BoSoxFan

Has anybody installed a Nokia UHI with an '04 W211 COMAND? Hertz in Europe provides a Nokia cradle in their rental W211s and your own 6030i is fully integrated with COMAND allowing steering wheel control of the address book and calls. So I know it can be done. I have an '04 E500 with Navigation but WITHOUT Hands Free Communication or Voice Control. I expect to be in Europe in a couple of weeks and planned on buying a Nokia kit at a German dealer and doing the install myself.

My questions are: (1) will the European Nokia kit integrate with the USA version of COMAND; and, (2) are the connectors all compatible with the US wiring harness? Courtesy of the Paul Dick site, I have the install manual and it looks pretty straight-forward. Are there any "gotcha's" that I'm missing? I assume that I will have to bring it to a dealer for the STAR update.

SUNILP

fortunatly, the new E classes have the new 10 pin IDC connector in the center console so you can change to the UHI kit pretty easily. The PSe will mount in the trunk. You will have to change the center console floor piece to one that can accomidate the UHI connector clip. That should be all that is necessary. You will also need a cradle to hold the phone. I think the cradles are around 300 and pse around 300 dollars. These cradles are not regular cradles. They have the "LOGIC" board of the system integrated into them. The only 2 cradles available now are for the Nokia 6310i and Siemens s55 GSM phone. See my pictures of the UHi kit. Although it was much more involved that what you have to do. http://homepage.mac.com/drsunilpatel/PhotoAlbum14.html

BoSoxFan

Oops! I typed the wrong model number for the Nokia. The 6310i is what I have. Nice pix of what you did. I read about your install in one of the threads but thought you might have a Euro COMAND. Also, wasn't sure of the differences between '03 and '04. Do you know if I need a linear compensator and antenna switch (Teleaid is installed and active) or are those either pre-installed or not required on the '04?

Do you happen to have the part numbers for the cradle and PSE? It might save some time when I visit the dealer in Mannheim.

Thanks for the info!

SUNILP

antenna switch has to be used if you use the same antenna as teleaid. I have teleaid and it is active as well but I installed a hidden Hirschmann antenna as I got better performance from it. Also, I have a antenna amplifier installed. I have the linear compensator as well but it did not help much. The antenna AMP is wonderful. Full reception all the time.

BoSoxFan

Sunman,

Thanks for the good information. It's great to have someone to consult who has already been there.

George

scorchie

Please post your experiences when you have completed this project. I am curious what you will do after finding the pricing of the Nokia parts.

I am also curious as to why sunman has the belief that the W211 is even remotely similar to the W203, especially since the PSE is already included in the US car.

-s-

SUNILP

I got prices for the Nokia parts from Germany. The 04 and 03 E classes did not come with any PSE installed. I believe it is an option now on MBUSA to have the PSE preinstalled from factory. The Basic system is similar in both cars. I have studied both extensively. I have EPC's for both w211 and w203 and most parts are the same except for the PSE since the w211 uses MOST and the w203 uses D2B from 01-04.

scorchie

All USA W211 E-class have PSE installed. It is not an option, it is in all cars. Can you comment on the difference between CP-HIGH and CP-LIGHT then, as you might be able to help out me and Steve with some things we're trying to figure out? Remember our conversations about how your "Nokia PSE" for W211 would not work in a USA car?

You've got to be kidding if you think the basic system is the same for the W203 and W211, except for the PSE. You've even commented that the connector is different (you called it "IDC" although it does not displace any insulation, it is more accurately an ISO connector). The W211 hooks into CANBUS; the W203 does not. The W211 has TeleAid and PSE combined in one unit (in USA), the W203 does not.

I am willing to donate my W211 for you to experiment on if you think you can get anything to work on it, as I have been waiting for this for a long time (after having a Nokia W211 PSE for nearly two years). Please help me!

Thanks,

-s-

miroj

The PSE goes where in a W211 ?

I dont think it goes in the trunk if the antenna cable is in the A-pillar.

scorchie

In a US-spec W211 the "PSE" (it is called "CP" in a W211) is in the center of the trunk tray. The antenna cable is not in the A-pillar on a US-spec W211.

In a European-spec W211 with complete integrated phone wiring (not the Peiker-type kit that mounts to the center console), the CP sits to the left of the trunk tray.

There are obviously many option codes for phone wiring, so it's not practical to list them all here and the locations for all the components. However, for the USA, there is only one configuration, and all US-spec cars come from the factory that way. The compensator/antenna switch is then installed if a customer chooses to purchase a phone kit.

Pretty sneaky that MBUSA charges the same price for the W211 phone kit when in reality one could purchase all the parts separately for less than the kit, because the PSE is already included in every car.

-s-

p.s. this is for MY 2003/2004 cars... I have not yet taken apart a MY 2005.

miroj

I must have been thinking about the bluetooth upgrade. However, in some installs the final harness which completes the phone install attaches to the antenna in the a-pillar. and under the passenger dashboard (above footwell).

There is no mention of having to fit a PSE or similar so I assume it is always there.

scorchie

Those are Peiker-type installs with a self contained speaker and amplifier (from what I have seen). Those do not use a PSE as there is no integration with the car's electronics other than to mute the audio system during a call.

-s-

edit: I call them "Peiker-type" but that is the incorrect term... it's just that Peiker was the main manufacturer of most of those phone mounts that attach to the side of the center console (so that passengers riding in the car can either mute the speaker or break the mount with the knee).

BoSoxFan

Some philosopher once said something like "the more I learn, the more I realize that I don't know." I've learned a lot since discovering this forum about a week ago but still have a long way to go. If you couldn't get a Nokia to work, then I doubt if I could. Since the standard installed PSE supports both the phone and Teleaid, then it sounds like the PSE cannot be changed without affecting Teleaid. I don't want to do that.

What about a Mik-Box and Nokia cradle? Would that work (assuming that Mik has modified his box to handle the Nokia)?

Are there any other alternatives other than buying a V60? I like the Nokia 6310i because I can use the same phone in Europe and throughout most of the US. Also, the GSM is far superior to my old CDMA (at least with AT&T).

SUNILP

I am not trying to argue any point here and just wanted to post what I knew. Sure sounds like a bit of sarcasm. Anyway,

as for the wiring of both the w211 and w203, it is the same. I have checked it myself and have the wire harnesses of both cars. THe connectors are different as the w211 has the 10 pin ISo connector and w203 has the RJ Connector. Techinically both harnesses carry the same data to the PSE in the rear. AS for teh CP Light adn High you are talking about, I believe the CP Light is the basic version. The basic phone PSE which is pretty comparable to the w203 PSE. It is what Euro cars. The CP HIGH is the PSE that has both the TEleaid and Phone PSE in one unit. Please let me know if I am wrong. I have my w211 EPC somewhere and I can see about the UHI part numbers if you would like. My EPC is dated 11/2003 so it may not have all teh updated parts in it. Unfortunatly, I don't have a w211 so I can not do anything.

scorchie

No sarcasm, you say you are posting what you KNOW and that is completely different than what I KNOW from having a W211... so if you know something different, I would be more than ecstatic to have you help me get a Nokia in my car.

I just noticed that you seem to be talking about the handset harness, but the PSE harness in the W211 has many more wires and goes to more places than just the handset connector, so I don't understand how they can be "the same".

And, I do post that I know something different, but you continually tell me that it is incorrect... so I don't understand why you're asking me to do what I've already done.

-s-

P.S. CP-HIGH is available in more places than just USA, and it doesn't mean just TeleAid.

scorchie

I'm sorry, I wasn't implying that you should help me... Dr Patel seems to be the most knowledgeable about the W211 so I was hoping he could help me out, since he contends that it is the same as a W203.

If you do get anything sorted out on your car, please do share though. I am not a fan of Motorola phones in any form, so until the MikBox works with the Nokia, it's not that interesting to me. I believe he will have to make significant changes to his design for it to work on a W211, because the connector for the PSE is quite different so his "piggyback" method will not be suitable. We'll have to see how it pans out.

But like I said, when you are in Germany, I am curious to hear what you find out, especially the cost of a replacement PSE.

-s-

MBenzNL

The difference between euro W211 and W203 phonewiring is a lot smaller then the difference between euro W211 and US W211 phonewiring is...a simple comparison between a W203 phonesystem and a US W211 phonesystem is not something you want to make...

Most of the available W211 Nokia phoneparts are already at Sorchie's shelf...and nothing fits/works without changing the phonewiring in his US spec W211.

greetingz,

SUNILP

thanks for the clear up. I guess it has something to do with the teleaid feature.

BoSoxFan

I don't mind helping. I just want to make it clear that I am in learning mode here. I have a friend in Germany this week who is going to try to talk to a dealer tomorrow and get some prices. I will follow up when I am over there sometime in the next week or two. From what Steve says about the wiring and you and others say about the electronics, I am skeptical about this working while retaining full functionality of US COMAND, Navigation, Teleaid, etc. However, since there are a lot of US military in the Heidelberg/Mannheim area, I am going to try to find a dealer or custom shop which has worked with US spec cars for a US forces owner. I'll let everyone know what I find out.

SUNILP

scorchie,

My w203 is a 03 model and has the old harness with teleaid integrated. What I did was get a new UHI harness from center console to rear of car and kept my older harness in the car to retain my Teleaid which still works great by the way. Can you do something like this as well? I'm not too sure about your car but my teleaid control module is under the trunk carpet and is seperate from the UHI PSE I have. Does mercedes not make a PSE with Teleaid with and UHI in one unit for thte w211? I have been looking for my EPC and have lost it somewhere. I still have my w209 and w203 EPC though.

scorchie

Mercedes does make a CP ("PSE") with TeleAid and UHI integrated, however:

1) it doesn't work with US TeleAid, it's for European TeleAid which obviously does not use analog cellular signals

2) it might be wired differently, my memory from late night sessions trying to figure this out seems to be foggy. I do know there are different complete wiring harnesses for CP-HIGH (US) and CP-LIGHT (Euro). "Complete" includes wiring to not only the center console, but fusebox, etc.

3) The price of the combined unit is in excess of 1400 euros.

For our UHI experimentation, we made an adapter from the 10-pin ISO connector to the 10-pin RJ50 connector. That way we just plugged in the UHI PSE and the UHI adapter into the car, without any wiring changes. Unfortunately all the 6310i phones we had on hand were too old in terms of firmware.

With the scarcity of handsets for other than the 6310i, and the complexity and cost of installing UHI compared with a regular 6310i kit, I UHI is definitely not worth it unless you HAVE to use a Siemens phone. Since I don't like the user interface on both Motorola or Siemens phones, I find the UHI to be not appealing to me at this point until new Nokia phones are supported, or at least other brands such as Sony Ericsson.

This has been our experience... as I wrote, if you know otherwise, I would love for any help to figure this out! Really, no sarcasm!

-s-

Wolfman

I am still a bit fuzzy of how useful a UHI interface is for the US on a 03 SL (D2B technology).

I am interested in it mostly because I understand that a UHI adapter is now out for the Sony Ericson T610 which would in turn provide bluetooth coverage as well.

Can I not just buy a UHI PSE module for the SL, the Sony Ericson cradle and be in business, or do I have teleaid issues without 2nd harness?

Thanks for any assistance.

Wolfman

SUNILP

i have not played with a SL before but since it is d2b, I believe the PSe is the same as w203/209. Infact, the PSE is a 230 part number. You would not have to play around with the teleaid. Install should be similar to my car install. I am not sure if the sony ericsson cradle ever came out or not. I have not heard anything at all. I understand that the motorola v600 cradle should be out but after playing with 2 v600 phones in 1 month, and both dead, I don't favor motorola at all. I prefer Nokia's and still use my 6310i phone and love it.

scorchie

I concur with Sunman that it should be pretty much the same as his W203.

Since he also thinks the 6310i is the best phone out right now supported by UHI, I would suggest just skipping the UHI thing until something better is available. And to use a 6310i, one could just use the 6310i kit.

-s-

SUNILP

ah, but would not get the integration of the comand, steering wheel controls, voice control. Also, I changed to UHI in anticipation that newer nokia cradles would be released.... hopefullly......