Thanks in advance for your patience.. I've had a chance to look the car over today... amazing car overall. Runs well, etc, but some stuff defies comprehension (at least by me). There is what looks like a standard power antenna on the left rear quarter panel. There are also two telescoping, short chrome "posts" that are located at the very back of the car, on the top of the quarters, and just outside the trunk opening. I'd say they were antennae, except they are short and don't seem related to turning the radio on and off. OK, somebody help me, what are they?
My glove compartment won't open. The button to open the compartment moves in and out, but there is no resistance of any kind. Locking/unlocking works OK for the eyeglass compartment above, but the glove box won't unlatch. Anybody got an idea before I take an axe to the dash?
The driver's headlight has a stone crack in it. I've searched the web and found whole headlights for about 500 dollars (yikes!). One guy has just the lens for sale. Is the lens removeable? Its a 1996 W140 body. Anybody done this?
Thanks again, KenP

The antenna on this model I believe is only for use with the cell phone, not the radio. Built it on to all of them regardless of build status, I believe most if not all cell phone installations were done at the dealer or possibly in port, not the factory.
The 2 small rods are supposed to somehow make it easier to see where the corners of the car are. They should raise in reverse and lower when taken out of reverse or shortly thereafter. Stupid idea, I'm sure they'll put in in the CL model next year, as they just added the extendable trunk lid grip to the 220 chassis (like the 140 chassis had). (just kidding about the assist rods though).
Glove compartment may be tough, I believe if the small upper compartment is working (spectacles compartment is the official name) the the glove box should also work. The glovebox opens via a cable to that double push-button latch, it may have come off. I'd take it to a dealer or MB specialist shop.
On most of these modular styled headlights, MB won't sell just the lens, not when it's one large plate of glass like that. May be able to find one used, I doubt it though, because if the glass plate (lens) is undamaged, they'll want to sell you the whole light, not just the plate (lens).

Gilly

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Gilly,
Thanks much for your sage knowledge.
Couldn't stand waiting, so launched into the glove box issue today in a snow storm... at least it was nice and warm in the car.
If you put the key in the glove box lock, rotate 45 degrees to the right, and then push a small, stiff pin (I used a small allen wrench) into the hole right next to the key, the entire tumbler will come out with the key. At the bottom of the tumbler housing, there is a single phillips screw. Remove that and the entire lock housing comes loose.
Careful wiggling and you can get it out without opening the glove box door. You're correct about being cable operated... my cable has lots of play in it.
When I removed it from the operating lever and pulled it by hand, the door popped open!
Best part was the surprise inside the box... a spare IR remote and extra key for the car! Whoohoo!
Now, I just gotta figure out how to remove the glove box liner and adjust the cable somehow.
Thanks again for your help.
KenP

Ken, it's easy to get the glove box liner out.
Someone must have given you tips on getting out the latch, hard to believe you just "figured that out". If you figured it out yourself, you can easily master the removal of the glovebox.
You will see the cable on top of the box once it's removed, that too is all pretty simple, the outer case with adjuster probably came unsnapped from the box.

Gilly

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an aid for you to see when you back up. It's impossible to see the back end of the car without these antennas!

Car Antenna: Gilly is correct: only for the cell phone. The AM antenna is in the back window, the FM antenna is in the back bumper.

Since my back window was tinted (with metallized film), the AM reception was very poor. So went to a pro sound shop (La Jolla Audio in San Diego) and had a small module that added that forces the car to use the retractable antenna for AM and cell. Works well that way. Also some re-wiring to accomplish this.

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'94 S500 Cpe

Visit my Mercedes Web Page

Is this antenna stuff true for the sedan too?

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Thanks gents...
Gilly, yup, got some pointers on taking the locking mechanism loose but wasn't clear that you could take the lock loose without opening the glove box door first. Haven't tried to take the box itself out yet... was too absorbed for the rest of the day reading the owners manual and other paperwork I found in the previously locked glove box. A regular time capsule! I'll take the box out this coming weekend. Appreciate the pointers and will look for cable coming loose from the box.
Interesting that power antenna isn't used for anything. My car does not have the cell phone option installed... if Mercedes put power antennas on their cars that aren't attached to anything, seems pretty silly. I may just disconnect the power lead to the antenna motor. One less thing running all the time.
Again, thanks for all the help.
KenP

I was just at a friends body shop looking at prices for different parts on the W140 and looked into this debate over the antenae's funtion. It's not quite clear were the AM antenae is located (the rear glass ($900) does not specify if it is included). The FM antenae for 92-95 was in the back bumper. From 96-99 this antenae was used for the cell phone and the mast on the rear quarter panel was for FM.

If I remember correctly, the book listed the cost of the antenae at $326. Just the mast and cable was $50-100.

Speaking of prices, the leather shift knob in a 320, 420 or 500 was $126. Guess how much the 600 shift knob was......$436. $310 extra for the shift knob to have a little wood and a V12 emblem, unbelievable.

All the above info was for the Sedan, I would assume the Coupe is the same.