Here's a way of keeping your steering wheel controls with an aftermarket stereo !

gregs210 said:

This is an idiom so it may not translate well to your side of the pond, but A1EK, you're A-1.

Great post, good pointers, all well-done. Quick questions: do you have the CD changer and if so were you able to retain that functionality? Second, I wouldn't mind spending a couple hours on the programming -- once -- but does it have an internal ROM chip or something to remember the settings in case of battery removal or failure?

It sounds as though the total was the rough equivalent of US $300, that is really affordable for full integration, all the extra features and, of course, the nice Bluetooth interface.

Take care and enjoy the re-"tuned" ride,
Greg

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HI Gregs210, Yes I get the A-1 !! thanks (By the way used to have a w210 and loved it !)

I didnt have the CD changer and just used to carry loads of CD's in the car, and this was one of the reasons I wanted to get mp3 and the convenience of a USB input or ipod etc ! I also wanted the Bluetooth handsfree and looked at the adaptor but found that this retailed at about $500 so thought it a little epxensive for only being able to add one feature to me car, so opted therefore for the aftermarket Sony headunit which came with all the toys already !

As for the programming it doesn't take 2hrs to programe, what I meant was it took me two total to wire and fit.! The programming was only about 10mins and only needs to be done the one time, and is easy once you get the hang of it. As for losing its internal memory settings to work with your car steering wheels, dont worry as its 'non-volitile' so even with the battery disconnected it will keep your settings etc.

One other bonus is that if you wanted to change the function of your steering wheel buttons you can, for example, use the track buttons to change the source instead of scanning etc, or mute and power the head unit, it up to you.! (I kept it the same as it was though)

Hi A1EK and other members.
I have just purchased a new stereo (Sony XAV-612BT) for my 2000 CLK320 (W208).
I wanted to connect the steering wheel controls as you have done here.
I purchased a control pro SWI-CP5 for this purpose but I can't seem to get it to work.
My 2000 CLK320 has (what I can only assume is) a CAN Bus interface (2 wires, CAN + Black, & CAN - Black/White)

I have wired the unit up and programmed via the Control Pro application on my PC, but I get no response shown on the unit when pressing any of the buttons on my steering wheel.

I connected the Black & White/Black car wiring to the SWI-CP5 Pink & Pink/Black cabling (Can-Bus)
The Black to Ground, the Yellow to +12 (always on), the Red to +12 (accessory on) (all wired in parallel with the stereo cabling – stereo is working fine)
The 3.5mm jack to the Sony “Remote In” input.
All the other cabling is not (currently) connected.
I don’t think any other connections from the Control Pro SWI-CP5 are required.

The troubleshooting guide and support from Control Pro (documentation, e-mail & web site) has not been much help.

I am not sure if I should have followed A1EK's lead here (by using a combination of a PAC SWI-CAN2 & PAC SWI-PS) but I couldn't find them at the time.
It's difficult to tell from the photos, what the wiring was when he installed these units, or how you can tell if the interface is CAN Bus or another (analogue/manual) interface.

Has anyone else managed to get the steering wheel controls on their W208 working ?

Hi A1EK and other members.

A update on my quest to get the steering wheel controls to work.

Car 2000 CLK320 (W208)
Stereo (Sony XAV-612BT)

I could not get the steering wheel controls to work with the PAC SWI-CP5.
I tried everything and even with some help from their support team, it wouldn't work.

Time for Plan B

I have now purchased a SWI-CAN2 & SWI-RC.
I connected them up over the weekend, but still not good.

The SWI-RC is set up for version 2, but it does not detect the inputs from the steering wheel.
There isn’t a problem with the buttons on the steering wheel as they perform different functions.

I think the connection from the SWI-CAN2 is ok.
There is a LED inside the unit (not detailed in any of the PAC documentation) that comes ON when I hook up the unit to the original stereo CAN BUS wiring.
If I reverse the wiring it goes off, so I assume that LED ON indicates a correct connection (I tried both as part of troubleshooting, but went back to wiring so that the LED went on).

I tried to program the SWI-RC unit up when the Instrument panel was in its “normal” state (showing Total KM’s and odometer) as well as the “Audio” state (showing Audio (with 4 dashes – as there is no interface with the original radio)).

The SWI-RC unit configured up for Version 2 OK (when you turn it on, the LED comes on twice), you can erase any existing configuration OK (LED goes and stays ON), but it does not detect the inputs from the steering wheel.

Any ideas ?
Any help would be appreciated, I have requested assistance from the PAC support team, but nothing yet...

A1EK said:

Sorry for not responding mate, let me read through your info and i'll see if I can help

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Okay so I need to think back a few years but will try and help you out.

You were correct in getting the two devices (SWI-CAN2 & SWI-RC) as you must have both. This is because the SWI-CAN2 interfaces with your CLK Canbus then the SWI-RC interfaces to the respective stereo, in your case a Sony. I've checked on the website and you have the correct models.

I simpathyse with you on the help guides as I too found it hard to get my head around too !

Now you seem pretty good at electrics so I am sure you have followed the instructions correctly and wired the two units as they should. You are correct there is a little led inside the unit that blinks etc and as you have pointed out you have correctly set the program for version 2 which should be for Mercedes.

So at this stage you should find when you turn on the ignition (on all the way just before starting engine), the little red LED flashes 2 times on the SWI-RC yes?
Now to program the buttons there is something that took me ages to figure out that you need to ensure you do first before proceeding, you MUST select the screen on your Mercedes dashboard that is normally displayed when you change radio stations or CD tracks etc. It will probably be blank for you and not have the normal 'Audio' text as this is what happend when you use the adaptors unfortunately, but never the less you need to get this screen up on the dash first.
Once you have the correct screen on your dashboard, THEN start programming.

To Program:
(Make sure you have the 'Audio' screen showing on your Mercedes dash which is probably blank)

Then turn ignition on just before starting engine, the SWI-RC flashes twice.

Press the program button on SWI-RC briefly for 1-2 secs then release, you are now ready to program.

Start to press one at a time on the steering wheel buttons to program, to give you a guide on my unit the order was:

1. Vol UP (press vol up on right of steering wheel)
2. Vol Down (Press vol down on right of steering wheel)
3. Mute (We do not have this button on CLK so skip by pressing the SWI-RC program button once).
4. Track Up/Seek (Press left seek up button on wheel)
5. Track Down/Seek (Press left seek down button on wheel)
6. Source (Skip as above with program button)
7. Preset Up/Disc Up (Press left Up button on wheel)
8. Preset Down/Disc Down (Press left Down button on wheel)

Once all programming is done wait 5-10 secs and the LED will flash three times indicating the end.

Try it out and see !! (Finger crossed for you)

Thanks A1EK, your detailed response has provided the missing link.

I’m going to add the reference terminology from the user manual (page 88) Multifunction Steering Wheel Display (as a reference for future users – link below)
http://www.mbusa.com/vcm/MB/DigitalAssets/pdfmb/ownersmanual/2000_clk_cabriolet.pdf

The biggest problem was getting the Multifunction Steering Wheel Display to show “Blank” (as it was constantly coming up as the default "Odometer" mode, or as “Audio ----“ , in the example picture for the web below its showing the "Trip Computer" mode).

I still don’t know how I got the display to show “Blank”, I must have tried it 50 times and got there about 5 times (to allow the unit to be programmed up).
The sequence of events on how I got there is still beyond me.
Hopefully yourself or someone else can remember how to do this.

I have an technical background and am comfortable with most electronics so this has been fairly frustrating exercise.

I got the following items working earlier in the day, but went out in the car just before, and I can’t get it to work (Multifunction Steering Wheel Display back to showing “Audio ----“)
Will have to try again later.

I was going to tell you that I managed to get 4 out of the 6 functions you suggested to work OK.

Increase Volume - Got this working as Increase Volume
Decrease Volume - Got this working as Decrease Volume

Next display - Got this working as Radio Pre-set Up
Previous display - Got this working as Radio Pre-set Down

Next System - Couldn't get this to work (because as you press it, it changes the function of the display)

Previous System - Couldn't get this to work (because as you press it, it changes the function of the display)

Dial Telephone Number - Couldn't get this to work (because as you press it, it changes the function of the display)

End Telephone Call - Couldn't get this to work (because as you press it, it changes the function of the display)

I programmed up the Volume + & -, then skipped mute (press program on the SWI-RC) , then Next & Previous System, then left the SWI-RC to time out so that the programming function would end

So I did get 4 out of 8 buttons working (for about an hour, before it went back to " Audio ---- " mode.

The switches for the units were set as follows :-

SWI-CAN2 switch to 4
SWI-RC switch to 7

BTW, when I mentioned the LED was ON, this was for the SWI-CAN2 (there is an LED inside it that is hidden (aka no peep hole) but I’m not sure what it indicates, I assume it comes on when the CAN BUS cabling is OK, as it went off if I reversed the wiring).
You are supposed to see the LED in the SWI-RC (as it has a peep hole) that you use to verify version number and programming information.