Removing Factory Radio CD

[williaminnes]

Hi everyone- this is my first post! As of last sunday I am now the owner of a 2002 C220 CDI Coupe and am very unhappy with the MB head unit. I have bought a new JVC head unit and was wondering if anyone knew how to remove the old unit - I cannot seem to see any release catches or screws - I have already removed half the skin on my index finger!

I would really appreciate any help you could offer me.

Will

 

[Hilton]

Radio Extraction Tools

I imagine that your head unit is similar to the Audio 10/30 series fitted to most MB vehicles, in which case you will need a pair of extraction keys that you feed into 2 slots at the bottom corners of the unit. Once fully engaged, you simply pull the unit out using the ring-shaped ends of the keys.

The keys are usually available at a MB parts desk - I paid £1.40 for the pair. Remember to unlatch the keys from the unit before re-fitting the unit.

 

[SLinKyjoe]

would this head unit have optical connections? and will the new unit fit okay?

i dont know much about head units...but i wanted to give the Audio 10 unit on a 2002spec SLK a boost with an amplifier and went to lots of audio specialists who spent loads of time tutting and strolling around with shaking heads...admittedly none of them expressed an interest in earning any money from it but they did say, if its got optical connection they arent gonna touch it. it did have. I think the Becker upgrade amp from merc was a £900 option.

am sure it can be done but is it worth the effort? and whats up with the standard one? Am not critising your opinion. You can add what you like but am just curious!

As it turns out the new SLK has a really good system as standard and an upgrade costs £500. Our friends in the US dont get the same spec....haha

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

I replaced my Audio 10 cassette for Becker Mexico, on the basis that it was a straight swap given the Audio 10 is manufactured by Becker - have same removal tools too.

Am very impressed with the result. Surprised even. Unfair to compare cassette and CD, but sound quality is definitely better when listening to the radio. Ultimately sound quality will still be inhibited by standard speakers, but quality is good enough for me, as I suspect replacing speakers will be a bit of a mare for the benefit I'll get.

I had been dissapointed with the stereo in a fairly expensive car, but am happy as larry now. £120 from ebay for a brand new and boxed unit. Straight swap. Would recomend it.

HTH

 

[Guy Greenwell]

Hi everyone- this is my first post! As of last sunday I am now the owner of a 2002 C220 CDI Coupe and am very unhappy with the MB head unit. I have bought a new JVC head unit and was wondering if anyone knew how to remove the old unit - I cannot seem to see any release catches or screws - I have already removed half the skin on my index finger!

I would really appreciate any help you could offer me.

Will

Hi Ihave just removed the Blaupunkt from my C250 Turbodiesel today to check the connection for a CD changer.
Removal wasaccomplished by inserting 4 split pins, approx. 3/32" dia.into the 4 holes at each side of the front, a firm push is required to release the catches whereupon the radio can be wriggled free.
Hope this is of use.
Guy Greenwell, New member.

 

[williaminnes]

Hi Folks - the CD player (I feel!) is vvery boring and uninteresting - especially at night. I had a JVC in my AUdi A4 which had a multi coloured screen and changed the look of the console completely. I will try the 'pin' strategy before I buy the keys - the Mercedes garage told me I would have to take the dashboard apart - not sure if I am THAT serious!!

 

[williaminnes]

2 hours later and now with no skin left on my knuckles the cd is still concreted in place - it seems that the aluminium fascia on the console fits over the cd player - would this be the case?

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

Are there just two horizontal slots towards the bottom edge of the head unit. If so it's a Becker. I really had to pull hard to remove mine. I had to pull so hard that I was almost convinced something was going to break.

Remember that as well as pulling the extraction tools towards you, you must also pull them away from you. The wood fascia pulled away from the dash on mine due to the tight fit and amount of force required - just popped back in place with a push fit though.

 

[turnipsock]

I think a picture would be a help.

My cars are a bit old but I just pull the head units out. I took my Sony unit out in less than minute without even thinking about it.

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

Remember that as well as pulling the extraction tools towards you, you must also pull them away from you.

Just spotted a typo in the above. Should say...


Remember that as well as pulling the extraction tools towards you, you must also pull them AWAY FROM EACH OTHER - feels like a 'rowing' action.

 

[Arnie]

The new radios have curved facias to match the car's interior and they are not interchangeable with standard-DIN fit units as were used on the previous generation of Mercs. The holes are DIN sized, and the units will fit but cosmetically they wont fit properly in the dash.

The Audio 10s were mostly made by Matsu****a (panasonic), even though they had the becker-style layout and interfaces, so it is quite likely that a genuine becker will sound better. Beckers have a BE xxx serial number.

The optical interface and Audio 10s and 30s is a D2B and this is almost an industry standard. However, many car amplifiers are available which can accept line-level inputs from the speaker connections on the back of the audio-10 or audio-30.

 

[chrisy5555]

i found this on ebay 280094306861 thats the item number
it looks like the trim has to be removed abit the radio to unscrew the two screws.
think i will go to a local audio centre to get mine removed

 

[zinsbin]

Hi, if your car is a w203 model as mine is (c220cdi 2001), forget any removal keys, i have found by pictures the full removal instructions, search mbworld.org forums mercedes>benz sedans>c class w203. the poster's name is session. Good luck with the removal it is'nt that difficult with the photo's.
zinsbin

 

[stumpy]

Ask Hanz to do it - she's good with a pair of scissors ;-))

 

[HJHPH]

2 hours later and now with no skin left on my knuckles the cd is still concreted in place - it seems that the aluminium fascia on the console fits over the cd player - would this be the case?

Hi there, I have just completed a comand upgrade on my wife's sports coupe (2002) and if it is the same you have to remove the air vents at the top of the dashboard, remove the ash tray and in the ashtray aperture there are two clips that unpop and the aluminium trim can be removed. Behind that are the screws that hold in the Radio.
If you are considering spending money why not look at a comand upgrade, that will give you the options of Navigation, Aux out (MP3) +cd, tuner and TV if you want to go that far, also keeps the car looking nice and standard.
Alfie can supply and fit Comand units and has his own website http://www.comand.co.uk/.
Paul.

 

[HJHPH]

Hi there, I have just completed a comand upgrade on my wife's sports coupe (2002) and if it is the same you have to remove the air vents at the top of the dashboard, remove the ash tray and in the ashtray aperture there are two clips that unpop and the aluminium trim can be removed. Behind that are the screws that hold in the Radio.
If you are considering spending money why not look at a comand upgrade, that will give you the options of Navigation, Aux out (MP3) +cd, tuner and TV if you want to go that far, also keeps the car looking nice and standard.
Alfie can supply and fit Comand units and has his own website http://www.comand.co.uk/.
Paul.

Oh and the air vents are an adventure in themselves, each indivdual vent has inside on it's left hand side two little tabs, you have to lever the bottom tab to the right and roll the vent up towards the roof once you have moved both vents you can access two torx screws one in each bottom corner.
Once these are removed you have to return vents to centre and repeat the operation with the two top tabs rolling the vent downwards. Once this is done you need a small screwdriver in the top corners to lever down the clips and pull the vent towards you. This takes abit of practice.
Paul.

 

[Alfie]

The full instructions on how to remove comand/audio10 on a pre facelifted W203 and install an Aux connector can be found Here

Its worth noting that the W203 coupe has two clips that hold the fascia in, the W203 saloon/W209 (pre facelift) and W203 estat all have Torx screws.

 

[Chas]

Alfie, is there any way I can upgrade my Audio 10 /radio player? I dont use the cassette player, cd changer is in boot. Would one of the Becker players be possible?

pic of my S320 unit below.
thanks

 

[Alfie]

Alfie, is there any way I can upgrade my Audio 10 /radio player? I dont use the cassette player, cd changer is in boot. Would one of the Becker players be possible?

pic of my S320 unit below.
thanks

The only real upgrade path would be comand but this will entail a whole new fascia and quite a lot of wiring to/from the boot of the car.

Without seeing whats behind the fascia its difficult to comment on what other options you would have.