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There is a port in the back that was covered with some sort of anti-tamper tape, is that the serial port? I've got access to Xentry diagnostics and just today installed Vediamo. What would I need to get to communicate with the Headunit through the serial port?
The serial pott is used for JTAG Interface to upload a new firmware when existing has bricked or being developed.
Xentry or Vediamo may provide you with access to the configuration -
From there disable DVD device then done.
Don't screw with HDD you'll end in a deeper pool.
CLONE it with Live linux CD-ROM system tools
Last edited by CaliBenzDriver; Jun 29, 2024 at 10:21 PM.
Find someone with a known good drive and swap it into your head unit and see if it runs
although there may be an issue with security code, but at least you would see if it make a difference
Do a disk copy clone from the good HDD to the SDD (eg by using Acronis) and plug it in
If the input / output board on the HDD was faulty
you buy another HDD the same and take the board out of that good one
I have done it in the past to preserve everything that was on an otherwise faulty HDD
See if you can get Acronis to recognise the HDD that you took out of the head unit
Maybe you can buy just the board for HDD Toshiba MK1060GSC
AliXpress
Don't know if firmware is an issue doing it like that
Haven't done it that way myself, just swapped out the card from a new HDD
Last edited by Bruce Hubbard; Jun 30, 2024 at 02:59 AM.
Some of the pages head unit (HU) would show you if you could get into it with phone(red)#1
As you are unable to access it, it means the HDD is not running, is faulty, or I/O is faulty
Could explain why the CD player is not working
The driver software for it would reside on the HDD
First before buying anything
Remove the HDD circuit board
check for cracked solder joints on the connectors and components
inspect the components for any damage, eg cooked
then reassemble the circuit board in the HDD and see if any joy
Last edited by Bruce Hubbard; Jun 30, 2024 at 04:09 AM.
I'm not certain the HDD is our smoking gun because when it's in the headunit it doesn't spin but when hooked up to my computer with a usb adapter it does. Also, the CD changer does nothing so I'm more inclined to think that there is a power distribution issue.
The question is whether the issue lies internal with the headunit or even possibly it isn't getting proper voltage from the harness.
Does anyone know how I can power the unit out of the car?
Also does anyone know if I give the CD changer 12V whether it will start initializing?
I'm not certain the HDD is our smoking gun because when it's in the headunit it doesn't spin but when hooked up to my computer with a usb adapter it does. Also, the CD changer does nothing so I'm more inclined to think that there is a power distribution issue.
The question is whether the issue lies internal with the headunit or even possibly it isn't getting proper voltage from the harness.
Does anyone know how I can power the unit out of the car?
Also does anyone know if I give the CD changer 12V whether it will start initializing?
There are a lot of things we don't know but we can make good guess to fill in the gaps.
Well there is your unit power supply complete with a fan meaning a regulator or power MOSFET does get hot...
This is what you may want to inspect closely and test if mosfet is shorted out with DVM in "Diode mode".
power supply section !!!
I remember reading there are two activation signals: over CAN messaging plus one by a discreet ON/OFF signal line.
> so use that signal for bench testing!
The fact HDD is not powered seems to indicate the firmware is stored in an E2PROM like every other modules.
HDD may only the "music register" storage
As far the CD tray its a proprietary unit, one can guess it does self-check before saying: ready!
Let double check your power supply section.
Last edited by CaliBenzDriver; Jun 30, 2024 at 05:53 PM.
At a guess
the operating system is Windows Automotive and it resides on the HDD
the HDD is partitioned as 5 drives and one is dedicated to the operating system
other for applications such as music memory
other for storage of radio stations which is why your radio is stuck on one station and can't select others
Boot firmware would be in a chip (like BIOS) which would only be flashed, if ever
There are a lot of things we don't know but we can make good guess to fill in the gaps.
Well there is your unit power supply complete with a fan meaning a regulator or power MOSFET does get hot...
This is what you may want to inspect closely and test if mosfet is shorted out with DVM in "Diode mode".
power supply section !!!
I remember reading there are two activation signals: over CAN messaging plus one by a discreet ON/OFF signal line.
> so use that signal for bench testing!
The fact HDD is not powered seems to indicate the firmware is stored in an E2PROM like every other modules.
HDD may only the "music register" storage
As far the CD tray its a proprietary unit, one can guess it does self-check before saying: ready!
It seems to be responsible for making sure the audio doesn't get interrupted when the engine is off due to start/stop. I don't think it actually does anything vital to the headunit.
It seems to be responsible for making sure the audio doesn't get interrupted when the engine is off due to start/stop. I don't think it actually does anything vital to the headunit.
We don't care what local big chip, we care about power supply section. The HDD is hosted right near by right? It is likely not powered because non spinning.
When inspecting power mgt circuit:
we look at swollen leaky hot capacitors
we look at power element solders that carry current
we look at cooked PCB area indicating heavy heat
Better pictures so I can see what's going on
Last edited by CaliBenzDriver; Jun 30, 2024 at 11:12 PM.
I replaced the capacitors, but that did not help. What is strange that the fuse at the back of the unit does not have a contact with any of the pins. I'm not sure if it's for the power or for the amp output.
I replaced the capacitors, but that did not help. What is strange that the fuse at the back of the unit does not have a contact with any of the pins. I'm not sure if it's for the power or for the amp output.
The head has no ampplifier... Amps are remote through the MOST digital Fiber straight into amp in the trunk.
It's really challenging to troubleshoot without schematic. So you can concentrate on double checking all the obvious clues.
It's very easy to draw many bad conclusions without evidence.
We need to make solid guesses based on where we can stand.
No pics: I am blind when I can't see!
= Inspect all the input connectors pins for missing or bad solders joints.
Let's keep in mind...
the unit does boot but aborts
so it is nearly working and
CDVD is the top suspect as far as I understand but HDD quiet to so that sends us back to: power supply that feeds the whole unit.
We know standard HDD pin out so we can assess power being supplied or not.
> Directions with thinking cap on...
The logic +5V (3.3V chips) is proven good as unit runs boot sequence until it aborts.
then perhaps +12V is not feeding CD/HDD ?!?
Almost there - Stay focused!
You're a pioneer working inside that module.
You have the skills. Let's get this box humming again.
Keep in mind we're troubleshooting a rat-trap setup by Mitsubishi that's activated more/less on schedule for service opportunities.
Last edited by CaliBenzDriver; Jul 1, 2024 at 11:54 PM.
The other thing you could do is connect the HDD to an external 5V supply to make the disk spin
Solder a wire to SATA pins 7,8,9 the HDD 5V input and 0V to pins 4,5,6
Connect it through a wire with a fuse in line, with say 1Amp fuse (says 5.5 watts on start-up), put your ammeter in series if you want to check current drawn by HDD
As long as you are sure HDD pins 7,8,9 are not connected to a voltage
Quickly tap on to 5V supply first to check nothing is going to smoke up
Or if you have the correct SATA cables
With the HDD out of the head unit
Run a SATA cable from the HDD to the circuit board for 7 pin data
and SATA cable from HDD to external 5V for the SATA 15 pin
Or with the HDD out of the head unit, connect it to 5V with the USB cable that you did before to power it
and this time connect a SATA cable between the HDD and the head unit board to get the data transfer going
Last edited by Bruce Hubbard; Jul 2, 2024 at 02:58 AM.
All of these HDD are going to stop spinning eventually
rendering all of the head units junk
What's more you can't clone from junk
The only way around it is to clone up a SDD (or two if you want a back up to keep your car head unit going)
Might be possible to clone through the USB port in the centre console because you can upload music files through it
So Acronis running on a laptop should be able to clone the HDD to SDD through that USB port
I'd be keeping the car hooked up to a battery charger while doing it,
because if the battery voltage drops and the head unit turns itself off
you could wreck the data on the HDD
Last edited by Bruce Hubbard; Jul 2, 2024 at 09:23 PM.
Are you able to post a better close up photo of the HDD drive on the circuit board please
with the connectors that are soldered to the board and how the SATA plugs in
Have you had success in getting the drive to work ?
Success in getting the head unit to boot up correctly ?
I'll take the drive out again and will post more pics, but basically there is an adapter from SATA to another connector type which goes to the bottom PCB. That board has another connector which goes to the upper PCBs.
2013 E350 Facelift (Japan Import) 2007 E350 Elegance Wagon, 2014 E350 Wagon facelift model Jap Model
Originally Posted by W212er
I just picked up a headunit and I plugged it in, and it started but went into anti-theft mode.
Does anyone know what I need to do to program it? The headunit is from a 2013 E350.
@BenzNinja You need to speak with BenzNinja and get him to help you with recoding your car to allow the new head unit to work, without his help its a massive waste of time. He helped me swap a Japanese unit for a UK unit in my E350 wagon and its been great for over a year now.
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