baxterdown

I've been wondering how difficult/expensive it would be to add voice control to my ML. And, if it works like the GL where you can control the nav or the E-Class where you only control phone and stereo (except sat).

Any thoughts?

Jose

NLRL

I asked the same question in the TECH TALK forum and the reply was that the ML is not prepared for and you need to make a special harness which is not easy or cheap. The GL is prepared for.
I was very sorry to hear this but sometimes Daimler Benz has some crazy marketing ideas.
Maybe somebody else knows more.

baxterdown

Not true. VC is a regular option on the W164. I have seen MLs with Voice Control at the dealership. The VC option ads a button on the steering wheel in between the regular 4 buttons on the right side (see pic below).

XJ9

The issue is that if you did not get VCS factory installed then the harnessing for it is not present. Fortunately there are a some retrofitters out there who have teh ability to add the harness and then the VCS.

tkeskic

If anyone has ideas on how to have this done, I would love to here them, my dealership forgot to order the option, or the factory forgot to install it; so I have been without;

I had a company add the factory Sat Radio to my 2007, and it works great, used all MB parts, and built the harness etc, I have them looking into adding VCS also; but if there some other ideas etc out there I would love to hear about them;
tk

NLRL

Where are you located?

howie222

do you have VC?

Brian_74

I'm pretty sure the button is there whether you have VC or not. At least it's that way on mine. I have the button, but no VC. The button is non-functional.

baxterdown

At least in the US, not all MLs have the button. Much to the contrary, most don't. I have a 2008 ML350 Edition 10 -- Mine has no button.

When we were looking for our truck, we looked at a ton of 2007 and 2008 MLs with P1 and P2. Only a handful had the button and that was because indeed they had VC installed.

I would be tempted to say that if a truck (US at least) has the button is because VC is installed. Here's a good test. Hold down the button for a bit (up to 10 seconds) and see if you hear a "beep" -- if you do, say "help." If a voice gives you and answer, you have VC!

My SA at the dealership is looking to see if my truck is pre-wired. I'll report next week when I get an answer.

baxterdown

P.S. -- If anyone has Voice Control, can you please let me know which systems it controls?

- Phone (I know yes)
- Radio and CD (I know yes)
- Navigation? (and if so, can you enter a new destination via VC?)
- Satellite Radio?

Thanks

Jose

tkeskic

NLRL
I'm in Calgary (AB/Canada)
But willing to do a road trip for the right install etc; have some ideas?

my ML has the voice button also on the steering wheel; I I opted for every option with the exclusion of Parktronic and air suspension. Sat Radio wasn't available in 2007 in Canada from MB, but I have since had that added with no issues (using MB parts) I have the ML 320 CDI sport with the variose packages, can't recall the names, but one was premium, and then we added sport also; even have the bluetooth and keyless go.

tkeskic

baxterdown
I have the button (which didn't surprise me as I ordered VC) - however it doesn't do anything - I was told after weeks of investigating my the dealer that the factory started installing the steering wheel with the VC buttons on all 2007 and later models to reduce costs etc; however there was no pre-wire for it if you didn't do a factory order. I have seen some documents that appear to support if you have the cell prewire, the VCS module sits in the command chain for that option, and should be a simple plug in module (somewhere I think I still have the part numbers) - the dealers will not touch the addition of either the SAT Radio or the VCS - however I was able to add SAT radio when all the dealers (US and Canadian), and MB said it wasn't possible - I think they are full of crap often on the pre-wire stuff to reduce the number of people of that try to mess with the system. But again, I dont know that for sure - but I managed to add the SAT radio so far without any issues when I was told it was not possible;

tk

NLRL

I have a ML350 2008, purchased in December from the dealer stock. The steering wheel does not have the voice control button. So the dealer statement that all post 2007 will have the button on the steering wheel is not valid.
This means that if I find the harness , beside its installation I need to change the steering wheel too as I see very difficult to add the button only.

tbenz

ml have to be ordered with VC it is not a dealer install, haven`t heard of any after market kits, the VC does operate the radio,phone,navi,sat,cd player

XJ9

yes, you will need to order a replacement steering wheel with the center buttons and then find one of the (very) few retrofitters that will do the retrofit. AFIAK there are no retrofit kits just yet but there is no reason why someone couldnt build one.

tkeskic

The questions remains - do you (anyone) know where a retrofitter is that could do this?

XJ9

There are two that I know of... MBenzNL and MidCity Engineering. MBenzNL is a guy who travels around doing retrofits of factory equipment whereas midcity both designs and installs products for mercedes as well as kits to retrofit parts where the normal wiring is not present.

I know for a fact that midcity has done the vcs retrofit (they did one for a customer at the dealer where I work) but I believe it was an 07 E class so I dont know if the same applies to your ML.

tkeskic

Mid City did the Sat radio option for me, shipped me the parts and I had a local audio guy do the work; kit worked fantastic; I had asked about the VCS, and they are working on getting back to me; How does one contact MBenzNL to see if there is an option; I have worked with Mid City, and they did a great job, but I want to have a backup in case they cant do this...
tk

NLRL

I got in touch with Steve from mbenzNL. I found someplace his webpage.
I have a reply from his secretary and if you send me your e mail I can forward her reply.
He will be in States , San Francisco area this spring and if you have the steering wheel already the mod will cost $1057.
If he has to change the steering whell too the mod is around $1500.

My e mail is nikirodi@aol.com
Take care

XJ9

You can contact steve right from the MBenzNL site. They stock lots of different oem mercedes parts including the phone and vcs modules. He also goes on scheduled trips where he comes to install things in different cities so he actually comes to you to do the work. Mid city does not AFAIK send out installers; they do everything locally or build kits but they are probably the premier firm when it comes to engineering for mercedes. The main thing is that they often get backlogged on new kit designs because their services are so in demand but their kit quality is excellent: sometimes our service dept sources parts from them because they are the only ones that stock all the really wierd hard-to-get factory connectors. If anyone is going to build a kit with all the stock connectors and wiring it will be them.

baxterdown

I heard from the SA. He said he talked to MB and VC cannot be added "to the ML" -- I don't know if he meant every ML or just mine.

I AM BUMMED!!!!!!!!!!

XJ9

I dont know if that sounds right... I walked over to the parts counter to check the price on the VCS for the ML and just the module lists for $1190

baxterdown

I am confused about the steering wheel replacement and harness explanations. Here's why:

In browsing EPC net, I came across the steering wheel controls diagram (see pic 1 below). It clearly shows that the button controls have an independent part number, which leads me to believe that they can be replaced without having to replace the whole steering wheel.

I also found the steering column harness (see pic 2 below) diagram. If there where two harnesess (one with voice and one without) there would be two part numbers. There is only one part number for the harness.

The third pic below shows the actual voice control module, which is not located anywhere near the steering wheel.

So, PLEASE, correct me if I'm wrong. But, couldn't one assume that installing the VC module and replacing the steering wheel buttons do the trick?

I'm just not buying the SA's response. I WANT MY VOICE CONTROL!!!

NLRL

Your argumentation makes sense.
Except , many times "sense" is not part of the equation.
Maybe we can get a connection to the plant in Alabama to clarify the issue.
The dealers are useless.

XJ9

I believe the issue with the steering wheel is that there is a module inside the wheel that the button assemblies plug into that also might need to be changed. I havent checked the pricing of the steering wheel versus the buttons and module (if its even different).

The VCS module does not mount near the steering wheel but rather under the rear seat. The steering wheel switch communicates over LIN to the comulm module, then over CAN to the command, then over MOST to the VCS module. The VCS module can be added; the problem comes from the fact that many MLs (and other new models) do not have the plug the plugs into the VCS so all of the wiring and the plug must be added.