E55 Distronic and Parktronic Question
Junior Member
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 66
Likes: 3
From: Hollywood, FL
2003 E500 Sport, C8 CORVETTE
I am a betting man, and I would swear you have the Parktronic, from what I see in the pics, you have all the same sensors (bumpers), and lighted indicators (front and back interior), as I have. I have the Parktronic, your shifter does NOT have the switch, as it might have been switched out as some time, but I see what you have is a blank button. The switch turns it on or off.
Super Member
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 972
Likes: 191
From: Atlanta
W222 AMG S63
You can buy the bottom button assembly with suspension and parktronic buttons easily on ebay.
You'll have to buy a bezel with distronic buttons installed.
But, before you buy anything, I'd pull the bezel up and see if the connectors for both systems are under there. Seems like they should be. It's odd that they are not. Maybe they were malfunctioning and the previous owner simply disconnected them all and got a bezel with those things deleted. That's what I'm doing after I install coilovers, installing a button panel that doesn't have air suspension or ADC control buttons.
You'll have to buy a bezel with distronic buttons installed.
But, before you buy anything, I'd pull the bezel up and see if the connectors for both systems are under there. Seems like they should be. It's odd that they are not. Maybe they were malfunctioning and the previous owner simply disconnected them all and got a bezel with those things deleted. That's what I'm doing after I install coilovers, installing a button panel that doesn't have air suspension or ADC control buttons.
Junior Member
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 57
Likes: 10
From: Michigan
Two 2005 E320 CDI, 2004 E500 Wagon, 2007 ML63 4MATIC
I recently added Distronic and Parktronic to my CDI. The bezel I found is not a perfect match but close. It came from a W219 CLS. I had to cut off two posts but it fit otherwise. You already have the suspension adjustments so all the wiring you need is there. In my case I had to add the harness that powers and communicates with the switch. The Distronic control plugs into the suspension/Parktronic switch. I originally bought a used Distronic switch from eBay. The potentiometer was noisy and caused faults. I ended up buying a new one from a online dealer which was not that much more then the used examples on eBay.
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Junior Member
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 57
Likes: 10
From: Michigan
Two 2005 E320 CDI, 2004 E500 Wagon, 2007 ML63 4MATIC
There is no additional wiring required to connect the parktronic switch. As long as the suspension buttons are working on the new part, you could swap out your current switch. Do the Parktronic display LED's light up when you get close to an object? Another question, do you have the bumper sensors? If missing, your bumper covers have been replaced.
Super Member
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 972
Likes: 191
From: Atlanta
W222 AMG S63
If the wiring isn't there, then maybe you do not have Parktronic and and the previous owner installed Parktronic bumpers because that that's what was availalble. But, that's highly unlikely being that, I think, all E55s came with Parktronic.
Any chance that you missed the Parktronic wiring harness deep inside the bezel area? That's the only thing that makes sense.
Any chance that you missed the Parktronic wiring harness deep inside the bezel area? That's the only thing that makes sense.
Junior Member
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 57
Likes: 10
From: Michigan
Two 2005 E320 CDI, 2004 E500 Wagon, 2007 ML63 4MATIC
There is no additional Parktronic harness in the shifter bezel. The suspension/Parktronic switch is a smart module that interfaces with the vehicle via the CAN bus. The yellow LEDs illuminating on the dash/back displays indicate the module in the trunk and wiring is there. I just retrofitted Parktronic on my 05CDI so am very familiar with the system. If you swap in the switch you purchased, than you can see if Parktronic is working.
The distronic switch is very simple internally. Just a few resistors, LED's and a potentiometer,
The distronic switch is very simple internally. Just a few resistors, LED's and a potentiometer,
