E320 Antenna Question - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

captaincrunch · #1 09-27-2002, 03:36 PM

I hate to bother ya'll about this but my search didn't find an answer.

Put a new antenna in 96 E320. The antenna goes up with switch. Will not go down with radio off. It's up as long as the switch is on.

Is this normal? I thought turning off the radio the antenna would go down.

It has a CD changer in the trunk. Is it possible that wires got switched so that the changer had power with radio on?

It'd be nice to let the antenna down if the wife goes through a car wash!

mbe32094 · #2 09-27-2002, 11:48 PM

If your new antenna is controlled separately then it will not go down when you turn off the radio. As you stated you flip a swith to raised the antenna. You can incorporate the control with the radio by connecting the antenna control wires to the radio. If you still have the original radio trace the wires that goes to the original antenna and connect them to your new antenna. It won't hurt if you reverse the polarity and correct it afterward. Just make sure the power to the antenna is not reversed.

#3 09-28-2002, 10:34 AM

Is the car equipped with a factory phone? If so, I know that the antenna is only up when the phone is on...the radio antenna is in the glass. Turn off the phone and I bet the antenna will lower.

Good luck,

Shaun

captaincrunch · #4 09-30-2002, 08:43 AM

Opps! I'm so sorry. When I said "switch" I meant the ignition switch. The antenna goes up as soon as I turn the ignition switch. I don't have a Ant switch like the 126's did.

And about the phone. There was one, but not there now....don't know about the wiring involved.

I replaced with an OEM antenna, so all I did was unplug, replug the wires.

Does anyone know the color codes for the wiring?
I think there are 3 wires going into the ant. Must be +, -, and trigger. Maybe one of them got switched somewhere along the way.

jsmith · #5 09-30-2002, 08:52 AM

sounds like your plus and trigger are shorted / reversed?

mbe32094 · #6 09-30-2002, 04:54 PM

There is other way to trace the wiring of your antenna. You will need a digital multimeter to trace the power to the antenna (down direction). Access the wires going to the radio(back of the radio). Place the digital multimeter function sw in DCV and range of at least 20v. Locate the wires that are not connected and carefully attach the positive lead (Red wire) from the meter and the other lead (black) to ground. With the radio on the wire should have no power. Now have someone turn off the radio. If the power is present, then that's the lead going to the antenna for the down swith. The power will be present untill the ignition is turn off and when you turn on the radio again. There is a microswith in the antenna that shut's off the antenna motor after is is being raised or lowered.
Good luck

#7 09-30-2002, 05:09 PM

Well, I'll say it again...if this is a W210 Chassis (which it is

) the radio antenna is in the glass from my understanding (i.e. I have a 96 E320 with phone and the antenna is only up if the Phone is on!)...so the antenna that you are talking about is from the phone, so maybe since the phone is ripped out the switch for it is gone thus it stays up. So really lower the antenna and leave it there).

Good Luck,

Shaun

captaincrunch · #8 10-01-2002, 09:21 AM

So, it appears that I spent good money on an antenna for no reason!!!

Automatic Antenna for cell phone only!!! Is or Was this posted somewhere on this forum???? I never did see it!

(I'm not real smart, but I have a good time!)

Maybe this info can be listed somewhere like in the DIY section, or something.

ronald_m · #9 10-01-2002, 03:50 PM

Funny i'm about to post a thread re: this
I guess Shaun is right cuz even i turn on the radio the antenna will no go up i guess this is normal cuz shaun says it's only for Cellphone.