Antenna wont retract when radio is off

[billn90]

Hi,
I have an issue with my daughter's 90 Reatta conv. The antenna raises normally when the ignition is turned on , and lowers when the ignition is turned off, but when I turn the radio power button off, the antenna doesn't retract, and on occasion I hear a static noise coming from the rear speaker even witht he power off. I suspect the circuitry int he radio power circuit is the culpret, but take this opportunity to ask if anyone here has had a simialr experience and what resolved it.
thanks
Bill

[NEMO]

The antenna raises when you turn on the radio, with the car on or running. The DERM system feeds power to the radio when key is turned off,open door power is turned off. Do you have the stock radio if so I would think it is a relay atached to the antenna mast in the trunk.

[Barney Eaton]

If you open the trunk you can probably hear the antenna motor running.....
If the ignition is OFF and the antenna is up and the motor is not running.....
You have either a blown fuse #3 or a bad relay.

If the motor is running, unplug the wire going to the relay, there are two plugs at the relay and it doesn't matter which one you unplug, it cuts the power to the motor and stops battery drain........... the problem is a broken plastic cable inside the motor.

You can go to Reatta Data Page and read the repair procedure to fix the antenna.
The replacement part number is 22039349 or 22038195 (I think one has been discontinued but don't remember which) The retail cost is around $20

I also rebuild antennas for $50 (plus $5 shipping) Send me your motor I clean, lube, and replace the needed parts.

[harry yarnell]

...but he said the antenna raises and lowers when the ignition is turned on and off....nylon string should be good.

[steveskyhawk]

Bill,

First off does the car have an OEM antenna on it?

Like Barney i'd love to sell you an antenna but i'm not sure you need one. Please determine if it is OEM. If it were me i'd try swapping it out with a different antenna because I have spares galore. If that didn't change anything i'd try a different radio. Send me a pm and give me your address and i send you a good antenna. If that fixes the problem you can pay me for it. If not you can send it back.

[harry yarnell]

The antenna is controlled by the radio. If the antenna will raise and lower with the ignition switch, but not by turning the radio off, then the radio is the problem, or it's wired wrong.

[billn90]

Thank you all, I seriously doubt it is the antenna itself as the antenna does raise and lower properly with the activation of the ignition switch, and it is the original factory antenna and radio.
The new experience, (over the last week), is that now when I turn the radio off the antenna doesn't lower, but stays in the raised position. When I turn the ignition off the antenna lowers. And of course when it moves I can hear the motor operate it.
I am thinking it may be the relay, although the other puzzle here is that with the radio shut off, I hear a faint static noise from the speaker just behind the drivers seat, which was leading me to think that the radio somehow was providing some power even in the shut down mode.

[Mc_Reatta]

What happens when with the radio off, you turn the ignition on? Antenna should stay down until the radio is turned on. Does it go up when just the ignition is turned or only when both the ignition and the radio are turned on? Would shed some light on whether it is more likely the radio or antenna.

[billn90]

Hi,
When I ahve the radio off, and I turn the ignition on, the antenna raises.

[padgett]

Sounds like the antenna relay coil is connected to a HOT IN RUN instead of the radio antenna lead.

If you have the doors shut, the engine running, and the radio on, does the antenna go down if you turn the ignition off ?

[Mc_Reatta]

Has the radio been changed out recently? There is a blue wire coming out of a standard radio connector that is used to control the antenna. It is hot when the radio is on, and not when off. If nothing has changed, then this circuit in the radio has broken and it is as Padgett says gone hot all the time. If the radio has been replaced recently, it has probably been connected incorrectly. If it is the radio, you may just want to live with it until something else goes wrong and it's time to repair or replace.

[billn90]

Hi,
Well I went out and confirmed with the door closed, engine running, radio playing, I turn the radio off and the antenna stays raised. However, when In open the door it retracts.

[billn90]

Oh yeah, and the radio hasn't been removed or serviced in several years if ever.

[Mc_Reatta]

Opening the door shuts off the retained power to the radio among other things. I'm betting the problem is with the radio. I guess you have 3 choices replace radio, install a manual switch to cut the raise signal to the antenna, or live with it as is. Unless you go to a car wash or something that requires the car to be running and the antenna to be down, I'd live with it. You can always pull the radio fuse when the antenna is down if you occasionally are in that situation or disconnect the antenna connector in the trunk if that's easier. I personally have my radio on most of the time I'm driving so the antenna being up is normal for me. As long as it goes down when I'm parked and up when I'm driving I'm happy.

[padgett]

I just disconnect the relay on mine most of the time. Orlando stations are strong enough it does not need to be up.

Now if I could just figure out why the CD only works when it is warm...