culbrz

I have a replacement vcm. Does anyone know how to open the console to replace the unit. I have the 08 SL550.

benzmodz

If your car has navigation in the trunk.

The vcs is under the centre console. The centre console is divided into two sections. The front armrest piece and the rear cosmetic cover.

Open the front armrest to reveal two screw holes near the back of the interior. These are adjacent to the courtesy light.

Loosen these two screw and the rear section should lift away. Under the rear section is the vcs module.

benzmodz

I don't recall if there are more than 2 screws holding it. You will need a long T20 to undo the screws.

egwu

Here is an earlier post on this topic and my response.

Enjoy .

https://mbworld.org/forums/sl-class-...ge-change.html

Leej

I am trying to swap out my Voice Control System module in my 2008 SL550 and have followed the instructions above. However, I can't seem to get the unit to slide out of the bracket; I have removed the screws and the connector, and it is free, but there isn't enough room to slide it out the back of the bracket? I'm sure I'm doing something stupid/wrong, but I have no idea what? Do I need to remove the center leather trim panel behind the seats? Does this simply pop out?

Any help or experience would be appreciated. Thanks.

Lee

pmercury

iTrader: (2)

here you go Leej

Leej

@pmercury Thanks for those instructions. I have followed them, but when I get to step 9 "Push voice control system control unit (A35/11) to the rear and remove from control unit bracket (7)", it won't fit.

When I slide it out towards the rear, it wont slide far enough to lift out. I have moved the yellow hoses out of the way, but it still won't go back far enough for me to lift it out? Maybe removing the center trim behind the seats (with the luggage straps) might help to give me a little more room, but I'm just wondering if I am doing something stupid or missing something obvious that would allow the module to slide out???

Lee

Leej

I still can't figure out how to get the voice control module all the way out. There isn't enough room to simply slide it out per the WIS instructions posted by PMercury.

Has anyone else done this? Really hoping that someone who has done this will give me some advice or tell me what I am doing wrong (or what the trick is). I'm assuming that something else has to come out, but I can't figure out what...

Thanks in advance

Lee

Leej

I finally got the Voice Control Module out, and installed a replacement. I used portions from the instructions here on removing the center console (lots of good info on this post for removing interior trim panels, etc.): https://www.benzworld.org/threads/ce...embly.1688422/ (my apologies if it is in poor taste to reference another forum, but the instructions there were pretty helpful).

However, I did NOT completely remove the center console. Below is what I did (using portions from the link above):
First remove the rear arm rest cover by removing the two screws inside the storage box, then closing the lid and lifting the rear cover per the WIS instructions provided earlier by PMercury (and attached to this post as a pdf).

Next, remove the ‘carpet’ in the lower storage compartment of the armrest to expose the two bolts underneath. I used a paper clip to lift one corner of the carpet and then it just lifted out. The bolts can be seen in armest2.jpg below:
http://www.bynarus.com/public/car/armrest1.jpg
http://www.bynarus.com/public/car/armrest2.jpg
Remove the 2 nuts from the bolts (circled in red) in the lower compartment of the armrest.

At this point, the center console (storage box) was STILL connected in the front, but unbolted in the back, and I was able to lift up the rear of the center console where the gas shock mechanism is, enough to slide the voice control module out (towards the front of the car) from the bracket. It would probably be better to completely remove the center console (there are more steps to do this), and by leaving it still connected I probably risked breaking the mounts at the front of the console, but it seemed to have enough play in it (and I was afraid I might break something else in the process) and so I left it connected in the front lifted and forced it slightly. Here is a picture (borrowed from the post at the beginning of this post) of the center console completely removed (which I DID NOT do) where you can see the gas shock mechanism in the back where I lifted:
http://www.bynarus.com/public/car/armrest12.jpg

If you want to remove the whole console, the additional required steps are in the link at the beginning of this post (along with a lot of other good info on removing interior panels).

The $40 voice control module from ebay is now installed and my voice controls are now working again (if you call it that)... I am unimpressed with the voice controls, but mine hasn't worked since I bought the car, and I just wanted it fixed and working as intended.

Hope this helps someone with the same problem...

Lee