My new C320 came without a security radio code. For everyones informaton, which I got from MBNA, the new S and C classes don't have codes anymore that you punch in if the battery gets disconnected. Instead, the code is built into the smartkey(s), and its reads the proper code everytime the key gets put in the ignition. RSL007

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RSL007
1999 ML430
2001 C320 Sport
2000 SAAB 9-5
1998 E300DT
1998 C280sport
1991 300D
1991 350SDL
1982 300DT
1972 Porsche 911 Targa

How clever!! I never even thought of that. Does that apply to all models with the smartkey?

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2006 E350 w/ 155k miles (Daily Driver)

Previous:
1993 300E 3.2L Sedan w/ close to about 300k miles
2003 E500 Brilliant Silver (Had 217k miles when totalled!)
1989 300E with 289,000 miles (had for <1 yr while in HI)
03 CLK 500 cabrio (Mom's)
2006 C230k (Dad's)
1999 S420 (Mom's/Dad's)
2000 C230k Sport sedans
2001 CLK320 Cabrio (Mom's)
1995 C280 My First Mercedes-Benz... (155k miles. EXCEPTIONAL AUTOMOBILE. Was Very hard to let go of!)

David: Only the 2001 S and C classes have the code in the key. None of the other smart keys have it at this time. RSL007

__________________
RSL007
1999 ML430
2001 C320 Sport
2000 SAAB 9-5
1998 E300DT
1998 C280sport
1991 300D
1991 350SDL
1982 300DT
1972 Porsche 911 Targa

I am relatively certain that these radios don't have a security code. I am not aware of the security code being stored in the key......Gilly

Gilly, then what DO YOU think?

(That's it's stored in each individual Mercedes computer??)

__________________
2006 E350 w/ 155k miles (Daily Driver)

Previous:
1993 300E 3.2L Sedan w/ close to about 300k miles
2003 E500 Brilliant Silver (Had 217k miles when totalled!)
1989 300E with 289,000 miles (had for <1 yr while in HI)
03 CLK 500 cabrio (Mom's)
2006 C230k (Dad's)
1999 S420 (Mom's/Dad's)
2000 C230k Sport sedans
2001 CLK320 Cabrio (Mom's)
1995 C280 My First Mercedes-Benz... (155k miles. EXCEPTIONAL AUTOMOBILE. Was Very hard to let go of!)

Well, don't spread it around, but I don't think the 203 chassis has a security system on the radio. Don't feel too bad, cars with COMAND don't either, and that includes S-class and CL-class. Good luck trying to get a COMAND system to perform any useful function without being plugged into all the harnesses in back of it, but no, COMAND has no input for a radio code, either. I'll check this out a little at work, we have a few new C-class cars around. I know about the memory store functions of the new smartkey, but I sure would think they would have mentioned at the C-class technical introduction if the key has security info in it for the radio....Gilly

Gilly: If the radio is not coded as you suggest it might not be, then I am very disappointed in the technical division of MBNA giving out such information. My experience with Mercedes is that they are pretty accurate when they say something, so I imagine it is possible that the electronics of the radio will only recognize the chip in a particular key to function as does the starting and fuel delivery systems. Certainly a simple test would be to plug a radio from a 2001 C or S class into another chassis and see if it will work. I am anxious to see if you get some new information on this question. RSL007

__________________
RSL007
1999 ML430
2001 C320 Sport
2000 SAAB 9-5
1998 E300DT
1998 C280sport
1991 300D
1991 350SDL
1982 300DT
1972 Porsche 911 Targa

Yeah, that would work too. I'll see what I can come up with. One reason I like to participate in these forums is that the questions that come up make me a better technician, makes me find answers to questions I never would have thought of, and some day the info could be very useful. If the radio comes out with the radio "keys", then I'll try swapping radios. If more of the dash has to come off, then it gets too time consuming. In that case, I will research it instead of physically swapping, which I agree would be the most useful test. The thing is, if what they are saying is true about the code/chip, then the radio would have to be on the interior CAN (controlled area network) to get the info from EIS (electronic ignition switch). The radio I believe is on a K-line (dedicated comm line) to the Teleaid system, an also of course the D2B fiber optic line, but I don't believe the radio is on the interior CAN bus. I did review a 2001 info book I have here at home, and on ALL the radio sections for the different model line-ups, for the radio it always states "Anti-theft circuitry". In the case of the C-class, and also S and CL class, I am unaware of any anti-theft feature, at least in terms of needing a radio code to activate the radio or COMAND unit if the unit lost B+ or has otherwise been removed from the vehicle. Could it be (if I am correct in my assumations) that MB has determined, (as I have suspected for quite a while) that thieves who are out to just steal your radio are to stupid to realize that they need a code to reactivate the radio?.....Gilly

May be I can help.
Isn't the K-line just for diagnostic purposes?
But the radio gets all of the following commands by CAN bus;
Ignition for ON/OFF
Illumination
Speedometer signal for speed dependet volume control
Steering wheel controls
Display in instrument cluster.
Did I forget something?

Not having code numbers on those radios would make sense, if you consider that the ones mentioned all have odd shapes and can not easely be installed in another vehicle, and therefore don't realy have a resale value.

Well, first I'm going to quote from the Radio Recoding Guide that all the dealers recieved a couple weeks ago:
MY (thats Model Year) 2001 C-Class with Audio 30 Radio,
Radio anti-theft protection:
MY 2001 C-Class vehicles with Audio 30 radio incorporate
CAN-bus version coding for anti-theft protection. Radio and
code cards are no longer used.

The CAN-bus version coding in the radio must agree with that
of the vehicle in which the radio is fitted. If the coding does not agree with the corresponding message on the interior CAN, the radio switches over after about 30 seconds to the Production mode, as indicated by "PROD" displayed on the radio. In the Production mode, the radio does not react to user entries and other functionality also does not exist. Radios recieved direct from the PDCs (Parts Distribution Centers) are shipped with the radio version coding not set to model 203 and therefore will arrive in Production mode. The sequence to version code using SDS is as follows:
Control Units/D2B-COMAND or Audio/Control Unit Adaptations/Read Coding and Change if Neccesary/Version Coding/CAN Message Series/Set to "203". SDS version coding of the radio will not be neccesary after loss of battery power as the radio will retain its version coding parameters.

Models 203, 208, 210, 215 and 220 equiped with COMAND have no radio coding procedures.

(Ok, I'm back, thank you Mr. Mercedes). The way I interpret all this is that if the version coding isn't there, it's not going to work. i haven't a clue how this would go into Production mode unless the version coding isn't done. i'd be interested to see what on the interior CAN is sending out a message to the radio, which then is supposed to agree with this message and decide that it is OK to work. It just ain't happening this way. If there is no version code installed, it will be in Production mode. Once it is out of Production mode, it's going to work, or at the very least it's going to work in any 203 chassis. Funny they even do the version code, as the 203 is the only car this radio will fit. I should go into the version coding on a new car just to see if there are any options available for the chassis it will fit, maybe it also will work in a A-Class or V-class in Europe. I wanted to do a car to car swap, but could only come up with 1 203 chassis, a black C240 6-speed, very sharp, Sport model. One thing I did try is to open the drivers window and lock the car, then reached in and opened the door from the inside, which of course set off the alarm. Then while letting the alarm continue, and without inserting the smartkey into the ignition, I could still turn the radio on, so obviously this whole thing about the radio code being in a chip or something in the key must be false. If it wanted authorization from the key for the radio to work, then why would the radio work if the car was broken into? Makes no sense. Well, I've gone on long enough. I'd be interested in someone elses interpretation of all this......Gilly

Well, we had that Black C240 in the shop today, getting ready for delivery AND installing the CD changer, so i had a chance to do some experimenting. Ok, there is a connector that has CAN bus wiring going to it, the only other wires on this connector are the power and ground for the CD changer, the wakeup line for all audio equipment both added on or factory (phone and Bose amp) and the k-line, which yes is only for diagnostics. I thought maybe I could try operating the radio and then disconnect this whole connector, and whataya know, the radio kept working for about 5 seconds, then stopped working and the red LED on the face started to blink! Plugged it back in and started working again. So evidently this radio is dependent on seeing some sort of a CAN signal from the interior CAN bus. My feeling now is that it would probably work fine in any C-class car. Unless we happen to have 2 non-COMAND C-class cars in for a CD changer, guess I can't prove that theory, but I now know a hell of a lot more about C-class radios that I did a few days ago!!!! I'm kind of thinking that it needs to see some sort of communication on the interior bus, still unsure if there is anything actually sent directly to the radio on the CAN for this function or not. i get the impression that you almost have to be the one who designed the hardware or software of the interior CAN to know for sure......Gilly

Dear Gilly:
I am very impressed how you delved into this question on the radio coding. I wish I had you as my personal mechanic.
Anyway.... I wrote to the technical division at MBNA and asked specifically if each radio is assigned to a specific key(s) or chassis. It seems obvious from what you are getting to in your analysis, that the radios are interchangable within Mercedes autos without any theft protection. Maybe Mercedes pronouncements of a chip in the key to a specific radio are a little misleading. I will let you know if I get a straight answer. RSL007

__________________
RSL007
1999 ML430
2001 C320 Sport
2000 SAAB 9-5
1998 E300DT
1998 C280sport
1991 300D
1991 350SDL
1982 300DT
1972 Porsche 911 Targa

My feeling is that a radio in a 203 chassis C-Class would work in any 203 chassis C-Class. It would be interesting to know exactly what the signal is in the interior CAN that the radio "expects" to pick up that keeps it operating. The block diagram for the radio shows that the radio is connected via CAN to the instrument cluster, which makes sense because the MSW (multi-function steering wheel) is connected to the instrument cluster via discreet wiring. However the actual wiring diagram just shows the radio connected to the interior CAN, which makes more sense, because the radio connected to just the instrument cluster doesn't really decsribe a CAN, sounds more like discreet wiring to me. In this case, the signal the radio is looking for more logically would be coming from the EIS (electronic ignition switch), it's about the "smartest" control unit in the car after the ME control unit (engine management). There is so much info broadcast on the CAN, there could be something really obscure that the radio is looking for, if it were studied long enough, something would make sense. What is really confusing is the fact that like most MB's the radio will work even with the key shut off, n which case I assume the interior CAN would be "dead". Maybe the radio can sense that it is connected to the interior CAN, possibly a resistance value, in which case maybe it would work in any MB, not just a 203?. If you get some answer from MB, let me know. if it takes awhile and this thread is gone, I'm sure you can get in touch with me through another thread someplace.......Gilly

Greetings!

Geez! it's been eleven years without any follow-ups . Mr. Gilly, have you known about a case supporting your statement? (or it's still your feeling?) Regards!

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1996 E320 since 1/16/08, 171K miles as of Feb 2011

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1989 300CE - R.I.P. Dec 29 2007
Other MBs (sold): 1992 300E-24 - 1979 350SLC - 1984 230E - 1990 300CE