80 series power antenna

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Right, so what you've got is part of two different systems. The wiring diagram above shows the two alternate setups, one for Australia and one for everywhere else. The wiring harness in your car is the Australian spec. You'll see the pin configuration and wiring colours on that plug match what's shown on the wiring diagram above for the Australian region. The signal wires from that plug don't go directly to the antenna, it'll go to a grey connector behind your passenger side kick panel, which if your 80 never had a power antenna won't be connected to anything.

You basically need to decide which end result you want to aim for. In my Australian 80, which also didn't have a power antenna at manufacture but I added it later, I have a modified version of the Australian setup. I kept the power antenna ECU, as it makes the antenna go up and down automatically when I turn the head unit on/off, and it remembers the height I left it set to, which I like. I ditched the "Auto" functionality to try and change the antenna height automatically though, and just went with manual up/down buttons, so I set the height and it stays where I set it, apart from going up/down automatically as the head unit turns on or off. If this is what you want, you'll need to source an antenna ECU (also called auto antenna relay, but ECU is more accurate here), as well as a different power antenna, which also has a four pin connector to report on the antenna height as well as the two pin connector to control the motor. If you look in your engine bay, you'll find this other four pin connector coming off the same harness as the two pin connector you've hooked up. The relay and antenna are possibly functionality identical to the ones on late model Lexus LX450's, which also had this kind of power antenna config. Apart from that, you're looking at wrecks in Australia.

The other option is to keep the antenna you've got, and rewire the switch to work the way the power antenna did on 80 series models outside Australia. For that, you've got the wiring diagram above again. You'd have to change some pins in that plug to work with the switch you've got, connecting the signal wires to the antenna motor, probably by bridging them at that grey plug for the antenna ecu where they all come together. You'd also need to take a new power run from the CIG fuse to the switch as shown. Getting a wiring pigtail for that plug with the extra pin from a local wreck would probably help. That would be the cheaper and easier option. It depends how comfortable you are doing wiring work though.
Just to be certain before I put my interior back together and lose access to the antenna cable -
When I got my 80 it had an aftermarket powered antenna that was rigged but INOP. I am interested in putting the system back to original form.
Under the hood I have the 2-wire connector for the antenna. The 80 had a blank for the dash switch but the plug for "Up and Down" is there. If I add a Up and Down switch and install the motorized (non-memory) antenna, do I need any sort of ECU or relay box in kick panel?
 
Nope. The switch controls the antenna motor directly. I've never seen a US 80 without antenna switches. Where did yours come from?
 
Hoping to piggyback off this thread. 1997 LX450 recently purchased and assume the antenna up/down feature worked as I saw the antenna go up 12-16” at start up.

Installed a new head unit as old had issues. Existing head unit install was a bit of a cluster but used all the same connections for power, Gnd, speakers, etc.

Now the antenna not working so must have missed a wire. No clue where to start as I am not clear what triggers the “auto up” feature.

My A21 connector wired same as page 9 of this thread
 
Suspecting the new head unit is not supplying the necessary signal to the Auto Antenna ECU. Does anyone know how this violet wire plays into the scheme?

Guessing I may need to cconnect to my new head unit (Blue "remote" signal that triggers a powered sub perhaps?).

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I’m doing the same thing installed a new head unit in my 79 series with a OEM power antenna. I am thinking the same thing, I tagged that same wire to trigger my Antenna The truck is not completed yet so I have not tested it. I’ll be watching this thread.
 
Found this. The radio appears to signal the Auto Antenna ECU. Can anyone confirm that the Auto Antenna ECU is looking for an input based on below?

If that is the case I may be able to grab the Blue/white signal wire from the head unit.

Thanks


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Hey folks! not trying to hijack but keep this one going since it's the most relevant thread I've found thus far.

I'm currently troubleshooting the antenna on my 1997 FZJ80 US spec and just wanted to manually test to see if the motor works as these things are pricey. I have a pair of alligator clips and I'm thinking I can test it manually. How does one go about doing that? The current antenna is very likely the original with 2 connectors. A 2 pin and the other one. I'm a little worried because both were disconnected when I purchased the truck and are quite corroded (likely indicating that something is broken. Hopeing it's the switch and not the antenna)... Trying to avoid throwing away money if I don't have to. Thanks!
 
The motor is a simple DC motor. Power to one terminal make it rotate one way and power to the other makes it rotate the other way.

FWIW, corrosion doesn't mean something is broken. Just clean the terminals.
 
The motor is a simple DC motor. Power to one terminal make it rotate one way and power to the other makes it rotate the other way.
Thanks! This is what I was thinking. I did the same thing on my FJ62 and determind my motor was just fine and needed a mast replacement. Currently charging a battery and will test tomorrow or thurs as I don't want to disconnect my main battery since the aligator clips aren't long enough. Fingers crossed!
 
Hey all. This thread has great information! I have a question that hasn’t been answered here (I don’t think): does the OEM powered non-auto antenna has some sort of calibration to limit the up/down operation?

I’ve replaced my old rusted manual antenna with a non-auto powered one and have an up/down switch. I plan to raise/lower the antenna manually when needed. When testing the antenna motor on the battery terminals there was clicking at the extremes in both directions which I assume was the gear slipping on the tooth-belt. How can this be avoided in future?

Thanks for any help 👍
 
Hey all. This thread has great information! I have a question that hasn’t been answered here (I don’t think): does the OEM powered non-auto antenna has some sort of calibration to limit the up/down operation?

I’ve replaced my old rusted manual antenna with a non-auto powered one and have an up/down switch. I plan to raise/lower the antenna manually when needed. When testing the antenna motor on the battery terminals there was clicking at the extremes in both directions which I assume was the gear slipping on the tooth-belt. How can this be avoided in future?

Thanks for any help 👍

Nope, you just stop holding down the button when it clicks.
 
Haha, thanks. Kinda love and hate it :)

Kinda wish i had the automatic antenna ECU that the 95-97 trucks have. Also wish i hadn't hit a branch with the mast i paid $25 for 10 years ago. They're closer to $40 now.
 
Righto, going a little bit further: if I’m wanting to pull power from somewhere for the up/down switch in the dash, can I use the below plug? (And further further, is this 4-pin plug the same as I’ve highlighted in the service manual (A17) and can I pull power from it? Or should I be hunting for the dual plug A16 somewhere in the engine bay)? And subsequently a matching 6-pin plug for the up/down switch behind the dash?

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Ok, blow by blow, as it happens, haha. Connected that 2-pin plug (assume power) and found/connected the corresponding up/down switch 6-pin plug in the dash. Nothing happens though. Now I’m suspecting I have to deal with the grey box relay/ECU behind the kick panel as mentioned at the beginning of this thread. This is an Aussie ‘96 GXL so I now assume the wiring is set up for the three button up/down/auto switch, not the two button without auto.

Anyway, had a look behind the kick panel for the ECU and could not identify this box. To be fair the passenger kick panel has a billion wires running around as that’s where the Compushift box that runs the LS/4L80E sits.

I’ll revisit this tread again in detail when I take the car in to the auto electrician for a few other things. Was hoping I might be able to plug n play with this power antenna but no bueno it seems.

Side note: having never been a ‘car guy’ I’m enjoying the challenge of learning about all this stuff, and how to take things like the dash panels off and on. I always took this stuff for granted but it’s cool to peek behind the curtain/trim to see how the sausage is made.
 

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