with the power antenna on my '96 Bonneville, but I'm sure it has the same internal materials used as F-bodies would...
Anyway, issue is, my antenna froze in the down position after a hard rain and sudden drop in temp. After leaving it parked in the sun all day, I finally got it to worked again, BUT, I think there is a gear in the motor beginning to strip. After the antenna goes all the way down when turning off the radio, the pull-down motor will go "click-click-click" really fast 5 times or so (you can hear it inside the car), and then either stop or go "click" a couple more times about 1 second a part. I am assuming that the "click" is a gear that is somewhat stripped and is skipping across a few teeth before finally stopping. Odd part is, it only seems to do it when the antenna goes down, but not up?
So my biggest concern is, how long do you think I have till the motor goes out altogether? I'm concerned that one day it'll just keep clicking and skipping when I try to turn it off and won't stop until I disconnect the power to the motor. I'm wondering if I should just replace it now or get some more use out of it?
Anyone had this happen to their antenna before?
Anyway, issue is, my antenna froze in the down position after a hard rain and sudden drop in temp. After leaving it parked in the sun all day, I finally got it to worked again, BUT, I think there is a gear in the motor beginning to strip. After the antenna goes all the way down when turning off the radio, the pull-down motor will go "click-click-click" really fast 5 times or so (you can hear it inside the car), and then either stop or go "click" a couple more times about 1 second a part. I am assuming that the "click" is a gear that is somewhat stripped and is skipping across a few teeth before finally stopping. Odd part is, it only seems to do it when the antenna goes down, but not up?
So my biggest concern is, how long do you think I have till the motor goes out altogether? I'm concerned that one day it'll just keep clicking and skipping when I try to turn it off and won't stop until I disconnect the power to the motor. I'm wondering if I should just replace it now or get some more use out of it?
Anyone had this happen to their antenna before?
Thread Starter
Joined: Nov 2001
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From: Schiller Park, ILL Member: #317
LOL 5.0hater!! 
I thought of that as well, but I don't see any way to open the motor up to do that...
I really don't care about the noise, I just wonder how long till it becomes an issue. I thought someone else has maybe had one fail like this and could give me a time frame. Maybe I should have a new motor on standby....
I thought of that as well, but I don't see any way to open the motor up to do that...
I really don't care about the noise, I just wonder how long till it becomes an issue. I thought someone else has maybe had one fail like this and could give me a time frame. Maybe I should have a new motor on standby....
Thread Starter
Joined: Nov 2001
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From: Schiller Park, ILL Member: #317
Originally Posted by Mustang5.Ohater
yea if some of the gears are stripped I would have a new motor ready to go, the one that's on there now doesn't have alot of life left
So I guess the life span once it starts to click is about 4 hours.
Launching!
Joined: Mar 2003
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From: Central Va
my antennae has been doing this for about 4 months now but it does it when its going up...not sure really what caused it.. so how do you get to the motor for this thing?? also could this be a warranty item???
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Thread Starter
Joined: Nov 2001
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From: Schiller Park, ILL Member: #317
For your '02 car, I'm sure it would be under warrenty.
But it's my '96 Bonneville that I started the post about, and I'm on my own with parts like this for that car.
As for your '02 WS6, if you want to get at the motor, all you have to do is remove the rear interior panel on the passenger side where the spare tire is. The motor & whole assembly is behind the spare...
Hope that helps
But it's my '96 Bonneville that I started the post about, and I'm on my own with parts like this for that car.
As for your '02 WS6, if you want to get at the motor, all you have to do is remove the rear interior panel on the passenger side where the spare tire is. The motor & whole assembly is behind the spare...
Hope that helps
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Usually when they click the limit switch inside to turn the motor off is damaged.
It'll run the motor until it strips the gears out.
Next time if you catch it early enough you can disassemble it & usually fix them.
If it has a drain tube make sure it is clear.
It'll run the motor until it strips the gears out.
Next time if you catch it early enough you can disassemble it & usually fix them.
If it has a drain tube make sure it is clear.