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this is where you tried to plug in the harness coming from your clockspring, correct?
No, that connector matches the old one just fine. The only one doesn't match is this one:
We ordered the new control module from 2009 SL550 yesterday, lets see if the middle connector will be different. I did some research yesterday and looks like there are 2 versions of control modules for the same airbag, with 2 different middle plug variations.
I've actually installed a 2009-2012 3 spoke wheel in my 04 E55 but that required new steering shroud electronics and cut/rewire the harness from the dash with the newer harness... So would my 04 SL55 require the same mods or no? Only people who have done this need reply please.
06 SL65AMG, 13 Tesla Model S 60kwh, 02 Jaguar S-Type 3.0, 12 S550 4 Matic, 07 E320 Bluetec, 06 LX470
There shouldnt be any needed update you just have to make sure you the the r230 airbag and steering wheel not the cls/slk airbag. As long as you get the right steering wheel and airbag combo with the module it works fine. I got my steering wheel from a 2009 SL65 with the module and no issue to date 3 years later on my 2006 SL65 since I did this mod in 2015. For 03-05 models there might be an extra step in this but 05-08 should be no issue.
There shouldnt be any needed update you just have to make sure you the the r230 airbag and steering wheel not the cls/slk airbag. As long as you get the right steering wheel and airbag combo with the module it works fine. I got my steering wheel from a 2009 SL65 with the module and no issue to date 3 years later on my 2006 SL65 since I did this mod in 2015. For 03-05 models there might be an extra step in this but 05-08 should be no issue.
HI all I have 2003 r230 sl55 I want to change to the 3 spoke flat bottom wheel , can anyone advice witch to buy , cls ,clk etc etc
I want to make the buttons work . I was wondering cant I just take the connectors off the old button and solder them to the button wires.
I will post pictures of progress as soon as I begin. Any advice is greatly appreciated, as this will be a diy.
Thank you
HI all I have 2003 r230 sl55 I want to change to the 3 spoke flat bottom wheel , can anyone advice witch to buy , cls ,clk etc etc
I want to make the buttons work . I was wondering cant I just take the connectors off the old button and solder them to the button wires.
I will post pictures of progress as soon as I begin. Any advice is greatly appreciated, as this will be a diy.
Thank you
Hey, as far as steering shell you can buy it from C, CLS, SL. I believe ours came from C-class. The airbag should be from SL car, CLS or C won't work. It's possible to hard wire the other airbags to make the buttons work, but it's very complicated. They guy in Europe charges $1000 to do that and he can retrofit any Mercedes wheel with airbag to R230, even from 2018 models.
I cant seem to find r230 airbag that has the same button connections. from what I can tell the 2003 that I have has one button connector with 3 or 4 wires.
the newer bags have a plug that has many more. Am I missing something?
I cant seem to find r230 airbag that has the same button connections. from what I can tell the 2003 that I have has one button connector with 3 or 4 wires.
the newer bags have a plug that has many more. Am I missing something?
It's extremely hard to find SL 3-spoke airbag. We tried CLS airbag that had the same connectors, but it didn't work. It took us more than a year to find 3-spoke SL airbag.
This is my situation I need the buttons from the left to work on the right they seem to be integrated somehow while on the left they have plugs towards the top
We finally retrofitted the 3-spoke wheel. The airbag we had didn't quite work, the buttons were not responding. We found a used control module(black rectangular box with 3 connections) that actually came out from R230 car with blown 3-spoke airbag. And this time it did work. The middle connector was hardwired, because our wire had a different plug shape compare to control module, same amount of wires. Here are the random pictures:
What steering wheel did you have originally ,I have this one 2003 it only has one connector (plug) in the back how would I adapt that plug when the new one has so many wires(plugs)?
What steering wheel did you have originally ,I have this one 2003 it only has one connector (plug) in the back how would I adapt that plug when the new one has so many wires(plugs)?
We had 07 wheel before. On the 4-spoke wheels the control box is located in the the steering wheel shell and not inside the airbag like the update version.
there is a bit of information in this thread that is not applicable to your project.
I hope this will help to clear it up some for you.
the N135 module that is integrated in the 2009 thru 2011 3 spoke R230 airbag does NOT support your paddles (it ONLY supports digital paddles in 2007 and later AMGs and all NON-amgs that came with the "428" paddle option) . The N135 module that is shown separately is also ONLY for those later and NON-amg applications.
In order to make a 3-spoke wheel work you need an R230 spoke bag but since you have a 2003-2006 sl55, you will NOT use the additional connectors (for the paddles and the 2-wire harness going to the clock-spring ... they do NOT apply to your application).
If you want to use a NON-r230 air bag, it is possible, but requires a LOT of custom wiring (you must gut your 2003 buttons and use their circuitry). I have done this conversion for more than a few customers (both ways ... with a R230 bag and creating the circut for a non-r230 bag) .... the easiest way is to find an r230 OR (as described above) find a non r230 back and a blown R230 bag and make one usable bag from the 2 (r230 PCB in non-r230 bag).
below are the ONLY bags that will work (direct plug and play) with an R230 (and support the buttons/horn) (in order to use the list, sub the 2 digits for xx ... the build version they were used in is to the right of the 2 digits (eg 454,456, etc) note .... bags that are only shown on V12 versions likely have "V12" embossed on their trim
for your paddles, you need to convert your signal from digital to the analog signal that your 2003 SL55 requires (this is NOT supported in ANY air bag or factory module). You can do this with the plug-and-play "Mercedes Paddle Converter" module (which I designed and manufacture and sell through forum sponsors or directly) OR, you can use the old "Frankenstien" method of paddle gutting and installing the bits from your original switches (you will find many threads showing how to do the questionable conversion).
if you have any questions about the airbag swap or the paddle converter , feel free to send me an email at Latemodel21@yahoo.com
Cheers,
Chris
Last edited by latemodel21; Oct 18, 2019 at 12:54 PM.
In the case where an R230 bag is not available (this is 1 of 2 flat bottom conversions I did for sl65 owners) this is what the Hand-wired solution looks like
HI , all thank you for the help. I just want to clarify what I would like to do. I have a 2003 SL55 with the ugly steering wheel, I would like to for to the new style 2012 and up I would say like the one in the picture
I want to do a DIY as paying 1500+ seems a lot for such a old car.
Has anyone done this or know what is needed to get everything working.
GREAT FIND!
assuming the part number indicated in the add is correct (the pictures suggest it is), that bag (17 being the important part of its part number) FITS (and works with) ALL 2003-2008 R230s (all build versions ... 454, 456, 458, 467, 471, 472, 474, 475, 476, 477 , 470, and 479).
Latemodel21- I’m also interested in updating my steering wheel from a 2003 SL55. The airbag you discussed above with the 17 in the part number is for 2009+ vehicles. Just curious what makes the 17 in the part number compatible with the 2003+ cars. Thanks
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