Help with my late 2003 Facelift S500 fibre optic system.
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Oct 2020
Posts: 2
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2003 Mercedes Benz S500L W220
Help with my late 2003 Facelift S500 fibre optic system.
Hi Everyone, I am a new member here, I am in the UK & I have been browsing this helpful forum since I got my late 2003 S500L facelift model.
I am currently having an annoying issue with my Stereo, it is the COMMAND system, connected with the MOST interface.
When I got the car, when I turned the head unit on, it came on as it should, but it didn’t display the radio stations, it was just blank. Then after around 10 seconds it would say “system unavailable” & turn off.
I decided to investigate this, & found that someone previously has been messing around with the system set up in the rear boot (trunk) of the car.
I found a detached fibre optic cable that was plugged into the navigation unit, so I put the connector bag in its plug, & plugged it back into the back of the navigation unit.
To my surprise, when I turned the head unit back on, I had the radio frequency’s displayed & the sound, navigation etc was working.
this lasted for 4 days, then reverted back to what it was originally doing, no radio, no navigation, no sound & saying system unavailable, then switching off.
I have read a lot of thing’s on here & have tried most of them. But nothing has worked.
I did notice that my car has originally had the telephone fitted, but that has been removed at some point before I had the car.
I have also read that it could be the Audio gateway at fault, but I don’t want to spend a lot of money on a replacement if it is not that.
What is puzzling me is, I got the system to work, albeit for 4 days & now it’s not working again.
Can anyone offer me any advice on what to do next, as it is frustrating not having any music.
it is also the factory fitted BOSE system in the car.
I am currently having an annoying issue with my Stereo, it is the COMMAND system, connected with the MOST interface.
When I got the car, when I turned the head unit on, it came on as it should, but it didn’t display the radio stations, it was just blank. Then after around 10 seconds it would say “system unavailable” & turn off.
I decided to investigate this, & found that someone previously has been messing around with the system set up in the rear boot (trunk) of the car.
I found a detached fibre optic cable that was plugged into the navigation unit, so I put the connector bag in its plug, & plugged it back into the back of the navigation unit.
To my surprise, when I turned the head unit back on, I had the radio frequency’s displayed & the sound, navigation etc was working.
this lasted for 4 days, then reverted back to what it was originally doing, no radio, no navigation, no sound & saying system unavailable, then switching off.
I have read a lot of thing’s on here & have tried most of them. But nothing has worked.
I did notice that my car has originally had the telephone fitted, but that has been removed at some point before I had the car.
I have also read that it could be the Audio gateway at fault, but I don’t want to spend a lot of money on a replacement if it is not that.
What is puzzling me is, I got the system to work, albeit for 4 days & now it’s not working again.
Can anyone offer me any advice on what to do next, as it is frustrating not having any music.
it is also the factory fitted BOSE system in the car.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 2,473
Likes: 439
From: Ball Ground, GA (N of Atlanta)
2003 S500 2007 GL450
My only suggestion is to carefully check every fiber optic connection in the entire system. Since the system is a ring, if it is broken anywhere, it kills everything.
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Oct 2020
Posts: 2
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2003 Mercedes Benz S500L W220
Hi, I apologise for the delay in getting back to the people who gave advice, I have been very busy.
Just an update, I checked all the fibre optic cables & they were all fine. Which left the Audio Gateway as at fault.
I watched a video online of someone having the same issues with his W220 Command system, he said in the video that 9 times out of 10 if your head unit is coming on & after 10 seconds or so saying System unavailable, then it is usually the Audio Gateway at fault.
So, with that in mind, I got hunting for a reasonably priced Audio Gateway & managed to find one removed from a 2003 CL W215.
The part numbers were a little different, but it was the correct basis number 7002 & the actual part number began A220.
So, I decided to give it a go. I fitted it in place & turned on the Head unit & it worked instantly, Radio, Sat Nav, CD changer, DVD.
this was also just a plug & play part, no coding required.
So, I am one happy man, I now have much missed music etc.
Just an update, I checked all the fibre optic cables & they were all fine. Which left the Audio Gateway as at fault.
I watched a video online of someone having the same issues with his W220 Command system, he said in the video that 9 times out of 10 if your head unit is coming on & after 10 seconds or so saying System unavailable, then it is usually the Audio Gateway at fault.
So, with that in mind, I got hunting for a reasonably priced Audio Gateway & managed to find one removed from a 2003 CL W215.
The part numbers were a little different, but it was the correct basis number 7002 & the actual part number began A220.
So, I decided to give it a go. I fitted it in place & turned on the Head unit & it worked instantly, Radio, Sat Nav, CD changer, DVD.
this was also just a plug & play part, no coding required.
So, I am one happy man, I now have much missed music etc.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 2,473
Likes: 439
From: Ball Ground, GA (N of Atlanta)
2003 S500 2007 GL450
Congratulations - I am glad that the CL unit worked in your car.
Incidentally - at least in the USA, a 2003 W220 will have the D2B fiber optic system. The system changed to MOST in 2004 over here. I know that years ago there used to be differences in when a series changed (such as from 2003 to 2004 series) in the UK...
Incidentally - at least in the USA, a 2003 W220 will have the D2B fiber optic system. The system changed to MOST in 2004 over here. I know that years ago there used to be differences in when a series changed (such as from 2003 to 2004 series) in the UK...
Last edited by wallyp; Oct 16, 2020 at 07:02 PM.
