XJ9

The answer to 2 is that you would need to purchase and install the ipod retrofit kit for your GL as well as source that additional cable that I talked about in my previous post. The kit cost from parts is around $450.. No word on the availability of the adapter cable yet or its pricing.

The charging is a non-issue. The car battery will not be drained as the ipod charging current is very small and the ipod itself will drop to minimal standby current once the battery is fully charged.

cheenu

Hi XJ9,
Thanks a lot for your answers.

lkchris

Thanks for posting this.

It's not in the "trademotion" system yet for the online Mercedes dealers but will keep checking as those 20% discounts are pretty nice.

NJS430

Do you know where it is on the S-class? Does it replace the cable in the glovebox or do they both work after it is installed?

rob13572468

On the S the ipod module sits directly above the command DVD changer. You undo 4 T-20 to remove the trim around the changer and then undo another 4T-20 to remove the changer itself. The cable that goes into the glovebox gets removed and a new one plugs from the module to the cradle.

NJS430

That makes sense - thank you for the info!

Have you installed one on the 221? Is there a specific place to bring the cable into the center console? Do you know if the 3G works in the new cradle or if Mercedes is working on a second version?

JonMBZ

I tried ours as well, I am not too impressed as it has to be docked in order to work unlike the previous hybrid cradles. You gain a little bit of signal which not a problem really if you are using edge/2g iphone anyways, I think the MHI Universal cradle is still the best since you can keep the phone in your pocket and use it for future upgrades. You can also charge/use your iphone in the glove box with the ipod kit kind of hard to do if you have your phone docked in the center console.

rob13572468

I havent had a chance to try one with the new 3G yet. I have some on order and will find out. You can run the wire into the center console but you have to unbolt it and pull it up to route the wire as well as drill a small hole to fit the cable through.

GedaBlaq

Hey XJ9,
I have an '08 C350 w/MM Package and iPhone 3G. This "new multimedia kit" that you had fitted to your W204, where'd you get it, how much does it cost and does it bypass the ipod cable in the glove box or do I have to get an adapter/ have the glovebox cable moved to connect it to the kit? Please forgive me if I sound dumb but this is a big issue for me.
Hello to everyone else and I LOOOVE my MB!!!
Thnx in advance for your reply and advice.

rob13572468

I actually did the retrofit work on XJ9's 204. The multimedia kit is actually the brand new OEM mecedes ipod kit that comes standard on most of the 2009 models but not the C, CL,CLK and S. Fortunately the C can now be retrofitted. The cost to do this typically runs about $900 for parts and another $350 for installation. This kit will completely replace the existing ipod kit if you have it so that kit can be resold to recoup some money. Another advantage of the installation is that if you want the ipod cable somewhere else (like the center console) it can be mounted there instead.

GedaBlaq

Thanks a billion for the reply rob. It's great to know that you're in Chicago. Right now $1,250's a little steep for me (new kid 'n all) but I'll definitely be keeping in touch w/ you about this retrofit. I need it BAD! Another W204 C350 owner from Chicago, "YTC" (W204 forum), may be interested in this mod as well. I'll check w/ him and others on the forum to see if I can drum up some business for you while I'm stackin my benjis.
BTW, ever heard of Rennology in Chicago (Oak Forest actually)? www.rennology.com
I stumbled across them while searching for performance mods. From what I can tell, they're the next best thing to the dealership AND they warranty their mod work! I was just wondering whether any MB owners in the Chicago area have personally dealt with or can vouch for them. Again, thanks much and great to cybermeetcha.

mdavidpaolini

About a six weeks ago I ordered the iPhone cradle from my dealership, and I've been using it for more than a month. I thought I would share some feedback for anyone that is interested in moving from the BT Puck to the dedicated iPhone cradle.

From my perspective, the cradle is a HUGE step forward for the use of my phone. The integrated amplifier works great with GSM and UMTS, and makes a really big difference for me, partially because of the area where I live and partially because my dark window tint reduces the signal levels inside the car. Finally my coverage is perfect and I can talk for 30-40 minutes while driving and not drop a call.

In addition, I really enjoy the fact that I don't need a cigarette lighter plug to keep the phone charged, cluttering the interior and getting in the way of the CD changer door. I also don't have to worry about where to put the phone in the cabin for good reception.

However, there are a couple of items that I noticed that I should share. First, my dealer could not determine what extension cable to purchase so I could connect the cradle to the brain of my iPod adapter (which was factory installed). Without this, there is a cable hanging loose in my center glovebox, and the iPhone's iPod functionality is useless until this cable is connected to the iPod brain. To use the iPod function I have to remove the phone from the cradle and plug it into the iPod plug in my glovebox. (If anyone knows the cable part number, I'd love to know).

Second, the software/firmware combination I have today has a small glitch - when the addressbook is transferred from the phone to the car, there is no distinction between the multiple numbers of a single contact. They all transfer perfectly, but instead of having Bob Smith /M, Bob Smith /H, Bob Smith /W as I did before, I have three lines of Bob Smith. Its cumbersome to examine the options of each entry manually to see which phone number is the one you want to call.

Finally, the cradle I purchased is actually for the iPhone, not the iPhone 3G. We have both, and the original iPhone fits unbelievably perfectly in the cradle. Smooth insert and release, no pressure points anywhere. Exactly what you would expect from MB. The iPhone 3G has a thinner but wider case....while it still fits in the cradle, you can tell that it puts pressure on the phone and the electrical connector that connects the phone to the cradle. My dealer told me he wouldn't warranty the device if used with a 3G iPhone, but so far I haven't seen any reason for concern.

Most products that work with the iPod and iPhone have removable shells that allow the device to work with a number of sized units. Maybe this is in the works for MB in the future. And I'm sure the address book item will be fixed with either an iPhone software update or an update to the iPhone cradle firmware. It worked perfectly with my BT Puck before.

But for now I'm REALLY happy with the unit and glad I spent the money. I encourage you to check it out if you haven't.

wrongcoast

Great update mdavidpaolini. Thanks.

I, too, have the multiple, non-specific address book entry issue. With any luck enough people will complain about it so an update will be issued. I've also noticed that my 3g iPhone fits very snugly in the cradle but have noticed no obvious physical stresses once it's seated. I've also noticed that the phone does get quite warm in the cradle.
I'm unconvinced through my 3+ months of use that the new cradle utilizes the car's built in antenna thus creating a stronger signal like I had with my Motorola V60. I constantly get dropped calls in places I used to maintain a solid connection. VERY ANNOYING! LA has pretty strong coverage so I don't blame ATT (for once) but rather the Comand system not using the built in capability my old cradle took advantage of.
Another issue for me is that when the phone rings it does so both from the actual phone (with the ring I have pre-set) and ALSO through the system with a ding-dongy doorbell kind of ring that I have no idea how to change.
Finally, if the phone is in the cradle and I try to use my Jawbone II bluetooth headset it actually turns the phone off. Maybe I'm missing some logical reason why that would happen but sometimes I want to use the headset and not the speaker so needless to say it's a bit frustrating.

Skylaw

It may not help you to know this, wrongcoast - but my RAZR Bluetooth combo cradle setup also had the same problem displaying multiple numbers under one person's name, and the multiple ring problem. I had to make separate entries to break that up, and display all the numbers.

As I recall, the multiple ring problem was mentioned in the literature that came with my Bluetooth cradle combo (or perhaps in the cell phone section of my User Manual). It doesn't happen with my plug-in V710.

And since my car is an '05, one would have thought they'd have programmed things to work a little differently by now.

Also, I am not aware of any MB Bluetooth setup that uses SMS, at least in the U.S.; it is a feature available only with plug-in phones such as my V710.

My RAZR and its BT combo cradle sit in a closet. I'm happier with the better integration available with my V710 (since I don't have to carry its bulk all the time, now).

wrongcoast

I appreciate the info Skylaw. I've had my '07 Comand upgraded to the most recent software (live traffic, etc.) so you'd think they'd have some of these bugs worked out. Let's keep our fingers crossed that a very expensive add on (the iPhone cradle) can be made, with an update, to be fully functional. There's no reason your equipment should sit in a drawer.

t-bone

When did you notice the change from having the /M, /H, /W distinction to not having it? Was it when you upgraded the iPhone firmware to 2.1?

smcgurk

I have a 2006 CLS 500 and I have an iPhone 3G that I want to integrate into my car with a craddle. My car is not wired for a phone so I was wondering if you guys could let me know if it will work. All I am looking to do is charge my phone and have a permanent place for my phone. I hate using a ciggarette car charger. Please help!

kitus_san

After reading the thread I think I'm a little confused and would very much appreciate some help in understanding the following aspects:

1st, is there a iphone cradle version for the iphone 3g or are you guys talking about the original cradle renouncing battery charging of the 3g model?? has MB already released a new(fixed) version for the 3g?

2nd will the cradle allow me to listen to my mp3s or does it only feature "voice" and contact management, etc? As I got the command factory built-in, I do have an aux port in the glove box but if I run the cable to the arm thing, though it would allow music, I would lose ipod control if you understand what I mean...

3rd in case there is a new cradle (1st question), how could I get it in Europe (particulary in Spain)?

I would very much appreciate help and feedback if possible.

Thanks in advance,

Marc

lkchris

It's the same cradle originally designed for the original iPhone but it DOES charge the 3g. It's just mythology that it doesn't. What is true is that the 3g doesn't fit the cradle too well but it does fit.

If you have a W211, Mercedes has parts and procedures to enable using the ipod function with Mercedes iPod adapter. See nearby thread.

kitus_san

Hello lkchris,

I own a w203 with the following extras 354 (Phone antenna) and 386 Universal Cell preinstallation. As mentioned, I also have this AUX port in the glove box compartment. After reading the post, it is not yet clear to me, whether I need to buy both the iphone cradle plus the ipod integration kit or just the first would feature "voice" and "music"... Don't know if I made my point I just can't believe MB fools us by selling two diferent devices when it comes to the iPhone which is known enough for the ipod capabilites plus phone.

Thanks in advance,

Marc

t-bone

The iPhone cradle will charge your 3G iPhone, but you will need the newer iPod integration kits to get it to plug into your cradle. However, I don't think all iPod kits can be wired to work with the iPhone cradle.

Someone posted information about a kit to retrofit some W211 cars so that you can reroute the cable into the center console and then make them compatible with the cradle. I am not sure how accurate this is because some sources mention that this will only work for COMAND's named BR204 and BR211. These COMAND units are the ones that came in the 2009 W211 E-class and W204 C-class. So it seems if you have an older W211, like my 2004, the retrofit kit to reroute the iPod connection may not work.

I have the iPhone cradle and it synchronizes with my car very well. When I want to play music from it, I remove it from the cradle and plug it into the iPod connection in my glovebox.

lkchris

This is mass confusion.

NO ipod kit from Mercedes for pre-2009 cars works with COMAND. It all happens only on the speedometer (multi function display).

The harness Mercedes provides to connect the W211 ipod integration kit to the iphone harness is specifically described as for 2005-2008 models.

This is because the phone systems changed in 2005 and there is no "cradle" for anything but old obsolete phones for the older cars. That's why 2004 and earlier cars are now almost exclusively using Bluetooth. You couldn't put the iphone car in an earlier model in any event, so the connection kit is irrelevant.

It's all VERY accurate information.

BigSis

True. The MB iPod kits work through the ICs. However, t-bone is right when he says that the 204 820 03 04 iPhone to iPod cable only works in 204 C-classes and the model updated 211s with the newer head units (like the comand NTG 2.5). This cable doesn't work in the older 211s, or in other MB models for that matter.

The info I get when 'tracking' this part number, is that it's to be used with the BR204 and BR211 (model updated - 2009+ - 211s).

That's not the info I get when checking this part number... It doesn't mention anything about the pre 2009 211s. Or maybe you have a different part number? The only other 'iPod to...' cable I could find, is also for the 204 C-classes and and 2009+ 211s, and connects to the Multi Media Interface.

The iPhone cradle can also be used in pre 2005 211s (in fact, it sits better in the armrest compared to the 2005+ armrests). But then, the iPhone cradle connects to the car through BT as well.

Using the iPhone cradle - or a regular Bluetooth interface - in an earlier MB model with D2B wiring will cause echoing sounds for the person you are talking to.

greetingz,

BigSis

lkchris

See WIS AZ82.70-P-0013T Retrofit iPhone kit

rob13572468

There is a different cable that is going to be available for the 2005-2008 vehicles with the ipod kit that displays on the cluster. That cable will connect between the cradle and the black ipod controller box and replace the existing cable (e.g. the cable will plug in the RJ45 jack on the ipod kit and run to the cradle).

This cable will *not* however change the way the ipod kit functions. All it does is allow you to put your iphone into the new cradle and at the same time use it with the older ipod kit.