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  #1  
Old 09-11-2010, 01:25 PM
bobflood bobflood is offline
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1997 Maxima
 
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Default Power Antenna Problem

1997 Maxima SE. Power antenna mast needs to be replaced, but I can't get the existing mast out. Took top nut off and pulled very hard, but it does not want to come out. Anyone know any tricks?? Also, does anyone know a good source for an entire replacement assemply if I can't replace mast?
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  #2  
Old 09-12-2010, 10:37 AM
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NissanTech NissanTech is offline
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I never had that problem, are you able to remove the antenna base? Try spraying some WD40
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  #3  
Old 09-13-2010, 05:45 AM
bobflood bobflood is offline
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NissanTech: Thanks for the response. I took entire unit out of car and worked on it for an hour with no luck. Opened up unit, removed broken pieces of track, etc. Even put base in vise and pulled antenna with pliers after lubing. It moves out about a 1/4 inch and then hits a hard stop. I can rotate it, but it will not pull out. Finally gave up and ordered a new one from AntennaX in Florida. May take another shot tonite; will cut off antenna top and pull remainder of nylon out and see if that helps.
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  #4  
Old 12-08-2010, 11:52 PM
andreasue
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bobflood View Post
1997 Maxima SE. Power antenna mast needs to be replaced, but I can't get the existing mast out. Took top nut off and pulled very hard, but it does not want to come out. Anyone know any tricks?? Also, does anyone know a good source for an entire replacement assemply if I can't replace mast?
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Originally Posted by NissanTech View Post
I never had that problem, are you able to remove the antenna base? Try spraying some WD40
Same in here. In my nissan sentra 98 when i turn off the radio the power antenna cannot go back in but i can hear some sounds maybe its the motor that pulls back the antenna. Giving it a little bump/shaking it a bit while you can hear the motor moving do the trick. But of course it is really hustle on my part to always do that. I tried applying also WD40 but i think i really need replacement. Sometimes it's working sometimes it's not.

Last edited by andreasue; 12-10-2010 at 03:57 PM.
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  #5  
Old 12-09-2010, 06:07 AM
bobflood bobflood is offline
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I finally fixed this! What happens is that the ribbed nylon tail that goes thru a gear and wraps around inside the case breaks and will no longer pull down the mast. You need to get a new mast and replace it. I had to take the entire antenna assembly out of the car, then take the five or six screws (don't forget the one in the center of the round part) out of the case and separate the two sides of the case. Then you lift off the round white part and pull out the old nylon pieces and generally clean it up. At that point you should be able to pull the old mast assembly out the top.

According to the book, you should be able to reassemble the unit and reinstall in the car before you put in the new mast (LEAVE THE TOP OUTSIDE SCREW PIECE OFF UNTIL MAST REPLACED). First you turn the radio on, which would extend the mast if it was there. When the motor stops, you feed the nylon end of the new mast down the hole as far as it will go, with the ribbed side to the front of the car, If the end is engaging the little screw gear, when you have someone else turn the radio off it's supposed to suck the new antenna right in. It may take several tries to get it right. I have successfully done this on other cars, but not on this one.

Plan B is to reinstall the mast outside the car before you put the two black case pieces back together. You put the round white piece back on and PUT THE SCREW BACK IN THE CENTER. Then you put power to the appropriate pins in the connector that power the motor - make sure your polarity is correct; you can find the pin info in the FSM on the power antennal page. (I use one of those jump batteries and a cig socket adaptor with alligator clips on the end.) The motor MIGHT run then if the unit thinks that the antena is "up." Next, you put power on the "detector" pin that receives the on/off signal from the radio. This is telling the circuit that you want the antenna "up" and it should turn the motor for awhile. Once it stops, you put the end of the new mast in thru the tube and down to where you can see it go in the opening where the little drive screw sits. Now, when you disconnect the power from the detector pin, the unit should start the motor and start pulling the white nylon into the area enclosed by the round plastic thing. Once it starts pulling, feed the mast into the hole and let it run until the motor circuit times it out. You can then disconnect all the power.

Once this is done successfully, you then CAREFULLY remove the center screw and put the black case top back on. You need to keep some pressure on the round white piece, because the coiled up nylon inside wants to spring it off. (I used a small phillips head screwdriver thru the appropriate hole in the black top case to hold pressure on the round white piece while I lowered the top back into place.) Put your screws back in the case and reinstall the assembly in the car.

Good luck - let us know how it goes. Sorry I don't have pics!
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  #6  
Old 06-20-2011, 04:34 PM
Jopaz
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Similar problem - I need to replace the antenna on my 98 Maxima. It was broken off at the base. Motor is OK. Can I replace the mast or do I need to find a replacement motor with mast that works? I am open to other suggestions for non-power options also. Seems like it is hard to remove the antenna motor - if someone knows how to do this maybe I can get one at the junkyard. Thanks for any suggestions!
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  #7  
Old 06-21-2011, 11:44 AM
bobflood bobflood is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jopaz View Post
Similar problem - I need to replace the antenna on my 98 Maxima. It was broken off at the base. Motor is OK. Can I replace the mast or do I need to find a replacement motor with mast that works? I am open to other suggestions for non-power options also. Seems like it is hard to remove the antenna motor - if someone knows how to do this maybe I can get one at the junkyard. Thanks for any suggestions!
The mast can be replaced if the motor still works. Theoretically, you can replace the mast w/o removing the assembly from the car IF you can get all the old pieces of antenna (both metal and nylon) out. I have never had much luck doing this. Taking the unit out of the car is pretty easy - just unscrew the top piece where the antenna goes in (I use a small set of needle nose pliers in the holes), then pull out trunk liner and take off two nuts and one electrical connector. Whole assembly will then come out. I put pretty detailed instructions for disassembling the assembly and replacing mast above. Good luck; let us know how it goes.
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  #8  
Old 06-25-2011, 06:04 AM
Jopaz
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I was able to remove the top nut but nothing else will come out. When I remove the trunk liner, it seems like there is another metal panel that would have to be removed before I can get to the antenna motor to remove it. Does this panel come off?

If I can get the old antenna out I am ok with just putting in a regular (non-power) replacement, assuming that I can get to the cord to connect the new one.
Anyone have ideas?
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  #9  
Old 06-27-2011, 06:45 AM
bobflood bobflood is offline
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1997 Maxima
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jopaz View Post
I was able to remove the top nut but nothing else will come out. When I remove the trunk liner, it seems like there is another metal panel that would have to be removed before I can get to the antenna motor to remove it. Does this panel come off?

If I can get the old antenna out I am ok with just putting in a regular (non-power) replacement, assuming that I can get to the cord to connect the new one.
Anyone have ideas?
Jopaz: The only other metal panel I had was a silver structural piece that the antenna motor assembly was actually attached to. IIRC, there were two nuts to remove, plus an electrical connector and the antenna lead itself, and then the whole assembly came out from behind that silver piece. Any chance you can post a picture?? i don't have access to my Maxima right now (kid has it at college) so I can't take one.

Just found this on another forum: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1LfMi91hB30

Last edited by bobflood; 06-27-2011 at 01:04 PM.
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