Alan Galbraith

I'm looking to get into an S class, and am wondering what model year was Bluetooth streaming added as a standard feature?

and are their aftermarket solutions for earlier models?

1bad540

bluetooth streaming>? for radio? was 2014.

Alan Galbraith

I'm talking abut being able to connect my phone to the car via bluetooth and stream music from the phone to the car stereo.
Is that a different capability on a Merc than just being able to connect ones phone via bluetooth for calls?


if so, when was just bluetooth for phone calls added?

1bad540

yup.

dlafever

The Bluetooth phone connection is available from 2007 - 2013 for the W221. You can also have Bluetooth music streaming if your car has the iPod interface installed in the glove box and use a Bluetooth adapter. It is essentially one connection for the phone via the puck in the center armrest and another in the glove box. Not all cars have the iPod interface installed and the kit is no longer available from the dealer.

This is all considering a U.S. spec car, not sure if the MHI connection in the center armrest was just stock world wide or only for specific markets.

Polar Bear

A bluetooth telephone adapter is available that will give you telephone functions sans SMS messages (the factory Motorola V710 phone with Mercedes-Benz firmware does support and display SMS on COMAND in addition to utilizing an amplified external shark fin antenna that virtually never drops calls). One thing to consider is that telephone reception (besides the V710) is greatly diminished due to the IR-reflective glass these cars come standard with to keep the interior more comfortable and protected in sunlight. I have an iPhone that would work fine with the Bluetooth phone adapter, but the calls it would drop compared to the V710 does not make it worth utilizing. I keep a "shared line" on the V710 phone that I keep connected in the center console and always use it for phone calls in the car.

This iPod to Bluetooth adapter will plug onto the 30-pin iPod integration kit found in many of these vehicles from 07-up and will display the artist name, album name, and track name on the Instrument Cluster, and the arrow keys and telephone buttons allow you to navigate the standard iPod menu structure easily, and the sound quality is actually good.