'99 W210 Factory Bluetooth Retrofit!!
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'99 W210 Factory Bluetooth Retrofit!!
They said it couldn't be done, but I just did it...
I have a '99 E300TD that was factory prewired for the StarTac Phone system. I didn't have the actual factory phone hardware installed until the summer of '02. Unfortunately for me, this became obsolete equipment within about a year (Verizon wouldn't support my using this "older technology") and I became stuck with an expensive, useless item.
I had asked several MB dealers periodically over several years of any kind of retrofits to make this system useable again, and the answer had been nearly unanimous- NO. I wanted all the original factory functionality via the original radio head unit (which also controlled my factory CD changer.)
Within the last year, I found that MB HAD developed a retrofit, but was told it ONLY applied to MY 2000 and newer W210's, and that I was still out of luck with my '99.
With persistence, I finally ran into a "techie" at the dealer who said I MAY have two possible chances...
1) I was told that since I actually purchased my phone system from the dealer in '02, it may have been of the newer design.
2) I was also told that my car was a VERY late production '99 (mfr. June of 1999, serial # 940019) that it MAY have the newer 2000 fiber optic system installed already.
Given the news and some encouragement from a couple people on both this website as well as Mercedesshop, I ordered the bluetooth upgrade kit several weeks ago.
Went to have it all installed this morning, crossed my fingers and hoped for the best.
Within about an hour of going into the shop, the service writer came out and proclaimed that it actually WORKED! Everything had integrated perfectly, and I had all the functionality of the factory radio head unit back again!...now via the Motorola E815 bluetooth phone I had on my belt.
For those who may have a late-year '99 production car like mine, you could be in luck too. Following is a list of all the parts installed (and removed):
-The new parts totalled $831.80 (plus 1.5 hours install labor- $165.)
FYI- the parts installed were:
1 Q-6-82-0971 PSE ($228)
1 Q-6-82-0896 V60 Cradle ($167)
1-6-7-87-5856 V60 Bluetooth (puck- $436)
The parts REMOVED were:
PSE: "customer model" # Q6829460
Motorola model # SYN0373A
Serial # 991102
StarTac Cradle: # SYN8008A (3100)
StarTac Handset Info:
"Q6829539"
FCC ID# IHD15YD1 CDMA
other numbers on the old StarTac handset (behind battery):
SWF0037B L3 439427 2B
SN: FCD81F91 ZUT 934 J#0C91
Good luck to anyone else who might want to try this route!
J.G.
I have a '99 E300TD that was factory prewired for the StarTac Phone system. I didn't have the actual factory phone hardware installed until the summer of '02. Unfortunately for me, this became obsolete equipment within about a year (Verizon wouldn't support my using this "older technology") and I became stuck with an expensive, useless item.
I had asked several MB dealers periodically over several years of any kind of retrofits to make this system useable again, and the answer had been nearly unanimous- NO. I wanted all the original factory functionality via the original radio head unit (which also controlled my factory CD changer.)
Within the last year, I found that MB HAD developed a retrofit, but was told it ONLY applied to MY 2000 and newer W210's, and that I was still out of luck with my '99.
With persistence, I finally ran into a "techie" at the dealer who said I MAY have two possible chances...
1) I was told that since I actually purchased my phone system from the dealer in '02, it may have been of the newer design.
2) I was also told that my car was a VERY late production '99 (mfr. June of 1999, serial # 940019) that it MAY have the newer 2000 fiber optic system installed already.
Given the news and some encouragement from a couple people on both this website as well as Mercedesshop, I ordered the bluetooth upgrade kit several weeks ago.
Went to have it all installed this morning, crossed my fingers and hoped for the best.
Within about an hour of going into the shop, the service writer came out and proclaimed that it actually WORKED! Everything had integrated perfectly, and I had all the functionality of the factory radio head unit back again!...now via the Motorola E815 bluetooth phone I had on my belt.
For those who may have a late-year '99 production car like mine, you could be in luck too. Following is a list of all the parts installed (and removed):
-The new parts totalled $831.80 (plus 1.5 hours install labor- $165.)
FYI- the parts installed were:
1 Q-6-82-0971 PSE ($228)
1 Q-6-82-0896 V60 Cradle ($167)
1-6-7-87-5856 V60 Bluetooth (puck- $436)
The parts REMOVED were:
PSE: "customer model" # Q6829460
Motorola model # SYN0373A
Serial # 991102
StarTac Cradle: # SYN8008A (3100)
StarTac Handset Info:
"Q6829539"
FCC ID# IHD15YD1 CDMA
other numbers on the old StarTac handset (behind battery):
SWF0037B L3 439427 2B
SN: FCD81F91 ZUT 934 J#0C91
Good luck to anyone else who might want to try this route!
J.G.
Last edited by Jay Gibbs; Jan 21, 2008 at 08:11 PM.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 6,189
Likes: 242
From: Albuquerque
'10 CL550, '12 GL550
June 2000 was indeed the cutoff for start of production of 2000 W210 models.
In fact it was the beginning of the "facelift" cars.
Perhaps since Mercedes knew it was discontinuing diesels for the USA, they held on and produced a few more of the old ones.
In fact it was the beginning of the "facelift" cars.
Perhaps since Mercedes knew it was discontinuing diesels for the USA, they held on and produced a few more of the old ones.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 3,063
Likes: 26
From: Tampa, FL
2005 S500 4-Matic, 1978 450SL
Jay,
Thank you for posting that information.
Cars manufactured earlier than the "cutoff" mentioned by lkchris may have been equipped with an older analog-only PSE for the phone system (or wiring suitable only for the analog PSE). The analog/digital PSEs that followed (Startac and TimePort) were not compatible with the connectors for the analog-only PSE.
You were fortunate - you car was outfitted with wiring and proper connectors for the StarTac or Timeport PSEs.
As a result, you were able to use the later Autosense PSE, the earliest one that supports a V60 installation; that PSE is compatible with the V60 Bluetooth puck.
Yours is the first '99 I have been aware of to have this done. Good to know you could do it.
Thank you for posting that information.
Cars manufactured earlier than the "cutoff" mentioned by lkchris may have been equipped with an older analog-only PSE for the phone system (or wiring suitable only for the analog PSE). The analog/digital PSEs that followed (Startac and TimePort) were not compatible with the connectors for the analog-only PSE.
You were fortunate - you car was outfitted with wiring and proper connectors for the StarTac or Timeport PSEs.
As a result, you were able to use the later Autosense PSE, the earliest one that supports a V60 installation; that PSE is compatible with the V60 Bluetooth puck.
Yours is the first '99 I have been aware of to have this done. Good to know you could do it.
Last edited by Skylaw; Jan 24, 2008 at 08:39 AM.
