Power Antenna Help Needed... (1 Viewer)

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Joined
Dec 23, 2005
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Location
Phoenix, AZ
When I purchased my LX450, the power antenna was disconnected and laying loose inside of the passenger side front fender. I yanked it out and took it apart to retrieve the (broken) plastic portion of the mast. I bench tested it with 12V and installed a new mast. All was good.

I reinstalled it only to get no action from the UP/DOWN button. I started troubleshooting with a voltmeter and noticed no power was getting to the antenna. I searched mud and found a few articles that described a relay as well as a ECU. I could not find either in the vehicle. I am speculating that the PO took them out for some reason?

So if you have an LX450, can you help me with figuring out where these things go and if I am truly missing them?

I looked for the ECU in the passenger side kick panel. There is an ECU up high that I cannot read or see the PN on. I assume this is the 4x4 ECU. I believe the antenna controller is mounted below it, but there is nothing but two empty threaded posts on my truck.

Also on other trucks (including my 80) there is a thing that looks like a heat sink right near the power antenna, mounted to inner passenger fender well. I am not sure if this is the relay or something entirely different. Any help would be appreciated from fellow LX owners.

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If I am in-fact missing both... Anyone have them?
 
With it disconnected, I still have power to antenna. I remember the heat sink is related to injectors, so I tried to start the engine. It started, RPM reached 1200, then dropped to 200 and stalled. I tried to start for the 2nd time, same thing happened. Stepped out of the car and got strong gasoline smell. You may not need the heat sink with your v8 conversion.
 
Thanks for trying. I wonder if my power antenna controller isn't working.
 
Makes me wonder where the relay is after all of this.
 
Yeah I am picking up 5V at the switch. I pulled the connector and the rightmost pin seems to be ground and then 5V on two other pins. Was interesting that it wasn't 12V but at least there was voltage. Motor does not even blink when I try using the switch.
 
Yeah there are at least 2 unused connectors, one is 6 or 8 pin, one is 2 pin and maybe a third. I will need to double-check on the qty.
 
There are 2 connectors that go to the power antenna. A 2-pin one that controls the motor, and another 4-pin that (I thought) sensed the antenna position. This must be the relay. It looks more like a sensor and is integrated into the plastic of the motor assembly. It cannot be separated or replaced without replacing the whole motor assembly. If its bad then I am going to have to replace the whole motor.

Thanks for all you hard work Jackson! I wonder if there is a way to test the relay...
 
Thanks for all the help Jackson!

I will put a voltmeter on the 4-connector deal-e-o and see if it registers anything when I push the antenna up/down button.
 
My antenna is intermittent. But I have found that when the antenna does not retract I can go out and pull up on it firmly, turn on the key, and she works. Up or down. I tried replacing the nylon cable thinking it was a stripped thread or two but the old one was still looking good. Replaced anyway and still have an intermittent problem.

So, would this be the same issue you are dealing with?
 
The antenna works good (up/down) when I supply 12V directly to the connector that is directly attached to the motor. I also replaced the mast and inspected the motor and gears and they all look very good.

I suspect that the controller is not getting a signal from the sensor (relay?) near the motor. Because of that it is not allowing me to move the antenna up/down with the buttons. Not sure what else I can do other than replace the motor cover.

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I am going to make a last ditch effort and double-check that it is getting a good ground. The bracket that grounds the antenna to the body is quite oxidized so I may run a ground directly to it and see what happens.
 
...and the verdict?
 
Where does the 4 pin connector hook into the antenna assembly? The two pin one; I have that hooked up but the I'm not seeing where the 4-pin one goes. I bought a NOS antenna off ebay when PO's fixed antenna was snapped off.

Got it all hooked up tonight; through the firewall, etc. Radio plays but no up/down action.

edit: Shoot; didn't realize I was posting on a clubhouse thread. Well, any assistance is greatly appreciated all the same. I'm also realizing that I have a 97 and that perhaps those antennas were different from all the other years for the 80
 
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