Hail storm took out my rear windshield and stub antenna on the roof. Glass was replaced with an aftermarket one (near impossible to get an OEM glass). Now my stereo is struggling with good reception so I'm going to try to replace the roof antenna. I've searched all over for tips on what I might be able to do to get the rear headliner down just enough to reach in and unscrew the antenna. Anyone have any tips on that?

 

The AM/FM antenna is integrated in the rear window. The roof antenna on the facelift ('04 - '06) LS430s are apparently not actually used for anything.

 

I've seen different comments on that. Some say it is in the antenna and some say it's not. I did get a new aftermarket rear window. It's extremely hard to find a OEM one. There are only 3 plugs per side that come on the Lexus but there were 6 plugs per side on the aftermarket window. It's very possible that it's not plugged into the right places. I'm going to try to test out the different defroster plugs this weekend.

 

Roof antenna was for phone. The aftermarket glass should be compatible with your car and have the antenna. I would take it back to the installer and have them hook it up. Worst case just buy a $5 flat antenna and stick inside top center and go along molding and into trunk through back of package tray to antenna input of tuner. I did this to add aftermarket android head unit with radio.

 

As others have said, the roof antenna was strictly for the defunct LexusLink and possibly integrated phone system which was rare even at the time. It terminates in the trunk floor next to where the Lexus Link module would have been prior to its removal, or where the module would have gone had the original buyer opted for it. All LS430s came with the antenna in case someone wanted to add the Link later. You radio antenna is 100% integrated in the rear windshield intermixed with the defroster coils.

 

Thanks for the responses.

I pulled the rear seat and rear side panel garnish and I couldn't figure out where the antenna plugs would go. I could see the section on the glass where the antenna would plug into but couldn't figure out where it connected on the actual car. Like a dummy, I didn't take any pictures of all of it. I think I'm going to just add an aftermarket antenna like what was suggested.

 

The radio tuner where the window radio antenna attaches is also in the trunk but I'm not sure on which side. I figure its on the same right hand side where the Lexus Link module and its own antenna would be since the Lexus link plugged into the Amp along with the tuner.

 

@Alextv I ordered an aftermarket antenna that sticks to the windshield. Doing a little research it sounds like there is something in the trunk where I would plug it into. Does the antenna connect up in the trunk and if so do you have any more info about that.

 

Did you confirm your glass did not have the antenna? For my 2001 the flat antenna pushed in a little at center top is not visible and was used for aftermarket radio in front. The oem tuner for my 2001 is in trunk. You can just splice into the antenna wire going into the tuner or purchase an adapter for flat antenna plug to lexus plug. I would do it at the top plug of the oem antenna wire that used the glass antenna. You have to pull down the trunk lid lining to access. It's easy to see which plug at top is antenna by just touching a screwdriver to center conductor and see if signal increases.

 

I was looking at a replacement antenna on eBay and I see the little box for the antenna that is on the inside of the rear side garnish. I saw this little box yesterday when I was trying to figure things out but the plug was way smaller than the plug from the window and I wasn't even sure it was for the antenna. Looking at the part on eBay it looks like there should be two plugs (one for FM and one for AM) but I only remember seeing one plug on the little box but two plugs on the rear glass. Again, my dumb *** fault for not taking pictures. There is no way the plug from the antenna box is going to fit the plug on the rear glass. I think I'm going to remove everything again and see about making my own connection from the rear glass and tapping it into the wires for the antenna box.

 

I got it to work. I pulled everything out again to take another look now that I understand more about it. The plug on the rear glass side was not the correct size for the car side of the antenna. I had to cut off the stock black clip, then did a quick test to confirm that was the right wire, and then made my own connection with spade clip. I had to trim down the connector on the window side to get it to fit on my spade clip but I got it all wired up with some shrink tube and everything worked like a champ. Attaching pictures in case it helps someone else down the road.