Replacing entire 2003 ML350 COMMAND with DVD nav unit from 2005 ML500
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 29
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From: Fargo, ND
2003 ML 350
Replacing entire 2003 ML350 COMMAND with DVD nav unit from 2005 ML500
Hi All, I am FINALLY the proud owner of my first Mercedes! WOW I love this vehicle even more than I ever thought I would! It came with the factory AM/FM Radio/Cassete player/6-disc CD changer like apparently many others of its vintage. I managed to find an entire navigation **DVD** in-dash radio unit from a 2005 ML500 on eBay for...$400!!!!! Yes, both vehicles used the exact same COMMAND MCS unit, so hopefully it will be a simple exchange 
. After it is installed, will I need to have a dealer program it? It comes with the code, but I have read something about "version coding" or something to that effect???
Oh, and I have just reprogrammed my remote unlock myself, my big accomplishment for the day! The person I bought the car from told me it was broken and would need to be replaced for like $200.
I love the internet ALMOST as much as I love my Mercedes!
TIA!
. After it is installed, will I need to have a dealer program it? It comes with the code, but I have read something about "version coding" or something to that effect???Oh, and I have just reprogrammed my remote unlock myself, my big accomplishment for the day! The person I bought the car from told me it was broken and would need to be replaced for like $200.
I love the internet ALMOST as much as I love my Mercedes!
TIA!
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 29
Likes: 0
From: Fargo, ND
2003 ML 350
DVD nav upgrade working!
UPDATE: The new DVD nav/radio arrived yesterday. Installation took all of 10 minutes, it was pretty foolproof. Just needed to find the square connector (previously unused), on the ML's wiring harness, unroll it, and plug it into the new system. It actually took longer to find two correctly sized steak knives (poor woman's "radio removal tool" LOL), than it did to pull the old unit and replace it with the new one.
I have the nav voice working without a trip to the dealer (???) and strangely, the DVD for a newer model Mercedes (2006+) with MCS II works flawlessly. (?!?!?!) So far, the issues I had with the radio cutting out occasionally and having to be turned off for a few seconds and then back on again, seems to have disappeared as well.
So far I have learned a LOT from the forum, and I'd like to thank everyone who has contributed information!
I love my Mercedes more and more each day!!!!
I have the nav voice working without a trip to the dealer (???) and strangely, the DVD for a newer model Mercedes (2006+) with MCS II works flawlessly. (?!?!?!) So far, the issues I had with the radio cutting out occasionally and having to be turned off for a few seconds and then back on again, seems to have disappeared as well.
So far I have learned a LOT from the forum, and I'd like to thank everyone who has contributed information!
I love my Mercedes more and more each day!!!!
