Okay, I've read all the info about antenna problems and here my experience. After replacing two power antennas on my '96 xj6 and taking them apart and benchtesting evetything, I couldn't find anything wrong. So, I tried various things mentioned in the forums and the trick with putting a tape in the player and leaving the key on for about an hour, the antenna magically went up and the rsdio started working. I turned the radio on and off several times and the antenna and radio behaved beautifully.

Then, thinking I had solved the problem, I turned off the ignition. Much to my chagrin, when I turned the key nect time, the antenna didn't respond and the radio wouln't work.

So, I went through the whole tape, one hour thing again and everything started working again until I turned the ignition off and then the gremlins returned !!!?!

Help, I think I'm going crazy!

Well, I have now determined that there is nothing wrong with the antenna and with the help of studying the wiring diagrams, I have figured out how these antennas work and how they can be tested without taking it of of the car.

There are three wires that go into the plug on the antenna. The black wire is the ground (obviously!), the brown/slate wire is constant 12v and goes to a 15amp fuse ( #8 ) jn the trunk fuse box. It provides the power to put the antenna down. The light green black wire supplies 12v when the radio is turned on and supplies power to put the antenna up.

So, when the radio is turned on, both wires supply 12v to put the antenna up and the motor runs until the mast is fully extended. When the radio or ignition is switched off, there is a delay and then brown/ slate wire provides the power to retract the mast.

To test the antenna while it is still in the car, access the antenna by removing the panel in the right rear section of the trunk ( or boot, if you prefer!), cut the light green/black wire and runa jumpef to the positive terminal. Hold it on the terminal until the mast is fully extended and the motor stops. Then remove the wire from the positive terminal and after a slight delay the mast will retract.

Thus, you have sucessfully dtermined if the antenna works or not!