All,

I am trying to install a "smart mirror" which just turns the rear view mirror into basically an always on back up camera.

To access the fuse box in older models you simply had to remove the plastic paneling on the passenger door which simply popped up.

I cannot for the life of me figure out how to panel off. It is one solid piece going from the door sill and running up to the glove box. The part by the door sill seems to snap off easy enough. However, I cannot get the part near the glove box to come off. It appears it even latches into cutouts in the carpet.

Has anyone tried to access the fuse box sucessfully?

Have you found it yet?
This thread looks promising: https://mbworld.org/forums/class-w17...-fuse-box.html
I am encountering the same problem, I can't get out the floor mat without ripping it apart and I am anxious removing the door panel because it's firmly stuck and I am not 100% sure how to remove this or even if it has to be.
Why is this so hard to reach? Anyone found how to get to the fuse box in the passenger foot well?

Ok...so I was able to "release" the carpet from the right side footwell plastic molding.

I started with the upper left part of the carpet....the easiest to move and kept pulling. When I reached maximum give, I pushed forward on the right side of the carpet. That push allowed more slack to allow you to reach the bottom screw on the fuse box. I know from experience to stay away from removing plastic trim: a hard pull (not even that hard) will often remove the piece AND break off the plastic rivit that supports it.

One caveat....big one!....I have not reassembled the carpeting as I am still trying to figure out the electrical hookup. (Please see the next post.)

so the right side is latched under the side footwell molding, but I did not want to remove that trim. It is a big piece -- transversing the whole door sill it appears -- plus removing the weather stripping.

So here is where I need help please: what fuse socket do I use? I attach a side by side screenshot of the schematic MB provides (in the engine compartment fuse box) and the corresponding passenger footwell actual fuse box. They don't seem to mesh up!! For cigarette lighter, it says 170, 124 (or? and?). But which slot is that actually? And...can a tap any open slot, of which there are tons? Lastly, I have a traditional "add-a-tap" device, but it will not allow the fuse box cover to sit flush. A lot of headaches for what is normally a very simple task!


hhhmmmmmm

last thing for now...I scanned the fuse schematic (from the engine bay fuse box) and attached it here for everyone's reference. I mean I cannot remember the last time I ever needed to change a fuse, but what is MB thinking when locating the footwell fuse box behind a very difficult to remove carpet?

now that I have the fuse box exposed....does anyone know whether there is an accessible 12V switched wire visible? I will clamp onto that like a snake!!!

Giving this post a boost. I still need help locating the correct fuse slot to piggyback.

I just installed a dash cam last weekend. For a swtiched power source I used the cigarette lighter/front socket fuse.

Thanks,....but which one is that exactly? 170?

and then how did the piggyback add-a-fuse allow the fuse box cover to sit back flush?

I didn't end up using add a fuse. I bought one but ended up returning it. I ended up just wrapping the wire around one leg of the fuse and shoved the fuse back into the fuse box.

old school!!!

#170 ?

I believe I used 170. And about wiring directly to the fuse... like you I looked at the space in the fuse box and didn't see a way to fit an "Add-A-Fuse" so I just went without it. Also even the instructions for the hardwiring kit showed wrapping the wires around a leg of the fuse. lol

Where did you ground it?

I think I grounded it to the big nut in the middle of the fusebox. The one to the top left of the "LL" printed in the plastic.

i looked at that one but found a spot to ground behind the dash panel near the door. I ended up using 123, 170 was on all the time for me.

Also F you whatever MB designer decided to put a supposedly user accessible fuse panel behind a screwed down cover under the carpet. I’ve had a radar/dash cam setup hardwired in every car I’ve owned since 2009. That was the most unnecessarily difficult install I’ve ever done.

nice to have my radar detector again though

Yes... how they placed the fusebox is really stupid in this car. It's obvious Mercedes doesn't want want owners to mess with things on this car. Never have I worked on a car where to get to the fuse box you need to... take off the door sill trim... pull back the carpet... unbolt a lid to a panel in the footwell... JUST TO ACCESS THE FUSES is ridiculous! Every other car I've had you just unclip a plastic cover and you're in! Even in the engine bay... the fusebox in the engine bay is locked down with Torx screws. ARGH!

I find ground but I have problem with acc when I testing 123 have power but when I put ignition on there is no power, then I cannot find all time power, I don't know what I'm doing wrong.

I just fished around until I found one that worked. 170 that worked for others didn't for me.

I had ground problems but under fusebox is perfect ground so I connected there and I started looking for acc and all time +. After few minutes I connected everything and is working perfect . I used 140 for all time + and 124 for acc.

I connected smart box max for recording on parking lot.