BRS25

Hi everyone,

I have a 2009 CLK350 Coupe and am trying to do the "cheater" bluetooth install. It was mentioned here that the installation for the cabriolet is easier than the coupe. What other parts would I need in addition to or replace the cabriolet "cheater" kit? What are the differences?
From my research, I have read the Star Bulletin for the 209 Coupe bluetooth install already, and I have read dleeme's Notes on W209 2008 CLK550 Cabriolet Bluetooth Module Install-s djl.pdf

If someone who has installed the OEM bluetooth on their coupe could provide any advice or guidance at all, that would be greatly appreciated!

Randalblair

Look on Amazon for "Bluetooth phone chargers" it plays through FM radio and it works great for music, nav, everything. About $12!

dleeme

Hi,
If you want proper integration to your controls, it is best to do the complete install as per my instructions.

Open the left panel and right panels in the trunk and look inside. If it’s like my pictures, everything should work providing you have the wiring.
Open your center console and remove the back lining to see if you have the puck wiring there.

Good luck.

BRS25

Hey dleeme,

thanks for the reply! For some reason I didn't get a notification in my inbox, so I missed your message. But I was able to successfully complete the factory bluetooth install using your instructions along with the star bulletin instructions on my coupe.

Details of my install are here if anyone else is interested.
https://mbworld.org/forums/clk-class...-retrofit.html

dleeme

BRS25
Glad that it worked out. Yeah, finding where the wires are is the trick.
Hope you're enjoying your BT.
Next task is to figure out how to get a backup camera installed.

dleeme

michaelsymonds

I just bought a 2008 CLK 350 Cabriolet with Nav, Sirius, CD changer, HK audio but no phone. The car was equipped with mobile prewire (option 387 on data card.) If your car doesn't have this,forget installing an OEM system. After a lot of searching and considering aftermarket options, I found Keith Valentine in SoCal, who sold me an OEM system comprised of the phone module, phone cradle, bluetooth adapter and a couple of fuses. The phone gets installed in the fiber optic loop and the bluetooth module ends up in the tiny storage compartment between the front seats. I was concerned that I would foul up the entire system and wreck things, but Keith spent lots of time on the phone with me BEFORE I bought anything and I got comfortable with the concept doing it myself. I got the parts in 2 days at a VERY reasonable price (shipped CA to MA) and installed the system in about 2 hours, being very deliberate and careful. It worked first time and perfectly paired to my Apple SE phone, with all steering wheel controls working perfectly. The quality is great. The Bluetooth does not support music play, but there is an 1/8" phone jack in the glovebox that leads to an AUX input, so you get that with or without the phone module. I can't say enough good about Keith; he was available, took time, knows Mercedes phones inside out and offered to talk me through the install as I did it if necessary (it wasn't.) He sells kits for several chassis numbers and can be reached at 714-746-5930. I found aftermarket systems required some kind of compromise (no Sirius in a new head, no factory controls, extra wiring in the passenger compartment, depending on extremely low power FM transmitter, etc.) and I preferred the OEM system. Coupes require a bit more work, but based on the degree of difficulty I had, it'd be cinch.

nkx1

The system I mentioned above in my post allows the use of factory steering wheel controls for phone and music streaming. Also, that seems like an awful lot of work to get bluetooth for phone but no music streaming. In any case, as long as you're happy with it, that's all that matters!

michaelsymonds

I prefer to keep my cars absolutely stock if possible, so adding the OEM system was my choice. As far as adding it to a 2008 CLK 550, call Keith but I'd say it would be easy to do for phone, not audio streaming.

rockymountainhi

Any tips on how to make the phone feature use the CarPro bluetooth? In July 2019 I purchased the Coolstream CarPro for my 2008 Mercedes CLK350. Easy to plug it into the 30 pin dongle in the glove box and pair it with (one at a time) my iPhone7 or Samsung Galaxy Note8 using the AUX feature within the Radio setting of the Command unit. Bluetooth connection to the phone feature on the phone is there, but Command seems to block it. No bluetooth or phone cradle hook up in my center console, just a cup holder. There are phone buttons on the steering wheel, but Command unit message is phone is not present. CarPro streams iTunes beautifully. Google voice will even dial phone numbers from the voice command on phone via bluetooth to car speakers. However, CarPro bluetooth sound through the car speakers stops instantly once the phone numbers are entered (by google voice command or manually) and phone rings only through the phone speakers. No phone conversation is audible via bluetooth car speakers at all from either phone when connected to CarPro, only on phone speakers. When connected to CarPro, iPhone7 screen lights up to give the option of choosing "Speaker, iPhone or CarPro bluetooth", but nothing happens when I select CarPro. No optional screen pops us on the Galaxy Note8. Steering wheel controls do not control music or phone through CarPro. Siri and Google voice command, respectively, will respond to voice commands for navigation from the phones, and they will both initiate streaming music, but that's all CarPro will play through the car's audio system. Can't get a reply from Coolstream on how to make phone calls or receive phone calls over the CarPro bluetooth. A $29 bluetooth cigarette lighter charger by ROAV (from Target) will play music, google talk and make and receive phone calls over the stereo system. However, it's not near the quality sound the CarPro delivers for streaming music, or what I imagine phone call could be on it if it worked for that.

Lovetoflyfish

I use a Galaxy Active 8. The steering wheel functions work fine, but for the telephone.
I am told that they will work for an iPhone, the original format for that pin connection.
Check options on your Bluetooth connection with the iPhone.
I do know that you have the option to toggle media and phone separately with Android; unsure about this option with Apple.
Remove any other Bluetooth option within your vehicle, including the Android phone (or turn off Bluetooth on that device) as you could be confusing the adapter.
Is the conversation with any call over the car's speakers? You do have the car's system set to Aux (iPhone/iPod)?
Let me know if I missed something and good luck!
-E

Rudeney

There are fairly complex issues as to why the Carpro won't work with the car's hands-free phone controls. Basically, the phone functions of the car have nothing to do with iPod interface that the Carpro connects to. The OE iPod interface does two things. One, it routes audio through the radio's analog AUX input. And two, it takes advantage of the "open architecture" of the instrument cluster's screen to display track and title information and respond to the steering wheel up/down buttons. The Carpro simply talks Bluetooth to your streaming audio device and translates it to iPod 30-pin signals. Notice that I keep stating "iPod" and not "iPhone". That is because the interfaces (both the car's 30-pin and the Carpro) are for an IPOD to play music and have no phone capabilities.

Karlfly

Is the default code 0000? I tried that and it didn't work on my iphone. I have the little device in my console and my phone sees it but won't pair.

BRS25

Do you mean the official Mercedes one?
Code is MBUSA. Enter it in number form.

Karlfly

Dude! It worked! Thanks. Now I just have to get a car pro so I can have tunes.