After poking my nose around a bit to see who might be able to troubleshoot and repair the Harman Kardon audio system on my W211 (lots of distortion), I think I'm giving up. I'm told by several local car audio shops that I need to find someone who specializes in Mercedes audio....they won't touch it. I can only imagine the expense that would translate into. And taking it to the dealer is a non starter for me.

So I wonder...is there some sort of amplified speaker, either bluetooth or wired, that I could connect to my iPhone that would be decent? It could sit in the back seat or by the rear window...maybe something sound bar like.

Would appreciate any recommendations.

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14 E250 Bluetec "Sinclair", Palladium Silver on Black, 153k miles
06 E320 CDI "Rutherford", Black on Tan, 171k mi, Stage 1 tune, tuned TCU
91 300D "Otis", Smoke Silver, 142k mi, wastegate conversion

19 Honda CR-V EX 61k mi
Fourteen other MB's owned and sold
1961 Very Tolerant Wife

Anker makes small bar type speakers called Soundcore for around 30 bucks. Great sound for the size but most smaller bluetooth speakers will have a hard time over coming road and cabin noises. I have a Sonos Move and its fairly loud but still struggles to be heard in a car. Its also expensive.

What is the problem? I would try to fix it myself.

1) A lot of the time, distortion is caused by speaker cone rim dis integating. Check the speakers first.

2) get an unit from the junk yard.

3) replace the head unit with an android based radio. It is not expensive.

Good luck.

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Not MBZ nor A/C trained professional but a die-hard DIY and green engineer. Use the info at your own peril. Picked up 2 Infractions because of disagreements. NOW reversed.

W124 Keyless remote, PM for details. http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/mercedes-used-parts-sale-wanted/334620-fs-w124-chasis-keyless-remote-%2450-shipped.html

1 X 2006 CDI
1 x 87 300SDL
1 x 87 300D
1 x 87 300TDT wagon
1 x 83 300D
1 x 84 190D ( 5 sp ) - All R134 converted + keyless entry.

Ah-Kay’s got the right idea.

You could also bypass the head unit entirely by installing a speaker amp in your glove box or under the seat. You can connect an iPhone/Android/blackberry directly to that.

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1981 240D 4sp manual. Ivory White.

The HK system on these 211s were quite good but a little lacking in modern tech.

As Ah-Kay says, check that front speaker under the grill in the dashboard, the foam surround disintegrates from the windshield exposure and makes the system sound like absolute crap.

As for inroads to the system, check if you have an aux jack in the glove box. And look in the arm rest, at the very back, for a cover plate that is shaped like an arrow head. If you have this, you can add the Bluetooth adapter for phone calls.

Or just go the Android route, about to do that for my son. You keep the amp and speakers and use a line level to MOST converter to put the audio on the fiber bus to the amp in the trunk and remove the other boxes in the system.

Xtrons seems to have a good reputation. eBay is awash in these things, but I would steer clear of the ones with the nekkid ladies on the screen…just search for W211 head unit and stand back. Or get a Metra W211 double din install kit and install a DD head unit from Pioneer/Sony/Kenwood with the line out to MOST converter. You won’t be using the head unit’s amplifiers, in fact they make amp-less DD head units now that are basically an LCD with CarPlay/Android Auto decoders and maybe a radio. And they do make CAN bus adapters to pick up the steering wheel commands.

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The OM 642/722.9 powered family
Still going strong
2014 ML350 Bluetec (wife's DD)
2013 E350 Bluetec (my DD)

both my kids cars went to junkyard in 2023
2008 ML320 CDI (Older son’s DD) fatal transmission failure, water soaked/fried rear SAM, numerous other issues, just too far gone to save (165k miles)
2008 E320 Bluetec (Younger son's DD) injector failed open and diluted oil with diesel, spun main bearings (240k miles)

1998 E300DT sold to TimFreeh
1987 300TD sold to vstech

Easy peasy. It makes one wonder what things have come to. This is not even the latest versions of audio systems in some cars.

Age deterioration is one thing you can and should check with the foam though. As suggested. In over 90 percent of failures you are dealing with the same faults usually.

So if the manufacture has a good service facility today. They may be about the only ones that are familiar with what they are. Sometimes they are worth talking to.

Once you work on the same stuff everyday after awhile the familiarity really pays off. At the same time if the facility wants to make it a substantial profit center. You almost have to forget them.