Dead CD Changer and now dead radio
09-05-2011, 02:07 PM
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CLK500
Dead CD Changer and now dead radio
I've been having some recent problems with my CD changer in my 2004 CLK500.
After reading some threads posted here I removed it with plans to send it out for repair ($160 flat fee, assuming nothing wild is wrong). Went to drive the car and now the radio is dead. Head unit powers up and functions as normal but no sound. Reconnected the changer but no change. Checked two fuses (according to fuse legend) and both checked OK with no change to the system. Are there any after market audio options for these cars? Any suggestions/guidance would be appreciated.
Thanks, Jeff
After reading some threads posted here I removed it with plans to send it out for repair ($160 flat fee, assuming nothing wild is wrong). Went to drive the car and now the radio is dead. Head unit powers up and functions as normal but no sound. Reconnected the changer but no change. Checked two fuses (according to fuse legend) and both checked OK with no change to the system. Are there any after market audio options for these cars? Any suggestions/guidance would be appreciated.
Thanks, Jeff
09-05-2011, 05:18 PM
#2
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Your car uses the D2B fiber optic bus. It connects the radio head unit to the CD changer and amplifier. If any part of the fiber chain is "broken" then none of the parts will work. When you unplugged your CD changer, you broke the fiber loop and that's why you have no audio (the headunit can't talk to the amp). Reinstalling the CD changer should have fixed it. If you do need to leave the changer out of the car for a while, see your dealer and get a CD changer bypass adapter. This will plug in and complete the fiber loop with the changer removed.
As for other options, there are many. Your car will easily accommodate a double-DIN head unit so you could put in any popular aftermarket system. I put a Pioneer AVIC in the kid's C240 (basically the same setup as the CLK). It has BT, NAV, iPod and sat radio. Because you have the Bose system, there is a complication. You will have to replace both the amp and the speakers and do some rewiring. Nothing but MBZ radios will talk to the Bose amp via D2B, and the Bose speakers only work with their amps. You will have to run low-level audio cabling from the new head unit to the new amp, then you can tap into the speaker wires there.
As for other options, there are many. Your car will easily accommodate a double-DIN head unit so you could put in any popular aftermarket system. I put a Pioneer AVIC in the kid's C240 (basically the same setup as the CLK). It has BT, NAV, iPod and sat radio. Because you have the Bose system, there is a complication. You will have to replace both the amp and the speakers and do some rewiring. Nothing but MBZ radios will talk to the Bose amp via D2B, and the Bose speakers only work with their amps. You will have to run low-level audio cabling from the new head unit to the new amp, then you can tap into the speaker wires there.
09-06-2011, 11:05 AM
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I had wondered that since I had just disconnected the CD changer and the radio stopped working that maybe the CD changer needed to be back in the loop.
So plugged in the two sets of cables and still no radio. I've had the CD changer in and out three or four time previously (in an attempt to get it working) and the radio work fine after my fooling around.
So plugged in the two sets of cables and still no radio. I've had the CD changer in and out three or four time previously (in an attempt to get it working) and the radio work fine after my fooling around.
