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I have a new radio (Clarion cx501) for my 2005 Mazda 3. I bought a special wiring harness to make the installation easier. I have two wires that I'm not sure if I must connect. They look like the same thing, and they have the same color -- plain blue -- but they don't have the same name.
My radio calls it "auto antenna lead", but the wiring harness calls it "power antenna".
Is this the same thing? Should I connect them?
Yes, these two wires should be connected together. This is what allows the radio to retract the antenna when it isn't being used.
Just because your wiring harness has a connection for this wire, it doesn't necessarily mean that your car has this kind of motorized antenna. Even if that's the case, there's still no harm in making the connection.
If they Mazda has a power antenna - one that goes up and down when the radio is on - then yes, they are the same thing.
It is, at the end of the day, a choice to have the antenna always up or not - I like them up :-)
