Pekkle

Guys I need your input. Ever since I retinted my back window the radio reception has gotten worse. and I spoke to a MB tech and he said windows tint does affect the radio reception, however I can't live without my windows tint. With the first tint the radio reception really wasn't too bad, but after I had the tint removed and retint with darker tint, now the radio reception is noticeable worse. What can I do? where exactly is the radio antenna? on the top of the back windshield? Do you think they broke the antenna when they removed the first tint? Any suggestion or ideas is greatly appreciated.

220S

Sometimes metallic tint can also affect keyless go (if you have that option.) Antennas are in the rear window, iirc.

A better way to solve any issues with metallic tint is to remove it and use Huper Optik nano ceramic tint. A much better product anyway, imho. Find an authorized dealer to do the install (it's not easy to apply.)

Traditional mast antennas definitely worked the best......

Vik888

I've got Huper .. *love it*

sunnySD

I'm mainly looking at tint to reduce interior heat and didn't think too much about metallic tint interfering with radio. I was told ceramic tint reduces more heat and doesn't affect radio or cell phone. Thanks for this information. Looks like ceramic tint is what I'm getting.

220S

It's more expensive but you won't regret it. Be sure to use an authorized dealer/installer (it's tricky stuff to work with.) Lots of people also tint the windshield; it's not noticeable (to the cops) at 50 or 60 and still keeps the heat and UV out.

Pekkle

Hey 220S, Thanks for the great info! Much appreciated! I do have keyless go, but my range has always been short maybe shorter after I retinted my windows not too sure and my wife always laughs at me that I have to bump my pants to the car door every time I need to open my car door.. LOL

BTW, do you happend to use Huper Optik yourself? Can you recommend a place around LA that does a good job? I am willing to travel to Malibu to get my windows tinted if that's what it takes..

220S

Talk to Jae or Han at Songs Tint Masters. They are authorized and know MBs and do a lot of high end cars.

2464 W Washington Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90018
(323) 732-3760

I don't have my E63 tinted yet (will do it soon), but had my BMWs done in the past. Songs will fill you in on all the details in respect to which percentage to choose (esp dealing with cops, etc..) A lot of peeps do 40 on the sides/rear and 50 on the windshield.

Pekkle

Thanks, I will call him tomorrow and see what he suggest. My poor car, this will be the third tint/retint. I hope I don't get my antenna damaged by doing this some many times..

sunnySD

Thanks for the info. I'm planning on doing 40% around the car and 70% on the front windshield. I'm not trying to darken the car for looks. Past the pick up chicks with cool car age. Mainly trying to keep out heat and reduce glare.

spinn

Sorry to rehash an old thread, but...my E500 came with the windows tinted, which I suspect was a metallic based tint since my radio reception sucks. Can I get away with just replacing the rear window with a ceramic tint to solve my problem, or will there still be some radio interference issues due to the metallic based tint being left on the side windows?

bobgodd

The antenna literally runs through the same path as the rear window defrost. In fact, if you have a cut or break in one of the defrost lines, your reception will all but disappear. I had a small break in the rear window defrost and every time I turned on my defrost my radio reception would die.

I think you'll be ok with replacing just the rear window.

spinn

Thx bobgodd. I'm now kinda wondering whether my defroster works; haven't had to use it since picking up the car in May. So if I turn on the defroster, if there's no breaks, I shouldn't encounter any further loss of reception? I don't want to remove the tint and find out it's because there's a break in the defroster that is the cause, and not the tint.

gaazmon

ya the antenna design really sucks. i'm guessing the reason the facelift ones were moved to the top of the car versus right by the rear window was for that exact reason.

spinn

funny...turned on my defroster today when the AM interference was acting up and suddenly, the interference cleared up all the way to my work. Wonder if it's just a coincidence.

Diesel Benz

The shark fin antenna has nothing to do with the radio reception. That antenna is for GPS, AUX heater and the cell phone.

It was already mentioned that metal tint kills radio reception. Side windows should not make any big difference. Sometimes the issue is with ground wiring or the radio antenna amplifier wiring and contacts to the rear window wires.

XLR82XS

My 3% film doesn't effect my radio reception even with quantum (metal) film on the windshield. I may be lucky having a wagon since the antenna wires are in the rear side glass.

JeffyPooh

"AUX Heater"?

Is that an autocorrect from Sirius Radio?

I've fixed broken defroster wires on previous cars many years ago. It was pretty easy and effective. If the antenna wires break, use the same repair 'paint'.

bobgodd

I believe that's to start an optional engine block heater for colder areas?

Diesel Benz

No, I thought the Sirius antenna was not on the shark fin on a W211 yet, I know later models have it there.

AUX heater spells out as "Auxiliary heater", the fuel based standalone heater with radio remote control (I know it is not well known in the US, odd that it seems to be unknown in Canada too).

JeffyPooh

Thank you.

spinn

Another day without any interference on my AM stations (sports/news). Turning on the defroster must've done something to the grid to fix the static problem. I now get very little static and only if I drive under a bridge/tunnel. Guess it's not the tint.

sheng85

my previous tint done 5 yrs back got crumpled and went back to the tint shop for a retint. After the retint, my key couldn't unlock from a distance, could only do it by facing the remote to the infra-red sensor on the driver door.

read a few threads and realise it might be a faulty rear window antenna amplifier .
What the tint shop do is to remove the black "Sticker"(Rectangular shape) in the middle of the top part of the rear windscreen. They told me it is only a sticker which servers no purpose. Then they applied the solar film to the whole windscreen and then pasted a new black rectangular sticker on the solar film. previously it was pasted on the windscreen, then the solar film overlapped the black sticker from outisde.

so my question is, does the black rectangular sticker affect the antenna?

i went to look at other people car of the same model, all of it have the black sticker pasted on the windscreen, and the solar film overlapping the sticker. my previous setup was the same, but now the tint shop says its ok, its not the first car they do it this way.

so what could be the real cause of it, did not want to go back to the dealer yet as it will cost a bomb.