98 civic antenna replacement problem
 

My son does all the work on my 98 Civic and thought he could easily change out the antenna as he's done this successfully before on other cars. He took off the dash part and unhooked the antenna and fished it out with a strong twine as his fish tape. When putting in the new antenna pulling it down the pillar..something caught the twine and broke it on probably a jagged piece of metal. Now we can't get the new antenna down the pillar. When putting the new antenna in...all it does is seem to bunch up the cord and stop. He's tried everything....coat hangars, etc don't seem to be long enough and there seems to be something blocking the pillar probably about half way down to the cabin.... he thinks it maybe some of the old foam from the old antenna that got broken off. The other owners were not too keen on doing things the right way. Any suggestions on how to fix this mess? I personally never listen to the radio but he likes to when he's waiting for me in the car outside a store.

Have watched youtube until I'm blue in the face but they don't tell you how to successfully rethread the pillar once you've taken out the old antenna with no tracer string available inside the pillar!!!!
I don't have a zillion dollars to have the Stealership fix this for me. I intend keeping my 98 until the wheels fall off. Had it 3 years now and got the engine, etc all fixed up so why ditch it?

Many thanks for your help.

Re: 98 civic antenna replacement problem
 

Get a metal fish tape that electricians use and try to push out whatever is in the way. Did you remove the interior trim to get a better view/access?

Re: 98 civic antenna replacement problem
 

Yes, my son did remove the trim and he didn't see anything. The fish tapes you are talking about are around $20 to $40 each!!! Ouch....I don't have that kind of money now. I'm 72 and retired. He said he could hear something at the corner of the windshield moving around like it was stuck there. What else could I use to remove this plug.....?

Re: 98 civic antenna replacement problem
 

oh no! not $20 to $40!

.......

coat hanger?