Car Stereos: automatic radio controlled antenna, thx steve, toyota rav4


Question
QUESTION: hi, i have just installed a radio controlled automatic power antenna in my car.  i have grounded the motor unit, and when i connect the red wire to 12v + the antenna retracts.  the instructions say to connect the green wire (+/- ?) to the radio and the on/off radio switch will then control up & down movement of the antenna.  However, i do not have a separate connection for this function on the radio.  How do i wire the green wire to use a switch to control the up & down movement of the antenna?  My radio is a basic 2000 model year toyota am/fm/cd. thx, steve

ANSWER: Hi Steve,
The green wire is a trigger lead that looks for  +12V signal to tell the antenna to extend. It can be connected to the power antenna +12v feed at the back of your radio and then the radio becomes your switch, antenna goes up when radio is on, and retracts when you shut off the power or turn off the key. The red +12v line should be connected to a full time/always on feed so that even if you turn the ignition off, there is still power to retract the antenna. Sounds like you have most of this done already. Can you tell me which specific make and model Toyota you have and I will see if I can find which lead at the back of the radio feeds +12V out when the radio is on.

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QUESTION: Thank you.  That is the information i need.  My car is a odd-ball, technically it is a 2002 Toyota Rav4-EV.  It is an electric powered vehicle (no gas) that was factory built for the CA market for zero emissions.  It is built on a standard 1998-2000 Rav4 chassis, and the radio is most likely from that era.  The radio has # Toyota A51801 as a model number.  I also know that on the back of the radio there are two multi wire plugs, one of which has pins but is not being used.  Thanks for your help on this.  Great job.  Steve

Answer
Steve, check out the following website. It will tell which pin gives you the output you are looking for. You may have to jimmy rig some sort of pin in the plug in order to get a decently reliable connection...it doesn't look like the wires are there from factory, but the slots are.
Good luck!
http://www.installdr.com/QuickWiring.html , then select Toyota.