flyboy
23-02-2012, 06:38 PM
Hi there.
Thought I'd relay my story to hopefully save other forum members a couple of wasted hours.
The wife reported the TL powered automatic antenna was no longer going up, but the head unit was working.
Trouble shooting began with fuses. They all looked fine, but after digging through the forum I found it interesting that (well on the wagon at least) the boot release fuse in the wheel well powers the antenna (not the radio fuses). This fuse was fine too.
I had installed a Pioneer head unit about 3 months ago, so my next thought went to my install of the head unit and the relay wire for the antenna. I was meticulous in the installation, but since the motor wasn't making any sound whatsoever, I didn't think it to be a burnt out motor or busted antenna rope.
Out came the dash and all those annoying connectors for the power windows, climate control, etc. which are an absolute pain in the *ss to unclip sometimes if you can't get the right angle on the locking tab.
My connection for the antenna relay looked good, but I redid it just to be sure. Reassembled the dash - nada... no antenna! As an aside, the small console just forward of the gear stick (which has never quite sat perfectly straight since the factory) looked even more lop sided. So I pulled out the entire console again and found two of the four screws holding the little container had not been tightened (obviously since factory). Aligned the container, did up all four screws, and now the thing finally sits right.
By now I've just about had enough. I start work at 5am tomorrow, and the 6 month old is screaming his head off and I'm the only one who seems able to get him asleep.
Once finished in the nursery, I return to the car and reset the head unit settings, clock and trip computer. I decide I have another few minutes to pull the boot lining and this takes all of about two minutes.
It's hard to see much because of the big black metal bracket, but I stick my hand in behind and start digging around. Lo and behold, I feel an un-connected terminal block back there, so pull it out so I can see. It's the three pin connector for the antenna.
How the **** could this be disconnected? There's no way something in the boot could have bumped it, and the boot lining has never been off before today. Every Mitsubishi connector I've ever taken apart has generally been a pain in the *ss to get the locking clip to release.
I hunt around and find where the connector goes, and push it back in. There is no click, no grab, nothing. It just slides in and apparently has no locking clip to hold it in place. With the ignition switch on, the antenna is now going up and down like it should.
So the moral of this long story is, if your antenna stops going up and the motor is obviously not working, check the connection on the motor - it seems like it can just vibrate out on it's own accord.
Hope I've saved someone a couple of hours (and I feel much better now).
Thought I'd relay my story to hopefully save other forum members a couple of wasted hours.
The wife reported the TL powered automatic antenna was no longer going up, but the head unit was working.
Trouble shooting began with fuses. They all looked fine, but after digging through the forum I found it interesting that (well on the wagon at least) the boot release fuse in the wheel well powers the antenna (not the radio fuses). This fuse was fine too.
I had installed a Pioneer head unit about 3 months ago, so my next thought went to my install of the head unit and the relay wire for the antenna. I was meticulous in the installation, but since the motor wasn't making any sound whatsoever, I didn't think it to be a burnt out motor or busted antenna rope.
Out came the dash and all those annoying connectors for the power windows, climate control, etc. which are an absolute pain in the *ss to unclip sometimes if you can't get the right angle on the locking tab.
My connection for the antenna relay looked good, but I redid it just to be sure. Reassembled the dash - nada... no antenna! As an aside, the small console just forward of the gear stick (which has never quite sat perfectly straight since the factory) looked even more lop sided. So I pulled out the entire console again and found two of the four screws holding the little container had not been tightened (obviously since factory). Aligned the container, did up all four screws, and now the thing finally sits right.
By now I've just about had enough. I start work at 5am tomorrow, and the 6 month old is screaming his head off and I'm the only one who seems able to get him asleep.
Once finished in the nursery, I return to the car and reset the head unit settings, clock and trip computer. I decide I have another few minutes to pull the boot lining and this takes all of about two minutes.
It's hard to see much because of the big black metal bracket, but I stick my hand in behind and start digging around. Lo and behold, I feel an un-connected terminal block back there, so pull it out so I can see. It's the three pin connector for the antenna.
How the **** could this be disconnected? There's no way something in the boot could have bumped it, and the boot lining has never been off before today. Every Mitsubishi connector I've ever taken apart has generally been a pain in the *ss to get the locking clip to release.
I hunt around and find where the connector goes, and push it back in. There is no click, no grab, nothing. It just slides in and apparently has no locking clip to hold it in place. With the ignition switch on, the antenna is now going up and down like it should.
So the moral of this long story is, if your antenna stops going up and the motor is obviously not working, check the connection on the motor - it seems like it can just vibrate out on it's own accord.
Hope I've saved someone a couple of hours (and I feel much better now).