I have a 99 ML 430 and the AM radio reception is aweful....
Do I need to replace some kind of signal booster?

Thanks for any info

 

Thanks to the braniacs on another forum, I learned that the signal can be boosted through a ground in the wires. This will take some handywork on your part but its a cool easy fix and by all mean INEXPENSIVE.

YOU'LL NEED THE FOLLOWING:

1" - 1.5" piece of wire, something simple like a home speaker wire will do (that's what I used)

2 - .25" pieces of electrical tape

I skipped the wire splisser because I was afraid I'd mess up so I did the following:

I. First remove your head unit from you car (obviously you'd have it set to the "0" key position). Additionally, you'd want to have your radio code handy because once you remove the power from the HU you will have to re-enter it.

II. Disconnect all wire harnesses to free the HU

III. Locate the harness labeled "A". It will have a 4 x 4 ordered pinout

A B C D
E F G H
I J K L
M N O P

IV. When reading from the top left (if you see the A mark, thats the top). With the wires facing away from you and and female end of the harness facing you locate PIN "A" and PIN "H".


* B C D
E F G *
I J K l
M N O P


V. Now this is where I got afraid and didn't want to cut anything. I simply flattened the ends of the shirt speaker wire and inserted each end into the pins you located before.

VI. Make sure the wire is securely fitted into the slot with no frazzled wires around the slot (this may take a few tries, but if you have some CERWIN VEGA needle nose bananna plugs you'll be all set)

VII. Check the security of the wires implanted in the slots and tape them off.

VIII. Carefully reconnect your A, B, Power, and Fiber/Coaxial harnesses

IX. Power up your stereo

X. Enter your radio code and enjoy the AM stations and a better FM reception while your at it.

XI. THANK THE GUYS OF BENZWORLD namely "elladdin" for this fix!! This guy is amazing.

Cheers

 

SORRY I MESSED UP

it should BE

A B C D

E F G H

I J K L

M N O P


Pins A and G are to be implanted

* B C D

E F * H

I J K L

M N O P

SOOOOOO sorry!

if they allow this here is the original posting (remove the "-" between world and org and replace with ".":

benzworld-org/forums/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=1192935&posts=9&hl=am+reception+fix

 

Where is the radio antenna on the ML 430?
-bretta

 

we dont censor here at MBworld... we ain ghey...

and the radio antenna is in the back windshield I believe in the portion behind the windshied wiper at rest... you can see the line has a wave motion there

 

Thanks 55,

Hopefully he figured it out. That posting saved me 30 bucks, lol.

Listen you live in Boston I need a suggestion. I am sending you a PM.

 

thanks for the info....
where do I get the keys from to take the head unit out and where do I get the radio code from?

Thanks
Ben

 

You can buy a set off ebay or your dealer parts dept. sells them.