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 Voice Control Module Retrofit for a MY2001 M-Class
A guide to installing VCM in your 2001 W163 ML | Published on Thursday, April 22nd, 2004 by paulhdick |
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[img]http://www.benzworld.org/gallery/pics/12187325574202004122740PM.jpg[/img]
The following are some basic instructions on how to retrofit the Voice Recognition/Control System into a 2001 ML-320. These instructions should be similar for all 2001 & possibly 2000 W163s with MCS and an integrated phone installed (although I am not responsible if they aren’t). These instructions are unnecessary for VCM retrofits in 2002+ W163s as all of the wiring and PTT switch are pre-installed and retrofitting VCM to those vehicles is a piece of cake, comparatively. Use this pub only for advice if you are installing on anything but a MY2001 “ML” or other model/model year Mercedes.
[b]The obvious disclaimer:[/b]
Don’t do this unless you are comfortable working on your vehicle. The MCS radio in my ML is the latest of three different part numbers installed in 2001 MLs (163 820 16 86). The VCM retrofit may not work with earlier MCS part numbers or even the same one. I take no responsibility for the accuracy or compatibility of this document with your vehicle. You can make a huge and costly mess of your vehicle if you don’t have the proper tools or experience. If you are unsure of anything it is probably better left for someone with more experience to do it for you. This by no means is an easy DIY job. I had to modify the PTT switch and fabricate a mounting bracket to adapt it to the steering column cover. I also had to assemble an entirely new harness from scratch for the VCM. Please make sure you are confident in your abilities to complete this project on your own before attempting to DIY! A Mercedes dealer will not do this for you. They will tell you it is impossible or very costly …. they are almost right!!
I was highly motivated to install this option in my ML since installing it in my ’01 W203 “C-320”. It makes a lot of sense for the ML since there are no steering wheel buttons/controls like most other late-model Mercedes. I use it often in the “C” and will use it more in the “ML”. I hated the fact it was not available for my model year!! For reference, my ML has the DVD Nav integrated into the MCS, integrated V60i phone, Bose sound package upgrade (non-F/O), Tele-Aid, and CD changer. I don’t know if the VCM will work without an integrated phone installed. I suspect it will but the need for a VCM diminishes if you do not have the integrated phone, anyway. I spent a lot of time researching and gathering info for this project (10 hours+) before doing [b]any[/b] actual work. I spent another several hours making a test harness and trying the VCM on my ML before doing any “permanent” retrofit work. There are two links on the VCM webpage of my website, [url]http://home.earthlink.net/~phdwebsite/[/url], that I used for information (Wolfgang …. thank you!!) that you should read and understand. The WIS, DB-15 connector part info, and VCM wiring diagram are also on this webpage. Download and understand all of it before starting this project. I refer to information in this publication that you won’t understand until you read the WIS and other information from the linked webpages. I am not going to go into a lot of detail with this pub. If you don’t know how to crimp and install pins into connectors, build and route harnesses, or read a wiring diagram you should not be doing this as a DIY retrofit.
[b]Tools required:[/b]
Torx T15, T20, and T25 drivers
Wire cutters/strippers
Molex/AMP crimping tool for the 15 pin D-Sub connector on the VCM
Screwdrivers, pliers, metric wrenches
Some hard plastic/nylon wedges and picks for the steering wheel shroud and dash covers
Dremel tool with grinding and cutting bits
Radio removal keys to get the MCS out
Various drill bits
Steve Krabbenborg (and his SDS computer)
[b]Parts required:[/b]
ML Voice Control Kit (Mercedes) Q682 0704 (1 ea)
PTT Switch (Mercedes) 008 54 52 124 (1 ea)
Steering Column Upper Cover (Mercedes, Charcoal) 163 689 03 06 7167 (1 ea optional)
DB15 shell (AMP or equiv) 205730-1 (1 ea)
DB15 receptacle (AMP or equiv) 205205-2 (1 ea)
Spring Latches (AMP or equiv) 745779-2 (1 pair)
Female Pins (AMP or equiv) 1-66504-0 (9 ea buy lots)
Wire splices (18-22 Ga) more on these later
ATO Fuse extenders (2 ea) more on these later
22 and 18 Ga wire (various colors you can pick from the VCM wiring diagram)
Ty-Wraps
1/2'” thick Poly-Propylene or other plastic for a switch mount
[b]Here we go:[/b]
First off, you should familiarize yourself with the VCM wiring diagram. Pretty much all the wiring info you will need is there for this project. I fabricated a test harness with a SPDT (momentary) switch and various connectors. I would suggest you do something similar to see if this will work in your vehicle beforehand. The test harness looks like the picture below. As you can see it’s pretty simple. The only connections are for power/ground, PTT switch, microphone, and D2B wake-up.
[img]http://www.benzworld.org/gallery/pics/12187325574202004122814PM.jpg[/img]
For the testing (and later for the permanent harness), I pulled the power and ground from the passenger footwell fuse box. You need two power connections and one ground connection. The power connection comes from circuit 30 (always on) and circuit 15r (ignition on). You can tap into these for testing from the footwell fuse box as shown below.
[img]http://www.benzworld.org/gallery/pics/12187325574202004122846PM.jpg[/img]
For testing and the actual retrofit you need to remove the MCS radio (make sure you have your radio code handy for reinstallation later), glove box, and (for final retrofitting) upper steering wheel shroud and dash covers. The upper steering wheel shroud can be removed without taking off the steering wheel by removing the left and right dash covers on either side of the steering column first. Take it slow and easy though. There are four snap catches you need to release first, two behind the steering wheel, the other two on the right and left side.
I ended up mounting the VCM black box in the area directly under the glove box. Normally the VCM is mounted under the passenger seat but there is no room for it under my seat with the GPS and phone components mounted there already. It also makes wiring much easier with it located in the glove box area. My VES components are located there, also, so if you don’t have that option installed you will have plenty of room to place the VCM. Below you can see it in place (a tight fit on mine) while I was preparing the actual retrofit harness. I used sticky backed Velcro to mount it in place.
[img]http://www.benzworld.org/gallery/pics/12187325574202004122915PM.jpg[/img]
The microphone and D2B wake-up wires are shared connections with the phone, TeleAid, and CD changer wiring. The “Z-splice” points are behind the instrument panel for the microphone and under the passenger seat carpet area for D2B wake-up. I am lazy and used wire splices behind the MCS for testing and eventually used the same connection points for the actual retrofit.
The D2B wake-up wire is Pink and located on the phone power cord. It is the only three pin connector to the phone harness. The other two wires in that connector are for power. I installed a wire splice on that wire like the ones pictured below. Also shown in the picture is the DB15 connector (note the required quick-latches) to the VCM and a fuse tap I found to make power wiring easier. You can buy the splices and fuse taps from any auto parts store (I used Auto-Zone, but Jesse wasn’t there …)
[img]http://www.benzworld.org/gallery/pics/12187325574202004122941PM.jpg[/img]
The microphone wires are Pink and Gray. They are on a separate two pin connector also going to the phone. I used the same wire splice(s) there as well. These wires should be a twisted pair in your harness to the VCM.
This was as far as I went for initial testing. Once I verified the VCM would work with my MCS the fun started. For the permanent wiring I pulled the 12v and ground from the passenger footwell fuse box. I installed the fuse taps in position F1 and F6 for Circuit 15r and Circuit 30 respectively. The ground wire is connected to the lower common stud in the footwell. Below is what it looks like with the fuse taps in place. The wiring is already routed up under the top of the panel
[img]http://www.benzworld.org/gallery/pics/12187325574202004123006PM.jpg[/img]
I routed the three power wires up into the glove box area and wired them into the DB15 connector. I also routed the D2B wake-up and microphone wires into the same area and wired them to the DB15 connector as well. Now for the real fun …..
As stated before, there is no place to mount the PTT switch to the steering wheel combination switch as there is on 2002+ MLs. [b]Nothing[/b], and worse yet, the switch won’t even fit back there without removing the mounting points on the switch. I suppose you could replace the combination switch with one from a 2002 ML but the wiring and actual fit may be different. Also, the combo switch retails for over $500 (more than retail for the VCM kit!!) which is about twice as much as I paid for the entire retrofit!!. The PTT switch is bad enough at about $138 retail!. Anyway here is what the stock PTT switch looks like:
Front view:
[img]http://www.benzworld.org/gallery/pics/12187325574202004123035PM.jpg[/img]
Rear view:
[img]http://www.benzworld.org/gallery/pics/12187325574202004123106PM.jpg[/img]
I ground off the two mounting screw tabs, locating pin, and two other bosses on the back and left of the switch. I then fabricated a new mount using a ½ inch thick piece of poly-pro plastic. I started with a piece 1” x 2” and gradually ground it down to what you see here in place and ready for mounting to the steering column cover. I used a threaded ¼ inch dia aluminum standoff inserted into the remaining mounting pin hole (with two #6-32 screws, and a #0-80 screw on the lower right hollow brass pin for mounting the switch to the poly-pro bracket.
[img]http://www.benzworld.org/gallery/pics/12187325574202004123132PM.jpg[/img]
I then mounted the bracket and switch to the steering column cover with two #8-32 button head screws as shown below. I purchased a cover for a 2002 vehicle in case none of this worked so I could put my vehicle back to stock afterwards. It is not necessary to do this. The standard 2001 cover can be easily modified. There are already marks on top and bottom for where it should be cut. I will probably do this later as the color match between model years isn’t great!! You can see the PTT lever in place, also.
[img]http://www.benzworld.org/gallery/pics/12187325574202004123205PM.jpg[/img]
I already had a matching four pin connector for the PTT switch (only pins 1-3 are active) that I used for wiring into the harness. I apologize for not having or knowing the part number for the connector or pins but these should be readily available from Mercedes or you can just solder wires straight onto the pin points on the PCB and not use the connector at all. I used a three wire shielded cable for the PTT switch as that is what is depicted to use in the wiring diagram. That wire gets routed behind the radio and into the glove box area and wired into the DB15 connector. I then buttoned up the DB15 connector with the connector shell and quick latches and made the connection to the VCM. You will also need to tap the D2B fiber optic cable that comes with the VCM kit into the F/O connection behind the MCS. Route the cable to the MCS after connecting it to the VCM. The VCM fibers are connected into place before the phone. There are connection points already located behind the MCS for this. For further info you can download the 2002-2003 fiber optic configuration and version coding bulletin from my website at:
[url]http://home.earthlink.net/~phdwebsite4/02-03%20D2B%20Config%20Bulletin.pdf[/url]
When you are done the wiring and fiber optic connections to the VCM should look like this. Note that I installed some plastic wire routing shield on to the fiber optic cables for better protection. Leaving those things out bare is a bad idea (are you listening, Mercedes?). Be careful with those, they are easy to damage or kink, which will make them useless.
[img]http://www.benzworld.org/gallery/pics/12187325574202004123237PM.jpg[/img]
You reinstall the radio (don’t forget you need your radio code to bring the MCS back up), glove box, and steering wheel shroud and covers. I also installed some grommets on the PTT and Cruise Control levers like pictured below. There is normally a piece of foam rubber that gets mounted under the cover that I always thought looked pretty tacky for a Mercedes. I think these look a little better.
[img]http://www.benzworld.org/gallery/pics/12187325574202004123314PM.jpg[/img]
If you have done everything right and pre-tested it all before the final wiring you should have a voice control system that works. Everything worked from the start on mine. I tested my phone, CD changer, radio, and tape. The vehicle will require version coding at your local dealership or with someone who has an SDS computer. Mine displayed some intermittent problems until I had it coded by Steve Krabbenborg while he was in town. And here he is now, the world famous, [b]Steve[/b], doing mine …. Thanks Steve!!
[img]http://www.benzworld.org/gallery/pics/1218732557422200472154PM.jpg[/img]
I have found that my retrofit does not hang-up the phone with a PTT cancel while in a call, instead it mutes the phone. I have to hit the “END” button on the MCS or wait for the other person to hang-up. Also, the VCM/MCS does not recognize any “NAV” commands that allow you to switch to the navigation screen (and I don’t know if a normal install does this either?) I suspect this is all due to the release date of my MCS. A newer MCS (2486 or above) may take care of these problems. With the exception of those two issues, it works fine!! Anyway, when you are done you will have something that looks like this.
[img]http://www.benzworld.org/gallery/pics/12187325574202004123346PM.jpg[/img]
Enjoy talking to your new lady friend/companion and please feel free to send me questions and/or corrections.
Paul
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