Antenna troubles...

S

sbottum622

Member
So I bought the short sport antenna, and somehow hit a little bump while installing it... :|

While removing the old one, the screw that holds it to the base just broke in half. So I was left with the base with half a screw in it. I tried just about everything, I used a screw extractor with the reverse threads to try and tap into it and feed it out, but no luck.

Upon investigation, the radio works without the antenna, and just the base. So I have no idea what the point of the antenna is. Anyways, I am trying to think of ways to just cover up the screw part, I was thinking maybe just plastidip over it. Any ideas?


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The FM aerial (antenna) is in the rear bumper. The whip/stubby aerial is for AM radio. Does that still work OK?
 
You can get a new base from BMW, a few have had the same issue as you so it's fairly common problem.
 
A T25 Torx screw holds the aerial base on...how do I know? I snapped mine off this week too!

I was able to drill out the stud and use a bolt with the right pitch to re cut the threads...I read that new bases are around a tenner, so hardly an expensive option if you aren't great with precision drilling.
 
sbottum622 said:
OHHHH, that makes so much more sense then....

I never use AM radio.

Can I remove it all together then?
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Not really. The above comment is partially correct. The main FM antennae is across the inside rear bumper, however whenever the signal of the main aerial fades, it reverts to the whip aerial for FM too. Also uses that aerial for station information.

Personally I'd just get a new base from BMW and put either the original or a short aerial back on.
 
sbottum622 said:
Well the issue still remains, how the hell do I get the base off?

I already have the short aerial.
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From within the boot/trunk a torx T25 by all accounts.
 
Get a torch, shine it under the aerial base in the boot, and remove the bolt...easy...assuming you have a toolbox with a T25 Torx.
 
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