Kirkham

Newbie here,

My 05 E320 was recently a victim. Some jack-*** forced into the trunk (by cutting through the metal behind the rear seat!!) and jacked the DVD Nav drive. I was told about 1500 dollars to fix, just from a service adviser who took a quick look at it, I can live with that as long as my stereo, command unit and all of the other electrical items on the chain work again.

So I made an appt. at my local MB dealer. It was then when they discovered the worst part. They told me that the fiber optic cable was cut by the thieves and that there was no way to repair fiber optic lines. I figured at least they could add a new connector or something. To replace the system with the new wiring harness all the navi components, it will be about 2400 in parts and a ga-(you dont even want to know)-jillion service hours to thread the cable through the car. Doesnt this seem like overkill? Are they trying to stick me?

Have any of you been through something similar, to do with the fiber optics in particular? I can live without nav, if there was some way to bypass the damaged area, just as long as the command unit works.

HELP?!

Oh and no unfortunately insurance is out of the question.

Diesel Benz

What a dumb thieve, would have been quicker for him to unplug the wires than cut them.

Anyway, I don't think the fibre cables can be fixed, you would need quite specific tools for that, including cutting the fibre and the mechanical tools. But you should not need a full wiring harness if only the fibre cables were cut. Just have to search for the closest connector at the other end of the broken fibre. The cable may not be available as a spare part, I would ask one of the retrofit experts, like Steve, they would be able to figure out the simplest way forward.

vettdvr

The fiber optic is a continuous strain of glass. Once cut it can't be repaired. It must be replaced. Hopefully the dealer can replace it and $5000 might be a bargin. Hold the insurance to the repairs. It will be costly. If unable to repair I would go for totaling the car.

sgaar

The SA saying that the optic cable cannot be repaired is not correct. It is done all the time on cables running in the ground when an unaware contractor digs them over and also in computer networks when you splice connectors.

It takes time, special equipment and specialized knowledge. I doubt that the dealer has the latter two available but the bottom line is that it can be done.

Barry45RPM

Yeah, the Telephone company guys constantly do fibre optic repairs on the roadside, even in the freezing winter! Try to locate a Phone Company Guy.

JohnCL

This statement is not true, fiber can be repaired. Most people do not have access to the tools required to do the job so they must resort to replacing the whole line. You are probably looking at a $1500+ basic fiber repair kit to get the job done and you would probably never use it again.

Unfortunately you will probably have to pay the dealer to do this unless you know a cable TV or phone guy to help you out on the cheap.

Sorry that this happened to you and good luck with your repairs.

Diesel Benz

You who say fibre can be repaired, I certainly agree for data cables but the connectors are different, even if you would cut the fibre with the telephone company tools, you would not have compatible mechanics to the end of the cable, would you? Must be 1000 times simpler to find an MB part with a sufficiently long fibre (could be longer than required) and take only the fibre and put it in. Some work here too, depending on where the fibre ends in the car.

Kirkham

...what a mess

Miguk_Saram

I'm sure there's an MB part number for the cable in question. Get the number from your service department, or have them order it.

Stringing it through the guts of the car could be a nice DIY project.

There are those on this forum who have installed complete OEM NAV kits.. including COMAND HU and NAV drive so, clearly, it's doable.


GL.

Diesel Benz

At least one statement in this thread that definitely is correct

Yacht Master

That is some of the funniest crap I have heard in quite some time, what the dealer told you is 100%

Post up the dealer name, and SA name.

Kirkham

Yeah the part number they gave me was for the whole main wiring harness. It is approx $800.

Kirkham

It was the First North American MB Dealer. They are now celebrating 50 years, meaning they probably charge the most. Mercedes Benz of Portland aka Rasmussen Mercedes.

Kirkham

ohh and the worst part of all of this, the airmatic controls do not work and the car is stuck in comfort! I race BMW touring cars and am an avid fan. I love the feel of the road, which I get in Sport mode. This is my first Benz, which I love, but it now rides like a Cadillac. My girlfriend complains of getting car sick. :-)

raymond g-

context - no doubt accurate in terms of MB repairs. they are not equipped to
handle such fixes, as they are more likely trained for remove and replace. but
from a technical perspective, it will require someone who is familiar with FO
repair.

Barry45RPM

At least call these guys. Its a start. (I figured you are near Portland OR)

http://www.timbercon.com/Fiber-Optic-Repair/index.html

okc329

most of them can work with fiber today. Ff you can get the fiber spec, the way to fix is to put a connector on each of the ends at the break and couple in a short patch cord with mating connectors. Hopefully the additional signal loss will not be too great. I'd look at that a opposed to replacing the cable which is probably very tough to do.

Flash Gordon

This can done very much cheaper by FO tech in the computer or cable field. Besides, MB tech are parts replacer at best. They are not equipped to do this job for you, BELIEVE ME. Even if you let the dealer do it, your car will be there for a long time since they have to experiment it!

Kirkham

You guys are awesome!... I am actually sitting in my office right down the street from these guys. I spoke with someone who was like, 'oh yeah, we can fix that' I just need to take the trunk covers off so it is easily visible take some photos and they are going to do some searching to get the right connectors.

no_clue

Am I the only one suspect this is more of "inside job"?

1. Apparently this thief know you got a GPS drive in there? ( I don't think there is appearance differeces between GPS-equipped and Non-GPS model)

2. It will take way too much time to cut through the rear seat, let along, know how to carefully remove the drive from its bracket. ( this thief own W211, quite familiar w/ the schematic of metal cable?)

3. If this thief's intension is to make a quick money, why spare your command?

Watch out your so-called "friends"?

murman

This sounds like more than just a fibre optic issue... maybe the fuses in the back got damaged too?

Kirkham

I think that this is all related to the fiber optic ring being disrupted. The fuses look fine.

KosherBenz

why cant you use insurance?

Kirkham

Does anyone know what the fiber optic cables look like? What is its texture? Does it bend easily? Is there one or two?

I am looking at everything and it looks as though the only things cut are the basic electric cables. There is one cable that is slightly larger that still has a fitting on the end that plugs right into the dvd unit? Is that the optic one? If so it is not damaged at all... Or is it the two, yellow and orange?

Thanks guys,

James

Kirkham

okay so nevermind... the yellow and orange are the optics and they are in deed cut. Heres to hoping.

Now, does anyone know a part number for/have a picture of the connector that goes into the dvd nav unit from the optic cables (orange and yellow). If I can get the connector that goes into the nav I can have someone fix them here locally.

OR... better yet, any idea where the next junction is down from the DVD drive? Maybe it is just a short distance.

Also I have the needed connector for the regular electrical wires I just need to wire them, any idea of the order or location needed for each wire?

THANKS!