Aerial and heated front screen issues

[vladman]

Hi guys,

Unfortunately, I damaged the aerial on my car, by forgetting to switch the radio off before I drove into a car port with a very low ceiling, and the aerial caught on it. It was only a few inches higher than the ceiling, but it got bent. I then tried to bend it back and straighten it as best as I could, and even though it now looks very straight, it no longer extends and retracts reliably, instead 8 out of 10 times it gets stuck randomly at any point before being fully extended or retracted, and I then have to manually push it down or pull it out.

I tried to clean it and lubricate it but it didn't help. Is there anything I can do, or do I have to replace it? I find it strange the motor is so sensitive, because I think I've straightened it nearly perfectly. For example, now it will never retract when the car is in motion, presumably because even the wind resistance is enough to stop it working. It only (occasionally) works when the car's stationery.

Another thing is my heated front screen. I noticed it doesn't de-mist uniformly when switched on, but only at some areas on the screen. As bad luck would have it, a large portion right in front of the driver's seat doesn't seem to work. I didn't think it was possible for the thin wires inside the screen to break/fail, like the ones on the rear screen sometimes do...

Again, is there anything I can do (I doubt it), other than replace the windscreen??

Cheers as ever!

Vlad.

[ALEXDB9]

You can take out the fuse that powers it.....if you are more of a cd kind of guy. Even then the reception is fine.

[NormanD]

You can just replace the part that retracts, far cheeper.

If fully comp insurance, did you not have a stone that cracked the screen