Hi everyone,

This is my first post. I've just bought a 2003 TL Wagon in silver as a second car. Something big, practical and reliable was on the cards and it seemed like a good fit! Old girl has 130,000ks on her and is in good shape. A little paint fade on the bonnet but the years have generally been kind.

The power antenna is snapped off at the back and although radio reception isn't terrible, it's still not great. Replacing it has proven to be a little harder than I thought! I can't get the antenna to unscrew from the outside. Is there a trick to it at all? I can't think of a way to move the little nut on the outside. I have looked from the inside but I'm not sure if it can be done that way?

I noticed that the motor is unplugged at the back so I've put it back in to see if it works and it does seem to, however the motor just keeps running constantly. Is this a sign that it's stuffed or normal with a snapped mast?

I figured my options are to 1) replace just the mast (although I can't seem to find a new aftermarket one for a wagon), 2) replace the entire assembly with an aftermarket unit like those on eBay (however they all say sedan only) or 3) just install a fixed fishing rod style fixed antenna (again, none specifically on eBay or the like bit it wouldn't be hard to dodgy up).

It is the 8 wire plug, so how would I wire up the 3 wire units that seem the aftermarket norm? Any ideas! Thanks.

From memory the mast doesn't have to be exclusively for a magna, when we replaced the mast we just got a cheap one and it was fine.

Thanks. I managed (with some effort!) to get the outside nut undone and it seems the mast is pretty well bent up and jammed. I've just ordered a replacement unit off eBay so I'll give it a try. Any idea which of the 8 wires in the existing loom will be needed for the 3 on the new unit? It seems to just have a positive, negative and trigger.

You have just answered your own question

Sorry... I'll rephrase. The replacement has positive, negative and trigger. The current one in my car has a large loom with I believe 8 wires running to it.

For those interested... I have successfully installed this unit;

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Auto-Car-Power-Motorised-Antenna-For-Mitsubishi-TE-TF-TH-TJ-TL-Magna-Sedan-96-05-/300934992682?pt=AU_Car_Parts_Accessories&fits=Model%3AMagna&hash=item46111f932a&_uhb=1

into a TL Wagon.

A few points of interest. The cars factory rubber mount and screw are the best fitted (obviously) if you can save the screw head. Mine was stuffed so I had to give up on it. The securing nuts that come with this cheap unit won't fit over the existing cars rubber mount.

I ended up using one of the many rubbers that came with the new antenna. Two of them fit the existing hole well. The "cheap chinese crap" issue did arise with these a bit (of course!). The nuts they provide are marginally too small for the rubber mounts so when tightening they actually start to push and slip inside the mount which obviously won't work. My solution was to place one of the plastic mounts (also provided) on top of the rubber and the nut fit on top of that well. Obviously not quite as "neat" a finish as using just the rubber mount, however it doesn't look out of place.

For wiring:

Antenna Red to Car Red (+)
Antenna Earth to Body
Antenna Green to Car White+Black Stripe & White+Green Stripe (Trigger) - Just join all of these together.

There are more wires in the car than the antenna needs so I've just insulated them and left them. If wired in this way, the antenna only extends when the radio is on and is retracted when you hit CD.

Mounting wasn't too hard (made more difficult by my stupidity of putting my reverse sensor box and wiring on the same side :@). The existing factory mount almost fits but it's a little out so I ended up securing it to the body in about the same location as the old one using a few cable ties. With the antenna screwed and secured at the top hole, the cable ties do a good enough job of holding it in place.

Easy job all up. 30-60 mins tops.

That's actually a good price for an electric one.

Just going through the same drama again for the second time with my wagon. mast is fine, but the antenna rope breaks internally. Motor just runs until it times out.

OEM Mast is MR901762. Locally quoted $120 , Found one for about half that delivered.

Mast arrived from Sydney ex Japan yesterday, Installed today but what should have been an easy job took longer than I expected. The original rope had broken away from the mast but was retracted into the housing so the trims had to be undone and the unit removed. Extracted the old rope which was noticeably harder and feeling less flexible with age and heat I guess. About 4 years service.

I followed the workshop instructions but had trouble engaging the teeth. Suspected maybe there was debris I missed in the unit but it was clear. Turns out the instructions are wrong for the wagon at least.

4. Insert the rack cable into the motor assembly with the
rack cable teeth facing the trunk room side.
5. Turn the rack cable teeth towards the rear of the vehicle
(right 90) so that the rack cable meshes with the motor
gear.

The gearside is actually on the leftside of the rope so should be rotated left 90deg. I suspect for the sedan you rotate right, I know for my Galant it was rotate the teeth to the rear.

Anyway I still had trouble locking it in so I just push it in to the gear and had someone turn off the radio and it retracted.

The MR901762 mast was $43, all up for $73 I got the mast and and OEM MR481216 radiator cap delivered. Took about 21days, 10 of those were Auspost as it left Sydney 14 Oct 13.

My new KL Verada wagon's antenna is stuck at 1/3 up, I can't pull it up or push it down. I haven't taken the interior panel off yet to see whats up I'll do that in the next week or so.

I had to remove the 4 screws from the rear scuff panel and unclip. Unbolt the cargo anchor point, the panel trim is just clips, I unclipped it just enough to gain access, removed earth strap screw, unplugged the 8 pin power connector and the aerial cable at the antenna assembly, Unscew the external chrome ring nut, and remove with the sealing mount. Undo the 2 10mm mounting nuts and juggle and manouvre the unit out. 4 self tappers around the perimeter of the outer housing 1 bolt/recessed nut where the gear / hub sits. The small nut will just fall out so careful you don't lose it. I gave it a spray internally with some fresh white lithium grease.

I have not found a diagram for the 8 pin connector, hopefully yours is just jammed with maybe a broken rope and not an electrical issue.

Mine sheared off 10cm from the base of the antenna. I could still pull it up by hand but would not go all the way back because of the curvature of the broken rope and it was catching internally.

I just swapped the antenna's over from the TH to the KL and now the TH has a standard antenna and the KL's power one works properly.