Radio antenna / reception

Hi, all...

I'm a new member, and proud recent BMW owner... except:

I have a 1988 BMW 528e... great car, great deal... 65,000 miles on it. The antenna does not raise... have searched wildly for the 'switch' and can't find it (no manual came with the car). I'm assuming the switch is the 'on' button and that something has gone wrong with the electrical connections... typical? Everything is visibly wired and connected, but the antenna refuses to go up - I can't even raise it manually.

Should I just put a manual antenna in its place?

Originally Posted by rogerwames

Hi, all...

I'm a new member, and proud recent BMW owner... except:

I have a 1988 BMW 528e... great car, great deal... 65,000 miles on it. The antenna does not raise... have searched wildly for the 'switch' and can't find it (no manual came with the car). I'm assuming the switch is the 'on' button and that something has gone wrong with the electrical connections... typical? Everything is visibly wired and connected, but the antenna refuses to go up - I can't even raise it manually.

Should I just put a manual antenna in its place?

It supposed to go up automatically when you turn on the radio. Check the connections. The easy and cheap solution is a "manual" antenna.

There coluld be a couple of reasons as to why your antenna is not rising. First, is the radio a factory BMW unit? If not whoever installed might have missed connection the antenna wire (IIRC, the BMW wire is white and in most radios is blue). Second, go back and open the truck while telling someone to turn the radio on and listen for the antenna motor. If you hear it but there is no movement, all you need is a replacement mast (removing the one installed to confirm type: smooth or toothed). Third, remove the right interior trunk cover and make sure that all cables are connected to the antenna (maybe this one should have been the first one!).