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Looking for an assist. I bought a pretty sweet looking Android Head Unit (PE88M211PL) Android Unit. I bought the optic conversion and went to set it up in my 2009 W211. The problem I am running into is that it is not powering on. I am no expert in wiring but I thought I had everything plugged in correctly. Wanted to see if anyone else installed an aftermarket unit in this model car and if they can provide any feedback or instructions to assist.
You're probably not tied into the CANBUS. I tapped into the canbus wires that go to the CD changer below the head unit. They are brown and brown/red wires. Fairly easy to spot. Mine wouldn't power on until I did that. I used T-tap wire splices to tie into those two wires and run that up to the head unit and attach to the back of the android unit.
I've attached 2 2008 E63 wiring diagrams I used (page 1 of the "E63 wiring" shows the canbus wires, highlighted).... this was all accurate for my '07 E350 with the Harmon Kardon system.
I don't have step-by-step, but I think I can get you through it. You need to find the canbus wires that go into the CD changer under the headunit. You should have already gone through pulling the shifter cover, ashtray, and removing the CD changer since you've got the stereo installed so I won't go into that. One of the connectors that plugs into the CD changer is where you'll find the canbus wires. Look for a brown wire alongside a brown w/ red stripe, they'll be twisted together. You shouldn't have any issues spotting them, there aren't that many wires in there.
Once you've found them you need to splice into them. You need a scotchlok type connector like one of these, or something along these lines. You can buy these at Home Depot or Lowe's too, just buy the red ones that are made for smaller gauge wires.
You put one of these over one of the canbus wires, and insert a second wire that will run up to tie into the back of the receiver. Then you squeeze it down with pliers and the metal pierces the wires connecting them all and securing them from moving. Look up YouTube videos to figure it out, and do one on a little spare wire.... they are really easy.
The one with the red stripe is canbus high or +, the brown one is the canbus low or -.
There really isn't much more to it than that. I may pull my receiver in the next day or two for something else I'm working on, if I do I will snap a picture or two.
you’re right, it is pretty straight forward. I should be receiving my replacement today so I can try it tomorrow. If you do get pictures that would be great!
1. Does it matter which wire goes to which? Does the high (+) have to attach to a certain wire in the back of the head unit? Same with the low (-)
2. Which wires from the head unit should I use to attach to the canbus? Everything I have read said to use the ACC and the constant power one but I just wanted to confirm.
Yes, it matters. The can+ is brown w/ red stripe... that should go to a wire on your head unit that should be labeled can+, or something very similar. Can- is the brown wire and should go to a wire on your head unit labeled can-.
It definitely doesn't go to ACC and constant power on the head unit. Constant power from the vehicle should go to constant power on the receiver. You don't need to provide ACC power to this head unit. Head unit needs constant power (red/yellow wire) and ground (brown wire), and turns itself on/off based on the signals from the canbus. The canbus is a sort of information highway for the car, so it sees everything going on in the car and manages itself based on that. If you are keeping the factory amp, you should also connect the pink wire to the head unit amp turn on, which is typically a blue wire.
I had my unit out last night, took pictures of where I've tied into the canbus wires. You can see the blue t-taps connected to the canbus wires, with grey wires leading out heading up to the head unit. The plug the canbus wires is on is the one that plugs in on the left of the bottom of the CD changer... it's angled up towards the camera here.
1. Does it matter which wire goes to which? Does the high (+) have to attach to a certain wire in the back of the head unit? Same with the low (-)
2. Which wires from the head unit should I use to attach to the canbus? Everything I have read said to use the ACC and the constant power one but I just wanted to confirm.
what were the reasons you switched to an Android?
did you have Navigation on your old HU?
Did the old HU have the SD slot?
Did the old HU have Harmon Kardon?
Did it have the CD changer underneath?
thanks
Just realized I never responded, sorry about that.
what were the reasons you switched to an Android?
- I did a custom Nexus 7 tablet install in my Explorer before this, having Android in your dash is fantastic. the Android head unit was the very first thing I ordered when I bought the E350.
did you have Navigation on your old HU?
- The e350 came with the full navigation HK7 sound system. It's nearly impossible to use for navigation. Audio is great though.
Did the old HU have the SD slot?
- No SD slot on factory units.
so I followed your advice and tapped the wires only to find out later that the wiring kit that came with the unit wasn’t hooked up right. The pins for the power and ground were in the wrong place. I changed those over , routed power from the cigarette lighter and got it to turn on but I couldn’t get the sound to work at all.
Im starting to think that this unit may not be made for my car so I’m going to return it and get something that will not require any additional wiring . Any suggestions?
You're probably not tied into the CANBUS. I tapped into the canbus wires that go to the CD changer below the head unit. They are brown and brown/red wires. Fairly easy to spot. Mine wouldn't power on until I did that. I used T-tap wire splices to tie into those two wires and run that up to the head unit and attach to the back of the android unit.
I've attached 2 2008 E63 wiring diagrams I used (page 1 of the "E63 wiring" shows the canbus wires, highlighted).... this was all accurate for my '07 E350 with the Harmon Kardon system.
I got it to power on and had to run a aftermarket sub but I can't get the SWC to work. I did notice that the campus is nit attached to anything. However I got a canbus decoder. I see that the wires fun from the headunit into the decoder and then two green wires run to the harness but are not connected to anything. Did you just bypass the decoder when you attached your canbus?
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