Retrofit CD Changer to W163

[DaveML270]

I found the following article both useful and interesting: http://www.mclassmods.50megs.com/becker2662.htm

The article describes fitting a Becker changer into an ML430. He mentions swapping fibre-optic cables around in the centre console.

I have a 2001 ML27 and cannot find any trace of such cables? Is there somewhere else I should be looking? What are the implications of NOT swapping the fibre-optics?

Thanks in advance.

Dave

[Diesel Benz]

I had a look at the 163.172 car some time ago. There is a change at 1.9.2001, is your car before or after that date? In any case when it is a Euro car, it should have a D2B based head unit. The car probably does not have D2B fibre prewired and you would have to run the cables from the HU to the boot.

[Alfie]

I found the following article both useful and interesting: http://www.mclassmods.50megs.com/becker2662.htm

The article describes fitting a Becker changer into an ML430. He mentions swapping fibre-optic cables around in the centre console.

I have a 2001 ML27 and cannot find any trace of such cables? Is there somewhere else I should be looking? What are the implications of NOT swapping the fibre-optics?

Thanks in advance.

Dave

Your car should be D2B based as these appeared before the facelift. An ML430 will be a pre-facelifted car.

All you need is the Cd changer with mounting bracket in the bbot and the D2B fibre cable pair that runs from the changer to the head unit. You will also need the power/wakeup cable set which also runs from the changer to the headunit. The cables can be ordered from your local MB dealer, just take your chassis number with you and ask them for the power/wakup cable and D2B fibre cable for a 2001 ML.

So long as you dont have any other fibre device (Bose/Phone) in the car this is all you need.

[DaveML270]

The car is certainly pre-wired with both the fibre and the wake-up cable. Just for the record it is March 2001!

I think I have to get a MB Stealer to tell the car that the CD Changer is installed. It originally has an Audio10 headunit but it now has a COMAND 2.0 fitted by yours truly (with tons of help from the folks on this forum!).

Do I take it that swapping FO cables about is not required just a re-programming?

TiA

Dave

[Diesel Benz]

The car is certainly pre-wired with both the fibre and the wake-up cable. Just for the record it is March 2001!

I think I have to get a MB Stealer to tell the car that the CD Changer is installed. It originally has an Audio10 headunit but it now has a COMAND 2.0 fitted by yours truly (with tons of help from the folks on this forum!).

Do I take it that swapping FO cables about is not required just a re-programming?

TiA

Dave

I'm a bit confused when you state on your first post that you cannot find any cables and now you say it is obvious that it is prewired as it is from March 2001. I'm waiting for the equally obvious answer for the question on swapping cables. Anyway, my guess is that they assumed another D2B unit being installed in which case you must swap currently connected fibre cables to make a loop where each device appears at the right place in the loop. If there was no other device, then it is just a loop between the HU and the CDC, connecting one fibre cable from the HU output to the CDC input and similarly the other way.

[Alfie]

The car is certainly pre-wired with both the fibre and the wake-up cable. Just for the record it is March 2001!

I think I have to get a MB Stealer to tell the car that the CD Changer is installed. It originally has an Audio10 headunit but it now has a COMAND 2.0 fitted by yours truly (with tons of help from the folks on this forum!).

Do I take it that swapping FO cables about is not required just a re-programming?

TiA

Dave

You dont need any coding at all.

Just go into the diagnostic menu and do a system reset. Then do a D2B wake up test.

If its all hooked up properly, then it should work.

[DaveML270]

I'm a bit confused when you state on your first post that you cannot find any cables and now you say it is obvious that it is prewired as it is from March 2001

You need to read the article I referred to in order to make sense of my posting! He stated that he had to swap cables in the centre console. These were the ones I couldn't find not the ones to the changer itself!

I hope this clarifies the confusion!

Thanks to you and to Alfie for the advice. The car is away today for a B Service at the best independant MB workshop in Hertfordshire / North London so I will give it a whirl when I get it back.

Cheers,

Dave

[DaveML270]

Then do a D2B wake up test.

Thanks Alfie!

Is the wake-up test an option in the "service menu" section on the COMAND?

Cheers,

Dave

[Alfie]

Thanks Alfie!

Is the wake-up test an option in the "service menu" section on the COMAND?

Cheers,

Dave

No. You need to go into diagnostic mode and select it from there.

Make sure the unit is showing the FM display. Then press and keep pressed the MUTE key, 1 & 3. Hold for about 10 seconds. This takes you into diagnostic mode.

[DaveML270]

No. You need to go into diagnostic mode and select it from there.

That's what I meant - I just couldn't remember what it was called!

Dave

[richard]

That's what I meant - I just couldn't remember what it was called!

Dave

Theres a description of the diagnostic/service mode and pictures on www.mercupgrades.com

The easiest way of tracing fibre optic cables is to stick a torch on one end and see where the light comes out at the other.

European cars are pre-wired differently to US cars, and I think you may be sorely dissapointed when looking for cables. Maybee you will have the power cables (I think if your car is MY02 facelift, ie indicators in the outside mirrors then you will have the power cable.)

If your car is MY02 , then if you are buying the fibre-optics, consider fitting the phone system as-well, since you can buy the fibre optics with the phone connection to under the seat. - See my article about UHI upgrade for ML on www.mercupgrades.com - I have found a way of getting the UHI wiring loom basically pre-made for under £100 rather than making it up - still have to make the wiring adapter (well, change the end on the pre-made loom)

Cheers

Richard

[DaveML270]

Hmmm .....

Well, I did what Alfie suggested and I am still unable to find the CD Changer. My friends at MercTech also had a go but couldn't even find the (retrofitted) COMAND!

I think I will have to see where the fibre optics go to and make sure that they are all OK although I suppose that it could be the D2B wake-up that is failing!

I am pretty sure that the changer itself is OK, it was bought brand new and sealed from MercTech.

Suggestions anybody?

Thanks,

Dave

[richard]

OK, so does that mean that you have found fibre optic cabling and power in the boot. If your car has no fibre optic equipment in it, then the wakeup test will fail (as there is nothing to wakeup).

Did you use the C connector adapter to plug the existing C wiring (i.e the CD changer power) into the COMAND when it was retrofitted ?

Does your ML have indicators in the mirrors ?

Richard

[DaveML270]

OK, so does that mean that you have found fibre optic cabling and power in the boot. If your car has no fibre optic equipment in it, then the wakeup test will fail (as there is nothing to wakeup).

Did you use the C connector adapter to plug the existing C wiring (i.e the CD changer power) into the COMAND when it was retrofitted ?

Does your ML have indicators in the mirrors ?

Richard

Ahhh .. I think that may be the problem!

Yes, I found fibre and wake-up wiring in the changer compartment in the boot.

No ... I did NOT use a C Connector adapter when I fitted the COMAND. What needs to go where?

My ML is March 2001 and is the last of the pre-facelift ones. It does NOT have indicators in the mirrors.

It sounds like it is definitely the cable .....

Thanks!,

Dave

[richard]

Ok, assuming you found the power wiring, and fibre optic by the CD changer, then do this

a) Is there power to the CDC (i.e does anything light up or happen on the CDC at all)
b) pull out the comand unit, and find the C plug on the car's wiring.
c) Ensure the fibre optic is there, shine torch down, go pull plug on CD in boot and check it lights up
d) The C plug supplies power and wakeup from CD changer to head unit, and also reverse signal - so if no CDC activity, its pretty likely that the C plug is somewhere there.

Assuming there is no CDC power currently AND you found the C connector, order the special adapter loom from www.comandonline.co.uk - order the one for MY2004 ML as you don;t need the GPS antenna converting, but the reverse wiring is useful for better accuracy

Cheers
Richard

[DaveML270]

Richard,

Thanks so much for your help. Before I shell out another load of dosh for the adapter cable it does seem fairly straight forward (or am I missing something here?).

From what I can see, the ORIGINAL C connector on the Audio 10 has just three relevant pins for the CDC:

C4 > CDC D1 (+12v (constant))
C5 > CDC D2 (+12v (switched))
C6 > CDC D3 (Gnd)

I could knock this cable up in ten minutes! Do I need more than that? What do I do about D2B wakeup? It looks to me as though I could grab that from the COMAND C2 pin 10 and wire that across to (original) C pin 7. I could quite easily make such a cable. Thus far I have done all my own wiring (I have already retrofitted the COMAND and then added a multimedia interface to it). I ordered a load of C1 and C2 pins etc. from MB and I have plenty left. I also have a spare connector (and pins) to plug onto the original C connector. It really doesn't look that difficult!

The other problem is that I already have partly full connectors in C1 and C2 for my multimedia interface and where I have already wired in the speed and reverse signals so I would end up taking the adapter apart and just using the pins at the COMAND end.

What exactly does the adapter (at £65 + shipping) consist of?

Thanks,

Dave

[DaveML270]

Later that same day .....

111) The fibre is definitely running to the CDC. Shining a torch into the COMAND end connector results in light at the CDC end so that is OK.

222) I have wired the three cables previously in the C connector at the back ot the Audio 10 to +12v and GND per my post above and power is definitely getting to the CDC because I can eject the cartridge. I did not wire them to the C2 connector but to other +12v (constant), +12v (switched) and GND wires. Is this likely to be a problem?

333) Did a system reset and D2B wakeup test and it still can't find the CDC.

How does the wake-up mechanism work? can someone advise me?

Finally, I am starting to wonder whether my multimedia interface and the CDC are mutually exclusive. The interface plugs into the C1 and C2 connectors.

Thoughts?

Dave

[DaveML270]

A further, further thought .... the D2B connector comes out of the back of the COMAND at an angle rather than straight. Is this correct?

Dave

[DansSlk]

Those interfaces normally pretend to be the CDC

[Diesel Benz]

Later that same day .....

222) I have wired the three cables previously in the C connector at the back ot the Audio 10 to +12v and GND per my post above and power is definitely getting to the CDC because I can eject the cartridge. I did not wire them to the C2 connector but to other +12v (constant), +12v (switched) and GND wires. Is this likely to be a problem?

333) Did a system reset and D2B wakeup test and it still can't find the CDC.

How does the wake-up mechanism work? can someone advise me?


I did not read all you write but I did not find you connecting the wakeup line to the wakeup signal wire. If it is a D2B changer, shouldn't it need only three wires in addition to the fibre, power, ground and wakeup?

Wakeup is a short pulse from any of the D2B devices that want to use the ring, normally from the HU but other devices should be able to wake the ring too.

I thought you had the three pin power connector prewired, it should have the wakeup line included.

[DaveML270]

Wakeup is a short pulse from any of the D2B devices that want to use the ring, normally from the HU but other devices should be able to wake the ring too.

I thought you had the three pin power connector prewired, it should have the wakeup line included.

You may well be right that I have missed this connection. All I can find about the pinouts for the small power connector (D) on the CDC is that there is +12v (constant) (pin D1 on the CDC), +12v (switched) (pin D2) and Ground (pin D3). It may be that the D2 pin s the wakeup but I cannot find where to propogate it from on the COMAND.

Dave

[DaveML270]

Those interfaces normally pretend to be the CDC

That might well be my prioblem! But how can I find out?

Dave

[DaveML270]

Actually, re-reading Richards excellent FAQ here http://www.mercupgrades.com/COMAND+FAQ-faq-1.html

I found that the D2B wakeup is on COMAND C2-10 so I can try to wire that across to CDC pin D1. According to one chart I read this is the pin which comes from C4 on the Audio 10 and Wolfgang's site, in its turn, lists Audio 10 pin C4 as D2B wakeup.

Phew!!!!!

Dave

[Diesel Benz]

Here an example figure how the wakeup signal may look like on a D2B system.

(copyright MBtech training)

http://www.mercedestechstore.com/pdfs/416_Telematics/416%20HO%20D2B%20(CooksonI)%2003-09-04.pdf

[DaveML270]

Re-reading Richards excellent FAQ here http://www.mercupgrades.com/COMAND+FAQ-faq-1.html

I found that the D2B wakeup is on COMAND C2-10 so I can try to wire that across to CDC pin D1. According to one chart I read this is the pin which comes from C4 on the Audio 10 and Wolfgang's site, in its turn, lists Audio 10 pin C4 as D2B wakeup.

Bumped hoping for an answer on the D2B wake-up issue.

TiA!

[Diesel Benz]

Re-reading Richards excellent FAQ here http://www.mercupgrades.com/COMAND+FAQ-faq-1.html

I found that the D2B wakeup is on COMAND C2-10 so I can try to wire that across to CDC pin D1. According to one chart I read this is the pin which comes from C4 on the Audio 10 and Wolfgang's site, in its turn, lists Audio 10 pin C4 as D2B wakeup.

Bumped hoping for an answer on the D2B wake-up issue.

TiA!

I'm a bit confused with the issue, which part remains unclear? If you don't have the wakeup lines prewired, and even if you had, it would be sufficient to connect the wakeup lines between all D2B units (don't remember if you only had the COMAND and the CDC). It appears like you had already figured out which pins are wakeup on your COMAND and your CDC.

[DaveML270]

It appears like you had already figured out which pins are wakeup on your COMAND and your CDC.

Hi, thanks for replying. I obviously didn't make myself clear in my earlier post. I was asking whether anyone could confirm what I think are the wakeup lines both on the COMAND and on the CDC.

I *think* that they are C2-10 on the COMAND and D1 on the CDC but I would hate to blow something up! I have come to this conclusion by looking at a large number of documents and trying to cross-reference between them so confirmation would be appreciated!

Thanks again!

Dave

[DaveML270]

GREAT SUCCESS

I decided to go for it and made the connection referred to above and now it is all working! As Borat would say "great success!"

I now have a MY2001 W163 with the following:

111) Retrofitted COMAND
222) Retrofitted CD Changer
333) Sony-Ericsson HCB-30 Bluetooth hands-free kit
444) Kit4Cars Audio Mute interface which mutes the COMAND and plays the phone through the COMAND amplifier and speakers.
555) Multimedia interface allowing my iPod and iPhone to play audio and video through the COMAND (video onto the COMAND screen via the TV button)

The area behind the COMAND looks like spaghetti but it all works! Many thanks to all of those who have helped / advised / looked things up for me. Principally, I must thank (in no particular order) Alfie, Diesel Benz, Richard and HughJarse for their patience and advice.

If anyone is interested in the steps I went through for any of the above please PM me.

Now ... what can I fiddle with next? Hmmm ... I must fit that external spare-wheel carrier that is sitting inthe garage ... oops ... different forum!!

Dave
:)

[V12]

Do you happen to have the part number for the C1 connector?

[DaveML270]

I do not have the part number for the C1 (smaller) connector housing. The C2 (larger) connector is in two parts:

A000 545 42 30 : Connector Shell
A000 545 48 40 : Connector Block

And you will need a supply of:

A008 545 55 26 : Connector contacts

HTH!

Dave

[Alfie]

Do you happen to have the part number for the C1 connector?

Its in www.mercupgrades.com under Retrofit documents.

Here it is; A034 545 75 28

[V12]

Thanks! :)