What's This For?

[MickyP64]

I’ve swopped the tailgate on our 2006 A200 Turbo for a salvaged door taken from a 2011 A160 CDI. (No more rust!)

The rear window heater on the replacement door doesn’t appear to have an AM/FM antenna like our old one did – but no problem as the Radio and GPS still appear to work (I assume from the bee sting antenna on the roof) I’ve just left the AM/FM signal boosters on the tailgate disconnected.

What is puzzling me is this item here:

It was connected in line on one of the connections to the rear screen heater terminals on the old (2006) tailgate. I’ve removed the heat shrink cover (which I’ll replace). I thought it might be a thermocouple of some kind but it does just appear to be one solid piece of copper wire – wondering if it cuts off with temperature/resistance maybe…Or maybe it serves no useful purpose at all.

I’d be very grateful if anyone’s able to identify it or supply a part number…I’ve read all of Google now and I’m still no wiser!

 

[KillerHERTZ]

Thats the AM/FM antenna radio antenna isnt it?

 

[GLK]

No idea what this is (and half an hour search on EPC didn't bring anything remotely relevant), but congrats on replacing the tailgate - I'm still looking for the facelift doors for mine - the tailgate got no rust, surprisingly (well, none that I can see), the doors on the other hand

 

[GLK]

Thats the AM/FM antenna radio antenna isnt it?

Well, in that case is it this one?

 

[MickyP64]

Thanks Guys

I’m not completely convinced that it’s the FM antenna, but I suppose it’s possible.

Thing is I didn’t disconnect the cables and hang the replacement door, I got someone else to do that so I’m a bit stuck.

It turns out that the old door had four different spade connectors on the window either side of heater element and the new one only has two at the bottom, the conductor pattern on the new window is also simpler so I’m thinking that it doesn’t have an antenna built into it. I assumed that the two AM/FM amps (130 & 132 on that diagram) would have connected either side of the heater element on one set of connectors whilst the two larger cables in the loom look like they carry a greater current load so would connect to the heater itself on the other connectors – this copper item was in line with one of the larger cables.

I’m wondering how the screen heater knows when it’s hot enough without some means of control - would it just keep getting hotter all the time it’s switched on?

Without the two AM/FM signal boosters connected to anything the radio (and GPS) still work just fine, which makes me wonder why they’re fitted at all – it’s either picking up enough signal without a screen antenna connected or it gets it’s signal from the roof, or maybe it used to get signal from both.

If I could get my hands on a wiring diagram it might help.

 

[MickyP64]

No idea what this is (and half an hour search on EPC didn't bring anything remotely relevant), but congrats on replacing the tailgate - I'm still looking for the facelift doors for mine - the tailgate got no rust, surprisingly (well, none that I can see), the doors on the other hand

Good luck with your door hunt – all mine done now, but still need a tiny bit of TLC. The tailgate was the worst offender - on mine the seam seal was falling off…and at the top of the door it had never even been applied from factory!...Must have been a Friday afternoon job