Power antenna the antenna motor is running but the antenna won't go up or down. What is wrong and what do I do?

wipe with wd40 its just debris on antenna or you can use graphite after cleaning antenna

Hi Carl.,

If the antenna motor runs and the antenna does not move out, then there is something wrong inside the antenna unit. Replacing a fuse will not solve the problem. Change the antenna unit.

Good luck.

Usually the antenna is operated by a spool and a reel of stuff like white nylon or plastic "wire".
When you push or turn the switch or when you turn on the radio, however the antenna is supposed to go up, the spool will turn in the direction to extend the string and push the antenna up.
When you turn off the radio, or move the switch to "retract", the spool will turn and wind up the string and pull the antenna down. These strings often break, usually they only last about 5 years.
The motor you seek is inside the fender or the trunk, as the case may be, and it is hidden behind the inner fender shield or in the trunk, behind the inner trunk panel.
The motor is hidden to prevent snow, ice, water, and dirt from ruining it.
Be blessed.

Pull the fuse in the fuse panel for the antenna.

If you have to people that are patient you can try to as you turn the radio on and of have one guy on the inside and one guy out take the nut off the top of your antenna and pull it out there is a geared cable inside as you turn the radio off feed the plastic cable in make sure you put the nut back on before turning the radio back onb good luck

please rate service.

Automatic Electric Antenna
Removal

1. Lower electric antenna (18850) .

1. Remove rear retaining screws of RH front wheel splash shield for access to antenna lower retaining bolt.

1. Remove lower retaining bolt.

1. Remove radio antenna nut (18865) from top of motor tube and remove electric antenna through fender/splash shield access.

1. Disconnect signal cable and motor wire connector(s).

Installation

1. To install, reverse Removal procedure.

1. Tighten top radio antenna nut to 6-8 Nm (54-70 lb-in).

1. Tighten lower electric antenna retaining bolt to 5.8-7.8 Nm (51-69 lb-in).

1. Check operation of electric antenna and radio chassis .
   
   Automatic Electric Antenna
   
   
   

mast
Mast, Power NOTE: A power antenna mast which is bent or broken can be replaced without replacing the motor and tube assembly.
Removal

1. Remove radio antenna nut (18865) and radio antenna stanchion (18919) .
   
   
   
   

1. Loosen retaining nut inside tube using 14 mm (9/16 inch) socket, and slide nut part-way up mast.

1. Raise antenna to run plastic drive wire at bottom of mast out of motor. Note direction of teeth on plastic drive wire.

1. Saw off damaged portion of antenna mast. Remove burrs from mast and slide nut and contact tube off stationary tube.

Installation

1. With the teeth on the plastic drive wire facing toward motor on antenna, push end of plastic drive wire of replacement mast assembly down into tube. Push it around curve at bottom of tube until end enters drive mechanism.

1. Run motor down while pushing on plastic drive wire until about 305 mm (12 inch) of wire has been drawn into the tube. Stop motor and insert bottom of antenna mast into tube. Lower mast.

1. Slide contact tube and radio antenna nut down antenna mast. Tighten nut to 0.45 Nm (4 lb-in).
   
   
2. Raise and lower antenna several times to ensure proper operation.

I assume that the power antenna unit is an original equipment unit, if so.
1. Does it run for about a minute then stop? If this is the case, your antenna shaft needs to be replaced. This is a very simple procedure that your local radio install shop can do for you in about 20 minutes.
2. If the motor never shuts off as long as the key is on, you probably have a defective relay on the antenna motor. At this point you need to replace the entire unit. A job that can be a bit pricey because of the price of the unit itself. A cheeper fix is to replace the power antenna with a manually telescopic unit, (no motor), or a fixed unit, (doesn't go down). If you opt for the latter, remember to unscrew or lower the antenna in automatic car washes!

You need to pull the fuse for the antenna or just unplug it. It has a fairly ridgid plastic wire that pushes the antenna up and down. Works fine until the wire breaks then it rolls up (antenna down) but it never increases resistance because the antenna never comes down , it's like a fishing reel when the lure breaks off, so the motor thinks that the antenna is still coming down and it will run and run and run trying to do it's job. Your lucky it stuck up and not down. If you want your antenna to go up and down again you'll have to buy and install a new one.

Fault in the retractor assy. Is the mast bent. If it is gently try to straighten best possible lube with silicone spray. With someone turn off the radio , try manually putting antenna down with the palm of your hand squezzed around mast and forcing. Do the same going up, pull by the end tip ,

Look in the trun k on the ant side and pull back the the felt and you will see where it connects and disconnects. You have a broken antenna lead. At the bottom of all electronic antennas is a plastic lead that fits in the motor to wind the antenna up or down.The motor is still good you only need to replace the stem. Good luck.