Strange radio issue
 

I have a 1997 bonneville se.

A few months ago the radio seems to have died. However, it randomly starts working again, anywhere from an hour to a few days. There doesn't seem to be any factor that causes the radio to work or not work.

It's not a light issue, as when the radio is working everything looks perfect. When it is dead, it is completely dead; the clock doesn't work, the radio doesn't work.

Before the radio died our power antenna got bent so we took it out and left it in the trunk, though we disconnected it. This would not cause such a problem would it?

Thanks

My power antenna was also disconnected for a while, but I never had any power issues with the radio.

It sounds like a grounding issue, almost.

When you disconnected the antenna, you unplugged the antenna wire (the wire that goes up to the radio) and the power connector for the relay?

I thought I had read somewhere that the antenna does indeed provide ground to the dashboard and other electrical, so if you disconnected the large antenna grounding strap, maybe those are part of the issue. A replacemnt antenna from a u-pull-it junkyard is quite inexpensive (mine was $15 and very easy to replace.

Also consider pulling the radio and checking the connector to the back of it. It is possible you are getting a poor connection.