1997 pathfinder antenna

[A1218]

Occasionally the antenna mast on the pathfinder does not extend up. I have a new mast on there from Nissan and it’s only 2 years old so I know it’s not the teeth cable that is broken.

Should I try cleaning out the contacts on the plug or inside the antenna motor where the cable coils around?

When it doesn’t extend I can hear the motor make a single noise as if it were trying to start working but then it stops. I wait a while and turn the radio on and off and it works again. But that’s not always the case. Sometimes it goes halfway up or halfway down.

[VStar650CL]

Have you tried lubing the mast? Very often a little WD40 or high-vis silicone will straighten them right out.

[A1218]

Have you tried lubing the mast? Very often a little WD40 or high-vis silicone will straighten them right out.

When it was first getting stuck occasionally yes I did use some wd40 and it helped for a while. Then today it didn’t come up at all after several tries. Then worked again like nothing happened.

[VStar650CL]

Might be a resistance problem in the motor or signal wiring, then. Could be defective brushes in the motor as well. There are only 3 wires involved, power, ground, and signal from the radio. You may need to catch it in the act and look at the voltage across the motor and on the signal wire from the radio. If you have good voltages then the motor or mechanism has an issue. If you see higher than 0V on the ground wire or lower than battery voltage on the power or signal wires then it's a resistance issue in the wiring.

[A1218]

Well if it is indeed a failing motor then how difficult is the conversion to a stubby stationary one?

This vehicle has the diversity antenna in the windshield and I know it is lost with the aftermarket stereo but I recall Md mentioned that you can regain the functionality by bridging the antenna connection behind the radio. At least that would help reception with the stubby.

[VStar650CL]

Yah, I remember that post from Md, that was a pretty slick work-around. Honestly, he'll be a better source for info about switching to a stubby than I would. I wouldn't think it would be difficult with a universal stubby, though. Mainly just making sure it will mount in the hole. Co-ax is co-ax as far as a cable is concerned.

[mdmellott]

If you want both antennas to be available to your receiver, place a small jumper wire into the two receptacle plug holes on this adapter and then plug the Nissan antennas in as usual. I used the Metra 40-NI11 adapter which has just the one Motorola type plug. This jumper will work the same with the Metra 40-NI10 adapter as well. The second wire with the socket connection isn't used on aftermarket receivers. I replaced my ugly 32" mast antenna with a stubby 5" billet aluminum antenna but got lousy reception until I jump wired the adapter receptacle. My receiver reception is clean and clear with the windshield antenna now picking up the radio signal. The stubby was just for looks. You really cannot beat the reception quality of a long mast antenna but I think they look tacky. IMHO

[A1218]

If you want both antennas to be available to your receiver, place a small jumper wire into the two receptacle plug holes on this adapter and then plug the Nissan antennas in as usual. I used the Metra 40-NI11 adapter which has just the one Motorola type plug. This jumper will work the same with the Metra 40-NI10 adapter as well. The second wire with the socket connection isn't used on aftermarket receivers. I replaced my ugly 32" mast antenna with a stubby 5" billet aluminum antenna but got lousy reception until I jump wired the adapter receptacle. My receiver reception is clean and clear with the windshield antenna now picking up the radio signal. The stubby was just for looks. You really cannot beat the reception quality of a long mast antenna but I think they look tacky. IMHO

Thanks for the pics Md!

I’ll try this out today because if the mast motor completely stops working eventually I’m not going to bother fixing it once the windshield antenna works. Hard to find these vehicles or their parts in salvage yards in the NYC area so I probably won’t even find another motor locally.

About the stubby, which brand and model is that? Did you have to do anything special for fitment and does it serve any purpose at all towards reception?

[mdmellott]

I bought that stubby at Pep Boys several years ago. Tried to get a replacement there about 8mo ago after someone thought it must have looked too cool not to have it. No longer carried at Pep Boys, Autozone, or O'Reilly, I found an almost identical one on Amazon for $6. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08PCXTCY8
I thought this one would be better, given the as advertised description being carbon fiber with a copper core, but it turned out to be solid aluminum just like what I had previously. That was just fine with me. It's only for looks since it provides very little reception performance. A strong local radio signal gets picked up well enough in the open but it gets squelched easily by any large obstruction. (e.g. car port, driving under an overpass or with a large box truck driving close to me) This stubby comes with several different sized threaded adapters and spacer rings to be used as needed to fit onto your antenna base. I'm not sure how that works out as a replacement for a motor driven antenna like yours. You could just disconnect the power connection to your antenna, located behind the side panel at the front right near the passenger side floor and call it a day without even adding the stubby.

[A1218]

So I tried the wire in the antenna plug. It didn’t get any worse but it drops HD radio often and the AM is horrible still. The motorized antenna stopped working completely today.

[mdmellott]

So I tried the wire in the antenna plug. It didn’t get any worse but it drops HD radio often and the AM is horrible still. The motorized antenna stopped working completely today.

I didn't realize there was more going on than just a difunctional antenna motor. Be sure you unplug power to that antenna just in case it has a shorted circuit. There is some type of electrical gremlin fouling you up. It's been a year now since you replaced your previous Pioneer with this new Pioneer system, due to gremlins wreaking havoc with your reception and antenna. post6823270.html#p6823083 Your old PAC integration device you had working with the Kenwood system, prior to that old and new Pioneer system installs, that I assume you are still using now, may having wiring or programming issues. I don't know much about audio tech stuff. I'm thinking you have something external from the head unit that's been firing split balls at your audio systems. I'm not much help here for this one.

[A1218]

After changing from the Kenwood, the first pioneer unit was defective. I returned that and bought a new pioneer unit, new pac integration harness, and new antenna adapter. Everything has since worked fine and still does except the intermittent antenna motor. And the trick you did with the jumper wire has helped reception since this does not work.

I think it’s just a dying motor. Because it would stop working or work fine, sometimes get stuck halfway. I’ve noticed if I start tapping the black base hard it would work again.

But anyways I found a site that has a conversion for the motorized units to stationary short styled ones. They even advertise a direct fitment replacement for the motor.

https://www.theantennasource.com/NISSAN ... 004.html#4

[A1218]

So in the end I pulled out the antenna mast from the motor and bought the conversion sleeve from the site that fits into the motor pipe with a threaded stud so I can screw on a 31 inch black flexible mast that the later year Pathfinders had. I unplugged the motor from under the glove compartment since it’s no longer in use and removed the jumper wire from the antenna adapter plug behind radio. I’m just not sure why the jumper wire trick never worked for me.

But signal reception is fine now. No dropping of HD radio at all. Even AM is crisp and clear.

[mdmellott]

I’m just not sure why the jumper wire trick never worked for me.
But signal reception is fine now. No dropping of HD radio at all. Even AM is crisp and clear.

I'm glad this worked out for you. All I can think of regarding the jumper hack not working is either the faulty antenna motor was still plugged in and giving you issues or, if it was unplugged, a break in the stenciled on window antenna had killed the reception. Like the rear window defroster, a hairline scratch across the painted on line will kill the whole line. The antenna wire connection at the lower left of the windshield, behind the pillar molding might also be the problem. Recently installed Kickers come to mind. Just a thought.