SL R230 Windscreen replacement

[SLacKer]

Having had a small stone chip looked at for repair it was decided that as the chip was in the drivers eye line it needed a new windscreen in my SL55.

Fine but I insisted upon an OEM windscreen and my Insurance have agreed. Came to fit it today and before they took the windscreen out the fitter noticed an extra electronic module on the current windscreen that the new OEM part did not have.






It is a gold coloured box (matchbox size but not as thick) above the rain and light sensors in the centre right behind the rear view mirror. It has a single brown cable.

I think it might be the TV aerial but as there is no TV function in car I am unsure. They have gone away with the bar code to check and get a replacement however my car is in bits in the garage at the moment - I said leave it as is by the way he was prepared to put it all back.

Anyone got any ideas what it is????

Also the replacement screen has a connector at the base but my car has not got one. Is this the wiper heater?

[markbe]

Possibly the sensor for 'Distronic'.

Mark.

[mrfunex]

Those sensors are in the three 'holes' around the MB star at the front...

Would it be the GPS sensor?

Edited by mrfunex on Tuesday 28th September 10:30

[Dog Star]

I had mine done last year (Autoglass did it, had to be an OEM part - and the bloke did a superb, really careful job.)

If it's what I think it is then it's the GPS antenna.
(Distronic is in the big MB badge on the grille.)

Things inside that part of the windscreen are...
- GPS antenna
- rain sensor
- light sensor

The GPS antenna is about the size of a matchbox but iirc thinner and made of metal and sits behind the glass directly. The light sensors each have apertures.

Hope that helps.

Edit to say - looking at your pic properly - YES - the thing with the brown wire is the GPS antenna.

Edited by Dog Star on Tuesday 28th September 11:44

[SLacKer]

mrfunex said:

Those sensors are in the three 'holes' around the MB star at the front...

Would it be the GPS sensor?

Edited by mrfunex on Tuesday 28th September 10:30

Yes it is the GPS. Got a call from Autoglass and they say it is not supplied with the windscreen but needs to be taken off the current windscreen and bonded to the new one. They also said that later cars had this relocated.

So if you have an R230 and need a windscreen you might come across this.

[mrfunex]

I do indeed have an R230, and from this thread, I'm hoping the windscreen never needs to be replaced! Looks like a nightmare!

[Dog Star]

Mine had obviously been replaced before I owned it and whoever had done it had made a right pigs ear of the job - they're basically stuck to the screen with double sided rubbery foam (like a mirror) however they'd "chiselled" it off and ripped and bent the lid of the metal case off the antenna. When I had it replaced I had to spend a bit of time getting it all tidied up and wrapping in tape to get it all nice and damp proof again. Why can't people take more care?

Incidentally - how hard is it to remove all that shrouding to gain access as shown in that photo? I can't for the life of me figure it out

[SLacKer]

mrfunex said:

I do indeed have an R230, and from this thread, I'm hoping the windscreen never needs to be replaced! Looks like a nightmare!

It was only the not knowing what it was. The fitter was unsure and felt it best to get it checked before proceeding and this was a Sunday so was unable to do it at the time.

At least people who read this now know that there may well be the GPS box on the windscreen (I think it may have moved on later model years) and can act accordingly.

It is booked in for Friday and the guy is coming round to refit the trim etc. tomorrow.