So as luck would have it my night vision camera is dead, seems the lens cracked and maybe water got in. Replacement camera is $4k from MB, does anyone know if a used camera would work? Will it need to be calibrated or otherwise interacted to with Xentry?

 

I had a similar problem earlier this year. Debris of some kind, probably a small pebble, was thrown up by a truck in front of me in highway traffic. It managed to hit and crack that night vision camera lense. Parts and labor from the dealer were $4,320 and $1,020, respectively. My State Farm insurance paid it all without deductible under my comprehensive coverage. I was told there was significant labor needed to install and recalibrate the new parts.

 

you just hire BenzNinja, buy one from ebay and save lots of money I code it

 

Your insurance got fleeced royally. Grill comes out in 20 minutes to gain access the first time you do it. Camera comes out easily.

FWIW I can get that camera for $3600.00 + tax. New. Have Peter calibrate.

Camera in my car suffered a similar fate as yours.

 

Had forgotten about this one, got a camera from ebay for $500 and installed in 20 minutes.
Was expecting it not to work and it did not right after install but a couple of days later when I clicked the button it just worked so I never went for calibration. Detection and spotlight seem to operate normally but since this is a useless feature to begin with I just might not be able to tell it's misaligned.

​

 

Living closer to the equator has its benefits. For guys like me living in the higher latitudes means many hours of driving in darkness during the winter months, plenty use for night vision.

 

Funny, I was just about to ask what it would take to add night vision for my car. I know the button is $94 at the dealer and you have to replace the whole row of the six buttons.
Can some explain in some detailed way about an aftermarket system that works like the factory night vision?

 

Again night vision is not very useful but here is your part list:
Grille heat sensitive camera - $5k
Windshield IR camera - $1k
IR Headlights - $5k
Wiring - $500
The button - $100
(should also retrofit the camera washer element not that is works for anything)

Most cost effective retrofit is to remove the car and install a new one fitted with NV.

 

Night vision retrofit is not a joke financially

some think it's just a camera or so, we have been asked many times

here is a aftermarket system that works
couldn't resist sorry

 

Believe me I tried to find an S class with NV, when I did find one it was missing one or more of my “Must Haves” on my list. The word got out NV wasn’t “all that” and only a small percentage bought it. It is more prevalent i a AMG S63 but I didn’t want to pay an extra $35,000.

 

All the S65’s have it.

Buy one with enough potential for fun and you get all the goodies.