SL/R230: Paddle Shift Retrofit/Modification for R230
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Joined: May 2009
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2007 SL550
Paddle Shift Retrofit/Modification for R230
Hello. Been lurking a bit here. I bought a very nice 2005 R230, wonderful car. I'd like to retrofit a paddle shift steering wheel, and have done a quite a bit of research into this with no clear answers. It appears it can be done, though some reference to a new wheel (of course) is given as well as a new slip ring (less obvious) for the connectors.
I've taken the airbag off of my car, and the connector below is obvious. Sure looks like a CAN-bus connector for the paddle-shift plug. Does anyone have anymore insight into this? From what I've read, I would guess this recepticle accepts the paddle shift connector, and with the appropriate steering wheel with shifters, you would have the dealer reprogram with the STAR system to accept the paddle shift option.
Anyone know differently? I would love a picture of the connections behind the airbag on a paddle-shift equipped R230. Thanks so much.
Joe M.
I've taken the airbag off of my car, and the connector below is obvious. Sure looks like a CAN-bus connector for the paddle-shift plug. Does anyone have anymore insight into this? From what I've read, I would guess this recepticle accepts the paddle shift connector, and with the appropriate steering wheel with shifters, you would have the dealer reprogram with the STAR system to accept the paddle shift option.
Anyone know differently? I would love a picture of the connections behind the airbag on a paddle-shift equipped R230. Thanks so much.
Joe M.
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2007 SL550
I haven't been able to finish this mod, yet. I have made some progress. There's 2 kinds of shift paddles 03-mid 06, and late 06 and beyond. They differ in having a different control box in the steering wheel. I know, I've procurred both. My car (05) requires the earlier control box with 2-wire connection.
I retrofitted a set of paddles to my leather 'n wood steering wheel, that job went fine. Took it to my dealer to program, no-go. After some research, the steering wheel control module in the 03-05 cars has two version: one for paddle shift, one without. I ordered the one for paddle shift (about $300), and that's where I am today. I'll have this installed in a few weeks (I'm on a job assignment out of state), and we'll see if that works.
Big unknown is electrical slip-rings in the steering wheel. Does anyone know if the 2-wire socket in the picture above connects through the slip ring? If not, then that's another part to obtain...
The quest continues.
I retrofitted a set of paddles to my leather 'n wood steering wheel, that job went fine. Took it to my dealer to program, no-go. After some research, the steering wheel control module in the 03-05 cars has two version: one for paddle shift, one without. I ordered the one for paddle shift (about $300), and that's where I am today. I'll have this installed in a few weeks (I'm on a job assignment out of state), and we'll see if that works.
Big unknown is electrical slip-rings in the steering wheel. Does anyone know if the 2-wire socket in the picture above connects through the slip ring? If not, then that's another part to obtain...
The quest continues.
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Eurocharged 2004 E500, Eurocharged ECU/TCU 2005 SL600, 2010 Caddy SwaggerWagon
Good job on this, man. 
When it's all said and done, you might want to post part#'s, prices, and any pics and procedures you have. You're gonna get asked anyway.
When it's all said and done, you might want to post part#'s, prices, and any pics and procedures you have. You're gonna get asked anyway.
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SL400 367 bhp facelift
This is the wheel I saw on eBay and liked the look of. I have seen a thread for someone who had the older style push buttons gear shifters and swapped for this paddle shift version very easily, so hopefully if it can be made to work at all, it won't be much harder making the paddle version work 
.
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...X:eRTM:GB:1123
.http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...X:eRTM:GB:1123
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2007 SL550
The wheel in that pic if a 2006+ paddle shift car. As I mentionned, there's two kind of control box in the steering wheel, that wheel has the later-model, 3-wire control box. When/If I get this working, I'll be happy to post a complete description with pics, part numbers, etc.
I have already installed the paddle shift buttons on my wheel, the newer style like the picture above. I have an ash interior with wood-accents wheel. Mercedes didn't release a paddle shift version of this wheel as near as I can tell, so I carefully cut the leather and carved out the rubber and managed to get the paddle shift button to install quite well.
The only thing I need now is to get these hooked up through the wheel into the Mercedes controller. Working on that now. Plan B is to wire the switches in parallel to the shifter, but I'll cross that bridge if/when I come to that.
I have already installed the paddle shift buttons on my wheel, the newer style like the picture above. I have an ash interior with wood-accents wheel. Mercedes didn't release a paddle shift version of this wheel as near as I can tell, so I carefully cut the leather and carved out the rubber and managed to get the paddle shift button to install quite well.
The only thing I need now is to get these hooked up through the wheel into the Mercedes controller. Working on that now. Plan B is to wire the switches in parallel to the shifter, but I'll cross that bridge if/when I come to that.
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From: Lincoln, NE
2005 SL600, 2016 ES300h, 2012 Hayabusa
congrats on your progress, I will be following your project when you get back as I was curious what kind of work is involved in such a project, since the shift buttons are one of the few things that make me want to save up for an sl65 instead of an sl600.
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2007 SL550
Still not working, but tons of progress.
I received the new steering wheel control module, and installed it. Suspiciously, it has the exact same part number as the old module. That's the bad news, I think they sent a non-paddle shift module as a subsitute. Good news, during the install, was able to verify that the switch harness *does* have electrical continuity through the slip ring. This is very, very good news. I'm certain that with the correct steering wheel control module, that this will work.
I also learned that the paddle switches work via "resistive multiplexing". The little box in the steering wheel contains a circuit which places one resistance across the 2 wires when one paddle shift is pressed (25k ohms if I recall), and another resistance when the other switch is activated (17k ohm I think).
So, I need to reconfirm part numbers with my dealer, and will go from there.
Also, I took complete pictures of the steering column disassembly, and will have these for a DIY once I get this all figured out.
Note, I spent about 3 hours testing EVERY plug into the shifter unit on the console, looking for the switch wires from the normal lever (the one we all have). No luck. If anyone knows where to tie into those switches, it's an easy plan-b to wire the steering wheel switches in parallel, using the 2 lines through the slip ring that I previously traced + a ground wire.
I received the new steering wheel control module, and installed it. Suspiciously, it has the exact same part number as the old module. That's the bad news, I think they sent a non-paddle shift module as a subsitute. Good news, during the install, was able to verify that the switch harness *does* have electrical continuity through the slip ring. This is very, very good news. I'm certain that with the correct steering wheel control module, that this will work.
I also learned that the paddle switches work via "resistive multiplexing". The little box in the steering wheel contains a circuit which places one resistance across the 2 wires when one paddle shift is pressed (25k ohms if I recall), and another resistance when the other switch is activated (17k ohm I think).
So, I need to reconfirm part numbers with my dealer, and will go from there.
Also, I took complete pictures of the steering column disassembly, and will have these for a DIY once I get this all figured out.
Note, I spent about 3 hours testing EVERY plug into the shifter unit on the console, looking for the switch wires from the normal lever (the one we all have). No luck. If anyone knows where to tie into those switches, it's an easy plan-b to wire the steering wheel switches in parallel, using the 2 lines through the slip ring that I previously traced + a ground wire.
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2005 SL600, 2016 ES300h, 2012 Hayabusa
glad to hear there is progress, when completed a kit would be amazing for us DIY folks that are terrified to blow up several hundreds of dollars worth of sensors/relays.
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06 SL65 / 97 993tt /11 Suburban/ 2012 GTR (AMG è la mia Famiglia la Bestia è la mia protezione)
diablo2112...I don't know if this helps but this was an install thread of the paddle shifters on an E63...
https://mbworld.org/forums/w211-amg/...ferrerid=41063
I had my 2006 SL65 retrofitted with paddle shifters and it turned out great...I'm not a DIY and it was done by a tuner shop I use...you can PM the tech that did my install...he goes by the handle of "wrench" on mbworld.
He doesn't check on MBWorld.org much but I can tell him to check his PM box if you do PM him...just PM me...lol.
Here is the finished product...the fit and feel of the paddle shifters is excellent.
https://mbworld.org/forums/3575961-post1.html
https://mbworld.org/forums/w211-amg/...ferrerid=41063
I had my 2006 SL65 retrofitted with paddle shifters and it turned out great...I'm not a DIY and it was done by a tuner shop I use...you can PM the tech that did my install...he goes by the handle of "wrench" on mbworld.
He doesn't check on MBWorld.org much but I can tell him to check his PM box if you do PM him...just PM me...lol.
Here is the finished product...the fit and feel of the paddle shifters is excellent.
https://mbworld.org/forums/3575961-post1.html
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2007 SL550
There's a major difference between cars 2005 and older and the newer 2006 cars. For 2006+, the retrofit is fairly simple, as the paddle shift buttons are part of the CAN bus, and basically, you install the buttons, the proper bus connector in the steering wheel, and have your dealer reprogram the CAN bus.
For 2005 and earlier cars - like mine - it's considerably more work as the paddle shift buttons are part of a dedicated circuit.
For 2005 and earlier cars - like mine - it's considerably more work as the paddle shift buttons are part of a dedicated circuit.
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2007 SL550
Here's a few pics of the upgrade. I carved out the steering wheel to accept the paddle shift buttons, and drilled through the aluminum support in the wheel for the wires and bolt. I've included pics of the slip ring and steering wheel control module, so you can get a feel for what I'm talking about in the comments, above.
Picture 2 is the slip-ring.
Picture 3 is the steering wheel interface box (not to be confused with the steering wheel control module in picture 5). This is the "2-wire" interface box used in the 2003-2005 models. 2006+ use a different interface, a 3-wire CAN bus hookup.
Looks great in person, now only to get the final hookup done!
Picture 2 is the slip-ring.
Picture 3 is the steering wheel interface box (not to be confused with the steering wheel control module in picture 5). This is the "2-wire" interface box used in the 2003-2005 models. 2006+ use a different interface, a 3-wire CAN bus hookup.
Looks great in person, now only to get the final hookup done!
Last edited by diablo2112; Oct 30, 2009 at 04:19 PM.
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From: The beach
'04 S600, '05 E55, '08 SL600, '09 CLK 550 Convertible
Diablo2112, Later model SL600 (mine is an '08) with the AMG (Sport Option) package
have the large black anodized steering wheel shift paddles on the wood/leather
composite steering wheel.
have the large black anodized steering wheel shift paddles on the wood/leather
composite steering wheel.
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From: United Kingdom
AMG GLS63
