OK, I went out to extend the remote antenna this morning on my pre-fecelift 99 30v sedan. I've verified that it's not wrapped in the cable bundle beneath the rear seat. I decided to try this procedure:

https://www.audiforums.com/m_556792/tm.htm

I went out, jacked up the car, and checked under the bumper as it shows. However, I have no antenna wire there - there's only a vinyl tube that appears to be a drain line (I imagine for the sunroof or for one of the window gutters). I've probed around all under there as far as my fingers will reach and there are no wires that I can find.

I've heard that on some of the Avants, the antenna is in the C-pillar which makes sense (it'd be back in the same general location as it would be in the sedan that way, but probably with better reception from the remote). Anyone found the antenna wire in the C-pillar of a sedan? Anywhere else I should check besides these three locations? In Search, it's usually these three locations that come up as being where the wire is, and on the sedan, I've only found that it's under the bumper or beneath the back seat. Anyone find it elsewhere? Is the remote receiver down in that corner of the car (as if I took out the trunk liner on the passenger side)? Maybe I could find that and trace out where the antenna is routed? TIA...

 

OK, for some reason my phone won't send pictures today (just when I really wanted it to), but I did find something in the middle of the bundle under the seat. Since I can't get the pic to the computer, I'll try and describe it. It's the terminus of a few wires, and is directly under the center of the seat. The wires coming go into a black plastic sleeve maybe 3/4" of an inch long, which is then capped off by a somewhat clear rubber cap, almost like a vacuum nipple cap. The wires appear to be bare inside the cap. This is the only wiring under the seat that I can find, which doesn't go anywhere (and this sounds like it'd be the antenna wire). Is this where you found it, for those who have the antenna under the seat? I've got half the rear interior ripped out of the car right now and don't see anything to indicate the antenna going up into either C-pillar. I've also found results from Search indicating it could be beneath a taillight (on driver or passenger side), but inspecting those areas shows nothing beneath either taillight. I have no wires under the bumper (the location, apparently, for facelift cars, but not pre-facelift). Any feedback?

 

My antenna was in the passenger side c pillar, it's a little skinny wire.

 

Was it in the clear tubing that I've seen mentioned before? Or what color was the jacketing? I've removed the wrap cloth from the bundle under the seat but I'm not finding any unterminated wires there, and I'm not sure what color I'm looking for. In the DIY I linked above, it was brown, but all brown wires I've found are sensor or harness grounds.

 

OK, apparently on my car at least (and maybe other pre-facelift cars), the antenna IS inside the C-pillar, NOT under the rear seat. I pulled off the rear seat sidebolsters, folded the seats down, and lifted the rear deck off, and then had to CAREFULLY pull on the C-pillar to disengage the clips that attach it to the car's body. I did not undo the bottom clips, but only the ones along the headliner on the C-pillar. I was able to pull the trim down far enough to look inside. The antenna is braided copper wire, likely the 22-gauge that is mentioned elsewhere, and is inside clear plastic jacketing. It is taped every six inches or so. I undid the tape, and pulled the wire outward where I could work on it. New wiring is attached to the end of the antenna now, and I'm going to try and tuck it along the top of the back window. When I get back in, I'll dump a couple pics of it from my camera and add them for future assistance to anyone else who can't find it under the seat.

Thanks for the help LowA4 - I wouldn't have figured it likely to be in there since almost every post about a non-Avant had the wire under the seat.

 

i found this link some time ago.

http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=3005879


[remote range, extend antenna, extend range, increase remote, remote signal]

 

Heh, wish I'd thought of that forum - I went to the Zine, AW, and AudiDIY but didn't find anything conclusive. I remembered Sineo saying she found hers up in the C-pillar on her Avant, and since the other locations didn't pan out, it was the only thing left.

 

I know it's a 3 year thread bump, but I wanted to add in case people search.

I have a 98.5 30v 2.8 and my remote antenna wire was also in the C pillar, but unlike the thread on vortex, my wire was not taped to the other wires leading to the light. Mine was taped to the C pillar closer to the door. No joke about 22 gauge wire. It is tiny!

Previously I had checked under the seat, in the trunk and under the passenger side rear quarted panel in a drain tube with no results. So hopefully this helps someone. My range is at least 25 ft, probably more.