Bluetooth Upgrade
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Feb 2022
Posts: 47
Likes: 6
2005 S-500
Bluetooth Upgrade
I own a 2005 S500. Wondering how to upgrade it to Bluetooth capability while retaining the OEM radio and recommended local installation shop in DFW, TX area.
New to this site, so please forgive me if I sound naive.
New to this site, so please forgive me if I sound naive.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 2,472
Likes: 439
From: Ball Ground, GA (N of Atlanta)
2003 S500 2007 GL450
"Cheap, Easy, Good - Pick any two." And in this case, you may be able to get only one, if you want "Good".
The only ways that I know of to come close to meeting your requirements are:
- Purchase a cheap device that plugs into the lighter socket, hooks to the phone via Bluetooth, then transmits the music to the car radio on an unused FM frequency.
- Purchase a device that goes into the tape player instead of a cassette, plugs into the phone, and plays through the tape input on the radio. I seriously doubt that the 2005 has a tape deck!
Most people who have installed an Android head unit instead of the COMAND have been very pleased, and some folks have been happy with a "name-brand" replacement for the COMAND. More expensive, but really updates the interior. DuckDuckGo (or Google, if you don't mind sharing everything) is your friend - there are dozens of YouTube videos and dozens of Mercedes forum threads on this subject. It will take some research...
https://www.benzworld.org/threads/w2...#post-18356963
The only ways that I know of to come close to meeting your requirements are:
- Purchase a cheap device that plugs into the lighter socket, hooks to the phone via Bluetooth, then transmits the music to the car radio on an unused FM frequency.
- Purchase a device that goes into the tape player instead of a cassette, plugs into the phone, and plays through the tape input on the radio. I seriously doubt that the 2005 has a tape deck!
Most people who have installed an Android head unit instead of the COMAND have been very pleased, and some folks have been happy with a "name-brand" replacement for the COMAND. More expensive, but really updates the interior. DuckDuckGo (or Google, if you don't mind sharing everything) is your friend - there are dozens of YouTube videos and dozens of Mercedes forum threads on this subject. It will take some research...
https://www.benzworld.org/threads/w2...#post-18356963
Junior Member
Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 42
Likes: 8
From: San Francisco Bay Area, California, USA
2005 S500 4Matic
I see in another post you bought the Dension system, but in case you ultimately want to keep your stock system, the GROM Audio MB02 MST4 adapter and the associated options works absolutely perfectly in my 2005 S500, to add Bluetooth streaming audio, Bluetooth handsfree phone, USB flash drive audio and analog Aux audio inputs. I think the stock audio system sounds great the way it is, so this solution works really well for me. It splices into the fiber optic system in the trunk in place of the CD changer. As far as the stock radio system is concerned, nothing has changed, but I can select the CD changer and then select Bluetooth or USB or Analog Aux. Installing it involved removing a lot of the interior, but it was worth it.
My writeup of it is here:
https://mbworld.org/forums/s-class-w...4-install.html
My writeup of it is here:
https://mbworld.org/forums/s-class-w...4-install.html
