When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Does anyone know if this radio on ebay, a German model, Mercedes Radio Audio 10 CD Alpine mf2910 r129 would work in a US SL500? The plug receptacles look right. Would be nice to have the CD changer in front, since the rear ones don't seem very reliable. Any help is appreciated. ALPINE MF2910 CD RADIO FOR R129
You make that selection correctly by using the old MB EPC parts list or continue on with your FUYAA----or mail me a check as you just P'ed your money away!
Does anyone know if this radio on ebay, a German model, Mercedes Radio Audio 10 CD Alpine mf2910 r129 would work in a US SL500? The plug receptacles look right. Would be nice to have the CD changer in front, since the rear ones don't seem very reliable. Any help is appreciated. ALPINE MF2910 CD RADIO FOR R129
Thanks,
Dale
Sure looks to me like it will work. All the plugs look correct. I never saw one of these and may want to get one. Be sure to get the code.
Thanks for your reply, FATHERTIME. I think I'll email the seller and ask them. I have 2 SL Buyers Guides and I've never seen this indash CD mentioned even for European versions. Would be nice if it worked. Thanks for reminding me to get the code.
Thanks for your reply, FATHERTIME. I think I'll email the seller and ask them. I have 2 SL Buyers Guides and I've never seen this indash CD mentioned even for European versions. Would be nice if it worked. Thanks for reminding me to get the code.
This radio may never have been offered in the R129 but if it works in the S models I'm sure it will in the 99 and up SL R129's It probably has a fader option in the AUD button but that matters not it will have no affect in your car.
I emailed the seller and he said it would work. But, I found a new(uninstalled) one and it's on the way. Guess, I'll have made an expensive mistake, not unusual, or I'll have a nice in dash cd changer. Comes with code card.
Thanks for your help.
Thanks for the replies FATHERTIME and mahunt. It won't be here till sometime after mid-September. I'll be glad to let you know how it goes and attach pics before and after. If it does work, the part number you will be looking for is A 170 820 03 06. I found one in the US, but wasn't impressed. They seem to all be overseas. That part number will bring up several listings.
Fingers crossed.........
Finally, I got the appointment to see if the Audio 10 CD could be programmed to my US 129. Absolutely. Shameless plug; if you are ever in Greenville, SC and your Benz needs help call Alex @ STAR AUTO CARE, 864-242-9400. I printed off everything I could find about the PROD code in the radio and took it to them. Of course, they had never had to do this. But, the technician hooked up the STAR diagnostic and with a few minutes of magic, it was up and running. He had to go into the radio, clear some data and change some things basically just telling it to work in my car.
CD works, radio stations are fine and have music titles. Seems perfect so far.
Now, it's just a matter of learning to operate the radio (found a pdf manual) and hoping it really is a good unit. Theoretically never installed in a car before. We'll see.
There are several available on ebay from Germany, but I would ask the seller if the radio is ready to be installed in a US car without having to take it to a shop. Radio should read CODE like our radios do. Not PROD. Not sure what that means, but it won't work in a US car until it has been re-programmed. And be sure the code card is included.
So, just do your due diligence, have a good dealer or independent on standby and get your factory, Mercedes, in-dash CD radio!
So, no Plutoe, looks like I didn't **** my money away after all. Sorry to disappoint.
Last edited by 2Jags; 10-21-2019 at 06:21 PM.
Reason: Spelling, format
Actually, that's what I thought when I bought it. There is so little information about these radios and a lot of what's there is incorrect. But, no, it is a single CD unit. The great news, it still controls your CD changer! So you can listen to what you want right now or select your changer for pre-loaded discs with the CDC button.
I love it. Great sound. Can't remember all the original radio does since I usually use the CD if the top's not down and I'm listening to the engine. But this one has all the normal stuff, Program Type PTY, artist and song, traffic, short wave and long wave on the AM band. Probably stuff we don't have over here, but it sounds absolutely great. The Bose system is great in and of itself especially in such a small space and this radio uses it to the fullest.
I am completely satisfied with the result and got to make a new acquaintance at the local independent Mercedes shop to boot. As I mentioned before, ask the seller if the radio is ready to be installed in a US car, i.e., not showing the PROD code. And be sure you get the radio card as well. Now, the tech made my radio work without using the code card, so obviously was able to do that through the software. But, make sure that you get the code card anyway and if the radio does flash PROD when you put it in, the STAR diagnostic can make it work. In this case the tech had never done this, but figured it out anyway.
There are several on ebay and a UK company who can set them up to work and may sell them as well.
Good luck if you decide to get one.
I'm not sure which years it would fit. You might be able to ask one of the vendors on ebay. I've attached the pin out from the owner's manual. The fiber optic is only for the CD changer in the trunk. Has nothing to do with the CAN bus as you can see those pins noted in one of the plugs. I know this because I replaced the changer in the trunk and had to disengage the fiber optic plug. If you pull your radio out of the slot, you should have a small green angled plug that goes into the bottom center of the radio. That is the fiber optic. If you don't have fiber optics to your CD changer, then you'll have the green plug below.
It appears that all the 129's here came with or could be ordered with only the trunk mounted CD. So, if you have that, I'd think the odds are good that you have fiber optics. If you don't have the radio removal tools, you can get them through AutoZone and others I'm sure. And there are videos on youtube on how to remove the radio if you don't already know. 2 minute job with plenty of cable behind the radio to pull it free and look at the back of the radio. Just be sure not to mash one of the cables putting it back in. Hope I'm not insulting your intelligence here. If you have your factory radio manual, or can find one on the web as I did for the new radio, you can compare the pin outs directly.
Hope this helps and that the radio will work for you. The radio out of my car. The green plug is where the fiber optic cables go.
I do notice that all the radio connections on the back look exactly like my existing radio. The single top connector on the upper right and the bottom double connector at the bottom right with integrated fuse. I recently removed my radio and even the antenna connection is in the same place. I sure don't remember having a green plug, but I could be wrong.
I've had the radio and AC controller removal inserts since I first owned the car. I'll pull the radio tomorrow and look for the green plug.
I have a SL600, so the car came with the CD changer from the factory.
I'm in Greenville, SC, mahunt. As for the backlighting, I haven't driven it at night, yet, but I'll check it out tonight when I'm back from work.
I'd think the radio might work in the SL600. I've been looking hard at those. How's yours been for reliability?
Reliable enough to be my daily driver for 13 years before I retired. I got it with 97K miles and It currently has over 250K miles and looks/runs like new. I posted a picture of the car somewhere on this website when I joined after a long relationship with BenzWorld. I documented the car's maintenance/repair episodes over the years on the BW site. just look for the mahunt entries under the R129 section.
Don't get me wrong, it's far from a zero maintenance car and there's more stuff to take care of than a regular SL500 or SL320. The V12 cars come with everything AND the common stuff you'd think would be the same is different from the other cars. The exhaust is different, as is the diff, the tranny, the suspension, the interior, the driveshaft, the cooling system, etc.
After all the years enjoying the car as a daily driver, it wasn't until I retired that I found out the car's true strong suit. Grand Touring. I didn't even think the car could get over 20 MPG until I took it on it's first interstate road trip.
At the beginning of this year I helped a local lady prep and sell her low mileage 97 SL500 (Sport, pano). I got to finally drive a SL500 and there is a reason so many of them where built. They are really nice cars, but before parting ways, I let the lady drive my car and I got to see the V12 effect on another individual first hand. From the first note of the exhaust, to the smile on her face when she floored it on an on ramp. The V12 cars are special.
No green plug and the top right connector is all but fully populated (8 out of 10 locations). Your top right shows only 3 connections.
I hope to take a trip to Blythewood before the end of the year, Maybe we can see if the radio will work in an older model R129.
mahunt,
Did you look at the pdf with the audio 10 pin out? Connector C that you refer to has 6 pins. I haven't looked at a wiring diagram, to see what that connector was for on my original radio. And you can find a radio on ebay to look at the plugs, but here's a picture of the back of the Alpine. Looks as if it uses 5 pins.
Do you have the manual for your radio? The manual for the audio 10 has the pdf of the back of the radio at least saying what's in the plug if not what each individual pin does. Looks like that plug will power the changer, but I don't know how you'd get sound out of it. That's the D2B.
Nice to hear the SL600 will go to 250k. Leaves me less apprehensive about them. May have to start looking myself.
I bought my SL for the express purpose of touring. My first trip back from Virginia down through TN and NC she got 30.05mpg. I couldn't believe it. All I'd ever heard was how awful Mercedes V8s were on gas. Better than anything else I have now. Two other calcs backed that up, 24.93 up, 19.47 puttering around on the parkway.
Blythewood is about 2 hours from here. I'm hesitant to pull the radio out again, because I don't know if it would need to re-programmed, programmed to your car, would just need a code or no code at all. The technician did not put the code in when he got my radio to work, at least not from the radio. Maybe he did it through the software. Should have tried that while I was there.
I wish there were a way to get the info on whether it would work for you. I went on hearsay from everything I could find on the web. Had no idea the changer would work, or the D2B, or the Bose system. I just decided that it was worth a try. I know that some aftermarket radios will work. There's a guy, Mike, with a youtube video about installing one, but no cd. He only wanted the ipod/bluetooth stuff. Matt Farah also has a video on an SL500 he bought for a daily driver in LA. Clarion put one in for him. He has a youtube channel, thesmokingtire. Good videos on all sorts of cars.
As for the backlighting, it is orange, but very light, not garish. Is the AC console supposed to be backlit? Mine's not. Guess that's something I need to look into?
There's a small incandescent light bulb that back-lights the LCD screen when the head/parking lights are turned on. Your's is either burned out or needs to be reseated.
I have a indy mechanic who does a great job with SDS (Star Diagnostics), so he should be able to program the radio if I get one. I just need to find one for a reasonable price to try and maybe someone with a newer R129 that would buy it off me if it doesn't work for my year.
Thanks, mahunt, for the compliment and the info. As soon as I asked the question about the light I went online and found a video. Replaced the bulb over lunch and I have light! Not as bright as the radio, but enough. Will try to find the bulb Mercedes used; may be a bit brighter.
I'm more and more impressed that Mercedes has made these cars relatively easy to work on even more than Jaguar. You'd have to rip the dash out of most cars to get at the AC controls. Can't believe it's so easy!
Anyway, have a good day and let me know if you head up this way.
All, mahunt had a question about Bluetooth. The Audio 10 CD does not come with Bluetooth but according to the attachment from ebay, these radios can be and are being modified for Bluetooth.
I am thoroughly pleased with the radio. Glad I took a chance.
I have attached the manual for the radio and a listing from ebay that I just looked at for the MP3 mod. Important note at the bottom: AM Mode is no longer available!
That would affect AM, LW and SW. I've not tried the SW or LW bands so don't know what if anything is available on them in the US.
Just got off the phone with Becker Auto Sound in NJ.
I had a few questions about using the Alpine MF2910 radios in our cars.
The radio will work fully (including the CD changer) with the MY 99+ cars with fiber optic to the changer. AM broadcast is different over in Europe, so AM reception won't work here in the US according to BAS. Dave, did your Star Diagnostic session when you installed the radio switch the radio's AM band from Europe to US and do you currently get AM reception?
The radio will work partially (no CD changer) with the older cars that have the middle years (95 to 98, maybe 94) Alpine CM 2194/2294/2396. If someone doesn't have a CD changer, but wants to have a MB radio and play CDs, this would be a great upgrade.
I asked about changing out my copper wired changer for fiber optic and was told it's a big deal (I guess not a one wire conversion). BAS went on to mention that they do sell the Continental radios for those folks looking for a change, but they too don't work with the factory CD changer.
So if you have a middle year R129 with the Bose radio setup and no CD changer, the MF2910 would be a fantastic upgrade.
I do have AM station reception, a few SW stations and I could hear aliens on LW. I also saw a D2B cable set on ebay along with many of the MF2910 radios, some with blue tooth or cables for MP3 devices.
08-14-2019, 10:16 PM
