HELP! Need Illuminated Door Sill Install Guide
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 120
Likes: 2
From: San Diego
07 S600, 09 ML63
HELP! Need Illuminated Door Sill Install Guide
After searching for weeks I finally received my OEM Illuminated "Mercedes Benz" door sills from mbonlineparts.com. I've read other users DIY but they were for aftermarket sills and the OEM's wiring looks MUCH more complex. The kit came with wiring harnesses, fuse, inverters, and a control box???.
Does anyone have or know where I can get the official installation instructions for the W221? I've seen them for the SL and R-Class, but nothing for the W221. My local MB dealership wasn't any help either.
Any help would be much appreciated!
Does anyone have or know where I can get the official installation instructions for the W221? I've seen them for the SL and R-Class, but nothing for the W221. My local MB dealership wasn't any help either.
Any help would be much appreciated!
Member
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 164
Likes: 3
2007 S 65
After searching for weeks I finally received my OEM Illuminated "Mercedes Benz" door sills from mbonlineparts.com. I've read other users DIY but they were for aftermarket sills and the OEM's wiring looks MUCH more complex. The kit came with wiring harnesses, fuse, inverters, and a control box???.
Does anyone have or know where I can get the official installation instructions for the W221? I've seen them for the SL and R-Class, but nothing for the W221. My local MB dealership wasn't any help either.
Any help would be much appreciated!
Does anyone have or know where I can get the official installation instructions for the W221? I've seen them for the SL and R-Class, but nothing for the W221. My local MB dealership wasn't any help either.
Any help would be much appreciated!
I feel for you. Nothing is easy with a MB. I thought of getting a set of these sills. But all the parts look like a nightmare.
The instructions for the SL and R-Class make it look like you have to tear out the seats and floor carpets.
I thought it may be easier to just wire them directly to the door courtesy lights and forget the harness. Don't know if that will work but I would try it before I would start taking out the seats and carpet.
Please post your final solution. I'm sure a lot of us would like the illuminated sills.
Tony
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 120
Likes: 2
From: San Diego
07 S600, 09 ML63
This ended up being quite the project...nonetheless the finished product looks phenomenal!!!! If you are going to use the Mercedes OEM sills, as I did, half of the interior has to come out in order to fit the sills wiring harness. It ended up taking me a full 2 days, working about 6-8hrs./day. I am not a car mechanic though, just a perfectionist, so for those that are more skilled it might take half that time. It took another full day just to find the install instructions. Turns out you need to pay $15/day to access to them. They are located on the Mercedes StarTek site (FYI the portion of the site that contains the instructions is not Mac compatible, you must use a PC).
Once you have access to the site, the Door Sills install guide refers you to many separate sets of instructions (rear seat removal, SAM removal, disconnection of the battery, etc.). You DO NOT need to do every step it spells out. Specifically I did not disconnect the battery and the rear SAM, nor did I need to take apart the entire B-pillar, just the lower portion.
If anyone is taking on this project feel free to PM me for any questions. I was planning on doing my first write up on this project, but it got so involved that it would have taken at least 10 pages and I was too lazy after spending the weekend in my garage.
Once you have access to the site, the Door Sills install guide refers you to many separate sets of instructions (rear seat removal, SAM removal, disconnection of the battery, etc.). You DO NOT need to do every step it spells out. Specifically I did not disconnect the battery and the rear SAM, nor did I need to take apart the entire B-pillar, just the lower portion.
If anyone is taking on this project feel free to PM me for any questions. I was planning on doing my first write up on this project, but it got so involved that it would have taken at least 10 pages and I was too lazy after spending the weekend in my garage.
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 120
Likes: 2
From: San Diego
07 S600, 09 ML63
ULJETS,
I feel for you. Nothing is easy with a MB. I thought of getting a set of these sills. But all the parts look like a nightmare.
The instructions for the SL and R-Class make it look like you have to tear out the seats and floor carpets.
I thought it may be easier to just wire them directly to the door courtesy lights and forget the harness. Don't know if that will work but I would try it before I would start taking out the seats and carpet.
Please post your final solution. I'm sure a lot of us would like the illuminated sills.
Tony
I feel for you. Nothing is easy with a MB. I thought of getting a set of these sills. But all the parts look like a nightmare.
The instructions for the SL and R-Class make it look like you have to tear out the seats and floor carpets.
I thought it may be easier to just wire them directly to the door courtesy lights and forget the harness. Don't know if that will work but I would try it before I would start taking out the seats and carpet.
Please post your final solution. I'm sure a lot of us would like the illuminated sills.
Tony
You can order aftermarket sills from "formymercedes" that are much simpler to install. From what I've heard those just wire in to the door contacts and a local power source. Unfortunately with the OEM sills that's not possible and you will need to tear apart 1/2 your interior. If you don't enjoy working on cars I would recommend having the dealer install them for you.
Member
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 77
Likes: 1
Hallo
I have bought the original door sills on ebay.I have found installation guide and installed everything.In the package i got 4 door sills,wireing from door sills to the 6-pin white connector,4 inventers,wireing with:
-can conector that i have connected to a can on the right side where the legs goes...
-negative pole...i connected it on the chassis like on the guide.
-fuse that is purple colour
-18 pin black connector
-white 6-pin connector that connects to a door sills white conector
Problem is:
-in the guide there is a orange fuse that goes on a 146 point on SAM.That point on sam is orange colour but my wireing have the purple colour fuse?!
-the 18 pin black connector i cant find where to connect...guide says that it goes to a interior light computer,but we cant found it on my car.Is that allready on the car or it should came with the kit,cus i dont have it?
Please help!
Thanx.
I have bought the original door sills on ebay.I have found installation guide and installed everything.In the package i got 4 door sills,wireing from door sills to the 6-pin white connector,4 inventers,wireing with:
-can conector that i have connected to a can on the right side where the legs goes...
-negative pole...i connected it on the chassis like on the guide.
-fuse that is purple colour
-18 pin black connector
-white 6-pin connector that connects to a door sills white conector
Problem is:
-in the guide there is a orange fuse that goes on a 146 point on SAM.That point on sam is orange colour but my wireing have the purple colour fuse?!
-the 18 pin black connector i cant find where to connect...guide says that it goes to a interior light computer,but we cant found it on my car.Is that allready on the car or it should came with the kit,cus i dont have it?
Please help!
Thanx.
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 120
Likes: 2
From: San Diego
07 S600, 09 ML63
Hallo
I have bought the original door sills on ebay.I have found installation guide and installed everything.In the package i got 4 door sills,wireing from door sills to the 6-pin white connector,4 inventers,wireing with:
-can conector that i have connected to a can on the right side where the legs goes...
-negative pole...i connected it on the chassis like on the guide.
-fuse that is purple colour
-18 pin black connector
-white 6-pin connector that connects to a door sills white conector
Problem is:
-in the guide there is a orange fuse that goes on a 146 point on SAM.That point on sam is orange colour but my wireing have the purple colour fuse?!
-the 18 pin black connector i cant find where to connect...guide says that it goes to a interior light computer,but we cant found it on my car.Is that allready on the car or it should came with the kit,cus i dont have it?
Please help!
Thanx.
I have bought the original door sills on ebay.I have found installation guide and installed everything.In the package i got 4 door sills,wireing from door sills to the 6-pin white connector,4 inventers,wireing with:
-can conector that i have connected to a can on the right side where the legs goes...
-negative pole...i connected it on the chassis like on the guide.
-fuse that is purple colour
-18 pin black connector
-white 6-pin connector that connects to a door sills white conector
Problem is:
-in the guide there is a orange fuse that goes on a 146 point on SAM.That point on sam is orange colour but my wireing have the purple colour fuse?!
-the 18 pin black connector i cant find where to connect...guide says that it goes to a interior light computer,but we cant found it on my car.Is that allready on the car or it should came with the kit,cus i dont have it?
Please help!
Thanx.
Last edited by ULJets; Mar 2, 2012 at 04:00 PM. Reason: Wrong fuse number
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Member
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 164
Likes: 3
2007 S 65
Does anyone know if the aftermarket illuminated sills scratch and dent like the factory AMG sills?
Mine look like crap and I've tried to be careful with them . The W220 chrome sills were much better. I think this is the only truly bad part of the W221 interior. They certainly went backwards on the aluminum sills.
Mine look like crap and I've tried to be careful with them . The W220 chrome sills were much better. I think this is the only truly bad part of the W221 interior. They certainly went backwards on the aluminum sills.
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 120
Likes: 2
From: San Diego
07 S600, 09 ML63
I'll try and take some pictures tomorrow and post them...so far no scratches but its too soon to tell. Makes a HUGE difference in my opinion vs the original sills. They should really be standard equipment.
Senior Member
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 275
Likes: 3
From: Wyomissing, Pa
Kia Sedona
to the guys who has removed theirs before, can you separate the metal/aluminum plate (the part that gets scratched)? if you could, then it's possible to polish it and clearcoat powder coat that to protect it then.
Member
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 164
Likes: 3
2007 S 65
If you drop anything on them they dent. Very cheap part for any car, especially a Mercedes.
Yea, I know I said cheap, but I didn't mean it in terms of what you will pay for a new set.
Love the car, but these door sills really just aren't good enough.
I hope you are listening MB!!!!
Tony
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 120
Likes: 2
From: San Diego
07 S600, 09 ML63
If you are very careful you probably could separate the super thin aluminum piece from the plastic piece, but as Tony said after all that you are still left with essentially the same "cheap" door sill that will dent easily.
Plus you won't have the cool blue "Mercedes Benz" or "AMG" lights
Plus you won't have the cool blue "Mercedes Benz" or "AMG" lights
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 3,433
Likes: 212
From: Sweden, Stockholm
W222 S63L, ML/GLE350
I bought mine on ebay for a fraction of that price...Great post though since I have not installed mine yet. And remeber there are 2 version..Long and short.
Last edited by Chris The Swede; Mar 8, 2012 at 02:39 AM.
Member
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 132
Likes: 0
745i BMW '05, S550 '08
