jz500

I've looked in the archives but I can't seem to find any specific guidance as to how and more importantly where to make the connection to hardwire a radar detector to the cigarette lighter power supply on my 04 e500 4-matic. From what I've read that is one of the safest ways to go but in looking at the lighter assembly I can't seem to figure out exactly how to make the connection. My dealer is no help, absolutely refuses to make any connection of an electronic device!!...they were even suspicious of the connection line I ran from my glove box to the center console so I could store my Ipod inside!!.Any help appreciated. Thanks

NATS64

I had mine wired in by a guy in the car alarm business. He does it every day and only took him about 20 minutes to wire to the back of the lighter socket. He removed the shift panel and the lower part of the center dash to gain access. At $45, I wouldn't have even tried to do the job myself. He was recommended to my by my Mercedes dealer.

xraymd

Look a few lines down for the thread "ashtray illuminator not working."

jz500

Thanks - looked at the other thread and got the assembly out..now looking at the wiring harness..three wires, brown solid, red sripe and blue stripe. Does anyone know which is the right hot connection? Thanks

xraymd

You can use a meter or . . . . paging Scorchie.

I'm actually pretty interested myself. I should be picking up my E55 this afternoon

scorchie

Brown always equals ground... which leaves red (striped) and blue ... red means power, a stripe indicates the circuit (which usually means this is not a constant power wire, and I think you are looking for that).

The rest of the colors can change from year to year (and sometimes within a model year) and from model to model, so don't count on the colors meaning TOO much other than those.

Also, if you look at where the plug actually plugs in, you might be able to see the BULB that the blue wire plugs into.

-s-