Installing a new head unit on a 2002 E320 - Benzworld.org

fju2112 · 01-09-2007, 10:10 AM

...without navigation.

Crutchfield.com says the Alpine-CDA-9856 will fit and work fine in the W210 without navi. Here's a response I got from the dealer I purchased the car from:

"Hi Frank, there are a few things to consider with regard to radio head replacement. If installation of any non-factory unit requires cutting factory wiring we will not do it.The unit communicates with the in-car diagnostic system and we would not wish to change that with whatever problems it may bring. The factory unit also communicates with a stand alone amplifier, and any changes must be compatible with the amplifier. It would be necessary to inspect what you may have to check wiring installation and what exactly is involved before quoting you a price."

Does anyone know, per above, if wire cutting is required for the installation of a non-factory HU? I know the amplifier is compatible. I'm more worried about other related systems not working properly. I can deal w/ the multifunction display in the odometer not showing the radio station and things of that nature, such as steering wheel volume controls, but will installation of a new head unit bring other problems?

Thanks
Frank

pinoycanuck · 01-09-2007, 12:18 PM

Do you know if there is an independent radio installer anywhere in Boston

i guess thats your best bet.For you to know, i am also in the same situation

and was planning to put the same model alpine CDA-9856 but before that

i ask them first if they can handle fibre optic wiring then they said yes.Still i am

on agony what monster will i create inside those electronic controls after this

installation.So i decided to contact an expert who specializes on MB radios

and have mine swap with the same reconditioned one.My radio was diagnosed

here in an MB dealership that it is not the CD changer but the head unit which

is the problem,"No CD Changer" is what it says everytime i push CD.Until today

am still waiting for his call(radio tech).

fju2112 · 01-09-2007, 12:39 PM

Hi...I've been told from an independent audio expert that it can be done, but then the dealer sent me the email I pasted into my original post. The whole idea in using the alpine cda-9856 is to get full ipod integration w/ a cd/mp3 in-dash, even if this means abandoning certain factory controls like volume on the steering wheel, etc.

I'm wondering if anyone out there has swapped head units with an aftermarket one already and if so, any major issues? Crutchfield.com seems to think this will work fine and even sent me a picture at one point of what it will look like inside an e320 (misplaced it, will post again if crutchfield forwards it back over).

pinoycanuck · 01-09-2007, 01:00 PM

Hi FJU,

I guess we will just hang on for now till somebody comes along and says

its fine, no complication with other controls. Whats good about this model is

its face is detachable, i-pod,and mp3 capabilities.

fju2112 · 01-09-2007, 01:27 PM

I know, and the 9857 is nice too but the only extras you get from doubling the price are a two-line display and a remote. Remote I don't care about but it's silly to double the price for a two-line display, as nice as that would be.

fju2112 · 01-09-2007, 05:17 PM

so i just found out from my indie audio shop that the benz has wiring inside the amp, which is also in the trunk, and he won't touch it because it would involve cutting wires. i'm sure a shop would touch it but not sure who; a benz dealership probably won't. anyone in new england know of a good audio shop? certainly not taking it to a circuit city or best buy; i've heard boomer mcloud is good.

SCalum · 01-10-2007, 12:35 PM

I have a 2000 E320 Wagon with Bose I bought used. It did not have a CD changer so I opted for iPod integration instead.

I purchased the Alpine CDA-9856 from Crutchfield and installed it myself. Crutchfield's instructions weren't great. I recall a couple of the wires had to be reversed. Also, there was no wire on the vehicle side harness that was switched power. Therefore, I had to run an extra wire to the cigar lighter (which is a switched power source).

I just got back from the CES show in Vegas and the new Alpine units have much better iPod control. I have to scroll (1 by 1) through all of the songs (~10k). On the new head units you can jump through your list in 10% increments.

I drilled a hole in the bin right below the audio unit for the iPod connector.

The other thing Crutchfield didn't tell me is that because the Bose audio system uses distributed amplifiers you can't just hook into the wiring harness. When you do this you double amplify your output and have no control over the audio level. All of your volume will be in the 2-10 unit range and 4 will be too quiet and 5 too loud. Too much amplifier gain. I had to cut the wires on the radio harness and solder them to RCA connectors and then use the head unit as a pre-amp.

In the end I am happy with the final result but it was a lot more trial and error than I'd hoped for using Crutchfield. I think it's a lot better when you have a high-volume car they have a lot of experience with.

If you end up buying an Alpine head unit I could probably provide you with some helpful information.

Feel free to contact me.

Good luck.

fju2112 · 01-10-2007, 01:29 PM

hi scalum -

interesting - crutchfield has indicated to me that the wiring harness sent with the head unit will in fact work fine w/ the bose amp and that i can plug in their wiring harness to the stock harness and everything will work fine. when did you do all this, how old is your alpine unit?

benz3000 · 01-10-2007, 01:34 PM

yes it would be interesting to find out if there's a harness taht is plug and play into the fiber optics. I really doubt it though as there has to be a module between the fiber optic lines and the regular wires going into the new alpine head unit..

fju2112 · 01-10-2007, 01:56 PM

I was under the assumption that's what the alpine unit achieved, or at least the harness sent by crutchfield, but in all likelihood SCalum is right and the volume would be all messed up by doubling up on the amp.