dave_seelig

i just finished retrofitting a ntg2.5 command into my 04 and thought some you you might be interested in how to do this on your own!

first off you will have to source all your parts needed:
for all years you will need
-ntg2.5 headunit
-ntg2.5 compatible amplifier
-ntg2.5 antenna kit(comes with bluetooth, gps antenna, microphone, fakra antenna splitter)

if you are fitting into a 03-04 car you will need some additional components:
-cup holder trims part#s 23068904397167, and 23068905397167
-center support to hold the radio in place part # 2306890216
-most optical harness available on ebay
-05+ style amplifier connector harness
-05+ quadlock connector for the back of radio

optional:
-05+ style console trim ( i just cut mine down to fit)
-quality set of 2 ohm speakers (the original bose will sound terrible)

now that you have all this good stuff lets get started!!!

step 1. remove all existing audio components (command, cd changer, sirius radio, navigation drive, phone kit, speakers, and anything else you may have hooked up in your vehicle)

step 2. if you have the d2b bus and you need to change to MOST, carefully unbolt and lift up the rear of the center console and lay out your new optical harness in the existing position of the d2b. if you have an 05+ you can skip this step.

step 3. for all the 03-04 owners in here we have a little more work, its time to setup the quad lock harness, and amplifier harness' (i will post repin guide and
diagrams in my next post on this thread.

step 4. set your new center support in place and bolt it down, hook up your ntg2.5 unit. you can power it up at this point and check to ensure it functions correctly. then hook up our modified amplifier harness. it will not sound good yet!

step 6. after ensuring this all works. its time to bolt together your console if you have an 05+. if you wanted to save money like i did 03-04 will need this part, or you can carefully cut. i did this by rough cutting the upper loop off, then changing my cup holder trim and using the lower edge of the new trim as a guide to mark where my cut will be made.

step 7. time to replace all the speakers in your car. using the new amplifier will require the use of 2 ohm speakers, the factory bose are 3.5 ohm(this is why your sound quality is suffering)

step 8. its finally time to put your vehicle all back together.

step 9. coding the unit. this will be the most difficult part. you will need a SDS with developer mode on it. there are a few thing you will have to do
-change the vehicle year in the central gateway to 2009
-restart xentry
-go into the instrument cluster setting and change the nab, and audio parameters to most instead of d2b.
-now access the ntg2.5 unit check the faults and see if there are any issues.
-if you have a unit that requires a pin code, this is the time and place to enter it
-if you want to change the scn coding on the ntg2.5 unit, you will have to find someone at the dealer to do online coding, or your sentry version must be prior to 7.2011

hope this helps you guys out! please feel free to ask me any questions! pinouts soon to follow!

dave_seelig

here are the pinouts

if going from 03-04 command 2.0 to ntg2.5

behind radio
old connector new
bat+ a 7 a 15
bat- a 8 a 12
can low c2 8 a 9
can hi c2 9 a 11
if you want to add your existing aux in connector
aux shield c2 14 c 3
aux left c2 13 c 4
aux end c2 5 c 9
aux right c2 4 c 10

if going from 05+

behind radio
old new
bat+ a16 a15
bat- a15 a12
can hi b1 a11
can lo b2 a9
most wake b4 a16
tel mute b5 a10


on the amplifier.
i do not have the schematics for the existing units but it will have to be set up as follows

pin component
1 bat+
2 bat-
27 most wake from head unit
23 center channel +
28 center channel -
17 left door tweeter -
5 left door tweeter+
22 left door woofer -
10 left door woofer +
16 right door tweeter -
4 right door tweeter +
20 right door woofer -
8 right door woofer +
21 left rear surround -
9 left rear surround +
18 right rear surround -
6 right rear surround +

if you plan on using a factory sub amp

29 to pin 8 on sub amp
24 to pin 3 on sub amp
31 to pin 2 on sub amp

on sub amp

11 bat+
12 bat -
7 sub 1 +
10 sub 1 -
4 sub 2 +
1 sub 2 -

RoundTheBenz

Dave, the command unit. Is this the one that you can change the faceplate on to fit different Mb models?

dave_seelig

yeah, this unit was originally out of an 09 e class, i had a sl version but couldn't get around the anti theft pin code. all i had to do was grab the standard non nav unit and pop the hd into it. use star and just activate the hd. work just as it is supposed to.

also just swap faces.

Chris The Swede

And if you have an old R230 you need a new cluster as well. Not all clusters that can be changed from D2B to MOST. Only newer ones.

Puckman

HI Maybe you guys can help me. I have a W211 2003 model. Bought a NTG2.5 in 2010 and did the retro fit. Everything worked fine after fit but the coding became an issue My star guy could not access the Command unit. We used a different VIN for an newer model car but still could not access the unit. DAS asks to turn ignition on off on off but doesn't seam to see the ignition functioning. (Heard some early barrels may be an issue.) Anyway after playing with it for so long the Anti Theft triggered. The unit has been a book stop for the last 3 years. Any advise would be wonderful.

Chris The Swede

You can waste it..You need the original car it came from to remove the Anti Theft...Or some kind of hacker..Not found one my self in all these years.

dave_seelig

There is a place I found that sells blank flash memory chips you could solder onto the board and start from scratch. Aside from that unless you have the vin from the donor vehicle you're stuck

PrecisionEngine

Nice work! Hopefully your still around, I have a few questions. I'm trying to update my 2006 SL. I'm getting some conflicting info. According to your posting, you used an E-class COMAND. Did all your clocks and instrument cluster tags work?

From other research I've done you need to have an SL COMAND to ensure the above works.

dave_seelig

Technically yes you are correct, in that the e class comand and the sl use different protocols sending data through the can system. The head unit needed some modification to work in my sl. The only reason I used an e class unit is because the sl unit was bricked. Basically I used the e class unit but changed some of the inner boards, and the front fascia of the unit to make it function correctly with the sl can bus system. Please feel free to ask me any questions.

PrecisionEngine

I think I'm going to try and find an SL COMAND first. These things are not easy to come by....

My next question: does the HK system have two Amps? Does the HK and Bose system share the same number of speakers?

-P

dave_seelig

Yes, the hk system uses 2 amplifiers, one main for all the mid- high speaker, and a micro amp for the sub. The speakers amounts vary between the 2 systems. The Bose has 2 per door, while the hk has 3 per door.
The sl head unit would be the easiest way to get this up and working, just make sure you purchase a unlocked model, or one with the vin of the vehicle included with the purchase, or the six digit unlock code provided with it. Otherwise you will not be able to get it up and running!

yiannossavva

I already retrofit audio 20 to ntg2.5
I change the year and now i can have access to the ntg2.5
I can't find how i can activate buck up camera.
I just find (buck up camera deactivate). I can click and change that. I ask if enyboby can do that

Thanks

W211_350WagoN

Hey finally going to have the comand coded at dealer any pointers? I installed it about to years ago but want to be able to update maps.
Thanks

stanlychou

hi dave_seelig,

Could you let me know the part number of amplifier that you are using ?
Thanks.

dave_seelig

I'm going to be opening up that paneling in the car within the Next few days. I'll let you know then

TheSaint

I know this is an old topic but i wonder if the pinouts in the diagram is for the 2002-2004 SL, R230 or is it for the 2005 and newer SL, R230 or is it for both NTG2.0 and NTG 2,5?

Is the wires and connector for NTG2.0, NTG2.5 or both?

Rudeney

The A and B connector pinouts should be the same, but C and C2 are different.

TheSaint

Thanks Rudeney Just so i am sure i have understood this correct it is C1 and C2 on the connector that is different on 2002 - 04 SL compared to the 2005 - 08 SL?

C1 and C2 mqarked with the red arrows. Have i got this right?

Rudeney

Yes. Here's a document I found a while back that has detail on many of MBZ's radios:

http://benzbits.com/RadioWiring.pdf

If you'll notice, on almost all of them, the A and B connectors are the same.

57staff

I'm glad this topic got bumped lately. This goes along with a comment Bobterry provided in another thread that is relevant to us 03-04 R230 owners with d2b.

Whether we are switching to a newer Command unit or to an aftermarket head unit, swapping to the '05 and newer MOST compatible amplifier looks like a move to make any swap doable. If I understand the article we would need the following:

-ntg2.5 compatible amplifier or at least '05 or later Bose amplifier
-cup holder trims part#s 23068904397167, and 23068905397167
-center support to hold the radio in place part # 2306890216 (???)
-most optical harness available on ebay
-05+ style amplifier connector harness

The OP mentions a Quad connecter, but isn't that if you are changing to the newer ntg2.5 command unit only? Any aftermarket head unit should have it's own connector, yes?

Also, the C1 and C2 connections look like the CANBUS elements, is that correct?

TheSaint

Thanks a lot for posting the link Rudeney

Sanchez13

Thanks Dave for the post and everyone else for further information.

I have been reading loads of threads in different forums about this subject, but I’m still quite lost.

I have a Mercedes S500 (1998) with Bose audio system. As far as I know, I have D2B fibre optical system, thus I cannot install a new aftermarket head unit.

i


I bought this one from Ali, which I guess it’s only for MOST cars.

Could I use an adapter or amplifier to plug my D2B cable to this unit?

Sorry if I asked something stupid, after reading so much info I’m still not able to draw any conclusion.

Thank you all.

57staff

For anyone interested, I have a stereo wiring harness for a R230 SL 05+ with MOST amplifier. I was planning on doing the D2B to MOST conversion then putting in an aftermarket head unit. However I sold the car a few years ago.

Just pay the shipping and it's yours.

Les

Jrampon

Helo!
I installed this on the SL350 2010. I bought it on Ali. Plug and Play. Android 10 with Cambus (steering wheel functions working on the fly), Reverse Camera and various other functions .
I highly recommend it.https://a.aliexpress.com/_mrcaDKV

Excellent week to all!