bosendorfer

I just bought a 2007 E350 Wagon, Iridium Silver, Ash Leather, P001 Package and with Wood/Leather Steering Wheel. I was interested in installing the Voice Control feature. Does anyone know the part number and how involved an undertaking it might be. Is there a Service and/or Installation Manual/Guide available?

MARK CUMMINS

You Will need the voice control unit and a Optic cable to connect in the loop.
Also the Lever for the Voice control...

Contact Steve @MBENZNL.com re the VC unit and lever..Steve also does Installs
Depends where you are located..(Update your sig)

Instructions re the Install are on WIS ...The The Car must be version coded via the MB Star aka SDS

This site may help you re the Info

http://www.startekinfo.com/StarTek/

carpersn

I added to my 04-approximately $750 including install was my dealer price...not too bad.

bosendorfer

Thanks for the information. After looking into the cost of the WIS access, and then thinking I will need those Knipex tools ... hmm ... maybe it is just better to have it done, but then again who doesn't like a challenge. I'll have to ponder it over a little more. Come to think of it, I just expended a sum on a Klein torque screwdriver, and my first one! So it is probably better to have the dealer do it after all.

Anyway, thanks again for the information. Also, you have a great thought at the end of your messages!

yikes

steve did mine...works great

bosendorfer

I happen to come across another post by accident which included a link to an attachment that had a Star Bulletin Installation Instructions for the 2005 E Sedan information on installing the hands free system, and which included the information on the Voice Control module. Is there another version of the Star Bulletin Installation Instructions for a 2007 E350 Wagon? This changed my perspective on the possibility of doing the installation myself. I didn't realize that the installation doesn't seem to require any cutting and splicing for fiber optics. Does an "Optic Cable" mean that it has the push connect connectors at each end? If that is the case, then the installation is probably easier than I thought, other than taking it over to the MB dealer for the version coding. Would the dealer want to charge me for the version coding, since it's a new purchase?

My car: 2007 E350 Wagon, Iridium Silver, P001. I just added the latest Bluetooth Adapter that slides into the connector in the arm rest.

Diesel Benz

Paul has phone and VCS installation guides for wagons up to 2005. There does not appear to be any update since then, at least for European installations.

http://phdwebsite.powerpulse.cc/Phon...0E%20Wagon.pdf

You certainly would not need to work on fibre except adding new legs between new components.

Most dealers would charge for the version coding and MOST initialisation, unless you have good relations and have some significant service done at the same time. It takes some time from them after all.

If I got an offer for $750 including the parts, I would leave the challenge and adventure for some other time and some other accessory.

bosendorfer

Diesel,
I forgot to thank you for including the link to the PDF with the Installation Instructions. I am going to study this carefully and see if I can do it myself.
Thanks again!

jschade

Not sure about the '07 wagon, but for '07 sedans the pigtail to plug the VCM into was not included if you didn't get the VCM factory installed. No longer a dealer installed option on the '07 211's. Working with Steve one could probably do it but it would require significant rewiring. I removed the VCM fom my '05 planning to install it in the '07 thinking my dealer was mistaken on the ability to do it. He was right...nothing in the trunk to connect to.

Again, investigate this feature further on the '07 wagon before you buy all of the components.

Diesel Benz

A good point, wiring is always an issue to be watched at. Do you mean the wiring at the rear for the VCM or the front for the stalk? The stalk would be connected to the control unit very close, unless the control unit was "optimised" for the case of no VCM, a wire should not be an issue. At the rear the power wires from the SAM and the fibre may be missing. Was it so that current US cars don't come prewired for cell phone (only wired if the actual phone kit is included)? This would make a difference. The VCM usually is installed close to the phone control unit, even if wiring harness did not exist, it should be reasonable to build one. But a specific part for this purpose from MB would unlikely exist, an expert would be able to tell another harness part that could be used instead.

jschade

The VCM harness in the rear (trunk). In pre-2007 models, MB put two harnesses with diffrent connectors. One connecter was used for a car with VCM, the other connector was used for a car without VCM. Whichever harness wasn't needed fit into a carrier for storage. In '07, MB did away with the spare harness in that the car is either ordered with or without the VCM and only the one appropriate harness is installed and routed through the vehicle prior to the interior being finished. If you or the dealer order the vehicle without any phone components, then no wires are routed at all, making it very difficult to add the phone system after production. In pre '07 models, both complete wire harness (VCM and non-VCM) were routed making post production additions painless.

As far as the stalk on the steering column, my '07 has the switch installed (no stalk). I cannot confirm if that end of the system is wired through the column.

bosendorfer

When I entered my VIN number in the EPC (Electronic Parts Catalog), the VCM (Voice Control Module), it indicates that "***Item no. not valid for this model des.***". And I noticed that at the steering wheel, there is no black plastic plug in the hole where the lever could be put, just a gray cover that is flat. But there does appear to be an opening there. So does this mean there is no wiring up to the steering wheel for the PTT (push-to-talk) lever?

Also, I have the MHI (Multi Handset Interface), because my car is wired with the P01 Premium I Package, which includes the Hands-Free Communication System.

I haven't looked in the back load compartment yet.

My question is, then, if I have the MHI wiring, did this also include the wires for the VCS (Voice Control System)? Do I need to physically look in the load compartment to find out?

Diesel Benz

When you set your VIN to EPC, you get (mostly) the parts listed that are applicable to your car with the options on your car. When you don't have VCS, the control module is indicated as above in the parts list.

When considering adding parts, tick filters differently at EPC.

The wiring harness should also appear from EPC but to me at least it is pretty difficult to see which connectors really exist on each harness option. You may assume that wiring for a control unit does not exist if the unit does not exist but that isn't always the case (prewiring options are pretty simple but wires may or may not exist in other cases).

US owners my know this from experience.

konigstiger

To date, no install instructions for MY07. You order the vehicle with the phone system inclusive of VCS and then put in the handset for your area or Bluetooth adapter. I have been told if you do not order the vehicle with the phone, currently dealers will not/can not retrofit.

blkamgsl55

To obtain the part nos. for the components you need to do a voice recognition you will have to obtain the vin from a like vehicle equipped voice recognition and enter that. Compare this info with your info and you'll see the difference.

bosendorfer

I undertook a one day subscription to the MB Startek website for $18.00 and downloaded everything I could find on Voice Control. I downloaded the Installation Instructions for W211.287 through 2006. What I am going to have to try and find out is that if the steering column module (N80) has the voice control switch underneath the flat cover that appears on my car. Apparently, I need the E-Class Voice Control System Kit, Part Number/Exchange BQ 682 0928. However, I am not sure if the wiring bundle from the control housing section, which is located between the second and third row seat, has the wires for the Voice Control Module within that bundle, and that the control housing section has the open place for the Control Module, Voice Control, Part #P-2799-04A.

I will have to wait until the Spring when the weather permits my being able to be outside and have the time to access the control housing section, but I thought somebody might know if the wiring bundle included the Voice Control Module wires.

Thanks everyone so far for the comments and observations.

Diesel Benz

Wouldn't it be pretty easy to access the VCS installation space to see which wires exist. The physical space for the unit would exist as for earlier models for sure.

I don't think you mentioned the MOST equipment in the car. If it already had a phone kit, the MOST part should be easy and if the SAM wiring does not exist, one would probably have to invent something.

bosendorfer

Well, I took the suggestion to enter the VIN of a 2007 E Wagon with Voice Control pre-installed from the factory, and I printed the following:

1. Electrical System; Car Phone, Voice Control System and Emergency Call
2. Electrical System; Cable Harness Automobile Telephone
3. Electrical System; Fiber Optical Cable Wiring Harness (D2B and MOST)

The wiring diagrams appear to be the same for mine, which did not come with the Voice Control option preinstalled, so this rekindles my hope of being able to install the E-Class Voice Control System Kit.

However, I am having a difficult time trying to figure out how to open (what MBUSA WIS document calls "Remove/install load compartment floor front section") the cover to the control compartment where the telephone interface is located. With the WIS document instructions (AR68.20-P-4811T), it indicates one should use a wedge tool ("Assembly wedge" Part 110 589 03 59 00) to remove when you 'unclip load compartment floor section'. However, the pictures shown on the WIS document are different than mine. I have the third row seats, whereas the WIS document seems to show a wagon without the third row seats. Does this make a difference?

I did try to use a wood wedge, but I was afraid to use too much force, and it didn't seem to unclip.

I did notice two covered holes that face the back (back when looking at it from the cargo door) of the lower part of the Load Compartment Floor Front Section, which I thought might be some release points. However, I tried and it didn't seem to be an access point for release.

Can anyone provide any guidance for accessing the Load Compartment Floor Front Section to gain access to the communication modules for the telephone, so that I can see what wiring bundles (harness) are actually at that point?

Diesel Benz

I haven't seen third row seats data even on EPC, would you have access to a W210 wagon instructions, perhaps it is sufficiently close. Looks like you would have to remove a few screws from the centre hinge. In any case, the third seat cannot be removed equally easily as the paneling on a two seat rows car.

blkamgsl55

Remove the plastic cap on the center front cargo net ring and you'll expose the torx headed screw that must be removed before you can lift off the electrical compartment access panel.

Diesel Benz

You mean it should work like this for on a car with third row seats too?

bosendorfer

OK. Great. I took off the small plastic cover and located the Torx head screw. Thanks alot. Boy that's a big Torx screw! Do you happen to know the Torx bit size that is. I just got a Wiha Torque Vario 51 piece set, but unfortunately the Torx bits included only go up to 25.

Thanks again, so much, for the guidance. I am getting closer.

bosendorfer

Well I hit my head and realized I should have looked on the bolt and sure enough found that it is a 10.9 metric size.

blkamgsl55

I think it's a 30mm Torx bit. 10.9 is the grade hardness or the bolt.

bosendorfer

I ordered and received my Wiha T30 and T40 TORX Insert Bits. I first tried the T30, but it was loose, so it was the T40 that worked, and I took off the bolt! However, I still don't know how this load compartment floor panel is supposed to release.

I did order and receive the STAR Service, Service Manual Library, Model 211 on DVD, Part #P-2700-211-07, from MBUSA, but this wasn't any different than the online information when I signed up for a 24 hour access to the STAR Service online feature. They don't show the wagon details for one with a third row seat! I really don't understand how MBUSA can offer the DVD without the illustrations and specifications for the third row seat, when most of the wagons come that way. I am going to be calling MBUSA tomorrow and seeing if they have any supplement for the wagon with the third row seats.

It seems like the top part of this load compartment floor panel, the part furthest towards the second row seats, is on hinges at the upper right and left corners. And it looks like there are those access holes, which I mentioned previously, facing the bottom of the third row seat back compartment, which corresponds to the "bottom" part of the panel, the part closest to the cargo door.

I am sure it is probably pretty simple, but I am afraid of doing something wrong or damaging something.

Any ideas or guidance on what's the next step?