Install CD changer
 

I am new to Mercedes-Benz. I have recently bought a really nice '94 C280. The radio is compatible with CD changer, but none came with my car. I am planning to add one and I was told that it would just plug into my existing wirting in the trunk. I'm embarrased to say that I can't find the plug. Could someone please set me straight and tell me where to find it ?

Thanks,

I am not familiar with your model, but have put a CD changer in a 1992 E class. Assuming the set-up is similar, the jack is hidden behind the trunk lining and is part of the wiring for the exisitng sound system. In the case of 1991-1993 E class (and S-class) cars, the way you put in the CD changer is to unplug a certain cable from a jack on the the tuner/amplifier chassis, plug in a new cable that you purchase along with the changer, and connect another cable to the end of the original cable that you unplugged. It is not as though you just plug the CD into a spare connection somewhere.
Furthermore, you have to get a specific type of CD that is compatible with the original audio system. The cable itself is about $100 and is a Mercedes part, as is the CD changer (although some after-market places also claim to have compatible units).
In the case of the 1991-93 E class, there is a factory service bulletin that describes how to do this. Presumably, there is such a bulletin for your car, also. I got my bulletin from having a subscription to such bulletins from alldata.com. It is possible that a friendly MB dealer might let you have a copy of the bulletin for your car. The alldata subscription is a good investment, as it lets you read all the bulletins applicable to your car, as well as information on recalls and other technical information.

The connector for the CD changer on the C class is behind the trunk trim on the right side of the trunk.

Gilly

Go to stereo/radio section of this site.
 

There are some knowledgeable people there. I think it may be an aftermarket cable/connector to connect to an aftermarket cd changer such as Alpine. A lot better and cheaper than factory.:cool:

I went through this on our C220. www.autotoys.com sells CD changers cabled to connect to the factory harness so they are controlled from the dash unit.

Not sure about your car but mine is a 99 C280 an the wire was inthe back. Further to that, it was a fiber optic unit. I checked Crutchfield and the best they could do was to find a MB unit for less than the factory price but was the same unit with the star logos, etc. I bought one off ebay that worked and had Gillybenztech program the head unit so it could be controlled up front without having any extra consoles in the car. I suppose you could use an FM modulated one too.

C280 CD PLAYER INSTALLATION
 

<<J.HIDALGO There are some knowledgeable people there. I think it may be an aftermarket cable/connector to connect to an aftermarket cd changer such as Alpine. A lot better and cheaper than factory.>>

The factory radio in the C280 in question is made by Alpine as is the overpriced MB labelled CD player your dealer wants such a stratospheric price for. The very same Alpine CD player minus the all mighty star will cost less than $300 from various sources. You will need an adaptor which used to be available from Good Guys but that's a few years ago. I did all this to my '95 C280 in 1995. The cable is hidden behind the right side trunk lining. the other end is behind the radio and may not be plugged in. I mounted mine to the underside of the first aid kit box, out of the way but easliy accessible.

Roger Ellingson/'01 C320

That was the case with my 91 190E. I got the Alpine unit. Is your unit optical? I looked on crutchfield but they don't have a unit that will work short of the MB one. I got mine for $429 which worked well so I didn't think it was that bad a deal. I had 2 cables into my 99 C280. One was the power cable and the other was the fiber optic. How did your 95 C280 cable go?

C280 CD PLAYER
 

The '94 C280's CD player wiring is the same as my '95's and is not fiber optic. That came later. Perhaps when the V-6 came into use in that model.

Also, do not compare this installation with the W201 or W124 technical requirements. The W201 and early W124 radios have no CD buttons on their faceplates. Further, do not even think of using the type that plays through the antenna lead when the radio is tuned to a certain FM frequency. I installed one of these in my '89 190E 2.6, another Sony,
and it was vastly inferior to the hardwired later version. Lots of white noise in the background.

The Sony CD player model number was CHM-S600. I paid 294.00 plus tax and shipping for a total of $304.50 on 5/11/95.
I purchased it by mailorder from SBH Enterprises in Brooklyn which is one of those outfits that advertise in the back of Road & Track and Car & Driver and others. Their number at the time was 800-451-5851.

I did not use a plug adaptor (became available later) so my alarm installation guy just cut the plugs off the cables and spliced them together. Probably color for color. The adaptor would be better of course.

What more can I tell you?

Roger Ellingson/Seattle/'01 C320 with another Alpine CD player, not so cheap this time.

I think in my 201 it was an Alpine unit. CHM is an Alpine number if I am not mistaken