Well, just lately the antenna on my '91 SSE has been choosy as to whether or not it wants to extend at all. Now it won't even go. Whats the deal here? I'm forced to turn it off or just listen to CDs everywhere i go. ?????

You have either stripped the gears or the relay died.

Turn the radio on, to extend the antenna under normal conditions and check for 12V at the relay harness, you'll have to peel the trunk carpet back. If you have 12V, but the antenna doesn't even act like it wants to go up, Your relay is probably out. Try autozone. If it sits there and clunks and you can "help" the antenna up, the gears are stripped or the cable is broken. Go to the junkyard and buy another.

Yeah, what the shady mechanic said. Really, if you hear any noise from the antenna motor, clunking, whirring, buzzing, the gears are probably stripped, or stuck. If there'* any noise, it'* recieving power. If it'* silent, most likely the relay.

I had the same problem on my '89, probably 2 years back. Your problem my differ, but this is what fixed mine. I pried up the antenna [knife, then used my fingers the rest of the way]. then got some 3in1 oil, put a little on a paper towel, and rub it all over the antenna body. Turn the head unit on and off several times to make sure it gets everywhere on the antenna, ever since then i've done that once a year, i've found its faster, and is a little quieter.


-justin

Sounds like a typical broken flex shaft. Get a wrecker unit from a newer car and swap it in.

Or just be cheap like me: Pull the antenna all the way up and disconnect the power to it. Problem solved

If it still works properly sometimes, it is probably just dirty. Take some time to clean and lubricate it.