Mercedes CLK200K - year 2001 - W208 - Stereo & Speaker Upgrade

mali786j

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Mercedes CLK200K 2001
Hi,
I have just managed to upgrade my stereo for my CLK, which involved a lot of research before all completed. However if you know what you are doing it is maybe just 10-15min work, which I could do now as well. Fitted a Pioneer UB-1500.

Anyway steps involved:
1. Remove old unit, using Mercedes radio removal keys (about £1 on ebay)
2. Open Dash board part around gear lever, ie the trim. If you pull it up slightly then push it forward, should come off nicely. Tips, no need to take it off completely, just enough to rest the trim on top of gear knob.
3. Remove cigarette holder unit, by unscrewing 2 screws, which can be seen following step 2 above. Once those removed just pull out cigarette tray.
4. On back of cigarette lighter there is a harness, from which you need to take a "Switched Live" feed. There are 3 cables, one for light, one for ground, and one switched live. On mine the green/pink cable was switched live. Attach a 8amp cable(red) to switched live cable using appropriate fixings (Halfords Cable Lock), not on the harness, and use electrician tape to secure it all. Put Cigarette light holder and all trim back, as taken out.
5. Take your above red cable and attach directly on to harness supplied by stereo unit, and usually to red cable as well.
6. Attach the CLK ISO harness to new stereo harness. For 2001 CLK, no additional Harness was required as all other cables for ground, speaker etc matched up nicely.
7. Attach antenna using adaptor, as CLK antenna wont fit directly.(£1/2 ebay)
8. Finally tape all cables so that it stays nicely together and no lose wires touch stereo or etc, so no interference, short circuit or blown fuses.
Push in unit slot fully and enjoy!
Note: Do your own research and all CLK may not follow same procedure, but you can follow/learn from some of these to help you.

My next challenge are:
1. If possible to regain steering wheel control, but many told me not possible. Can live with it, as all close by anyway.
2. How to open CLK door panel, to access the speakers, to upgrade them all. I noted with the new stereo that the factory speakers where not up to the job on full volume.

If any one knows how to update the front and rear speakers, all sitting on door panel, would be much appreciated as well as speaker sizes?
 

television

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2002 SL500, 216 CL500, all fully loaded
I can send you the door liner removing details :D

As it stands the impedance of the car speakers is 1 ohm, so this could overload your new radio, there are some good JBL speakers on the market at £30 a pair that could fit and 2 ohms impedance
 

bigasotonuk

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C43/55 AMG 1999 / C230K 1997
Hi,
Have you had any issues with radio reception fading in and out since doing this?
 
OP
M

mali786j

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Mercedes CLK200K 2001
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Further Progress

Further to stereo upgrade, I have had free help from body shop to open the door panels, while I had some wing rust damage sorted. It took the guy just less then 10-15min to open both door panels...very easy if you know what you are doing.

Anyway was then able to drive it home and try some speakers. Initially tried some VIBE speakers (from Halfords), but although sound was clear not loud and even the factory speakers were louder, as these are meant to be driven by an external amp, so returned them.

Later got some Alpine SXE-1750s for front side of front door and Alpine SXE-1025s for rear side of front door. This combination worked perfect and sounded very clear and loud with good bass. Speaker choice depends on if you want to run from head unit or external amp. As I wanted my Pioneer head unit to run them, which are 4x50W Peak power but only RMS 4x22W normal operating power, these Alpine speakers are perfect match...no need to waste more money on expensive speakers it wont help, without amp. Check speaker sensitivity and RMS when buying. Also remember to buy fitting adaptor for front speakers (got mine from Halfords £16.99 with cables & insulation foam included) and for rear ones you can re-use old case. Just take the 4" speakers out and fit new ones back into the old fitting adaptors.

Now from looking to add a subwoofer at rear, I discovered my car, after driving it 10yr...lol, that it has a sub already! Anyway not very powerful, but its run by BOSE amp (part no: 2088200989) and Subwoofer (Part no: 2088203102). You can feel it more if you sit at the rear seats. Anyway next project would be to see if I can upgrade that too...However must say my car audio sound great already! A upgrade worth doing!

Again my car is CLK200K Convertible model. Radio signal become weaker a year ago, where I had the standard stereo still but used and external FM transmitter from eBay. Over time not sure why that happened. Still radio signal is weak sometimes, but works perfect for local stations.
 
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Clk230chris

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2001 CLK230 W208 Coupe
I upgraded my W208 Coupe to a double din unit last year, you need to be brave and remove the separator between the trinket box and the radio hole.

It's a thin price of plastic you can cut out and get a correctly sized din2 hole.

For steering controls get one of these

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Mercedes-...cles_Terminals_Cabling_ET&hash=item3a62f7bb82

It can be set to say what make of stereo is fitted and all the buttons work again. Takes about half an hour to fit I between the radio and the original cable form
 
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