How can I disconnect the motor for the power antenna?
- Thread starter farmerjon
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CanadianTRD
New member
power antennae = useless
Last edited:
farmerjon
Senior Member
NOT permanent! I like it, it seems like a fancy (to me) feature!
CanadianTRD
New member
just my opinion of course. Taco whip mod is a pretty easy do, and oh so worth it. Can't wait for mine. or a CB in that location
SantaCruzRunner
Senior Member
This is what i used. hope it helps.
Car Stereo Removal - Toyota 4 Runner Power Antenna Removal, Repair and Replacement
Car Stereo Removal - Toyota 4 Runner Power Antenna Removal, Repair and Replacement
CanadianTRD
New member
On the vast majority of head units, the power antenna wire is a blue one. Check the user manual for your model to find the wire for certain, pull it out, and disconnect the wire?
SantaCruzRunner
Senior Member
its easy, the motor is located just behind the plastic in the wheel well. pull it back and locate the motor. look in the link i posted to see how to disconnect it. i forgot.
digital022
New member
I need to do this also. The antenna is stuck in the open position and every time I put the stereo in am/fm mode the antenna motor makes an obnoxiously loud cranking noise.
SantaCruzRunner
Senior Member
easy fix!
revenantdead
New member
there's a connector above the fender liner. just pull back the fender well and unclip it. then go buy a taco antenna.
RodrickHeffley
Member
sorry for the bump, but I've got a 98 Limited and my friend's got a 97 SR5. We both have aftermarket stereos, but the antenna motors still go up and down for the both of us even after using USB to plug them in. What's the best method of disconnecting and or disabling the antenna motor without any damage to the antenna? Thanks!
Endlessblockades
Senior Member
Like others said, go in through the fender - I went in through the door hinge area rather than ruin the plastic wheel well iner I still had intact. You'll find a standard clip connector on the motor in the bag.
Apologies if I am misunderstanding the resurrection and recent posts on this, but another option is to add a dash switch that can disable the automatic down/up operation of the antenna. I did that to mine when I bought it about 14 years ago, and on the rare times that I want my antenna to go down and stay there, it still works just fine on my '99, because it never wore out. I can make it stay up, make it stay down, or let it revert to the automatic up/down operation.
I looked in my bookmarks and don't see where I saved the post on how to do this, and I don't recall what I did back then, but a few bucks for a switch, and maybe an hour's time made a huge improvement on mine.
I leave mine up almost all the time, except for sometimes when I am in the woods or when I am carrying a long/heavy/awkward canoe, I lower it to keep from breaking it.
If interested in this, you could probably search and find some threads on doing it.
I looked in my bookmarks and don't see where I saved the post on how to do this, and I don't recall what I did back then, but a few bucks for a switch, and maybe an hour's time made a huge improvement on mine.
I leave mine up almost all the time, except for sometimes when I am in the woods or when I am carrying a long/heavy/awkward canoe, I lower it to keep from breaking it.
If interested in this, you could probably search and find some threads on doing it.
Endlessblockades
Senior Member
Pretty sure the majority of people looking for this info have broken/internally disconnected/missing masts and want it permanently disabled. This seems to happen around at 20 years and I watched my die. The motor struggles valiantly and loudly (23 repetitive grinding sounds in my case!) EVERY time you turn the ignition on or off. It can wear you down......be happy yours still works. sounds like you prolonged its life greatly by reducing use cycles with the switch. Wiring in a switch to turn off the motor is more work than unplugging the power, I'd say.
fatherohenry
Member
I added a power antenna switch to my '96 a couple days ago. It's not a write-up but there are a couple pictures. I learned of this switch here in the forums, perfect fit.
