MB55

Hello fellow enthusiasts,

First post, so bear with me.

I bought a 2005 C55 last week and the only option missing is the factory SAT NAV. I was able to find and purchase an OEM SAT NAV from a 2006 C230 that was scrapped. I did a search, but could not find anywhere if I need to purchase the GPS antenna install kit or whether my C55 was already prewired? Where does it mount? Lastly, is there a clever way to conenct an XM receiver to this factory head unit instead of Sirius? I have XM on all my other cars and am set in my ways.

Appreciate the help...Alex

XJ9

you will definately need the sat antenna and you may need the harnessing as well. The only way to find out if you are pre-wired is to pull the right side trunk liner and look to see if the sat plug is sitting down in the well (next to the amp if you have it). You will also need the bracket that the sat tuner mounts to.

MB55

Every MB dealer I call gives me a different story with this one. I have gottten everything from plug and play to 15 hours for install time One told me that the SAT NAV antenna in the same one being using with Tele-aid. Since my car has teleaid, does that mean I can splice into the existing antenna?

Moviela

Hello Alex,

First, your NAV will always be behind where you are because your car is simply too darn fast.

The tele-aid in your car is now a boat anchor because it was on an analog cellular system that has been shut down. Some cars can be updated to digital Tele Aid, but my feeling is why bother. The little puppy dog tail behind the roof is the cellular antenna, and it is shared by tele-aid and the car telephone system (if installed.) No, you can't splice into it. The frequencies are quite different for GPS navigation.

The car is probably wired for Sirius receivers that use media orientated system transort (MOST) for the audio. There is no satellite radio or NAV antenna pre-installed on the car. If you buy the Sirius kit, it includes an antenna like a hockey puck that requires a 20mm hole be drilled in the center of the trunk. This antenna only works for Satellite radio, again GPS is on a different frequency.

You can add a simple cable to your car to allow connection (by a minijack) of audio to the head unit for XM, MP3, Walkman, iPod, or PC line out. The jack mounts in the right side of the glove box and the connector is located in the door sill next to the passenger front seat. If you push the CDC button on your head unit, and hold it for a second, the display will read AUX IN, and anything connected to the jack will be heard on the car speakers. A portable XM receiver could easily be connected this way.

Now, on to the COMAND. The dealers pile up more BS about this than a Texas cattle auction. It should be "no wiring changes" but far from "Plug and play." In the workshop information system (WIS) there is retrofit instruction section. It deals with modifying and mounting the GPS antenna above the instrument cluster (IC) under the dash pad, and pluging the lead into the COMAND. Now you need to have the COMAND version coding (Mercedes speak for config.sys) done by the dealer or someone with Star Diagnosis system. The version coding accounts for audio devices like tele-aid, phone, CD changer, Sirius, Premium Audio (logic 7), voice control, and navigation processor. It also allows the CANbus to toss the routing from the NAV into the little window in the instrument cluster called the multi-funtion display (MFD.) Version coding should take 15 minutes.

Good luck. Next buy a suit and helmet to track that puppy.

jmorris644

I just purchased the components for the SAT (SRDA). for the exact same car (06 C55). I am not familiar witht he WIS. Is this a place to find installtion instructions?

I ahve looked behind the rear seat and I think I ahve it figured out but it would be nice to find instructions to make certain.

Thanks

Joe

jmorris644

I see by my last post I was typing really fast. Lots of spelling errors

Anyway, I found WIS and have signed up with Star Tek. I have also found the SAT installation instructions for my C55 but it only has 2005 model instructions. Can I assume that the instructions for model 2006 are the same?

Also, I have looked in the rear quarter panel at all of the wires and there are no wires for the SAT installation.

Without the wires, is there any way I can install the SAT in this car?

I am going to post this in the AMG area too.

Thanks

Joe

Moviela

Hi Joe,

In a penny pinching mood Mercedes stopped "pre-wiring" for satellite radio on 06 models.

In your trunk you should find orange MOST fiber optic cables for the TeleAid and the phone. If there are any of them labeled SDARS, you might be in luck.

It is not impossible to put satellite in your car, but you will need a good working relationship with the parts guy at your dealer.

You will need the wiring harness from the rear SAM for bring power to the receiver. You will need the "wake-up" signal wiring harness for the sat receiver. I am not totally sure, but the connection point is probably in the passenger door sill wiring raceway.

If you are not using the telephone or TeleAid, those fiber optic cables could be used for the SDARS (Satellite Digital Audio Radio Service) receiver. It may be possible to move the phone wake-up wire to the SDARS terminal in the door sill.

Good Luck.


You might be able to get all the bits you need for the job from MBenzNL.com. I know they have installed SAT in many 06 cars.

jmorris644

Thanks for the info. I am going to take a look in the door sill today.

I was thinking that the wake-up signal came fromt he rear SAM.

I believe that I have found the wiring harness parts and will see if I can get more information. I ahve also posted a message to the folks at MBenzNL.com. I have not heard back yet though.

Thanks

Joe

jmorris644

Ok,

I found the retrofit instructions along with the wiring harnesses part numbers. So I am going to call my dealer tomorrow to see the pricing.

The instructions do not look super hard but they are definately time consuming. I just wish the wiring was already done for me.

I will definately be an expert when I am done with this install!!

Joe

jmorris644

I received the SDARS wiring harness from Steve at MBenzNL.com

I have most of it figured out but I cannot determine where to connect the wake-up pin. The harness is long enough to get me to the cable raceway under the passenger's door but I cannot determine where to connect it.

I ahve left a message for Steve but I know he is travelling and hard to contact. Does anyone know where to connect it?

Also, how the heck do you get those darn straight through fiber optic connectors open? I need to reuse them so I don't want to destroy them but I am having a heck of a time with them.

Thanks

Joe