My 1983 300D has a strange problem. If I plug in the antenna the radio turns on and so does the glove box light (open door).....this is with radio turned off and the ignition switch is on off too. I notice the radio gets louder if I turn the radio switch to on. If I unplug the antenna, either at the dashboard switch on in the trunk, everything returns to normal. I did check the ground wire(s) that are next the the antenna assembly and they are OK.

Has this ever happened to anyone before?

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All the best,

J. P. Mose
1968 250SL
1970 280SE 3.5 Cabrio
1987 560SL
1990 560SEL

A good description of the problem. Clearly, the antenna is providing a ground path that should not be happening. We need to figure out why that causes the radio to go on. Please provide a little more information.

When you plug in the antenna, the radio turns on and the glove box lamp turns on (if the door is open)...
1. Does the antenna go up or down at this time? Is it already up? What happens when you turn on the radio? Antenna up or down, etc. Does the antenna switch work correctly?
2. When the radio and glove box lamp come on, does the ash tray light also come on? It should, it's on the same circuit.
3. Is this the factory radio and antenna or are either aftermarket?
4. Check fuses #1, #3, and #9. These provide power to the radio and the automatic antenna.

Report your findings while I pray over the schematics.

Jeremy

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"Buster" in the '95

Our all-Diesel family
1996 E300D (W210) . .338,000 miles Wife's car
2005 E320 CDI . . 113,000 miles My car
Santa Rosa population 176,762 (2022)
Total. . . . . . . . . . . . 627,762
"Oh lord won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz."
-- Janis Joplin, October 1, 1970

What radio do you have? Stock Becker?

I wouldn't hesitate to pull the radio out, inspect and repair the wiring, test for continuity to the end of the antenna harness if possible. There's a 12V+ lead that leaves the stereo and provides power to the antenna to tell it to go up. Your antenna should have a 12V+ always-on hot too.

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-justin

1987 300TD, 1987 300TD
2008 R32, 2000 Passat Wagon