On my 1991 Euro LS400 when I put ignition on the antenna starts to go up even if the radio is off.

Is it supposed to do this or go up only after the radio is put on?

 

The US model '91 LS400 antenna is lowered when the radio power is turned off.

 

Thanks, Gene.

 

I have a US '91, with the standard stereo - AM/FM/cassette. Pioneer, I think. Some more details on how it works (and I think mine is working as it should):

When the car is turned on, and the stereo is off, the antenna stays down.

Stereo turned on to something other than radio (tape, in mine), antenna stays down.

Radio (AM, FM1, FM2) turned on, antenna goes up.

Changing FM stations - it has two extension lengths, one below about 96 MHz and one above that. A few centimeters difference. It will drive the antenna up and down as the station changes between above or below that switch point. I posted on this a couple of years ago if you can dig that one up. I remember it was engineered exactly to match a quarter wavelength at that frequency, but obviously overkill since most people who report their antenna stuck down in the trunk still get good reception ;-). I don't know what frequencies are used in Europe, but this aspect could be different over there. Main thing to realize with this is that it is programmed to do this - my first thought when I noticed the antenna driving up and down as I was changing stations was that there was a loose connection or some other problem.

Now when changing back to tape (stereo on, but no longer radio), the antenna stays up. So if you want it to go down, turn the stereo off, let it go down, and then turn it back on in tape mode.

When turning the stereo or the car off, the antenna goes down.

And BTW, I use Tape mode with a cassette to headphone jack adapter so I can play from an iPod, etc.

 

What's the best place to buy an aftermarket antenna online? Mine is broken, and I have to get a new one, as close to the original as possible.

 

Oldskewel - great answer!

knut1 - I forget the source (I think it was e-bay), but the replacement mast was inexpensive (maybe $15 ?).
Replacing it is a bit messy due to the lubricant, but not difficult at all.

 

Thank you for the comments.

Went through my stuff and found one C-cassette - Heart from 1985 - and went testing. I'm sorry to say but my original Lexus sound system keeps running antenna up whenever I put ignition on despite if I have cassette in TAPE on or in any combination of available possibilities. I think that that's just the way it is wired.

 

I've had it with antenna masts... I replaced mine at least three times, and once I did the whole thing including the motor, and I still get the horribly annoying "Wrrrrrrrrr" for thirty seconds after I shut of the car.
So the next project is - remove the connection to antenna and re-wire it to the imprinted cell phone antenna on the rear window. No more antenna masts to worry about that way.

Anyone done this?