Since I've had my 96 BA the power aerial has never worked. When I got it it already had an aftermarket JVC stereo and the bloody shop that done it cut the wires off the OEM harness to splice to the stereo. There are still a few wires attached to the OEM harness but have no idea what they do. I'm replacing the unit for a double din and have got it all wired up and would like to know which wire is for the aerial so I can get it wired up. Are there maybe any wiring diagrams of the original harness? I couldn't find any.

I can check my wife's car for the aerial as i fiddled with it before and by memory i'm pretty sure there were a purple wire coming right to the aerial unit(actually there are 3 wires, but the one that was the signal for on/off was the purple)
Will check and let you know, but that will be the next week as she lend the car to a friend for the weekend.

Here's the pre-Ford wiring diagram for the audio system, if it helps (from the Haynes Manual)

[img]https://i.imgur.com/pFFH9g7.jpg[/img]

Wiring colours:
B = Black / BR = Brown / R = Red / P = Pink / Or = Orange / Y= Yellow / G = Green / DG = Dark Green / DL = Dark Blue / L = Blue / Pu = Purple / V = Violet / Gy = Grey / W = White / N = Natural / T = Tan / LG = Light Green / LB = Light blue

The manual says this is up to 95 build, so it probably covers your 96 pre-Ford, but if your car is a very late 96 like Sundance (built winter of 96) you might need the later, post-Ford diagram - if so, let me know.

Also, here's the wiring at the aerial end in a post-Ford (just in case it helps, although it looks like there were a few colour changes in the wiring pre/post):

[img]https://i.imgur.com/tkqgrLw.jpg[/img]

S

Hi
The later diagram (1995) shows Pink for the aerial lead into the unit, but as Serena says the Manual is a bit fuzzy on the transition from BG to Pre-Ford-BA to Post-Ford-BA. The power lead will be Red/Blue.

So here are some photos of the aerial unit and the wires around it when I had all the trim panels off to install the reversing camera. Can anyone identify possibly the correct wires?

[img]https://i.imgur.com/mhlMz82.jpg[/img]

[img]https://i.imgur.com/2ExtP8K.jpg[/img]

[img]https://i.imgur.com/nRxIeMO.jpg[/img]

[img]https://i.imgur.com/ZCqgDEL.jpg[/img]

The red,blue and black going into the aerial unit body.
They are positive, signal and negative.
Signal wire is just another positive wire coming from the ignition switch.

So it seems we've identified that red and blue are power wires. Why does my aeriak not work then? The radio jack thing is plugged into my unit but nothing happens, been like this ever since I got the car, didn't work with the previous stereo either. My only assumption is that the motor is done unless I'm missing something.

You can check with a multimeter for voltage at the cables.
If not present look for blown fuse or bad connection somewhere.
If it is present, but aerial don't go up, then the motor/unit is bad and you can only change it with new.

You have checked the fuse?

However, dead aerials are so common on BAs, that I'd bet on it being a dead unit, and not a wiring issue, particularly if nobody's ever disturbed the wiring.

The aerials on both my BAs have died: I had to replace Sundance's years ago, and Butch's is dead also (another thing on my list!)

Do you hear any noise at all from the aerial when you turn on the stereo? If you hear a whirring or grinding noise but the aerial doesn't rise, then the plastic cable that raises the mast is broken = new unit, unless you can repair it by taking it apart and repairing or replacing the plastic cable (this is possible, I've seen photos of it).

If you hear absolutely nothing, then probably the motor has died = new unit.


S

I hear absolutely nothing so my assumption has also been that the motor is dead. Will check the fuse just in case but highly doubt it's that. Which fuse is it? As in is it clearly labelled?

I have played a bit with the aerials on both Anti and Blue.
They are somewhat different in internals.
Anti's aerial has a "clutch" build in it's aerial body so if the aerial sees more load retracting or expanding simply the clutch slips inside and protects the motor from burning or other stuff.
That's why now the aerial on Anti doesn't want to go all the way down as it's little bended from years of service and it stucks 20-25cm out and the motor slips for 3-4 sec and then stops.
Blue however has no clutch in it's aerial internals.It's direct winding of the plastic that pushes/pulls the aerial and from hitting the bottom end the motor still pulls maybe 3-4 sec then it goes off.
This is the problem it suffers, because it rips the plastic from the aerial first/skiniest "vertebrae" and after that it didn't push it out correctly.I've tried to repair it, but without clutch the motor is strong and it rips it again no mather what i do to prevent it.
I'm thinking that when the motor sees the load from bottom end the resistance in the circuit rises and then the electric board in the aerial cut the power, but have no way to avoid the 3 sec pulling when closed.
I simply disconected it in closed position for further repair and never did it.. well yet..
So there could be some signs of life in your aerial, you just need some basic electrical knowledge.
First try to measure if there is voltage getting to the aerial, then if you are skilled enough you could try to open it and see where is the problem.
Cheers!

[quote="ArtistKS"]I hear absolutely nothing so my assumption has also been that the motor is dead. Will check the fuse just in case but highly doubt it's that. Which fuse is it? As in is it clearly labelled?[/quote]
Hi AKS, Lots of useful info on the posts here.
It may make you feel better that aerials on both my BAs failed! One got replaced by the dealer, the other is still broken.
The manual is a bit unclear on the fuse thing, it says Fuse number 2, 15 amps, but that's the fuse for most interior things, so I'm not sure if it's reliable information. It would be nice if the aerial motor had its own fuse somewhere.
I think Serena is most likely right, the motor is probably gone, but like it says somewhere above you can get a meter on the input to see if power is getting to the unit.

[quote="ArtistKS"]Which fuse is it? As in is it clearly labelled?[/quote]

Yes -

[img]https://i.imgur.com/HDnGQ8J.jpg[/img]

S

Yep, had a look today at the fuse box and immediately identified the fuse this morning. That's as far as I got though as didn't have time to fiddle with anything.

All right, I just can't resist...

All those having aerial (that's radio reception, not aviation) problems should have a look at the following [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QKqKEOuSXpQ]just-released youtube video[/url]...from about 3:42 will do.

Apart from a rather sharp dress sense for the times, he could also be rather sharp-tongued on occasion (watch the whole video for a couple of 'em) ... I'm sure he's have quite some things to say about various goings on today from "up there somewhere"...On Ya, Tony!

[b]Patrick[/b]

[quote="pitrack_1"]All right, I just can't resist... [/quote]
Brilliant!


S