Hi there, new here so bear with me please. Shall try and keep this to one thread rather than scatter bombing the place with 100 separate questions.

Some background... I have a RHD UK spec 2006 W221 S500 with about 115k miles under it. I bought it on condition rather than spec and am gradually working through it retrofitting various options and am running into some issues re coding. Where not part of the 'as built' harnesses, these are all brand new MB, most everything else is second hand but the correct part number for the production age. I have access to WIS/EPC and chassis numbers for a couple of 2006 vehicles with the options that I am fitting to ensure that the parts acquired are correct. This is time consuming but I am not trying to get systems from a late 2012 car to work and find it easier to compile an accurate parts list rather than chancing eBay fitment guides🤣

Options that I am fitting are as follows and I can connect and read all the modules via the diagnostic port. (I have a iCarsoft2, and whilst I can't code with it it is a pretty useful diagnostic tool).

1. Reversing Camera 218.
2. Distronic Plus 233.
3. Night Vision 610.
4. Heated Steering Wheel 443.
5. Trailer Hitch 550.

From the top:
1. MB retrofit kit and just needs the Comand unit programming to accept the input.
2. Distronic sensor and stalk fitted, which has disabled cruise. The car has Parktronic, but not Park assist, this might be an issue but if needs must I will swap out the bumper sensors.
3. Switch fitted along with the correct headlights, camera and ECU. Headlights, including cornering functions work as advertised.
4. Squib ring and switch fitted. Wheel is on the list.
5. SAM to ECU harness fitted, hitch hardware on the list.

2. Is showing a gateway programming mismatch, and 3./4. simply don't work although the retrofit guide on WIS re the heated wheel suggests a change of SAM is required and as said, the wheel is yet to be acquired/fitted.

So the question, finally...

I have acquired a new used central gateway and front SAM from a 2006 C216 CL500 which had Distronic, Night Vision and Heated Steering Wheel. Should these be plug and play?

The only potential hiccup that I can see is that my car has Airmatic whereas the CL has ABC as standard...🤔

 

put the old better lights back on, night view assist is pointless - with worse than std headlights

nothing on a merc's software is simple or obvious - its a mishmash of hell and confusion - you'll get there but nothing is plug and play - we have one guy that advertises here - benzninja - who could do all this in his sleep - you might want to join his club and have a chat https://mbworld.org/forums/s-class-w...a-s-n-1-a.html

he posted one of his ads this week.... he is the real deal - very knowledgeable and helpful - you won't be able to do anything with icarsoft - you'll need Mercs systems of Xentry and likely you need to use Vediamo quite a bit to force programming - distronic plus will need a lot of work, three radars and as it links to braking you might need other parts you haven't thought of yet with bits of software in many pies

SGR
DTR
ABR
IC (Cluster)
OCP
SCM
Rear SAM
CGW



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Distronic Plus requires an entirely different front and rear bumper to accommodate 4 radar sensors in front and either 2 or 4 in the rear. On top of that you need to code out Parktronic and code in Park Assist which means you are going to need Xenty/das or Vediamo.

 

Distronic without the Plus is just the radar sensor, loom and switch. Never offered as an option because Distronic Plus was the default sales option. From the EPC what I have fitted is option code 219. Distronic Plus is 233

Car is currently registering a fault for incorrect coding in N73 aka central gateway.

I understand that to make Distronic Plus work I will have to fit the four sensors each end along with respective harnesses although these look to simply replace the Parktronic harness to the rear SAM, and swap the existing control module on the trunk. 219 is similar in operation to the Distronic system on the W220, and may be standalone from the Plus aspect.

I have access to a friendly independent with the means to program the various items. Hoping that the Central Gateway and SAM swaps will simplify that process. With the W220 it was easier to code out the faults that trying to code in the new systems.

 

japan got distronic adaptive cruise on a 221 - it works from one major central radar - the distronic plus adds two more beside hidden inside the front bumper to do wider angle slow speed activity (and brings in another safety system BAS Plus). I don't think you understand the complexity of what you are planning - u will need a lot of software and then specialist configuration of that to get things to work (the way Mercedes plan it now is both of those operations ONLY come from online only Mercedes resources.....) As I suggested BenzNinja is the best option



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Agree about forgetting night vision...you will only use it once to show your spouse driving home at night from dinner, and never again. Total gimmick waste. And yes, you need BenzNinja asap.

 

Whether Night Vision is any good, or not, is subjective. Having driven my car with both headlight types fitted, I don't think there's actually much in it as far as the main beam goes, especially as you should only be using main beam when there's no oncoming traffic. Besides, the hardware is already fitted. So there's that.
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Ignoring the whats and whys, my basic question was whether second hand SAMs and Central Gateway modules are interchangeable/plug and play? And if they are, what are the potential pitfalls of swapping them, if any?
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no a gateway has the chassis number in there and secondhand parts fight (can be done if a compatible part... but I have been trying on an E class and got nowhere (with the right part) but I only tried a few basic ideas via Xentry and it just said no

the SAM will need to match the looms for the toys... there are quite a few different spec SAMs and in my mind the risk of damage getting this wrong sounds painful and expensive - but if its compatible hardware, these are closer to plug and play, the car will end up with a need for coding to its specific build... or certain stuff won't function....

NOTE BELOW (UK RHD Nov 2006 Build) with distronic plus and useless night vision

SGR HW 03654 1032 mine updated to SW 221442 4432 and 221442 2432 - to week 20 of 2008

DTR HW 221540 0417 mine updated to SW 221442 0956 - was 216442 0400 week 26 of 2005

ABR HW 221545 5232 - SW was 221442 0653 of week 29 of 2005, mine is updated to SW 221902 9502 week 17 of 2011 - suspect its steer assist update - not that its enabled - never tried - only thought why they issued after recent post and read its steer by brake)

IC (Cluster) 221540 3811 (UK RHD) SW 221442 3621, 221442 0321, 221442 0221, 221442 3721 two got updated function and graphics (function puts in park if you open the door when running and graphics I think gives high beam assist (but not enabled on mine)

OCP HW 221870 4186 SW 216442 0323 (there's an update just gives more diagnostic capability)

SCM HW 21545 7832 but mine doesn't have heated steering wheel, whilst it has software, its not flashable

Rear SAM HW 221545 4832 SW lots of versions all horrible - came with SW 221442 1300, tried SW 221902 4903,
-Later Rear SAM HW 221545 8532 running SW 221442 21600 is non configurable software release.
-SW from week 20 2007 with full coding choices is SW 221442 3300 which also brakes better when using cruise control than the one Merc now suggest SW221902 4903

CGW HW 221540 8945 mine was updated SW 221448 0527 and 221448 1327 (SW ending 1327 as left the building was 221448 1027 week 42 of 2005)

You need a new windscreen if fitting the camera for night vision as it gets a cut out for the IR and a heating element to stop it misting up - its about 4k for a new screen.... and insurance fight like hell to give a screen that doesn't match the build of the car as they order by chassis number - tried it on a ford focus and the only difference is the shape of a plastic bracket costing 20p and it was a nightmare, so ordering the wrong screen at 4k rather that the original at 1.7k should be lots of fun


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Thanks for all of that👍

Need to double check the HW/SW data from the original/as fitted modules (iCarsoft can read the module data from individual modules) and the new modules, but everything purchased second hand is correct for the production run. Even on pre facelift cars, there are differences in functionality between model years so trying to avoid that complication. For example, if it had been a 2007 built car, then the rear camera would have been a box tick on the Comand maintenance menu rather than a coding job...

New (used) modules are as follows but will double check SW numbers on them.

Front SAM: HW A221 540 16 32, SW A221 442 21 00 05-46-01

​​​​​​Central Gateway: HW 221 540 88 45, SW A221 448 10 27 05-42-0*

Distronic: HW A221 540 04 17, SW A216 442 04 00 05/26

Front SAM is coded for both 443 and 610 and comes from the same 2006 car (with Distronic) as the Central Gateway. Steering Column module is from a different 2006 car with Distronic and heated wheel.

Rear SAM will require coding for the trailer hitch, but if I need to fit the Plus for Distronic then I will source the correct SAM for that and then get the hitch coded to it.

New screen is on the list... available from MBUK for £850 ish. Incidentally, any rock chips in the driver's central view can require repair/replacement for the annual inspection (MoT test) which is usually covered by insurance in the UK.
Have had a similar conversation regarding rain sensing/heat reflective windscreens on a Vauxhall Omega so prepared for that 'conversation'.

Not surprised you're having a battle with the W212, loads more going on with all the extra functionality of the various modules.

 

So what's the Rear SAM you have ? (that's the one that does the Radar cruise... )
The info you have for the Front SAM is the one I have in mine - see bold bits above
SCN coding - software numeric calibration - is the name for online coding of toys to Merc specification for your car's datacard - (datacard - AKA Spec on Merc servers for your car's build, and or subsequent approved retrofitted toys)

As I tried to say - getting a different screen fitted to your car - AKA another merc screen but not the one the chassis number says a specific car should have is almost impossible in the UK. They will not just fit a part number you want

list of option codes - much of which is where you are aiming for with your car

218 REAR-VIEW CAMERA
223 REAR BACK REST ADJUSTMENT AND HEAD RESTRAINTS, ELE
229 PARK ASSIST (this is the option for active guidelines and parallel and J turn parking assistance)
231 GARAGE DOOR OPENER
233 AUTONOMOUS INT. CRUISE CONT. PLUS (DISTRONIC PLUS)
241 FRONT SEAT LH ELECTRIC ADJUSTABLE WITH MEMORY
249 INSIDE AND OUTSIDE MIRROR AUTOMATIC DIMMING
260 TYPE DESTINATION ON TRUNK LID - ELIMINATION
275 MEMORY PACKAGE (DRIVER SEAT, STRG. COL., MIRROR)
276 MEMORY REAR SEAT
289 LEATHER STEERING WHEEL WITH TRIM INSERT
297 ELECTRIC ROLLER SUN BLINDS IN REAR DOOR LH AND RH
310 DUAL CUP HOLDER
345 RAIN SENSOR
388 PHONE MOBILE, MTUS-SYSTEM
401 FRONT SEAT CLIMATE CONTROL
402 REAR SEAT CLIMATE CONTROL
406 MULTI-CONTOUR REAR SEAT
414 ELECTRIC TILT/SLIDE SUNROOF IN GLASS VERSION
427 AMG Speed Shift MTC 7 AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION 7-SPEED
432 MULTI-CONTOUR, DYNAMICS SEAT FRONT LEFT AND RIGHT
437 COMFORT HEADREST REAR
443 HEATED STEERING WHEEL (Although I have the walnut wheel - that allegedly can heat the leather parts - I don't have the switch to manually play - so its not on there for mine)
461 INSTRUMENT WITH MILES IND. AND ENGLISH LEGEND
475 TIRE PRESSURE MONITOR (TPM) HIGH LINE/MID LINE
500 OUTSIDE REAR VIEW MIRROR LH AND RH FOLDING
518 UNIVERSAL COMMUNICATIONS INTERFACE (UCI) / IPOD INTEGRATION KIT / MEDIA INTERFACE
527 COMAND DVD APS WITH DVD WITH NAVIGATION
537 DIGITAL RADIO STANDARD DAB (DIGI. AUDIO BROADC.)
540 ROLLER BLIND, ELECTRIC, FOR REAR WINDOW
551 ANTI-THEFT/ANTI-BREAK-IN WARNING SYSTEM
581 AUTOMATIC CLIMATE CONTROL
582 AUTOMATIC CLIMATE CONTROL IN THE REAR
595 HEAT INSULATING+IR REFLECTG.SAFETY GLASS SIDE+REAR
600 HEADLAMPS - CLEANING EQUIPMENT
610 NIGHT VIEW ASSIST
616 BI-XENON HEADLICHT W.ACTVIE CURVELIGHT LEFT-DRIVE
619 CORNERING ILLUMINATION
666 PRODUCT PROT.F.TRANSPORT VEH. W/O TIE-DOWN HOOKS
669 SPARE WHEEL / FOLDING WHEEL
682 FIRE EXTINGUISHER
731 TRIM PIECES - WOOD BURRED WALNUT VENEER
807 YEAR OF MODIFICATION
814 DVD CHANGER
856 PHONE HANDSET IN REAR ARMREST
863 TV-TUNER DIGITAL TO ANALOG
875 HEATED SCREEN WASH SYSTEM
882 INTERIOR SAFEGUARD
883 POWER CLOSING SYSTEM (soft closing doors)
885 HIGHTEN THEFT PROTECTION
910 DYNAMO WITH HIGHER CAPACITY (FFO)

 

Mine's the short wheel base, so missing the rear seat extras.😉 but even so, the original owner ticked enough boxes to push it well over £72k... it has upgraded leather, dynamic massage/heated/ventilated front seats, xenons, HK and sunroof as the highlights. This project is about making it my preferred spec and as a bit of a challenge.

As far as the lights go, car was built with 600, 616, 619. The headlights that I have acquired for the HBA came from a car built with 600/610/616/619 with the ECU/ballasts attached and were plug and play... no error codes and no functionality issues (main beam produces a faint red glow from the H11bulbs) I did double check the wiring diagrams on WIS and they match the car, suggesting that software is the deciding factor in the HBA working or not. Which isn't a surprise given that EPC specifies code 610 on the replacement front SAM when ordered new.

Thinking out loud, re Distronic, aiming for 219 as 233(Plus) isn't compatible with 220(Parktronic). Looking at the wiring diagrams for Distronic, the SAMs and Central Gateway... Distronic is only connected to the car via a fuse on the front SAM and the chassis canbus. The rear SAM comes into play for the Plus part as the Park Assist ECU connects into the rear SAM/chassis canbus instead of the Parktronic one.

Is it reasonable to deduce that the Central Gateway receives commands and responses and forwards them through the canbus to/from the various switches and components? And if this is the case then it would surely be programmed to recognise switches and components. Currently cruise is disabled. From the two errors relating to this, (one is that the grille radar is not coded into the Central Gateway, tother that the switch is 'wrong'), the mismatch would seem to be that the cruise stalk has an extra function and that the Distronic unit is unrecognised. Changing the Gateway for one programmed to recognise both should resolve this🤔

Plus is a separate issue. Park Assist sensors work very differently to the Parktronic ones, even though both systems ostensibly perform the same basic function... proximity to other objects. Plus would appear to use the Park Assist sensors in the front bumper. Without Plus, Distronic should work but without the ability to follow stop start traffic, not dissimilar to how it behaves on the W220.

 

you are missing a massive about of knowledge about coding of the instrument cluster - LOTS of features you are describing or want to add are included (controlled) via the cluster coding

cornering lights, curvetronic, highbeam assist, night vision, distronic plus..... and there's a separate switch for night vision around the main light switch inside the car

and its all in german with 4 different hidden menus inside its coding - for example the simplest menu with the simple bits to play with

Advanced Frontlight System aus - Advanced front light system off (aka high beam assist)
Geschwindigkeitsbegrenzung aus - Speed limit off
Radarsensorik Advanced Distronic ein - Radar sensors Advanced Distronic on
Temperaturanzeige °C - Temperature display °C
Anzeige Tacho / Wegstrecke Meilen - Display speedometer / distance miles
Anzeige Zusatztacho anzeigen - Show additional speedometer display
Abstandsgraphik ein - Distance graphic on
Abstandswarnung aktiv - Distance warning active
Reifendruckanzeige bar - Tire pressure gauge bar
Fahrlicht manuell - Driving lights manually
Spurwechselassistent aus - Lane change assistant off
Akustik Spurwechselassistent nicht aktiv - Acoustic lane change assistant not active
Aktivierung Curvetronic deaktiv - Activation Curvetronic deactivated
Programm Curvetronic Normal - Curvetronic Normal program
Aktivierung Rückfahrkamera automatisch bei R-Gang - Activation of reversing camera automatically in reverse gear
Akustik Rückfahrkamera nicht aktiv - Acoustic reversing camera not active
Verwendung Taxi Dienstlich - Use taxi on business Taxi
Dachzeichen aus - Taxi roof sign off Taxi
Tastentöne aus - Taxi key tones off

 

Quite probably😉 Software is not my strong suit. Although a few hours trawling through WIS has clarified a few items, not least the functionality of each module and how they interconnect.

The correct light switch, with NV is fitted and I can see the switch operating electrically. NV is currently showing as permanently disabled in the live data, (the system itself is fault free), and also the UCP is showing a code for an incorrect light switch but neither is a surprise given that the current front SAM is missing the coding for NV. Once that's swapped over for the SAM with the coding, then I expect it to produce more useful information. A side effect of this should also be the activation of 443 as the used SAM is coded for both.

218 is a retrofit, (as per WIS), and as such is triggered from the N/S (left) reversing light rather than the rear SAM. Electrically it is fault free, but with Comand being NTG 2.5, it requires coding to 'see' the video input. The guidance lines are produced by the camera ECU, not the car. From WIS: "Carry out variant coding with the Diagnosis Assistance System by means of Software Calibration Number (SCN)Enter special equipment on the vehicle data card and the online vehicle data card.i Code (218) Enter reversing camera. Disconnect Star Diagnosis. Document retrofitted equipment using VeDoc. Attach "Reversing camera retrofitted documentation as per AN54.65-P-0030SC" note under field organization text for design group 54."

​​Whilst 233 does indeed run through the rear SAM, 219 DTR connects only the the Vehicle Dynamics CAN (CAN-H) and communicates to the Central Gateway via N47 (ESP ECU) and the Chassis CAN (CAN-G). The Central Gateway is showing a coding error for Distronic. As with NV, once the car sees the correctly coded Central Gateway, it may work as expected or it will throw an error code in whichever module is unhappy. If the IC requires coding to activate the display, then so be it.

I appreciate your assistance and patience with all of this, and at the end of the day, if the only things that end up being fitted are 218, 443 and 550 then so be it. Everything has been fitted as it should be with no butchering and apart from a bit of effort, time and £, everything fitted so far can be removed easily enough.

My last S Class was an early base model pre facelift W220 S280, to which I added Parktronic, Soft close and facelift bi xenons with heated washer bottle and headlight washers along with a complete S320 ECU and lock set because a previous owner had bodged in a start button when the EIS failed... presumably it was a cheaper solution than a new EIS from MB, and unlucky for me, their bodge failed completely a week after I bought it🤦... I digress somewhat, but point is that I am not afraid to get stuck into a project.
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RFK can have lines that are static or active (static can be in aftermarket cameras and or applied by comand on later mercs). The active lines on the early 221's comes from an Asin module in the boot. Depending upon its SW version in the RFK module, the CGW may need updating to swap around the operation of the later camera's SW.

RFK orginal 221827 0645 with SW 221442 xxxx of week 26 of 2005 updates to SW 221442 1407 of week 43 of 2005 when you have the later CGW.... (AKA both BOLD BITS)
CGW HW 221540 8945 mine was updated SW 221448 0527 and SW 221448 1027 week 42 of 2005... later update to SW 221448 1327 of week 5 of 2007 )

 

RFK module is HW A221 827 06 45 05/06, SW is A221 442 14 07 05/43/01

Camera is A221 820 63 97. Not sure of the software installed on it. The Aisin ECU isn't reporting any fault with the camera and the live data shows the calibration settings of it. The Canbus connection is for diagnostic purposes as the trigger is the reverse lights.

Once it arrives, I'll be able to scan the CGM and double check the SW version on it although the car it came from didn't have RFK fitted.👍

 

You know that the world king of retrofitting options is https://www.mercedesforum.nl/mbenznl

 

Well, Gateway swap was less than successful. Car spat its toys out due to the LHD/RHD conflict between the CGU and the SRS, as well as the Assyst details being different. There was also a discrepancy with the DTR missing the SGR system. So not really a surprise there.

Front SAM swap was more productive. Heated wheel switch now works, so heated wheel pushed up the shopping list. Night Vision functions in so far as there's nothing electronic amiss but the UCP is complaining about the headlight switch being incorrect and the live data doesn't show the switch being operated so that should be easy enough to resolve and this seems to be the only hurdle for getting it to work.

Options for the Gateway are to either get it coded for DTR without Plus, retrofit the bumper sensors and harnesses or get an S500 unit from a suitably optioned Japanese car.

 

the OCP can throw the entire car's systems in a mega tail spin - its programmed with the key OFF (the only module on the car I believe where that's a requirement) and must be coded with engine OFF ! and it likes to upset the CGW till a battery reset gets you comms back with the car - playing with the OCP puts error codes in to just about every module on the car - hence dealer or very high end tools to sort the mess - NOTE: Snap On doesn't even make a tool that can reach the entire car's systems even after its been out for 17 years !!!

 

Well, the only codes currently are for a passenger door mirror open circuit, DTR mismatch in either N73 EIS or N93 CGU, N25/1 dynamic pump not working, S1 rotary switch incorrect, swivel ball out of position (no surprise there as the tow bar is yet to be fitted), and a P2006 for the swirl flaps.

And of all that little lot, the only thing it's actually grumbling at is Cruise/Speedtronic inactive. And all of the above was the case before the SAM swap.

I refitted the original CGU as I quite like the notion of working airbags😉

 

passenger door mirror open circuit - is a standard feature on all Mercedes - they fit a deliberate cheap and nasty mirror glass that fails on its heater circuit all day long - 5 mins job to replace - the best bit is to remove it, you are expected to tilt it down then ram an object in the gap to basically snap it off

yet on an E class of the same era you have a little stiff wire 3" long that runs horizontally along the top that you must unhook or its never coming off - I guess more money making incompetence by Merc so people damage stuff replacing 25 cent door mirror glass every 18 months

top tip fit the drivers mirror from a car that drives on the opposite side of the road to you - and magically you get to see where you are going at night with other vehicles behind you

 

Apologies for not updating this any further, illness and work kinda took over a bit.

Mercedes apparently no longer releases the coding for DTR so that may just put an end to that idea and they won't add anything to VDoc unless they've fitted it. Even offering to pay for an inspection of the installation was refused.

Not much progress with Night Vision either as the UCP was complaining about the light switch. Some further digging revealed that the IC and switch communicate via the LIN and that's where the complaint is originating. Not such a surprise as the IC isn't coded for Night Vision.

I have an IC from a Night Vision equipped car, along with the CGW but obviously the mileage and Assyst info is different. Fitting the CGW raised an issue with the Assyst as the data was different to the engine and IC, (and although that car had DTR fitted it couldn't see the bumper sensors so no help there either).

Question is... Is it possible to transfer just the mileage and service data from my factory IC to the new one without disrupting the coding?

 

the cluster is easy to code - no point swapping it out - the software is there, its just tick boxes - its a lot harder to sort immobiliser and mileage than tick a box for Night Vision
no merc dealer will ever retrofit anything on these cars they never knew how they worked 17 years ago - and things have slid a very long way down a very steep hill since then... as of 2 years back - they won't even update the comand any longer
UCP ! you meant OCP - the UCP is the heater buttons

join the benzninja club - he knows more about these than any Merc dealer ever did in their dreams...

 

That raises a couple of questions...

Is the IC a theft relevant part then? WIS suggests coding it for the key first and then software, but is that still applicable to a used cluster? And could fitting this cluster brick the car?

The UCP is where the code for incorrect light switch is stored. The OCP is where the rain/light sensor connects to the CAN.
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there a light bulb flashes on the heater buttons when the key is off - didn't think its involved in anything else
I don't think it'll start if you swap the cluster - but not tried - we have BenzNinja to sort the complex stuff - he's the genius, the rust of us dabble and get confused

 

Botus..he's ignoring you on the Benzninja suggestions....it is sounding like he just wants to fiddle and fettle, not really get everything done.

AL5461...take the hint and join the BenzNinja club and get the best to figure out what you can and cant do on such a complicated project...And what hardware it will take...