W211 Parktronic, TBS, Distronic Installation
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 57
Likes: 10
From: Michigan
Two 2005 E320 CDI, 2004 E500 Wagon, 2007 ML63 4MATIC
W211 Parktronic, TBS, Distronic Installation
I own a 05 e320 CDI. Big fan of diesels so my plans are to hold onto this car for a many of years. My vehicle was well equipped but missing some features common on newer vehicles. The two features I want to add first are Parktronic and active TPS sensors. A longer-term project is Distronic. I realize there are aftermarket solutions for some of these functions but I really want to keep everything OEM. The aftermarket resources that installed these features in the past seem to have disappeared. I spent some time on EPC building a parts list. Part availability was confirmed using a US dealer website. As these vehicles age, I am concerned the parts I need will be obsolete. The main thing I need are wire harnesses. Used modules and displays are readily available on eBay. I would like to get everything on order, so I can plan for the install. I have done this type of modification to other vehicles, so the project is not a problem for me. I would appreciate feedback from the group on the parts list and if anyone that has attempted these upgrades. Part list attached.
Parktronic:
The one part that are not available is the bumper inserts. The AMG versions are available, but the base model vehicle is not. Question to the group, can I use the AMG version? Looking at photos I don’t see a difference. Bonus is they are available in my color.
Active TPS:
All parts are available. Wheel sensors would be aftermarket.
Distronic:
All the harness and mounting hardware are available. The Radar sensor is not but there are multiple examples on eBay. I will also need to source a new grill with the baffle that protects the sensor.
Thanks,
Paul
Parktronic:
The one part that are not available is the bumper inserts. The AMG versions are available, but the base model vehicle is not. Question to the group, can I use the AMG version? Looking at photos I don’t see a difference. Bonus is they are available in my color.
Active TPS:
All parts are available. Wheel sensors would be aftermarket.
Distronic:
All the harness and mounting hardware are available. The Radar sensor is not but there are multiple examples on eBay. I will also need to source a new grill with the baffle that protects the sensor.
Thanks,
Paul
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 6,190
Likes: 1,550
From: MA
2008 E350 4Matic, 2011 E350 4matic
You'd have to search the old threads. I believe many people in the past used to like swapping the regular bumper for the AMG one. Not sure what you mean by insert. The sensors themselves are pretty common. Only issue I can think of is Star diagnostic and if you have to code the car to have them. There's lots of parts though so not sure if you're going to do them all, there's also the part on the transmission to shut it off. Every once in a while when you get ice on the bumper, it will set off the parking sensor so it's nice to be able to shut it off if it gets too annoying. Plus when getting a car wash it will also go off.
Again not sure how you code the care to have the tire pressure monitoring. I think there are aftermarket solutions that are much cheaper where you don't have to do anything to the car.
In the old threads someone was able to retro fit distronic to their car. People with the newer cars like the W212 or W213 say the newer version are much better than the older one.
With all this work, I would still think that it'd be easier to just buy a newer car with all the options you want. That's what I did with mine, just keep scanning til the right car came along. If you're using EPC, you just use the vin decoder part of it to figure out what options the car really has. Even today finding a car with the driver assistance package or distronic is still pretty hard.
Again not sure how you code the care to have the tire pressure monitoring. I think there are aftermarket solutions that are much cheaper where you don't have to do anything to the car.
In the old threads someone was able to retro fit distronic to their car. People with the newer cars like the W212 or W213 say the newer version are much better than the older one.
With all this work, I would still think that it'd be easier to just buy a newer car with all the options you want. That's what I did with mine, just keep scanning til the right car came along. If you're using EPC, you just use the vin decoder part of it to figure out what options the car really has. Even today finding a car with the driver assistance package or distronic is still pretty hard.
Last edited by cetialpha5; Aug 27, 2019 at 04:42 PM.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 6,190
Likes: 1,550
From: MA
2008 E350 4Matic, 2011 E350 4matic
Oh yeah, here's the old thread on Distronic. Probably cheaper to buy some of the parts used on eBay or a junkyard. But it was never that common an option so parts in a junkyard are probably hard to find.
https://mbworld.org/forums/w211-amg/...ot-s-pics.html
https://mbworld.org/forums/w211-amg/...ot-s-pics.html
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 57
Likes: 10
From: Michigan
Two 2005 E320 CDI, 2004 E500 Wagon, 2007 ML63 4MATIC
You'd have to search the old threads. I believe many people in the past used to like swapping the regular bumper for the AMG one. Not sure what you mean by insert. The sensors themselves are pretty common. Only issue I can think of is Star diagnostic and if you have to code the car to have them. There's lots of parts though so not sure if you're going to do them all, there's also the part on the transmission to shut it off. Every once in a while when you get ice on the bumper, it will set off the parking sensor so it's nice to be able to shut it off if it gets too annoying. Plus when getting a car wash it will also go off .
Thanks for the link to the install. Very helpful.
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2019
Posts: 340
Likes: 189
From: Europe
09 SL500, 03 E320 CDI Wagon
The modules you buy, used, will be coded with a different VIn # ( only some modules are, not all ) than your cars. You will have to code your VIN# into them, to make them work.
The Distronic from that era, is crap now a day's. It is constantly disabled by never systems, regardless if MB, AUDI, BMW, etc. I find big rigs the most annoying, they constantly make my distronic kick out.
A lot of components are involved. It might be cheaper to buy a write off car, fully loaded, and just take what you need, sell the engine/tranny, and left over parts on Ebay. That way, you get ALL you need, and even all modules, including ECU, Keyless go, and Command, together with the correct harness. No VIN programming needed, if all modules are transferred, together with the ECU.
Being a 2005, it should still be the inline 6. A much better engine than the V6.
A 320CDI might not be the easiest car to come by, but in time.
The Distronic from that era, is crap now a day's. It is constantly disabled by never systems, regardless if MB, AUDI, BMW, etc. I find big rigs the most annoying, they constantly make my distronic kick out.
A lot of components are involved. It might be cheaper to buy a write off car, fully loaded, and just take what you need, sell the engine/tranny, and left over parts on Ebay. That way, you get ALL you need, and even all modules, including ECU, Keyless go, and Command, together with the correct harness. No VIN programming needed, if all modules are transferred, together with the ECU.
Being a 2005, it should still be the inline 6. A much better engine than the V6.
A 320CDI might not be the easiest car to come by, but in time.
Last edited by SLcharge; Aug 28, 2019 at 12:58 PM.
