The antenna has never worked, not that I care too much because I get the stations I want 98% of the time. What I have determined is that the flexible shaft is OK, I can manually work the motor and the shaft goes up/down. However there is no coaxial cable attached nor can I find one to attach to it in the trunk, (the receptacle is at the top of the housing and does not appear to have ever had a cable screwed onto it).
Any suggestions?
Thanks,
Bruce

 

either you have a remote separate antenna or you missed the plug in location this cars 140 /126 /129 ect (s-class,sl, 124 old e class) had problems with water dropping down grommet and burning up motor or the antenna mast white ribbed section would break over time jamming motor 1st thing is find the antenna motor driver side rear trunk inside qtr. panel see a large black conn plugged into top of motor housing should be (blue,white, ?? ) wires unplug with key on radio on wait 5 sec reconnect fell the motor body feel it running if so the antenna mast should be extending if not the mast is broken inside have to remove motor assembly there is 2 or 3 10mm bolts unplug and remove motor assembly there is a brown /silver braided cable (ground) unbolt from qtr panel mounting there should be a silver box at top of antenna motor at one end is a coaxil cable unscrew unbolt the back section of the motor housing 3-4 philip screws remove cover youll see a big white gear now you should see any broek n peice of the antenna shaft remove and reinstall all parts with new antenna mast install per instructions also check all radio fuses and antenna fuses in apporpate boxes ( TO ANSWER YOU ? THE COAXIEL CABLE IS CONN TO THE SILVER BOX LOCATED ON ANTENNA MAST TUBE JUST ABOVE ANTENNA MOTOR ASSEMLY )

 

Thank you for the suggestion.
I have determined that the antenna has never been used, it is just filling the hole in the fender.
The coaxiel cable for the Bose stereo plugs into a small (1x2) box and a single wire exits the box and disappears into the rear fender. This coaxiel cable has a different type of connector than what is on the antenna, so it can not plug into it. When I disconnect the coaxiel cable from the little box the radio reception dies so I know I have the correct cable. I think it's weird what Mercedes did, but at least now I know that I don't need to be concerned with the antenna operation.
Thanks again,
Bruce