my antenna can't go down when i turn my car off. so i thought it was not a big deal, but the battery drains out already and i can't start my car. how can my antenna go down when i turn my car off? btw, i have optima battery. =(

 

The antenna sticking up won't cause a battery drain.

Have you tried pushing it down? Do you have an aftermarket headunit?

Have you done any testing for parasitic drains? Had the battery load tested?

 

i had this problem on both 4th gens ive owned.

the solution was a brief spray of silicone/white lithium onto the joints and giving the antennae a small twist to let it into the openings.

thing goes up and down now without a hitch.

 

but even then, would a hitch or more kill the battery.?^^

 

i just realized there is a tube that attaches to the bottom of the antenna. it uses air pressure to push antenna up. i believe the air pressure causes to drain the battery. how can i fix it?

i tried to use silicone spray but the antenna doesn't go up or down when i turn on and off my radio.

 

The power antenna does not work off of air pressure it has a small motor that moves a flexible plastic coil up and down. Just remove the power connector that runs to the antenna motor. It has four or five wires runing to it. If your battery still dies it's not caused by the power antenna.

 

The tube drains the water that gets in around the antenna.

 

The antenna won't drain your battery, if anything the head unit would be keeping the antenna up and it would be draining the battery.

So I ask again:

 

epic fail

Does the antenna motor make any sort of noise when you shut off the radio?
If it does the cable is most likely broken. If it doesn't the motor is bad. Id tell you to take it apart but you don't seem very mechanically inclined.

 

no i haven't tried it. is there kind of equipment i need?

 

i will check it. i have unplugged the wire from the motor. i m unable to see everything in the side of the trunk.

 

Not really. You need a multimeter to test for the parasitic drain, and you need gas to drive to an auto parts store to have them load test your battery.