Where should this wire terminate...

[WDB124066]

...I've got a spare wire coming out of the fuel tank area that I need to find a home for, any ideas, 1996, E320 Cabriolet.

 

[WDB124066]

Does black = ground in Mercedes-Benz speak...??

 

[Ted]

NO!!!! Black usually means ignition live !!
That looks like it might be some sort of aerial cable.

 

[V12]

Does everything work OK?

 

[WDB124066]

Yes.

My guess is that this is an alarm wire run to the boot light to detect the boot being opened.
Dealer fitted Alpine alarm.

 

[grober]

Close up pic of the end of the bared end of the wire might help? Has it got 12 V on it ignition on? If not tape it up and ignore- finding what aftermarket wiring does is often pure Serendipity. As has been said plain brown was Mercedes wire colour code for earth at that time.

 

[grumpyoldgit]

Is it possible to trace it back to see what, if anything, the other end is attached to?

 

[killick1]

Has the car still got the original radio aerial? Reason is that the wire looks to be co-ax aerial cable.

 

[WDB124066]

It isn't co-ax, here is a better pic.

It looks to me the aftermarket alarm installer soldered this wire to the boot lamp wire right next to the connector, you can just see the solder in the pic.

I don't really want to start taking the car apart to follow it and I haven't got a mega meter, so for now I'll tape it, stow it and forget it.