DIY: 2005 W211 Mercedes-Benz E-Class OEM Navigation Retrofit

I’ve been a member on this forum for a while and have benefited from all the resources shared by fellow members. Now that I have completed retrofitting a navigation system to a 2005 W211, I thought this would be a good opportunity for me to contribute back to the forum. So I took some pictures and wrote a short step-by-step to help those who might be interested in doing the same. Hopefully this information can be of benefit to MBWorld forum members.

These steps are intended for a 2005-model-year W211 Mercedes-Benz E-Class sedan which has a full-screen COMAND head unit. This particular model has everything pre-wired, so the install would consist of installing a DVD processor in the trunk for plug-and-play operation; no cutting or splicing of wires needed. The most difficult part is probably removing and reinstalling the trunk panel, so if you can do that, this is an extremely easy retrofit.

I ordered the complete kit from MBDoctor.com and received everything within a week as promised (I am on the west coast). Sammy was excellent to deal with. He called me after the order was placed to confirm the spec of my car so correct parts were ordered. Subsequent calls were answered promptly, and he patiently answered all my questions. He even included detailed instructions to make the installation a breeze. Kudos to Sammy, I would definitely do business with him again in the future.

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The install kit consists of the following parts (part numbers in parentheses):

• 1 base bracket (A211 545 54 40)
• 1 processor bracket (A211 545 63 40)
• 1 navigation processor (A220 820 60 85)
• 1 MOST fiber adaptor (A211 540 68 33)
• 1 GPS antenna splitter (A210 820 24 89)
• 1 screw (N 910 105 006 023)
• 1 nut (N 910 112 006 003)
• 1 left rear trunk panel (A 211 690 01 53 9C53)

Note: The trunk panel comes in different variations, with different part numbers like A 211 690 81 53 9F08.

An Even More Detailed Note from Forum Member MBenzNL: “9F08″ is the color code for the W211 trunk panels as of VIN number A644805 (07/13/2004) and X170411 (08/17/2004) whereas “9C53” is the color code for the W211 trunk panels before these VIN numbers. “9C53” is anthracite, “9F08” is black … the 2005 W211 E-Class needs a black trunk liner.

You will need to specify the following when ordering:

1. If the car has a fold-down seat
2. If there is a cigarette-lighter power outlet in the trunk
3. The color of the trunk interior (black or gray)

Step One: Trunk Panel Removal

A. Remove the two button clips, and the two left luggage hold-down hooks.

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B. Unplug the cigarette lighter plug and unscrew the nut on the back to remove it. See picture below.

C. Carefully remove the trunk panel, starting from the front and work toward the back.
D. Have a beer, the hardest part is over.

Step Two: MOST Fiber Loop Install

Note: Take the usual precautions when working with fiber cables. Do not crimp/bend them under any circumstances!

A. Clip the wire tie around the navigation wiring harness, and locate the antenna and power wires. (2003-2004 MY would also have a fiber connector here)

B. Unplug the MOST loop connector to the AGW module behind the C-pillar (back of the plate where antenna cable bracket is mounted.)

C. Lightly pry the side of the plug housing to eject the fiber plug assembly.

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D. Push the blue fiber retainer and remove the fiber labeled “1” (yellow fiber) from the assembly.

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E. Insert the fiber from the navigation kit into the assembly and reassemble.

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F. Insert the yellow fiber removed from the assembly into the plug from the nav kit (A211 540 68 33). This creates an extension to the MOST loop for the nav drive. Now plug the AGW plug back to AGW module.

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G. Remove the antenna cable bracket by cutting the back mounting tab. This bracket will not be reused.

H. In the bracket there is one connected cable and one open-ended cable not connected to anything. Unhook the connected cable and the plug to the input and output #1 of the splitter. Then connect the open-ended cable into output #2 of the splitter.

I. Install the antenna splitter into the same location where the bracket used to be.

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Step Three: Navigation Drive Install

A. Remove the nut for the SAM bracket.

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B. Mount the lower base bracket from the navigation kit using the SAM bracket screw/nut from the previous step as well as the nut from nav kit.

C. Hook the navigation drive mount onto the two tabs on the SAM bracket. The hook acts as a hinge to let the drive mount swing in and out.

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D. Slide the nav drive in until a click is heard, and connect the three connectors to the back.

E. Use the screw (N 910 105 006 023) from the nav kit to affix the nav drive mount to the base bracket.

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Step Four: New Trunk Panel Installation and Programming

A. Install the new trunk panel from the navigation kit, and that’s all there is to it.

B. The nav will work as is, but the MOST ring will need to be reprogrammed or else it may cause problems when the error buffer is filled. The instrument cluster will also need to be programmed for the navigation prompts to appear in the multi-function display. Your dealer can do this programming for you..

For more questions from the forum, or to ask Steven Chen about the installation, head to this DIY guide’s original forum post.