How to replace a broken antenna base on a 2nd Gen Prius

About the best illastrations I have ever seen Kudos to you

 

Many thanks again Charlie. The illustrated instructions are just fantastic.

 

I found your instructions on the web a minute ago, then also here. Just like to also say thanks for doing it, as I`ll be changing our antenna for a shark-fin soon.

 

Charlie, you instructions are fantastic! I had my antenna base broken a couple of weeks ago backing up the car against a partly open garage door. Your instructions made the replacement job a breeze, and saved me a ton of money.

Thanks!

 

Great instructions. For anyone that thinks they might want to avoid this you can take the 16" unicorn antenna off your prius and replace it with a 4" antenna for less than $5 and no tools required. It literally screws off and on with bare hands.

No chance of a garage door or tree limb or whatever breaking off your antenna base if the antenna is only a couple of inches tall.

http://priuschat.com/forums/gen-ii-prius-modifications/90527-cheap-shorty-antenna-works.html

 

Thanks for taking the time to make an excellent instructional manual. R. Scott, PhD

 

So I am attempting to replace the antenna and I got to the headliner removal and saw the curtain airbags along the backseat posts. Will they stay intact while I remove the headliner? The side post has popped loose and the curtain is tapes up like an accordion. Do I nned to be concerned about them deploying?

 

If you are concerned about the SRS system, just disconnect the 12V battery negative cable where it connects to the body and wait a few minutes to allow the power supply capacitors to discharge. I recently replaced the antenna base on my 2007 and did not bother to do that, but you should do what makes you comfortable.

 

Just one bit of advice. The OE antenna base (Original equipment) can be purchased online for only $87.50 plus sales tax from antennamastsrus. It is identical to the one that my dealer wanted $290 for, manufactured in the same place, just comes in a plain package. Uncomfortable with ability to peel back the head cover, a local auto upholstery shop did the whole job for labor of $185. Since the mast screw in antennas seem to be popular objects to be stolen, I will get a shark fin antenna that can be secured.

 

OK, looks like I get to try this, I've ordered the replacement base, I'll let you know if I wimp out and pay someone else to install it or if I'm successful doing the repair myself.

 

oh yeah, it only took 3 years but I finally got to eat my words, yes even the short mast can get clobbered by a garage door.

 

omg, if you don't want to use muscles you've never used before get a 22mm socket before you even start. I did it with a crescent wrench and a box wrench and neither was the right tool.

The box wrench was fine for the start/finish quarter turns but it was killer doing 1/8 or 1/4 turns with it when I couldn't loosen with my hand. 9/10ths of the taking off I couldn't do with my fingers (had to use the box wrench) and 2/3s of the tightening I had to use the box wrench. Putting it back on was easier even with the oversized box wrench because going on I had better feel/stabilization the further/tighter it went on.

The crescent wrench was even worse, it would turn better having the better length/shape handle if it would stay on but every new turn it would have to be pulled off, put back on, hope it would grab, hope it wasn't too loose or too tight. Not enough space to adjust it in place with the headliner held back by the rear seat head rests.

But the headliner clips weren't as bad as I feared and I got it all plugged in.

Oh and the dealer wanted $600 to do what I did for under $100. If I hadn't been so cheap and bought a 22mm socket it would have been easier than I imagined.

Watch me buy a 22mm socket I'll never use again when I see one at store the next time I go

 

Dear DEAR Charlie Howard,
BLESS YOU for posting such excellent instructions on replacing busted Prius antenna bases. I screwed up my courage, ordered the $87.50 base from the internet and thanks to you got the job done in 1.5 hours. Would have been faster if those headliner plugs had been a little easier to get out. I did find two round rubber ridged washer thingies on the floor of the backseat the next day; have no idea where those came from, but hey: no more static filled radio and I am not out the $986 the dealer wanted, nor the $382 the car stereo place wanted to put on a color-mismatched shark fin. If this 60 yr old female can do this job alone, I hope others realize they do this themselves and avoid a huge rip off.

 

For reference: Replacing Antenna Base Amplifier Assembly on a Gen3 Prius v after months of satellite radio dropouts:

The Prius v is a little more difficult as some rear right interior panels must be removed to access the part and it's connectors. The connectors are also different. I finally broke down and fixed it myself using a part from toyotaonlineparts.com. The satellite radio now works fine.

Toyota's repair guide requires a complete removal of the headliner on a Prius v (including removing the windshield to pull the headliner out) which I was not about to do. Instead I removed the interior panels from the rear right side of the cargo area to detach the rear right corner of the headliner

There are at least three versions of the antenna base on a Prius v, one with a satellite equipped head unit, another with safety connect and a third without satellite or safety connect. The dealer or online source (another dealer in my case) can verify the part number with your vin.

 

Sister-In-Law backed 2005 Prius out garage and broke antenna mast. Now, just a short black wire about an inch or two is coming out of mast base. Radio still works but with poor reception. I looked into the base opening and did not see any threads for a screw on mast. Question: Do I need both a mast and base or just a mast. Can the base be reused even if it does not have any threads inside. I do not want to buy a base and then find out I do not nee it or take the base off and find I need to order a base.

 

Thanks for all that detail. It seems Toyota has gone beyond reality with some of these parts prices.

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