c200 radio removal

[Kompressor]

I am trying to remove my radio from my w203 md. The radio is a becker audio 10 original cd radio. I also bought some removal keys but can't see where to inserrt the keys to pull the radio out.keys

The radio looks like this:
http://www.audio-10.com/Mercedes-Audio-10-CD-Radio-Becker

The keysl ook like this:

Any help on how to get to the radio and pull it out will be appreciated.

 

[Kompressor]

Decided to take a pic of the radio inside the car:

 

[rpe2]

No keys req'd.

BUT...

... you will have to remove the gearshift surround, ashtray, centre vents, trim around the radio, and then the radio.

Let me know if you want some pointers on how to do it.

What's wrong with the radio?

 

[rpe2]

Try this: http://forums.mbworld.org/forums/c-...1-04-center-console-removal-instructions.html

 

[Kompressor]

I welcome any pointers because I don't know where to begin. I don't want to mark the fixtures and trim by using a screw driver to force anything. I am sure the panels and trims ect. as you describe has a particular way that they pop out or slide out. Searches on the net revealed nothing.

The radio/cd is working fine. However I have a cd changer that comes with it in the glove compartment. The cd changer has power to it as it ejects the cardridge but it doesn't play and isn't recognised anymore from the radio unit. I want to pull the radio out to see if the a wire or cable has come loose. I was told its an optical cable of sort. I already removed the cd changer in the glove compartment and had a good look so all wires there are intact I need to see the other end behind the radio itself.

 

[rpe2]

I See.

Can you do me a small favour? I need to install a CD changer into my W203 and need the part no's for the power and fibre optic cable to the changer. If you see a lable with the p/number on, would you make a note and let me have them?

Mant Thanks

 

[Kompressor]

No prob. You can check this site out too

http://www.audio-10.com/94.html

 

[Kompressor]

Try this: http://forums.mbworld.org/forums/c-...1-04-center-console-removal-instructions.html

Thanks for the link. I have my job cut out for tomorrow.

 

[Kompressor]

I See.

Can you do me a small favour? I need to install a CD changer into my W203 and need the part no's for the power and fibre optic cable to the changer. If you see a lable with the p/number on, would you make a note and let me have them?

Mant Thanks

I only just got around to taking my radio out as I was out of town since my last post. Anyway, I got the numbers for you.

Optical cable: A2035401309
Power cable: A2035400809

Hope this helps.

 

[Kompressor]

OK I took the radio out and unplugged both ends of the optical cable to have a look. Not sure what I'm looking for but the cable looks undamaged from what I could actually see.

 

[Kompressor]

Now the part that I could not see was threaded down behind the plastic bracket that the cd/radio is bolted down onto and the optical cable runs down behind the cigarette lighter and loops back up again to connect into the back of the radio. Now I tried to pull the opical cable out as gently as a I could but it is literally stuck.

I couldn't get it free to inspect the hidden parts of the optical cable. As a result I left it but fear this may be the reason my cd changer is not being recognised anymore by the radio when I press the CD button to change from the radio cd to the cd changer. Maybe the opitcal cable is looped to sharply and is bending too much down behind the cigarette lighter. If I buy a new opitcal cable I may have to cut the original one because I can't get it out and I couldn't for the life of me get the plastic bracket off to see the rest of wiring down below.

I am confused as to why the opitcal cable didn't simply run from the cd changer straight to the back of the radio without going into the loop(s) as threaded and so tight too that I can't get it out. Maybe its a cable tie but I don't know because of the damn plastic bracket. See the pic below.

 

[Kompressor]

Finally... Does anyone know what these cables are for? I saw them wrapped in a sponge pocket. I've peeled the sponge pocket back to reveal the connectors.

 

[television]

I was away the weekend when you started this post,,may I ask what the fault was / is, and why you are taking it all out

 

[Kompressor]

Yes I posted this thread last week saturday and got the instruction to pull out the radio because my cd/radio is no longer all of a sudden recognising my cd changer. My initial thought was that the wire may have come loose.

When I press the cd button on my radio it switches from radio to cd ok. However, if I am playing the cd in the radio when I press the cd button it suppose to switch from the radio/cd to the cd changer. That is no longer happening - is as if the radio does not recognise the cd changer anymore. Yesterday I finally got around to taking the radio out to have a look and posted some pics.

I took the whole thing out to have a look behind both the cd changer and the cd/radio and found the wires all intact. However the optical cable that runs from the cd changer to the cd/radio I fear maybe damaged or faulty I don't know. The optical cable is looped down in the console and back up and so I don't know if it is twisted or bend too sharply that's preventing the signal from relaying smoothly or not at all.

 

[television]

When the CD is powered up if you look in the optic plug hole one LED should be glowing red, the same red LED should be lit in the radio socket, when the optic lead is plugged into the radio, the LED should be lit on the end of the optic cable. The same should happen when its plugged into the changer, so you can check the optic lead both ways.

These leads must not have any tight bends in them,,if you want to remove the plastic holder I will check later in the day

 

[Kompressor]

Thanks, I will run this test later today. There are two LEDs, one red and one white/transparent.

Should both LEDs glow at either end as described or is it just the red LED that is expected to glow when carrying out the test?

 

[television]

Thanks, I will run this test later today. There are two LEDs, one red and one white/transparent.

Should both LEDs glow at either end as described or is it just the red LED that is expected to glow when carrying out the test?

There will only be one glowing on all of the test, but by testing with the leads in either unit and in looking in the sockets all can be checked out

 

[Kompressor]

It was raining the past two days so I had to wait until today to do the test.
I carried out the test as instructed but there was no light glowing from either end of the optical cable at all. However I decided to pull the optical cable out of both ends completely and look down into the optical socket on both radio and cd changer and took some pics.

As you can see no red light or other light is glowing from the cd changer optical socket.

However, on the radio you can see the red light glowing from one of the 'channels'. The red light is actually coming from the white/transparent 'channel'.

Now it appears I have two problems here. The optical cable itself and the cd changer.

Here are some more pics of the optical 'unit' attached to the back of the cd changer.

 

[television]

I cant answer it all but the CD changer then is not working or powering up,when powered up and working it must emit the light.,,are you sure that there is power getting to it

 

[Kompressor]

Yes power is getting to the cd changer. When I unplug the cd changer power cable and press the eject button to discharge the cartridge nothing happens.

As soon as a I plug the power cable in and press the eject button on the cd changer the cartridges slides out so yes power is reaching the cd changer. This is why I took off the the little unit found on the back to investigate but all seems fine there too.

There is no power button or lights on the cd changer to indicate power. Just by pressing the cd eject button. Looking at the cd changer power socket below I notice one element is left out at the top bit but the car came with the wiring as is and it worked fine before.