Thread: w169 radio reception problems

Calling all MB radio experts...I have a 2005 W169 (recently purchased) which is giving me some radio grief – reception seemed fine on all main radio channels (Radio 2, 3, 4 SMOOTH etc) around my home city (Birmingham) but I recently went to York and I couldn’t receive any station there (or en route) without suffering a weird ‘whooshing’ every 1 second which swamped out the audio signal – this was pretty much the same on all FM and AM channels.
I sort of think the radio signals were weaker there than here and the whooshing was due to poor reception but queries with a few local car owners found no one else suffering the same problem – on my return home the radio reception was OK again.
My dilemma is do I have a problem with a low signal from the antenna (maybe the antenna amplifier?) or do I have some interference generated within the car's electrics which is causing this effect if /when the antenna signal is a bit lower?
Can anyone out there throw any light on this please and maybe advise me how to replace the antenna amplifier if this is the likely problem?

If there is metallic tinting on the tailgate that will do it. Mercedes make a screen mesh for that window so people can have privacy and no tinting.

Hi guru - there's no tinting on the tailgate that i'm aware of - assuming the problem is poor reception not sure how that would cause it as the antenna is on the roof above the tailgate.

I'm going to try and remove the antenna by taking out the rear interior light (which is immediately below the antenna). I am hoping the fixing will be there, maybe I can then see if there is any problem with it. Wish me luck....