Tools needed:
Socket wrench
10mm socket
Needle nose pliers

If your antenna is just broken then you could just swap out the mast itself which can be found cheaply at a many a place. This install is for replacing the entire power antenna motor. This motor still works but the antenna is broken. I've had another motor that I accquired some time ago just laying around so I decided to swap the whole unit instead of just the mast.

Power antenna motor with wires.

As you can see, the antenna is broken.


First you need to remove the stuff out of your trunk to give yourself some room to work with.

Remove the rear trunk cover...

which will allow you to remove the side trunk cover.

This allows you access to the antenna motor.

Before you can get to the motor you need to remove the bracket for the OEM car jack. Use a 10mm socket.

Pull the bracket out.

Now you need to remove the top of the antenna off the outside of the car or you won't be able to get the motor out. Start by removing the rubber gasket. See those two little dimples on the silver ring of the mast, if your mast will not unscrew with your fingers then....

you can insert a set of needle nose pliers into those dimples and turn counter clockwise to bust it loose. Now that it's loose you can unscrew it with your fingers....

and remove the top from the car.

Next, you use the 10mm socket to remove the bolts holding the antenna motor to the chassis.

Pull the antenna out.

Unplug the antenna wire at the top. It's attached to a wire harness just on the inside of the chassis.

Unplug the two harnesses at the bottom.

Unplug the drain plug at the bottom also.

Now take the new antenna and plug the top wire into the harness.

Plug the two bottom harnesses in.

And attach the drain plug to the bottom.

Now you need to remove the top of the antenna so you can insert it to the outside of the chassis.

It unscrews...

then you can remove the rubber grommet and the tip.

Manuever the antenna into the back of the car and insert the tip throught the chassis.

Move the antenna into position on the mounting points...

and insert the bolts to hold it in place.

Put the top of the antenna back together. Put the rubber grommet back on and screw the silver ring on to hold things tight. Make sure when you insert it into the top of the antenna on the outside that you insert that long plastic tab in the right spot on the antenna...

when you look inside the tip you will see where it goes.

Now you can bolt it in. When you start bolting it in pull down on the antenna to make sure that the rubber gasket is tight against the outside chassis to prevent moisture from getting in.

Done! Wish I had a radio and speakers so I could enjoy this thing....someday perhaps!

Modified by positron_ at 3:49 PM 9/29/2008

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That would be the first thing I'd look at.

As for the ghost antenna... I would recommend grounding the antenna signal wire... (if you're using an aftermarket harness it's the solid blue wire, I don't know what color this wire is on the factory harness) without any connection it's "floating" and without a strong ground signal most electronics will interpret interference as as a positive, which in this case causes it to go up.

I noticed this phenomenon in my S14 when I happened to power it on without my new head unit attached. either re-install the factory head unit so it can supply a ground or ground the antenna signal wire yourself.