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VSS Kit for 99ML

2K views 14 replies 4 participants last post by  Wolfgang 
#1 ·
Hi, I'm still looking for the VSS Kit for my 99ML to work with my MCS NAV retrofit... Anyone know the source of this? My dealer doesn't have the parts...

And I didn't hear back from Scorchie...

Thanks!
 
#2 ·
Hi, I'm still looking for the VSS Kit for my 99ML to work with my MCS NAV retrofit... Anyone know the source of this? My dealer doesn't have the parts...

And I didn't hear back from Scorchie...

Thanks!
Hi... I mailed everyone back that there wasn't enough interest to do a group buy (only three people). Unless I didn't get other mails... :)

Also, we were not sure on the part numbers, because the parts were replaced by other parts, etc. So we're waiting to do a test install later this month. Then we'll know for sure what was needed.

Just as a warning, some of the parts have THREE DIFFERENT numbers for the same part. This is where the various listings on the net for the parts become confusing.

-s-
 
#3 ·
Parts list

Ok, so let me get this straight.
Are there 3 parts I need or 4 parts for the VSS?

Do I need one US part:
BQ 654 00 10 CAN-Bus insertion harness
and then 3 European parts:
B 678 225 19 Euro CAN-bus adapter
B 678 225 94 Euro harness
B 678 225 96 Euro harness

Or do I need just need the 3 Europea parts above?

Thanks
 
#4 ·
Re: Parts list

Ok, so let me get this straight.
Are there 3 parts I need or 4 parts for the VSS?

Do I need one US part:
BQ 654 00 10 CAN-Bus insertion harness
and then 3 European parts:
B 678 225 19 Euro CAN-bus adapter
B 678 225 94 Euro harness
B 678 225 96 Euro harness

Or do I need just need the 3 Europea parts above?

Thanks
Ah, so now you see the confusion.

-s-
 
#5 ·
Re: Parts list

Ok, so let me get this straight.
Are there 3 parts I need or 4 parts for the VSS?

Do I need one US part:
BQ 654 00 10 CAN-Bus insertion harness
and then 3 European parts:
B 678 225 19 Euro CAN-bus adapter
B 678 225 94 Euro harness
B 678 225 96 Euro harness

Or do I need just need the 3 Europea parts above?

Thanks
I have the USA part now and I have the 3 Euro parts coming from my couisin in Germany. I don't know what is needed but for some reason I think the 3 Euro parts are the same as the 1 USA part. Here is a pic of the USA part I have:


I hope to have the 3 Euro parts next week sometime and I will post the pics when I get them.
I am still not sure which wires go where so if anyone knows PLEASE let me know.
Benza
 
#6 ·
ugh...

You're right, this is all very very confusing.
If the one USA part is all that's needed, then what's the need for the 3 german parts?

I anxiously await your pictures Benza so that we can finally get to the bottom of this!

(Boy, NAV sucks without VSS)
 
#7 ·
Re: ugh...

You're right, this is all very very confusing.
If the one USA part is all that's needed, then what's the need for the 3 german parts?

I anxiously await your pictures Benza so that we can finally get to the bottom of this!

(Boy, NAV sucks without VSS)
I am not sure about that but the pictures of what I think are the 3 Euro parts look alot like the 1 USA part.
 
#8 ·
Here's an instruction someone posted.

Maybe you can try the instructions I copied from Keysolutions.com and see if the one usa part you have is all you need...

------------copied msg--------------

This is how you remove the center console:

1. Take all the stuff our out the console bin

2. There are two small black Phillips screws in the bottom--remove those

3. You will now have access to the two black mounting screws for the console cover--remove these and the console cover

4. If you look straight down into the hole, you will two more metal screws--remove those

5. There are two locking electrical connectors that feed the power window switches in the back of the console--disconnect those. I found the second one (the bigger one) really hard to access and found it easier to pop out the fascia that the switches are housed in to get at the second connector (fat fingers). The fascia is held in place with simple snaps.

6. Remove the wood panel with all the switches etc in it. I don't have the official German precision engineered panel removal tool, to I use a 1.5" putty knife--seems to work great. Place the putty knife blade between the edge of the panel and the plastic of the console housing on the front corner (either driver or passenger side). It is important to pry the panel up from the side--not from the front or back:

Pry Here
_____________________________VV
| |
| 1 2 3 4 D N R P |
| [ 0] |
|_______________________________|

Gently pry-up and you will hear a pop as the snap releases. There are about 4 or 6 snaps symmetrically placed on the sides.

7. Once the panel is loose, pivot it forward at a 45 degree angle and disconnect the electrical connectors underneath--there are about 6-7 and they are all unique so you do not need to document where each one goes.

8. Put the key in the ignition and move it to position 1--make sure the emergency brake is engaged, put your foot on the foot brake and shift the car into neutral, then turn the ignition back off. You need to do this to get the shift lever out of the way.

9. Remove the wood panel

10. There are two metal screws behind the gear shift--remove those

11. The console housing is now free--you remove it by picking it up and moving it back at the same time.

12. Remove the insulation

13. At the back of the black plastic air duct (by the rear seats), you will find two black screws--remove these

14. Remove the duct by picking it up and moving it back at the same time.

15. Stop and have a swig of beer.

Towards the back of the console innards, you will see an grooved aluminum housing--this is the transfer case module (part number R163 545 01 3). You can either connect to the module with an insertion harness available from MB or by tapping into the wires that connect into the transfer case module. I opted for the insertion harness. The part number for the CAN Bus adaptor and bracket is Q6 54 0011. The harness I got is part number Q 6 54 0010. This is actually the harness that comes as part of the GPS installation kit, so it had a bunch of extraneous stuff on it that I did not need/use, so there may be a cheaper harness out there that doesn't have all the extras on it.

Connector wise (look at the CAN Bus adaptor with the two small connectors the left):

CONNECTOR 1 (on the left)

[A B]

PIN
A connect to green wire from insertion harness/transfer case module
B connect to white wire from insertion harness/transfer case module

CONNECTOR 2 (in the middle)

[C D]

PIN
C unused
D unused

CONNECTOR 3/Transfer case wiring

[ 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1]
[18 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10]

PIN
1 Ground
2 No connection
3 Vehicle Speed Sense (green on harness)
4 No connection
5 No connection
6 Reverse Output (white on harness)
7 No connection
8 No connection
9 Ignition
10 No connection
11 No connection
12 12V
13-10 No connection

I have taken the console apart about 6 times in the process of removing the Bose and installing/troubleshooting the Alpine. Now it takes about 5 min. The first time, when I was exploring--it took about 90 min and a lot of trepidation!
 
#9 ·
Re: Parts list

Or do I need just need the 3 Europea parts above?

roadsession,

you don't need the 3 Euro parts. I cleaned up the page a bit, and added some text in the picture, too.

The only part you really need is the M-Class CAN-Bus adapter, which has two different part numbers, but both are the same part: Q6 54 00 11 or 163 830 00 87.



http://www.whnet.com/4x4/vss.html

Wolfgang
 
#10 ·
FINALLY!

Finally,
the answer has come.
Thank you!

Wolfgang, I'm not a very experienced electrician. Is it a DIY or should I take this to a stereo install place to hook up VSS?

Also, where on the NAV unit on the MCS do I connect to? Is there a connector or do I have to splice wires into the connector, or ... one more additional level of detail for an inexperienced guy like me would be helpful.

Thanks
 
#11 ·
Re: FINALLY!

Is it a DIY or should I take this to a stereo install place to hook up VSS?

Also, where on the NAV unit on the MCS do I connect to? Is there a connector or do I have to splice wires into the connector, or ... one more additional level of detail for an inexperienced guy like me would be helpful.

roadsession,

it's pretty easy. It just looks complicated at first. I would get the insertion harness, then plug it in on both sides, and the white green wires then plug into your new CAN-Bus adapter.

The other side of the CAN-Bus adapter has a lot of pins, 18 I think. You only need two of them: pin 3 is the VSS speed signal. Pin 6 is the stop lamp switch. You can just have two wires leading from down there up to behind the radio bin. The MCS pinouts are on Ken Yee's site. I linked them at the bottom of my VSS page just now, too, so it's easier to find. From memory VSS goes to pin 1 of the connector A1. And the stop lamp is pin 3 on connector C2. One can remove the metal insets in the plug, solder or crimp to them, and reinsert them. I also linked Omar's instructions from Ken Yee's page. Very detailed with lots of info how he installed an Alpine DVD NAV into his 99 ML 430.

Wolfgang

http://www.whnet.com/4x4/vss.html
 
#14 ·
Re: pins

your pin connections seem to be different from Omar's pin connections...
can you verify which one is correct?

roadsession,

Omar's pins are correct for the CAN-Bus adapter side (pin 3 and pin 6). On the MCS side it's pin 1 connector A1 for the VSS and and pin 3 on connector C2 for the stop lamp signal. They should be empty before you wire anything to them.
 
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