Merc & iPhone pairing solution.

Alex240

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Okay, so I just wanted to write this down just in case anybody else's been looking for a solution, because I know how much of a problem it's been for me to find an answer.

I'm using an iPhone 6s Plus. And the Mercedes is a 2010 w212 e350.

If you are trying to pair your iPhone with your Mercedes-Benz via Bluetooth, so that you can use the hands-free phone call system, but your iPhone is not recognising the Mercedes-Benz in the iPhone settings Bluetooth list, in other words the Mercedes is not detected, this video may help you. The key is "external authorisation". Once you see your phone on the list (on the Mercedes screen) select options. But watch the video.

https://youtu.be/6zodevQF-lY

In fact I wasn't too bothered about using the hands-free phone call system at all because I don't really make phone calls all that much any more. What I've been trying to do is find a way to play the music from my iPhone through the Mercedes-Benz speakers. At the moment it seems my only solution is to use one of those FM transmitters, that you plug into the cigarette lighter. Admittedly I have not yet tried various other solutions, which include adapters and cables that you may used to plug into the connections in the glove box, but I will. I did try one USB to lightning cable to connect to the wire that's already on the glove box, but it didn't work.
Another piece of advice I might offer is that if you are using one of those FM transmitters plugged into the cigarette lighter, you may find in your Mercedes that you have more than one cigarette lighter. I tried the main cigarette lighter in the centre console and the FM reception was terrible, I then tried another cigarette lighter which is in front of the passenger seats in the rear of the car, that was slightly better but still terrible. I then discovered that there is actually a third cigarette lighter connection inside the glove box, which I then connected my FM transmitter to, and the sound is actually pretty good. I don't know what the difference is but I'm actually able to listen to the music and close the glove box with the wire poking through. So for now that's my music solution. I will try a couple of adaptors and cables to see of I can avoid the fm transmitter altogether.
But I just thought I'd throw all this up here in case it can help anyone out at some point.
 

John Laidlaw

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In my 212 I connected my iPhone tethered on the cable you mention, using a lightning adaptor....but this is crucial I used aftermarket (eBay ) ones to begin which would charge the phone but nothing else, when I replaced with the genuine apple one it all happened, music streamed to Comand , album covers displayed and everything! 30 pounds well spent
 
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Alex240

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In my 212 I connected my iPhone tethered on the cable you mention, using a lightning adaptor....but this is crucial I used aftermarket (eBay ) ones to begin which would charge the phone but nothing else, when I replaced with the genuine apple one it all happened, music streamed to Comand , album covers displayed and everything! 30 pounds well spent
Ok, thanks John. Without wishing to bother you too much. Could you be very detailed about:-
a.) the cable you bought (perhaps throw me a link to the exact cable)
&
b.) the cable inside the glove box that you're talking about connecting to.

I seem to have two cables hanging out of the glove box. One has a USB type connection open to me (I'm not sure if these cables come out or they're stuck there)
The other cable has a wide flat metal connection, which I'm not sure of the name of.
 

Cleck

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I mentioned on another thread that I had a Pure Highway 400 DAB fitted to my W212 and as well as DAB, it also allows Bluetooth streaming (A2DP) from my iPhone 6s.

So if you'd prefer to use Bluetooth than have to plug your phone in, this may be an option.
 
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Alex240

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I mentioned on another thread that I had a Pure Highway 400 DAB fitted to my W212 and as well as DAB, it also allows Bluetooth streaming (A2DP) from my iPhone 6s.

So if you'd prefer to use Bluetooth than have to plug your phone in, this may be an option.
Thanks. I would of course prefer Bluetooth. I just googled that and it looks complicated to get set up. I'm not good at this sort of thing, if it's not plug & go, I'm in trouble & will have to pay someone to set it up for me, which I'd normally do in a heartbeat, but everything seems to be more complicated for me here in Japan. Communicating exactly what I want can be a pain in the arse.
 
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John Laidlaw

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Ok, thanks John. Without wishing to bother you too much. Could you be very detailed about:-
a.) the cable you bought (perhaps throw me a link to the exact cable)
&
b.) the cable inside the glove box that you're talking about connecting to.

I seem to have two cables hanging out of the glove box. One has a USB type connection open to me (I'm not sure if these cables come out or they're stuck there)
The other cable has a wide flat metal connection, which I'm not sure of the name of.

My cable actually wasn't in the glove box but in the centre arm rest, in the centre arm rest there was the flat wide connection ( plugged in) then the other end of the cable had the old style Apple 30 pin job. Onto that I put the genuine apple 30 pin x lightning adaptor.
In the armrest there was also a USB port and cable which performed the same function as above
I'll see if I can find a pic
My 212 was a facelift model so it might have been slightly different
Carl350 on here has a pre facelift and I seem to remember he sorted his out, hopefully he'll read this and comment too...
 

John Laidlaw

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Thanks. I would of course prefer Bluetooth. I just googled that and it looks complicated to get set up. I'm not good at this sort of thing, if it's not plug & go, I'm in trouble & will have to pay someone to set it up for me, which I'd normally do in a heartbeat, but everything seems to be more complicated for me here in Japan. Communicating exactly what I want can be a pain in the arse.

I found I just couldn't stream in Bluetooth at all, maybe that was just me, and well as I know everything is more complicated in Japan!
 

Cleck

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Thanks. I would of course prefer Bluetooth. I just googled that and it looks complicated to get set up. I'm not good at this sort of thing, if it's not plug & go, I'm in trouble & will have to pay someone to set it up for me, which I'd normally do in a heartbeat, but everything seems to be more complicated for me here in Japan. Communicating exactly what I want can be a pain in the arse.

As it happens I had it fitted by Halfords, (because it was free!) so it was wired to the fusebox for a switched live, but when I've looked at it, it can be simply plugged into a 12v lighter socket and the antenna sticks to the windscreen (discreet, but I'd prefer it didn't have to be there), so it can be almost used with almost no 'fitting' at all.
 
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Alex240

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As it happens I had it fitted by Halfords, (because it was free!) so it was wired to the fusebox for a switched live, but when I've looked at it, it can be simply plugged into a 12v lighter socket and the antenna sticks to the windscreen (discreet, but I'd prefer it didn't have to be there), so it can be almost used with almost no 'fitting' at all.
Ok, thanks. I'll have a closer look at that gadget and do a bit more reading on it.
 

Cleck

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In the glovebox, I have a media connecter with a cable with the old 40-pin iPhone connection and I use an old iPhone 4 as an iPod using this. You can buy a 40-pin to lightening converter from Apple so that this connection can be used for the more modern iPhones.

Like John, I bought one of the chap converters from ebay and found that it only charged my iPhone 6s, but didn't give a connection, so the genuine part is worth having. In the end I use the media port for the 'iPod' and the Highway 400 for Bluetooth streaming from my phone.

I've put on some pictures of the port and the cable that I have, hope this helps.
 

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John Laidlaw

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Apologies I said 30 pin!
And yes, that's the cable. I would guess you may be able to buy the lightning direct cable from Mercedes now ?
 
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Cleck

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Apologies I said 30 pin!
And yes, that's the cable. I would guess you may be able to buy the lightning direct cable from Mercedes now ?

John, I think you're right at 30-pin, I obviously wanted a few extra!
 
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Alex240

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In the glovebox, I have a media connecter with a cable with the old 40-pin iPhone connection and I use an old iPhone 4 as an iPod using this. You can buy a 40-pin to lightening converter from Apple so that this connection can be used for the more modern iPhones.

Like John, I bought one of the chap converters from ebay and found that it only charged my iPhone 6s, but didn't give a connection, so the genuine part is worth having. In the end I use the media port for the 'iPod' and the Highway 400 for Bluetooth streaming from my phone.

I've put on some pictures of the port and the cable that I have, hope this helps.
Thanks, that does help a lot. When you say streaming from your iPhone 6s, do you mean you can get video & such, from your iPhone, to play on the screen in the car?
 
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Alex240

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Apologies I said 30 pin!
And yes, that's the cable. I would guess you may be able to buy the lightning direct cable from Mercedes now ?
Yeah, I think you're right, John. Everywhere else I've read about this people say it's a thirty-pin.
 
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Cleck

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Thanks, that does help a lot. When you say streaming from your iPhone 6s, do you mean you can get video & such, from your iPhone, to play on the screen in the car?

I don't think I can get video, only audio. But to be fair, I wouldn't know where to start with video! I don't have Comand, only Audio 50, so that may limit the functionality.
 

John Laidlaw

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No no video unfortunately but then you can play DVDs on it
 

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I have a W212 and an iphone6. Ive just ordered the OFFICIAL APPLE lightning-30 pin adapter so will report back here when it arrives!

I bought a cheap one on Amazon before. It charged the phone but nothing more.
 
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Alex240

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I have a W212 and an iphone6. Ive just ordered the OFFICIAL APPLE lightning-30 pin adapter so will report back here when it arrives!



I bought a cheap one on Amazon before. It charged the phone but nothing more.



I've just ordered one too. This one right?

b77170f166fe22ba26975041756169e5.jpg


The only thing is, even if it works, it's a pretty short cable and there apparently isn't a longer version. There may be an extension cable but that's probably a bit messy when you're aiming to keep things clean & simple.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
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John Laidlaw

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Alex, you're going to need the Mercedes media cable too as mentioned in post 10 (which would have been supplied when your car was new)and like
http://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/142153021399?_mwBanner=1
What you have bought is a short cable you could use as an adapter 30 pin to lightning although you can buy them as a straight adapter too which is what the poster above has ordered ( and what I used in my 212)http://www.apple.com/uk/shop/product/MD823ZM/A/lightning-to-30-pin-adapter
Sorry I hope that's described it adequately and understandably - it's a bit complicated !
 
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