Location of Antenna Amplifier in W203 Estate Wagon?

[Chrishazle]

AFAIK, the antenna amp on an S203 is in the tailgate at the top, under the trims, and a bit of a mission to get at. I had to strip the lower part of the tailgate when I had a leak on the tailgate washer, and that was "interesting"!

 

[bobinyelm]

RE: Inoperative RF Lock/Unlock Function

I FINALLY got the trim surrounding my rear hatch off today (very traumatic, and two small plastic tabs did break despite my extreme care to prevent it.

I removed all the black screw-in, pop out retainers around the bottom and side trim, but never DID get the lower carpeted/plastic rimmed piece off, but I was able to get the side pieces free, and removed the top trim piece, exposing the top of the glass and the components fastened to the glass.

There are 3 antenna units across the top of the hatch, all mounted by cement to the glass, and all under the metal lip of the hatch, making replacement possibly requiring removal of the glass hatch?.

The far left one is the long, black (maybe 200mm), flat (maybe 4mm), and 30mm wide unit glued to the glass left of centre at the top, and it appeared to be well-stuck. I can't read the part # because all but 8mm of the unit is between the glass and the metal hatch iip. It has a paper label that says "Mercedes Benz" in the photo:


A center box is metal and directly under the 50mm high "rubber duckie" antenna on the hatch (cell phone?), and a third is a metal box (maybe 75mm X 25mm X 10mm) to the right of centre, both at the top. These were firmly stuck to the glass.

I don't know if there is ANOTHER amplifier, but my radio on FM works great, and it works OK on AM (but frankly I don't know what to expect since I never used AM before).

The dealer suggested the amp is located in the right cargo removable sidewall, but all I see there is a (factory) sub-woofer box, though under it is a coaxial cable connector (right angle to a straight fitting connecting the two cables). Not sure what is possibly BEHIND the woofer I'd have to remove the screwed-in panel forward of the pop-out one.
I pulled that connection out and laid it on the front edge of the cargo floor (it has an unmarked tape tag on it).


My Fuse 7.5 amp #8 in the left side fuse block is GOOD.

Any new ideas?

Bob