This is a complete recopy of the 3 part thread by MIROJ. This is being done to recover the invaluable pictures from the conversion process he documents. Recovery entails some sleight of hand thru the WayBack Machine so bear with me. Once completeed, have patience viewing, the images do load fairly slowly and MAY require an F5 tickle to move things along
W220 Japan removal, Rest of World conversion
Here is a photo record of my effort in restoring a Japanese w220 2002 model S500L to Australian, UK, SG ..... specification.
As required the modification requires upgrades in COMAND, Phone, CD, TV and Voice control wiring. The only thing that doesnt change at all is the BOSE wiring. This particular car is quite amazing as it has virtualy everything possible including a rear armrest phone and adjustable rear seats.
Japanese trunk
Here is a Japan specification trunk with the cover removed. You see the TV, Teleaid, Navigation drive and 10 stacker CD player with BOSE right down the bottom.
Here is the reason why the head units will not swap directly. The bottom half of the Japan unit is missing since it is in the trunk.
The UK / Euro unit is completely self contained. So you can see that now the first problem is half of the head unit wiring is in the trunk
This is the set of cables from the trunk for the old equipment.
To install the replacement cables my suggestion is that you make some room inside the car and open up the cabling trays to allow for the new wiring to be installed and the old wiring to be removed.
Trace the power lines back to the fuse box for anything that is no longer needed.
After removing all of the wires no longer needed and tracing individual wires that seem to go nowhere, install the new wires fresh from the factory.
Installed wiring (all same specification as same year RHD car).
* Optical cable
* Navigation
* Voice control
* CD changer
* Phone
* TV
W220 Japan removal, Rest of World conversion
Here is a photo record of my effort in restoring a Japanese w220 2002 model S500L to Australian, UK, SG ..... specification.
As required the modification requires upgrades in COMAND, Phone, CD, TV and Voice control wiring. The only thing that doesnt change at all is the BOSE wiring. This particular car is quite amazing as it has virtualy everything possible including a rear armrest phone and adjustable rear seats.
Japanese trunk
Here is a Japan specification trunk with the cover removed. You see the TV, Teleaid, Navigation drive and 10 stacker CD player with BOSE right down the bottom.
Here is the reason why the head units will not swap directly. The bottom half of the Japan unit is missing since it is in the trunk.
The UK / Euro unit is completely self contained. So you can see that now the first problem is half of the head unit wiring is in the trunk
This is the set of cables from the trunk for the old equipment.
To install the replacement cables my suggestion is that you make some room inside the car and open up the cabling trays to allow for the new wiring to be installed and the old wiring to be removed.
Trace the power lines back to the fuse box for anything that is no longer needed.
After removing all of the wires no longer needed and tracing individual wires that seem to go nowhere, install the new wires fresh from the factory.
Installed wiring (all same specification as same year RHD car).
* Optical cable
* Navigation
* Voice control
* CD changer
* Phone
* TV