How do you replace a radio antenna on a 1997 C280 Mercedes Benz?

Answer 1

I assume this is an external antenna mounted on the left rear quarter panel. First of all...there are two different elements here...the antenna mast, and the antenna motor. If you can hear the motor turn off and on, trying to raise or lower the mast...you don't need to replace the expensive motor, just the mast. To replace the mast, buy the exact part number for your car. One size doesn't fit all. I think your model has a 15mm nut on top of the antenna housing on the fender. Grab a couple of towels and lay them down around the antenna so not to scratch the paint while turning the wrench. DO NOT USE PLIERS...USE THE CORRECT SIZE WRENCH ONLY if you value the paint on your car...trust me on this.... After you completely loosen the nut...slowly pull the antenna out. After about a foot of antenna, a white, nylon line appears. Keep pulling on the line. When it reaches the end,you'll need to give it a little tug. Most likely, there will be a small broken piece of that line left. Turn the car's radio on, and that little piece should pop up. If it doesn't, you might have to remove the motor, and take it apart to remove the broken nylon line. First, turn the radio on, and the antenna switch should be ON. Take the new mast and carefully stretch out the nylon line...long enough to manually feed the line into the motor unit. When it stops, give it an extra little shove to lock it into the motor unit. When you think you lock the nylon line, give it a very light tug to see if it did catch. If it has...get a friend to sit inside the car and while you hold the antenna erect, have him turn the radio off to retract the antenna. Help guide the line into the mast housing. It will shut off automatically. Turn the ignition off and feed the rest of the antenna into the housing. Secure the nut with the correct wrench...Done. I would also put a thin film of WD-40 on the mast to make it work easier. I hope this helps DM