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HowtoinstallthefactoryiPodintegrationkitInstallingtheiPodintegrationkitconsistsof4majorsteps:

x

Head

Unit

work

x Trunkwork

x Passengerfloorboardwork

x SnakingthewirefromtheTrunktothepassengerfloorboard

IhadtheinstallationinstructionsfromMercedesbutspenthourstryingtointerpretwhattheymeantin

varioussectionssoIwillgothroughstepbystepofwhatIdid.

Thissectionrequiresyoutomovetheshiftertovariouspositionstofacilitatetheremovalofvarious

components.TheMercedesinstallationinstructionstellyoutodisconnectthebatterbeforebeginning

butinordertomovetheshifterpowermustbeconnected.Oncetheheadunitisremoveddisconnect

thebattery.

HeadUnitWorkThefirstthingtheInstallationinstructionstellsyoutodoisremovetheashtrayhousing,sowewillstart

here.

Removetheshifterbootatthebase.Gentlypryitawayfromthewoodshiftercover.Iusedapaintcan

opener,usesomethingdullandbegentleitdoesnttakemuchforce.

Onyouhavetheshifterbootoff,removethewoodenshiftercover.Therearetwoplastictabsasshown

inthephotographonthenextpage.

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Pushthetabsinwithascrewdriverandpullupbyputtingyourhandinsidetheopening.Ittakesalotof

force.Onceitisup,donttrytopullthebackup.Ithasprongsandslidesforward.Iusedasmallflat

bladescrewdriverandgentlyprieditforwardtogetitstarted.

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OncetheShifterCoverisoff,removethewiresandputitsomeplacesafe.

NexttheAshTrayCover.

Therearetwotabsthatholdthecoverinplacetowardthefrontgentlypryingupontheendswitha

smallflatbladescrewdriverwillpoptheashtrayup.Thefollowingpictureshowswheretopry.Just

poponeendlooseatatime.TheshifterneedstobeinDrivetogettheashtrayout.

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NextistheCDchanger.Removethetwoboltsholdingitinandthefiberopticconnectionandtwo

wiringjacksasindicatedinthefollowingpictures.UnfortunatelyIdonthaveapictureshowingthetwo

screwsthatholdtheCDchangerinplacebutitisfairlyobvious.TheyareundertheCDchangerand

towardtheback.Thetrickypartisremovingthefiberopticcable.

Itsdifficulttoseeandthereisnotmuchroomtogetyourhandinthere.Thefiberopticcablehasatab

thekeeptheconnectionsecure.Youmustpressthetabtogetthecableout.

ThefollowingpictureshowstheconnectorsoftheCDchangerwiththeconnectionsremovedjustsoyou

knowwheretheyare.

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Thefollowingphotographshowsthefiberopticconnectorandwherethetabis.

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Mythumbispressingonthetab.WhenitsintheCDchangerthetabisonthelefthandside.Youmust

compressthetabtoremovethefiberopticconnector.

TheCDchangerwillslideoutoncethetwoscrewsandwiresareremoved.Theshifterneedstobein

DrivetogettheCDchangerout.

Nextistheheadunit.Therearetwoscrewsunderneaththeheadunitoneitherside.Theydonotcome

out,butinsteadloweraslideoneachsidethatsecurestheheadunit.Unscrewthescrewsuntilthey

stopturning.Itissseveralturnsanditfeelslikethescrewsarentdoinganything,butyoumustunscrew

themuntiltheystop.

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Thisisoneside,theothersideisthesame.

Oncethe

screws

are

loosened

until

they

stop.

The

head

unit

will

slide

out.

There

are

two

wiring

jacks

onthebackoftheunitalargeonandasmallone.Disconnectbothofthem.Thesmalloneistheaux

inputandwillbereplacedwiththeonefromtheiPodintegrationkit.TaketheheadunitandCD

changerandputthemsomewheresafe.

Thatsitfortheheadunit.AllthisworkissoyouconnecttheauxinputfromtheiPodintotheheadunit

oncetherestoftheinstalliscomplete.

AtthispointputtheshifterinParkanddisconnectthebattery.

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TrunkWorkThemajorityofmytroublewasinthissectionandthereasonIstarteddocumentingthisprojectwith

picturesisatonepointIwasstuckandstartedlookingforhelpontheinternet.IfoundtheMercedes

InstallationguideforanEclasswhichisbasicallythesame,butnotmuchhelpsinceIalreadyhadthe

installationinstructionsfortheCLS.ItwasatthispointIdecidedtopressforwardandstart

documentingso

ifIwas

successful

Icould

post

the

instructions

for

others

in

the

same

dilemma.

Firstremoveallthepanelinginthetrunk.Therearefourscrews(twooneachside)withlittletiedown

brackets.Removethose.Theneachpanelwillhavesomeplastictabsremovethosebygentlyprying

themoutwithascrewdriver.

AgainIwishIhadmorepicturesbutIwaswellintothetrunkbeforeIdecidedtostartdocumentingthis

install.

Theareayouareinterestedinrightnowistherearleftportionofthetrunk.Thispicturewastakenafter

Ihadfinishedthetrunkwork,butitshowssomekeyareas.InthispictureIhadremovedablackbracket

withsomethingveryfragileattachedtoit.Idontknowwhatitisbuttheyhaveitpackedinsomeheavy

dutyfoamsobecarefulwithit.

Whateveritis,itsclippedtothebracket,justreachbehindandfeeltheclip,itslidesstraitupandoff

thebracket.ThenremovethebracketsoyoucanswingtheNAVDVDassemblyawaytogettothemain

audiounit.

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Thefuseandtherelaycomewiththekit.PlugtheminwhereIhaveindicatedandremovethebolton

theNAVDVDassemblyanditwillswingopentoexposethebackofthefusepanel.

Thereisablackboxrunningthewidthofthetrunkthatisheldinplacewithtwoscrews.Removethisto

allowaccesstoaholewhichgoesundertherightrearseat.

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AgainItookthispictureaftertheinstallwascompleteandIwasputtingthingsbacktogether.Therear

panelshouldberemovedatthispoint.ThepictureshowstheblackboxIamtalkingaboutandoneof

thetwoboltsholdingitin.Theboxcontainselectricalstuff.Youdonthavetoremovethebox,justpull

itbackafewinchestogainaccesstotheholethatthewirescomeintothetrunk.Youwillusethistoget

thewirefromthebackseatintothetrunk.

RunningthewiringharnessThereismoretrunkworktodo,butfirstyouwillneedtorunthewiringharness.

Tostartremovethebackseatontherighthandside(passenger)ofthecar.Ifyoulookthereisan

indentationclosetothedoorjustundertheseat.Ifyoupushinwithyourfingerandpulluponthatside

oftheseatitwillreleasethatsideoftheseat.Thereisnoindentationontheotherside,butyoucanlift

theside

you

just

released

and

slide

your

finger

across

to

find

the

other

bracket.

Its

in

approximately

the

samelocationontheothersideoftheseat.Youwillneedtoprytheothersideoftheseatupwitha

screwdriver.Oncetheothersideisfree,theseatwilljustpullout.

Thereissomefoamundertheseat,liftituptoexposetheexistingwiresrunningtothetrunk.

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Alsoremovetheclothandrubbertrippiecesthatrunalongthebottomandsidesoftheright(passenger

side)frontandreardoorwells.Thiswillexposeasmallgapthatpassesthroughthedoorpillaranda

smalltrayalongthebottomofeachdoorwell.

Prytheplasticandchrometrimpieceoffonboththefrontandreardoorwell.

StartbysnakingthetrunkendoftheiPodwiringharnessthroughthegapbetweentheexteriordoor

pillarandtheinteriortrimfromthefronttotheback.Youmayneedtoprythetrimoutjustenoughto

gettheconnectorsthrough.

ThesepicturesarentgreatandItookthemafterIhadcompletedthisstepanddecidedtostart

documentingtheinstall.

Thisis

taken

from

the

front

door

looking

back.

Once

snaked

through

the

wire

will

slide

down

to

the

floorarea.

Thereareseveralclipsholdingthetrimtothebody,onbyoneyouwillneedtoprythemuptogetthe

wireunderthemthentapthembackin.Aflatbladescrewdriverworkedwillforthis.

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Nextyouwillneedtosnakethewireunderthetrimpieceintotherearseatwell.

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ThispictureshowstheholewiththeiPodwiringharnessalreadysnakedthrough.Iinsertedacoat

hangerinthisholeuntilIsawitinthebackseatpan.ItapedthetrunkendoftheiPodwiringharnessto

thecoathangerandpulleditthroughthehole.

Thispicturegivessomeperspectiveastowheretheholeis.

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Nowyou

will

need

to

connect

the

iPod

wiring

harness

to

the

audio

control

unit

in

the

trunk.

This

is

whereIgotstuck.ItsverywellhiddenandthepictureintheMercedesinstallguideshowssomevent

holesaroundwheretheconnectorisandminedidnthaveany.

IttookmealongtimetofindthisconnectorandonceIfounditIwasntsureitwastherightone.This

wasespeciallyconcerningbecausetheMercedesinstructionsdirectyoutorepintheconnectorwith

twoofthewiresfromtheiPodinterface.Ididnthaveapintoolbutluckilyitwasntanissue.Moreon

thislater.

TheAudioControlunitishiddenupaboveandtowardthefrontofthecarfromtheNAVDVDassembly.

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Theconnectoryouneedtoremovehasbothelectricalandfiberwires.Ithasatabyoumustsqueezeto

releaseit.Onceyouhaveitremovedyouwillnoticethattheelectricalportioncanberemovedfromthe

fiberportion.Youwillneedtoremovetheelectricalconnectorandthisistheoneyouneedtorepin.

TheiPodwiringharnesswillhavetwowires.Theyareabrownwirewithapinattheendofitanda

brownandredwirewithablueconnector.Theblueconnectorisnotgoingtobeusedtoconnectto

anything,buttheinstructionstellyoutoputthewiresyouremovefromtheoriginalconnectorintothe

blueconnectorsothattheydonotshortout.

ThisistheconnectorthatneedstoberepinedwiththewiresfromtheiPodwiringharnessIapologize

aboutthequalityofthisone.Ihelditalittletooclosetothecamerabutyoucanstillseewhatyouneed

to.

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Nowtherepin.Youwillneedasmallpointedobject.Iusedaverysmallflatbladescrewdriver.This

connectorhas4wires,youneedtoremoveandreplacetwo.Theyarethebrownandthebrownand

redwire.

ThebrownwirefromtheiPodwiringharnessreplacesthebrownwireinthefactoryconnector.The

brownandredwireintheiPodwiringharnesshasablueconnectorattachedtoit.Removetheblue

connectorbypressingonthepinreleasetabsimilartotheabovephotoandreplacethebrownandred

connectorofthefactorwiringharnesswiththebrownandredwirefromtheiPodwiringharness.

Payattentiontothepintabonthewiringpintoensuretheyareinthecorrectpositiontolockintoplace

intheconnector.

Takethebrownandthebrownandredwiresandplugthemintotheblueconnectorandsecureoutof

theway.Theydonotconnecttoanythingandtheblueconnectorisprovidedsothewiresdonotshort

outagainstanything.

Onceyouhavethetwowiresreplaced,placetheelectricalconnectorbackinsidethefiberconnector

andreattachittotheaudiocontrolunit.

Justtwomorewirestoconnectandyouaredoneinthetrunk.

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Thisonewasespeciallydifficulttolocateaswell.TheiPodwiringharnesshasablackconnectoronared

wire.Itplugsintothebackoftheboxyouputthefuseandrelayinanditisnexttoanexisting

connectorofthesamesizeandshape.Minewasblue,Idontknowifthatstrueinallcases.

Thereisaboltwithothergroundwiresconnectedtoit.Loosenthenutandslidethebrowngroundwire

ontheboltthentightenthenut.ItsbehindtheNAVDVDassemblywhichshouldbeswungtotheside

atthispoint.

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PassengerfloorboardworkAtthispointyouarealmostdoneandnowjustneedtoconnecttheiPodunit,anotherpowerplugand

theauxplug.

Startbyremovingthesidepanelnexttotheglovecompartment.Thispicturewastakenaftertheinstall

Iactually

used

alarger

screw

driver.

The

key

here

is

to

use

your

finger

as

afulcrum

so

you

dont

damage

tosoftdashmaterial.

Thispanelhasseveralfastenerclips,justprynexttoeachone.Onceremovedthewiringharnessshould

followthechanneluptowherethearrowisandendupinsidethedash.

Removethepanelundertheglovecompartmentbyremovingtwoscrewsandslidingtowardthedoor.

There

is

an

air

vent

on

the

left

side

of

the

panel

that

requires

you

to

slide

the

panel

to

remove

it.

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Nextremovethesidetrimofthekickplate.Therearetwoclipsyouwillneedtopryloose.Oncethose

areloosethereisaclipthatconnectstothespeakerhole.Pullthepaneltowardthebackofthecarto

removeit.

Locatethepowerblock.Itslikeapowerstrip(kindofacoolconcept)

Itmaybenecessarytoexposetheforwardpartofthefloorboard.TheMercedesinstallation

instructionslistedthepowerblockunderthefrontofthefloorboard,butIfounditonmycarebehind

thesidekickpanel.

OnceyouhavelocatedthepowerblockplugtheiPodpowercordintoanunusedpowerreceptacle.

Thepowercablelooksjustlikealltheotherpowercablespluggedintothepowerbock.

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Nowyou

will

need

to

fish

the

aux

input

cable

through

to

the

stereo

opening.

The

existing

aux

cable

is

alreadythere,Iusedacoathangertofollowittroughtobehindthegloveboxandtapedtheauxcable

fromtheiPodwiringharnesstoitandpulleditthrough.

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Nowyou

will

need

to

drill

ahole

in

the

glove

compartment

for

the

iPod

interface

cable.

Sorry

Idont

haveanypicturesofthis.TheMercedesinstallationinstructionscalledfora20mmdrillbit.Ididnt

haveonethatbigsoIdrilleditwiththelargestbitIhadandincreasedthesizeoftheopeninglarge

enoughtoacceptthegrommetwitharoundfile.

Theinstallationinstructionsplacestheholeonthebackwallofthegloveboxatthelowerleftcorner.

Therewherespecificdimensionsofwheretoplacethehole,youcanprobablyputitanywhereaslongas

thereisnothingbehindit.Youcanreachupandfeelthebackoftheglovecompartmenttodetermine

whereitissafetodrill.

ThreadtheiPodinterfacecablethroughtheholesecurethegrommetintheholeandconnecttheRJ

connectortotheiPodinterfaceunit.

ConnecttheiPodtotheotherendofthecable.

AtthispointIinstalledtheheadunitusingthenewauxcableandtheCDchanger.Connectthebattery

tomovetheshifteroutoftheway.

OncetheheadunitandCDchangerareinstalledtesttheinstallationtomakesureeverythingisworking.

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OnyourspeedometerdisplayyoushouldseeAudiopleasewait.Thenyouwillseethenameofthesong

thatwasplayingonyouriPodwhenyouconnectedit.

Ifallisgood,disconnectthebatteryandmounttheiPodinterfaceunittothecoveryouremovedfrom

undertheglovecompartment.

NowtheonlythinglefttodoismounttheiPodinterfaceunittothepanelyouremovedfromunderthe

glovecompartment.TheMercedesinstallationinstructionstellyoutoremovesomeofthefoam

paddingonthesidewiththeairventandusetheVelcrostripsincludedtosecureit.InmykitIgot4

piecesofthesamesideoftheVelcrosoIleftthefoampaddinginplaceandplacedtheinterfaceuniton

topofthatusingtheVelcrostripstofastenittothepanel.

Thatsit.Youaredone.