Is there a way for me to test if the antenna retracts properly on a dead car?

 

you have to hook it up to power to test it, either in the car or out of it.

 

What kind of battery will do the trick?

 

One reason why I love 12Vdc Power Tools! I have a set of Makita cordless tools (drills, impact, flashlights, etc.) and the 12Vdc battery is perfect for testing power locks/windows. Just stick the wires onto the terminals of the battery.

 

Just a quick Q ... Do you really need the antenna ? It only helps AM radio, not FM, and nothing else .

 

You could also ask the yard to test it. The ones around here do if there in a good mood.
S

 

why not just get a small aftermarket one?

 

I typically bring a lantern battery with me to try any little electronic things like that.

 

Um, the system is called FM Diversity, It samples both antennas and locks onto the stronger signal.

Why on earth would you want to replace an automatic retractable antenna wit a POS rubber ducky antenna? Its things like the antenna that made our cars fit the "luxury sedan" class. I personally like the clean lines of no antenna while I'm parked or have the radio off.

 

^^^lol at auto antenna making a car "luxurious", but i do agree with you on why replacing the antenna with a crappy rubber one.


i have a question, how car i take out my antenna from the "radio is off and antenna is in mood"? when i bought my car the antenna was all the way out/up but didnt go in, so for some stupid reason i put it all the way in/down til it "clicked" in place. know i cant get most FM radio stations

 

that click may have been the antenna breaking. I disconnected my motor because it was annoying to have the thing raise every time I wanted to play just a CD in my radio. They said it was because we only have one power switch or something? its either on or off. But anyway I disconnected the motor while it was down and I have no detrimental effects on my radio reception. In town I pick up both bands quite normal. If it was broken the pathway for the signals to go into your wires would be broken no? Just a thought. can anyone maybe vouch for that or expand?

 

the antenna going up and down and the electrical capability of radio station receiving are seperate things. Going up and down is a motor, a printed circuit board or the nylon "thread" that pulls & pushes the antenna. One thing is that Nissan uses a "diversity" antenna that it really 2 antennas. One is the metal rod in the fender and the other is built into the rear windshield. Not all the lines in the glass are for the defogger. In town, you should be able to get all the local radio stations without the metal rod antenna because of stronger signal strength.

 

Use needle nosed pliers to remove the exposed chrome nut with two notches. grab antenna and pull.

 

I bot one at my Nissan Stealership for like $30, then had the car audio place install it for me while they were doing my car for another $5. I love how with my aftermarket HU, I can hit "source" and when it swtiches off Ipod to FM, I hear and see the antenna go up, and when I turn it back to Ipod, it goes down lolz. (when I got the car the antenna was snapped in half midway up the rod, and it looked janky, its been my fav exterior mod so far lolz, new Headlights and bulbs on the way tho)

 

thanx...

 

I need to replace my antenna motor since the shaft won't come out. There are a bunch in the Junkyard.

Will hooking the motor up to a battery show whether the antenna works or do you also have to send a signal from the radio to activate it?

If anyone has actually tested a motor this way, I would appreciate the input.

 

This^ If you need further instructions please ask.

 

I thought my post was clear.

Do I need something to actuate the antenna to tell if it works? I've got the idea about the battery. But how do I figure out if it works? You know like turning on the radio.

 

The antenna uses 3 wires to make it work. A black wire connects it to ground, the negative terminal of the battery. A pink wire is connected to 12 volts all the time. Then a black/red stripe wire coming from the radio has 12 volts on it when the radio is turned on. With 12 volts on the black/red stripe wire, the antenna should go up and removing 12 volts from the black/red stripe wire should make the antenna go down.

However, don't connect the battery to the wires while it is in the car. you don't know what kinds of shorts may exist in the car. Either unplug the wire harness from the motor and jumper the pins inside the connector on the motor OR cut the wire harness, leaving maybe a foot of wire (or more) so that you can wires to connect to your test battery.