Jap import CL65 potential issues
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 67
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From: Dubai, UAE
'05 CL65
Jap import CL65 potential issues
Guys
I am on the verge of purchasing a 2005 CL65 which was imported from Japan 2 years ago. I have been told the radio has limited functionality over here (UAE), but does anyone know how much use the NAV, TV , Phone installation will be overseas?
I have seen the thread where the entire wiring and electronics seems to have replaced on a Jap import, and I am not that ambitious! But would I be able to get the Nav working with a local Disc, can I reprogram the TV, radio for local frequencies etc?
TBH I'll probably buy it anyway, as its a hell of a car
Just want to know what I am getting into with the entertainment/nav side of things
oh, and its missing a spare key too. Do you think I could order that at the dealer?
thanks in advance for any advice you can toss my way!
p.s. pics soon (hopefully)
I am on the verge of purchasing a 2005 CL65 which was imported from Japan 2 years ago. I have been told the radio has limited functionality over here (UAE), but does anyone know how much use the NAV, TV , Phone installation will be overseas?
I have seen the thread where the entire wiring and electronics seems to have replaced on a Jap import, and I am not that ambitious! But would I be able to get the Nav working with a local Disc, can I reprogram the TV, radio for local frequencies etc?
TBH I'll probably buy it anyway, as its a hell of a car
Just want to know what I am getting into with the entertainment/nav side of thingsoh, and its missing a spare key too. Do you think I could order that at the dealer?
thanks in advance for any advice you can toss my way!
p.s. pics soon (hopefully)
Last edited by Ezah; Aug 4, 2011 at 09:26 AM.
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From: Gilbert, AZ
G63, C190 AMG GTC, W209 CLK63 BS, W208 CLK430
My understanding is that it's because of the design of the antenna. The Nav should work, because that uses GPS. I have no idea about TV, or phone though.
Good luck, and if you do purchase the car please update us with this info.
-Matt
Good luck, and if you do purchase the car please update us with this info.
-Matt
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Joined: Feb 2008
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From: Charleston, SC
GL450
Frequency space for the radio and TV is probably wrong or at least not 100% identical. I'm not sure what frequency UAE uses. This means either it won't work at all, or (perhaps more likely for the radio) it will get some but not all stations.
The phone is most likely CDMA. I'm guessing UAE is GSM, or is it mixed? Phone may not work because of this.
I would try a local nav disc. That may work.
The good news is you can just plug in an iPod and not worry about the radio.
The phone is most likely CDMA. I'm guessing UAE is GSM, or is it mixed? Phone may not work because of this.
I would try a local nav disc. That may work.
The good news is you can just plug in an iPod and not worry about the radio.
Thread Starter
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Joined: Jun 2006
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From: Dubai, UAE
'05 CL65
Thanks for the input Guys, really appreciate it.
yes, its a Left hand drive, so no problem there, but all the docs and some of the COMAND menu is in Japanese.
We do use GSM here, so I doubt the built in phone will work then. But if I paired a GSM phone to it with BT (which I assume the car can support?), would it still not work as a hands free system?
The radio is partially working, so there is some hope there. But I am mainly fine with CDs and its even got a MiniDisc player (was that standard?), of which I have many, and nothing to play them on
All going well with the sale of my Range Rover this weekend i'll pick up the CL on Sunday, the car seems to be totally standard, dark blue, 40k miles and in very reasonable condition.
more to come on Sunday (I hope)
yes, its a Left hand drive, so no problem there, but all the docs and some of the COMAND menu is in Japanese.
We do use GSM here, so I doubt the built in phone will work then. But if I paired a GSM phone to it with BT (which I assume the car can support?), would it still not work as a hands free system?
The radio is partially working, so there is some hope there. But I am mainly fine with CDs and its even got a MiniDisc player (was that standard?), of which I have many, and nothing to play them on
All going well with the sale of my Range Rover this weekend i'll pick up the CL on Sunday, the car seems to be totally standard, dark blue, 40k miles and in very reasonable condition.
more to come on Sunday (I hope)
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From: Charleston, SC
GL450
I'm not sure what year they went to bluetooth, but if it has it, then yes, it would probably work. If it has built in telephone and teleaid, it won't.
Mini Disc - Wow. Haven't seen that in a long time. Never seen it in a car.
Mini Disc - Wow. Haven't seen that in a long time. Never seen it in a car.
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Jun 2006
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From: Dubai, UAE
'05 CL65
Well, I picked up the car late tonight and only had a brief time to nose around.
First thing to note was that there is no Keyless Go or Distronic in the Jap spec CL. It would've been nice, but no big issue for me.
The COMAND menu is certainly going to be interesting, when I go into SERV there is no option to set the time, for example..but there are some softkeys with japanese text, I think Google translate may be needed here before I risk pressing them!
The Seller tested a Nav disc from his SL and it worked. So that's good news.
jobs to do:
- install a Bluetooth puck thingy
- swap out my IC pump for a CM30 & change my ABC accumulators (as it recently burst a hose) - thanks for members here for highlighting the issue
- get a NAV disc
- order a spare key, as its missing
- test TV, DVD, MD etc and see what's working and what isn't.
- try to get the clock to tell the right time! lol
and of course get some pics up here before the weekend.
looking forward to being part of the CL family
First thing to note was that there is no Keyless Go or Distronic in the Jap spec CL. It would've been nice, but no big issue for me.
The COMAND menu is certainly going to be interesting, when I go into SERV there is no option to set the time, for example..but there are some softkeys with japanese text, I think Google translate may be needed here before I risk pressing them!
The Seller tested a Nav disc from his SL and it worked. So that's good news.
jobs to do:
- install a Bluetooth puck thingy
- swap out my IC pump for a CM30 & change my ABC accumulators (as it recently burst a hose) - thanks for members here for highlighting the issue
- get a NAV disc
- order a spare key, as its missing
- test TV, DVD, MD etc and see what's working and what isn't.
- try to get the clock to tell the right time! lol
and of course get some pics up here before the weekend.
looking forward to being part of the CL family
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MBWorld Fanatic!
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From: Charleston, SC
GL450
The clock is because it's set to some other time zone, most likely. Once you figure how to switch COMAND to English (or something you can read) you should be able to change the time zone.
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Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 67
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From: Dubai, UAE
'05 CL65
I had a bit of a shock today, the Stealer wanted 1800$ just to get my car onto their records, and needed to do this before any work was done (such as ordering me a spare key!). Needless to say, I am going to have to be more creative about this
So, some quick photos..
So, some quick photos..
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 67
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From: Dubai, UAE
'05 CL65
Quick update on this, having done some considerable searching I have found no instructions on how to enter the engineering menu on the Jap comand.. I wanted to try and change the Region setting for the DVD (to try some Nav discs), but no luck yet, there is surprisingly little info online about these setups, I hope I can get some answers to share in due course. Japan seems to use the NTSC format for DVD, whereas we use PAL, but I doubt this would affect Nav discs.
On the plus side, I have found other agents who didnt want to fleece me to work on the car though, so I was probably just unlucky with my first attempt.
One downer, the dreaded Check Engine light came on at the weekend so I took it into my usual workshop, and it was indicating plugs/injector.. So the Injector has been serviced today, hopefully that's it and the fault will clear.. otherwise its a new set of plugs, unless you guys have other suggestions.
They also told me that the reason my drivers door isn't closing with the power-assist function, is that it needs a new lock.. I was expecting a fuse had to be pulled, or the pump. Can it be the lock also causing this?
cheers all
On the plus side, I have found other agents who didnt want to fleece me to work on the car though, so I was probably just unlucky with my first attempt.
One downer, the dreaded Check Engine light came on at the weekend so I took it into my usual workshop, and it was indicating plugs/injector.. So the Injector has been serviced today, hopefully that's it and the fault will clear.. otherwise its a new set of plugs, unless you guys have other suggestions.
They also told me that the reason my drivers door isn't closing with the power-assist function, is that it needs a new lock.. I was expecting a fuse had to be pulled, or the pump. Can it be the lock also causing this?
cheers all
MBWorld Fanatic!
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Posts: 1,803
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From: Charleston, SC
GL450
You can pull the orange fuse under the passenger rear seat. It will reset the soft-close door. But if the lock is leaking, it will quickly disable the system again (this is to protect the pump).
