Picked up my CLK500 yesterday and have a few very simple questions.

[KippaxB]

Firstly the washer isn't working so please could somebody tell me where the fuse is before I start digging around for a broken/disconnected pipe or pump.

Secondly there is an unused plastic bracket that is loose in the glovebox (2 pictures attached) can anybody identify this ?

Finally there is a connection, presumably to the AUX on the head unit, inside the glove box where the CD multi-changer usually sits. How might I utilise this and what does it enable ? (Picture attached)

The car has the bluetooth kit installed in the centre glove box and I have connected this up, but it only appears to allow hands free with my phone and not any media. Is this correct ?

Many thanks in advance for any help or advice.

 

[KippaxB]

Just a thought but wondering if that might be the support bracket and connector for a CD multi-changer ?

 

[Wighty]

Just a thought but wondering if that might be the support bracket and connector for a CD multi-changer ?

Google search the part number that’s on it buddy .
The connector in the glovebox is some aftermarket thingy ?

 

[Wighty]

Check the right hand side of the dashboard (pop off the end panel) for the fuses , there should be a folded piece of paper fuse chart in there .

 

[KippaxB]

Apparently its the power seat control module bracket......

 

[Blobcat]

Google search the part number that’s on it buddy .
The connector in the glovebox is some aftermarket thingy ?

The connector looks like it’s part of the Dension Gateway 500 - a good piece of kit (I fitted one to my 911)

Gateway 500 – Dension

www.dension.com

 

[Srdl]

For a car of that age, Bluetooth will be phone only, not BT audio

 

[KippaxB]

The connector looks like it’s part of the Dension Gateway 500 - a good piece of kit (I fitted one to my 911)

Gateway 500 – Dension

www.dension.com

Great spot !!

Denison ?

Going to pull the dash apart anyway, as my intention is to fit an after-market Android head-unit. I'll have a look if there is anything else in there that might be of use.

Cheers again.

 

[KippaxB]

I had been hoping for an easy plug-n-play Android install. Not so.

As has been pointed out above, there has been a Denison 500 unit fitted on to the standard factory set-up. Not what I had been hoping to find when I dismantled the centre of the dash.

This is beginning to look a little beyond me.

 

[fabes]

A good FM Bluetooth adapter is your cheapest / simplest option.

But an Android HU would obviously be preferable

 

[KippaxB]

Done a bit of research into this now.

The Dension unit has been installed to enable the Bluetooth kit and a USB input for hard-drive or iPhone connection.

Given that any Android unit would give me everything I want, the simplest approach is going to be a complete uninstall of the Dension to give me a clean install as a starting point.

I've already indentified the preferred TEyes unit, but need to do the above to ensure I get all the required additional harnesses etc.

The use of fibre optic connections (orange cable) is a complication I could have done without, but it's not something that can't be sorted.

I've used the Bluetooth adaptors before and they are a lovely simple solution. However, I really want the full Android experience which offers so much.

If any members here have completed similar I'd love directing to the appropriate thread for additional input. However I will report back here with my progress, in the hope that it might prove useful to others.


Wish me luck .... I'm going in !!!

 

[M80]

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Is this the right fit for yours?
The prices are up but you may find cheaper, from Erisin perhaps.
Don't settle for less than Octo core, 4 gig RAM and DSP.

Anyway these have a pre amp output that maybe could be used to feed the input to your Denison. Certainly not the easy plug and play as these can be.

 

[Flyinspanner]

Ensure you measure across the top of the current headunit.
there are two sizes -and sadly most of the android units appear to be too wide.

some are 254mm across top
some are 260mm across top

the android units seem to all be 260mm

 

[KippaxB]

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Is this the right fit for yours?
The prices are up but you may find cheaper, from Erisin perhaps.
Don't settle for less than Octo core, 4 gig RAM and DSP.

Anyway these have a pre amp output that maybe could be used to feed the input to your Denison. Certainly not the easy plug and play as these can be.

May well be, but not the unit I'm after.

.......and certainly not at that price

You are spot on about the 4GB of RAM as a minimum.

 

[KippaxB]

Completed my de-install of the Dension unit. Really quite simple.

Left in the cabling to the Merc Bluetooth unit, but no longer intend using that. Seemed a bit of a deep dive to remove it completely.

Also left the power tap offs for the Dension as these may come in useful for the Android install so will wait until I have that loom.

Can anybody identify the three inputs on the back of the MB unit down the right hand side. Look like SMA so likely to be FM aerial and possibly GPS and maybe the microphone ? Really unsure.



Taken the mounting dimensions. 240mm across the top, 210mm across the bottom, with 145mm seperation vertically.

Talking to TEyes and they can supply the fibre optic unit, FnR cameras and also the DAB+ adaptor.

Just need to ensure the fixing points are a match.

 

[Botus]

they are Fakra connectors like all modern car's use - the colour informs one of the unique fitting key used to prevent the wrong plug going in the wrong socket

usually that blue is GPS,
the mustard I think is mercs wrong use of colour for the FM antenna
the grey is confusing me

D burgandy is DAB on a Merc
With Z getting you out of the s+++ as it fits anything
SMB doesn't quite fit you MUST grind the outer diameter down by a few thou
FM is usually white and DAB black for normal manufacturers
BMW uses A K and N for AM FM and DAB, but the wrong way round to normal and merc.....

the orange cable you have is a fibre optic MOST car network for interior toys

 

[Flyinspanner]

When you’ve done it please post up photos of how the unit looks once installed.

Links for where to purchase?
any add on bits that are required to interface with the car - ie to keep steering wheel control etc.

reversing camera - if you fit where to route cables?

How easy/ tricky was it to fit?

How does it sound / how’s the DAB/ satnav/ apps?

Any tips to make it easy for those who follow.

hope it all goes really smoothly

 

[KippaxB]

Small steps .... I've identified the FAKRA incoming connections. From the top downwards they are :

A: Black - FM (should be able to split for FM & DAB)
K: Mustard - Satellite (presumably standard loom to include non-UK models)
C: Blue - GPS

All Android models I have looked at use SMA inputs, but there are conversion leads widely available online if I want to use the factory installed aerials/antennas.

Fibre optic modules are also readily available with the head-units. For now I've temporarily re-installed the Dension, as without that the existing MB head-unit wont work at all as it appears to need the optical connection to this.

 

[Botus]

most Mercs have fibre optic links to other stuff in the left side of the boot...


on mine it links a separate TV tuner, a separate DAB tuner and the separate FM tuner with its integral all sound's amplifier with those three in the boot, to the comand unit in the dash, which has the sat nav and the DVD player built in to it

 

[KippaxB]

Update ....

Struggling to find a plug and play replacement head-unit due to the fixing positions of the existing COM unit. My model seems a little odd to my preferred supplier.

Trying to trace the optical cable to the rear, as I suspect it goes to the amp. I have uncovered a few other details, though believe I missed the rear amp, which seems to be behind the nearside rear wheel arch. Nothing behind the offside wheel arch, but there are GPS and telephone modules in the boot lid. So that answers the question about the 2nd and 3rd FAKRAs on the rear of the CM.

I believe the existing radio aerial is in the form of 2 perpendicular elements embedded in the windscreen.

One final thing. I've got my head around fibre optic cables. When you see a pair there's a habit to think +ve/-ve or L/R,. For those that haven't twigged, they are just running the cable in opposite directions. So a pair in a plug is in/out. The cable runs in a single direction creating a series loop circuit. This means that if you disconnect/remove any audio component then it breaks the circuit, so you have to insert a return loop.

Struggling now to find where the 2 optical pairs vanish to behind the dash. I think I need to do this to remove the Dension as it currently supplies both power and non-optical audio to the COM.

I'll dive in again later this week as daylight is now extending.