Radio Antenna Booster
The radio reception on the 2001, G400 is very poor and I suspect that there is a problem with the antenna amplifier. Can anyone point me in the right direction where to look for it. The antenna itself is in the front windscreen and a small wire disappears down, passed the top air ducts. I guess the amplifier must be somewhere behind or under the dash??
The antenna should be on the left rear window as far as I know. The windscreen contains rain sensors and heating elements.
Unless you have a cabrio?
this might help...assuming your chassis number begins with 463.309
You could also try the higher sensitivity setting in the Comand service menu - this improved reception for me.
Yes, on my '96 G300, it's where you said, but on the later ones it's on the front screen (on the right, two vertical lines), with a co-ax connector at the bottom.
If you are referring to the two vertical lines with a horizontal line coming off the bottom that is the heated windshield (according to the EPC). The manual I have for a G55K still shows the aerial being in the left rear passenger window.
The aerial where the 60 is pointing is the windshield heating element
Thanks guys for your input.
Here's what I found:
There are actually 3 antennas. One is for the GPS, the other for the phone and the 3rd is for the radio.
The EPC picture kindly posted above shows the GPS antenna near the front headlight and its signal is combined with the phone antenna through a single amplifier (similar signals are in GHz range).
The radio antenna is on the front winscreen, the two vertical lines.
If the vehicle is further equipped with a TV tuner, then the amplifier is situated in the rear, near the TV module. If there is no TV module, then the amplifier appears to be located behind the glove compartment (right-hand-side).
I'd be interested to learn how to adjust the radio sensitivity on the COMAND. I managed to find the service mode for the COMAND, which allows you to see the tuner signal strength with and without the amplifier activated. In either case the best signal strength was never more than 2/10 and frequently 1/10 or 0/10. Hence, I figure the amplifier is not working or some wires are disconnected?
If you are referring to the two vertical lines with a horizontal line coming off the bottom that is the heated windshield (according to the EPC). The manual I have for a G55K still shows the aerial being in the left rear passenger window.
Maybe there is indeed a heated windscreen version (seems like two versions are shown on your EPC pic), but this one is not heated. I'm pretty sure the two vertical lines are the antenna. Also, being a Cabrio, there are no rear windows (except for the smal triangular ones).
Ok you didn't mention it was a cabrio.
I just did some checking around.
The wires in the windshield are not for the heated windshield as I thought but for the remote unlocking.
Your antenna should be on the front right fender for a post 2000 cabriolet - in the same position as on the older Gs. The amplifier for your antenna is located in the rear wheel well next to the CD changer. You should be able to find it if you open the flap - it will be on the right.
From what I gather the amplifiers on 2001-2004 Gs often go bad. Also they frequently become disconnected.
I would check the voltage to the amp and make sure its getting power first.
You can see in the first pic that the amp A2/65 is for central locking.
Max,
Thanks for the info. I have the flexy antenna on the right wing, as in the picture: I thought that was for the phone but seems it's actually for both phone and radio.
(Also seems then that on vehicles with Infra-Red operated central locking, the windscreen antenna is used for the radio, instead.)
Anyway, yes, the amp may not be getting any power as there is no difference with the COMAND test-setting for antenna amplifier ON or OFF.
Hopefully it's the amplifier and not the COMAND that's the problem.
I'll look above the rear wheel-arch first, as that's the easiest, and see if I can find that amplifier. (There's no TV unit on this G.)
Thanks
Max,
Thanks for the info. I have the flexy antenna on the right wing, as in the picture, but I thought that was for the phone?
It is both.
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Yes, on my '96 G300, it's where you said, but on the later ones it's on the front screen (on the right, two vertical lines), with a co-ax connector at the bottom.