SL/R231: Weird trunk markings -- antennas or aliens?
#1
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Weird trunk markings -- antennas or aliens?
For two consecutive nights, I noticed some weird symmetric markings on the top of my 2017 SL450 trunk. Does anyone know what caused them?
Left side of trunk
Right side of trunk
Background, each night, I had driven the car for about an hour, and when I returned 3-4 hrs later between 6p and 7p, there was some condensation on the car due to the cold (mid-50s F) and some light rain. I hadn't used the heater / ac / rear window defroster / etc. The lines aren't shadows, no one had touched the car (I was at a friend's house which is well gated and no one else was on the property), I've never had a trunk rack, and the lines aren't' visible in the daytime. They almost match parts of the pad underneath the trunk lid, but nothing was on to generate any heat.
The only thing I could think of is that maybe it's the antenna array for the satellite radio (I had been listening to SiriusXM while driving), mbrace, KEYLESS-GO, etc. Any ideas?
Left side of trunk
Right side of trunk
Background, each night, I had driven the car for about an hour, and when I returned 3-4 hrs later between 6p and 7p, there was some condensation on the car due to the cold (mid-50s F) and some light rain. I hadn't used the heater / ac / rear window defroster / etc. The lines aren't shadows, no one had touched the car (I was at a friend's house which is well gated and no one else was on the property), I've never had a trunk rack, and the lines aren't' visible in the daytime. They almost match parts of the pad underneath the trunk lid, but nothing was on to generate any heat.
The only thing I could think of is that maybe it's the antenna array for the satellite radio (I had been listening to SiriusXM while driving), mbrace, KEYLESS-GO, etc. Any ideas?
#2
MBWorld Fanatic!
Those are the braces on the inside of the trunk. Because they heat and cool at different rates than the outer thinner metal skin humidity from the air condensates less there and the pattern is formed.
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seascape (01-12-2019)
#6
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AMG GTC Roadster, E63s Ed.1, M8 Comp. Coupe
The physics are correct but the trunk is not actually made out of metal It's a composite material on the non-AMG (aka high-end plastic) and Carbon Fibre on the AMG's.
This is also why MB was able to embed the antennas into the trunk without having to have the ugly puck on top for Satellite, GPS and Cellular like earlier models...