jetson

Hey I just purchase my first MB. It is a 2011 e350 cabrio. I need help understanding the audio system, specifically using music from an Iphone. I bought a aux adapter that goes to the MB cable in the glove box. It sounds great but it does not charge the phone or allow choosing tracks from the head unit or wheel. So I got another media cord to replace the existing MB cord. This one again sounds great, and charges but still no control from head unit or wheel. When I scroll through the prompts on the head unit I can't get to media interface because it is grayed out. Any help appreciated. Thanks

Mr. Toad

Do you have USB jacks in the storage bin inside the center console armrest? My car has two jacks there and I use them to play music from USB sticks via the COMAND interface (works with steering wheel buttons and the COMAND controller knob). I've never plugged an audio source into the glove box. There may be a difference between years (my car is a 2016), but my understanding is that the glove box jack is used to upload files to the car's onboard hard drive.

jetson

Thanks for the response. It is a 2011 but there is no usb in the console, only the 30pin connector in the glove box.

mikey08

Jetson.. Not sure what cord you are using to your iphone within the glovebox, but I am not 100% sure the interface will control the iphone at all. Only way I got it to work with the interface is when I connected an old ipod within the glove cord and I can control all of the functions from the ipod. I do not have an iphone so I cannot comment, but I think the 2011 interface does not recognize a phone as media..
You can however you can use your iphone as a bluetooth device and play your music and control your phone that way...

Its a bit clunky but that works...
Mike

jetson

Thanks for replying. I got the cord off of amazon and it plugs into the port in the glove box and has a split connector on other end, lightning and headphone aux. The instructions with the cord says to check the "media interface module" to see if it is active or sleeping? I was wondering if there was something that needed to be turned on within the engineering mode on the system. The cord allows playing and charging of the phone and sounds great. However the only function that I can control from the steering wheel or head unit is the volume.

jetson

After doing some research it just could be that my 2011 e350 can't have control of my phone via the command system. Soooo, if I get a older 30 pin Ipod classic??? Will I be able to control my music on the steering wheel and head unit?

mikey08

That is exactly what I have and it controls my ipod.

jetson

Does it show the cover art, playlist, etc?

mikey08

Jetson.. Yes it does... It allows you to control just about everything the ipod does. It can select your playlists, you can select tracks and you can dial thru as well. You can also forward and reverse the song elections within a playlist from your steering wheel console. The integration back in 2011 was pretty good with the ipod I must say. Then again back then it was a pretty popular item
You have to select the media interface option within your music menu.

BTW you can also bluetooth your music from your phone too. I use Amazon Music and I can see and select music as well via bluetooth audio,,

Cheers
Mike

jetson

Thanks so much for the info. I ordered and Ipod classic today. As far as the BT goes I have not been able to do that. Does that have to be turned on in the engineering mode or am I missing something. Usually BT music sound quality is not quite as good as wired. The lows seem to get lost. Anyway it would be a nice option.

northridgeaz

Jetson, Yes Bluetooth Audio needs to be turned on in the engineering mode.