DigitalKnight

Ok, so I took delivery Monday (12:30am) on my 2005 SL55 AMG, I am still figuring out all the bells and whistles, like last evening when I took it out to pick up my daughter in the dense fog, I could not for the life of me find the fog light switch and then later I find out you have to pull out the light switch to turn them on and you can not have it in auto mode. (is there a work around for this as I like Auto mode and like fog lights on all the time ).

Anyway, so in the glove box there is a connector.... it looks to be an Apple iPad/Iphone/iTouch connector as my iPad 2 plugs nicely into it. What is it for? I can not find any function on the head unit for MP3 input, only MP3/CD? Also there is a connector on the dash near the driver-side pillar but it is not a Apple connector. Then there is a mic on the instrument cluster? I can take some pics and post if that will help.

Does the head unit have an Aux input? If so how do I select it? Does it have Bluetooth?

Also I think I read in one of the manuals that came with the car that the head unit can be updated with a DVD? How do I check what version it is running and what the current update is that is available for it?

I think that is it for now.... I have been reading a lot in the manual and actually managed to set the date and time on it! (for some reason it had Germany set as the country) and I have taken it for 2 short drives thus far. Still need to adjust the seat perfect and the steering wheel. Hoping to have it inspected / emissions done today or tomorrow if the codes clear? My mechanic said I need to put some more miles on the car as the computer was reset and would not clear the codes until I drove it a bit more???

Any other tips/pointers of course are GREATLY welcome!!!

LukasBMW

Excellent question! I'm curious to know this as well.

When I first got my car, the auto lights mode (one flick to the right) turned on both my headlights and foglights. After a trip to the dealer, this was no longer the case and the foglights no longer came on when the switch was in the auto position. I'm not sure if the dealer re-flashed something or what.

So, I know it is definitely possible to have the fog lights come on with the auto lights feature, but I'm not sure how to do it. Additionally, the previous owner did some mods to my car (smart top, software, lowering via star), so it is possible that my situation is due to my aftermarket software additions.

BobLibSL55

Not being able to use the fog lights in auto mode drives me nuts. If you figure out a way, let me know.



As far as the connector in the glove box, thats your auxiliary input jack for your music device (iPod, iPad, MP3, etc). I have an 04, so it may be different than yours, but to access that input, I have an "SVC" button on my radio. Press it and on the screen you will see 3 options. Using the knob scoll to the "aux" option and press the knob. This will allow you to listen to your device.

If I am off a bit in my description, forgive me as Ive only owned the car for 4 months now and its been in hibernation for the past month, so I cannot run out to the garage and look for myself. Im going off of a limited memory.

BobLibSL55

Also to use this jack, they sell a flat auxiliary cord (a few xtra bucks of course) that will allow you to shut the glove box without damaging the cord. Putting the input in the glove box was a pretty stupid choice.

cal1

I just looked through my manual and found nothing on the subject off having fogs set to come on in auto mode either. Maybe their is a adjustment that can be made in Star.
I have unfortunately left my fogs on overnight and nearly killed my battery.

DigitalKnight

I have 8 buttons on my Comand unit. Left four from top to bottom are Audio, Nav, Tel, -Seek. Right is Sat, Map, Serv, Seek+ Below those eight buttons are the PWR and the knob around it. Number pad is on the right side of the 16x9 screen. Below that is a directional pad. Acrossed the bottom is RPT, MUTE, EJECT, END and SEND.

The connector in the glove box is 100% iPod as the plug fits into all my Apple portable toys, iPad, iPad2, iPod Touch but even with any of them plugged in I have not option on any of the menus to select it?

The connector by the driver-side column is a little smaller but it looks like some sort of phone connector but I have not tried other phones to see what the plug fits. And I am not sure what the little mic on the tri-pod is for...

carlsturm

re: lighting. I'm a newbie as well. For the 1st weeks of ownership I was driving with the headlight control all the way to the right and pulled out both clicks. Several drivers told me i had a burned out taillight before I realized that pulling out both clicks lights up the left rear taillight only. Apparently as a hazard warning when driving in the fog?

AMGSport

Yes, that is your rear fog warning lamp.

Also, I would strongly recommend getting a "battery tender" attached to the supply (rear) battery...These cars love their juice and you'll save yourself some pain and money if you keep the electrical system fully charged.

cal1

+1 on that, the R230 seems to be busy doing stuff even when sitting in the garage. I run a trickle charger connected to the battery in the trunk all the time except for summer when I drive the car almost daily. If you get the message "consumer electronics offline" or something to that affect it will be because the battery in the trunk is low. It will charge rather quickly when the engine is running however.

Zaddick

A US spec 05 does not have a connector inthe glove box. Someone added something to your car and that probably explains the other little port you noticed.

Bluetooth would require an adaptor. If you look in the top of your arm rest you should see a plug, like for a phone. Or if you see something that looks like a puck or a remote, you have the bluetooth adaptor.

Z

DigitalKnight

Thanks Z, Now I know I have two compartments on the center arm rest! Thanks for that tip! Now I know were the money change slots are hidden! As for a plug or puck, I only see a black removable square on the top part that lifts up, and I was able to removed it from the top and it is empty underneath with a whole bunch of stickers??? Did not see any plugs or pucks so I take it no bluetooth? I would guess I would also have some sort of B.T. selection on the head unit?

So if someone installed these connectors and this mini mic piece at the instrument cluster, how do I find out what they are for or how to use them????

Is it possible that they are just phone connectors?

DigitalKnight

So it has "S" "C" and "M" modes. From what I have read in the manual "C" mode is for comfort and starts out in 2nd gear. However I find when my SL55 is cold it does not pull out very well in this mode. It sort of jerks real hard and then it goes. If I get on it hard then it just goes. After it warms up then it is fine in "C" mode. Anyone else see this or is it just my SL55?

I messed a little with manual mode but it is not a true manual mode as it will not let me up shift until a certain RPM is reached and then it also downshifts automatically if I forget to downshift for it so I doubt I will use that mode much.

I just want smooth....

cal1

I tend to stay in "S" sport mode almost always. I think our cars are lacking just a bit when it comes to tranny options. Have you tried a sneaky reset to rid the tranny of adaptive changes?

DigitalKnight

Thanks cal. Have not tried "sneaky reset"...... Do tell?...

DigitalKnight

Also has anyone gotten the onboard thinger-mibober to actually work with a Genie garage door opener??? I followed the direction in the owners manual but it never seems to see/learn the code?

Pugsl

I just programmed mine with two Genie garage door openers.

Go to the Homelink web site and follow directions better than than manual.

StarPower

Some of the aftermarket iPod jacks are connected in place of the factory CD changer. Try selecting the CD changer to see if it plays your iPod instead.

DigitalKnight

Thanks for the tip, just tried that, the comand unit just says no discs in mag when I connect iPod and select CD changer. I loaded up the 6 disc changer is it of course is working fine.

Very strange that the glovebox has an iPod/iPhone connector and then there is other strange connector by the drivers side pillar and then this tiny mic on an mini mount at the instrument cluster.....

Not sure what to make of all these connectors that do not appear to do a darn thing....

Is it possible that the iPod connector was disconnected in order to re-connect the CD changer??? Any places I can look to see? Is it hard to pull the head unit of the comand unit out of the dash to see what other add-ons might be lurking back there?

DigitalKnight

Thanks Pugs, I was able to get it to work. Turns out my Genie has two frequency settings and it has to be at the higher setting when learning into Homelink. Also I had to have my SL55 running with the key in the ignition to get it to learn the code and then I had to add the Homelink in the MB to the garage door opener. So about 45 minutes later I had it working!

DigitalKnight

At 60+ degrees out today in S.E. PA, I just had to take the SL55 out for a top down drive for the first time.... The stock stereo system does very well with the top down... Even at 100MPH... which the car gets to so fast it is not even funny.

Here's hoping the rest of this winter is this warm!

shnitzel

DigitalKnight

So I took some pictures of my connectors and also this sticker on the windshield. Hopefully someone can tall me what all these connectors and mic are for and also why the sticker????

Sticker:


i-anything connector:


Connector at driver-side column:


And a mic???:


I would truly like to find out what all this is for!! It is driving me nuts!!!!

DigitalKnight

So I still have not found what the apple connector in the glovebox is for?!?!?! Is there a way to check were the cable actually goes to???

falconsprint

someone has modified your car. Looks like a female USB connector on the A-pillar. Could be related to the damage on the dash. Perhaps something was glued to the top of the dash and was connected at the A-pillar. Microphone is certainly not stock. Maybe someone has added a bluetooth adapter.

The white sticker is on all Mercedes windshields for at least the last 15 years.

DigitalKnight

How would one go about finding out what was modified / added. Bluetooth would be nice as then I could stream Slacker/Pandora from my Droid-2. I just can not figure out how to access anything as the only thing that shows up on the Comand is Radio, CD, CD Changer and CD/MP3. I see no AUX on either the head unit or on the dash instrument cluster.