Missing CD fiber cable?

[Gary Baxter]

I have searched all of the relevant posts but can't find the answer to my question. I am attempting to install an MC3198 CD changer in my 1999 SL500. Everyone says it's just plug and play but I do not have any fiber optic connector in my trunk. Really, I don't. What I do have are four connectors bundled together: a coax probably for the phone, a power connector that does hook up to the MC3198, a 15 pin female connector, and a 25 pin female connector.
Is there some magical connector that connects to my CD changer and then to either the 15 pin or 25 pin connector? That's the only thing I can think of that would make this work. Or, do I have some weird hybrid wiring scheme? Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

[Carson357]

Originally Posted by Gary Baxter

I have searched all of the relevant posts but can't find the answer to my question. I am attempting to install an MC3198 CD changer in my 1999 SL500. Everyone says it's just plug and play but I do not have any fiber optic connector in my trunk. Really, I don't. What I do have are four connectors bundled together: a coax probably for the phone, a power connector that does hook up to the MC3198, a 15 pin female connector, and a 25 pin female connector.
Is there some magical connector that connects to my CD changer and then to either the 15 pin or 25 pin connector? That's the only thing I can think of that would make this work. Or, do I have some weird hybrid wiring scheme? Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

you may need to pull some covers, i have seen it taped to other harnesses, it is orange, not hard to miss

[Gary Baxter]

I have ripped my trunk apart and still no luck. I have traced every single wire to its destination. Is it possible that I have 1998 wiring or something like that? Please review attached photos. Thanks.

[Ashman]

easiest thing to do is pullt he radio and check for the fiber optic connection ont he back. if it doesnt have the fiber connection, then your car wont have a fiber optic cable.

If it does, have you checked the compartment behind the passenger seat?

The cable if it is not fiber optic I believe will be like a 10 or 12 pin black connector

But I can;t be 100% sure.

[Gilly]

(Sorry if you read my first post on this, I was way off):
It's hiding in plain site. In the first pic you posted, it is wire tied to the harness that is running back to the left tail light, it's the brownish colored thick wires, I think the connector is right under the tail light itself, just need to snip those couple of nylon wire ties.
Gilly

[Gary Baxter]

Thanks, Gilly. It was right where you said it was. I feel stupid but happy.

[Cleeve]

Hi Gary Baxter,
Just to let you know, in the cars that did not come stock with a changer you may need to rearrange the FiberOptic cabling for it to work and be seen by the radio. If you have any problems let me know.

Cleeve Morrison
La Jolla Audio Repair
www.lajollaaudiorepair.com

[Gilly]

Hi Cleeve, long time no chat. It's working good now he says. Most of them were set up for CD player only. Biggest exception was the 170 SLK, I don't think those damn things were set up to play ANYTHING without reconfiguring!!
Gilly

[Cleeve]

Yes, that's the truth. I will try to be more present on the Forum. I have been very busy since the insurance companies and dealers nation wide are finding out how extensive our service and inventory is. I'm here to help.


Cleeve Morrison
La Jolla Audio Repair
www.lajollaaudiorepair.com

[Gary Baxter]

Hi Guys,

Now that I've got my trunk back together, the changer is acting up. The head unit is not displaying any error messages but the changer just stops playing but appears to be working. I'm hoping this is related to Gilly's comment about having the dealer work some magic on the head unit.

Of course, the changer was working for a while and skipped whenever I hit a medium-sized road ripple or pothole. I'm in Maine so they're everywhere. Now, I'm leaning towards getting an Audio 10 so I can keep the stock look. Now, my questions are:

1. Do I need to go to the dealer to get my radio code for the existing unit or is there another source of that information? The previous owner didn't pass it along. I want to have the code so I can return the car to stock at some point in the future (1999 SL500.)

2. Is there a better option than the Audio 10? I am not interested in the shiny, multicolored units I see ay the local car stereo store.

3. Does anyone have any experience with www.perfectmarketaudio.com as a seller of Audio 10s?

4. Has anyone done this in a 99 SL500? I found a great thread on doing this in the W203 but am wondering if there gotchas with the 129.

Thanks again.

[Gilly]

Gary
Might be the head unit change that's needed, but few other ideas I have:
#1, MORE than likely the orientation of the sspension wasn't changed. I know with the changers MB sold through the dealerships, they started sending them out set to "H" for the 203 C Class cars as they mount horizontally on a shelf in the glove box. Traditionally they sent them set to "V" because most of the factory setups were mounted like your 129, Vertically in the trunk in the side pocket area. SO, make sure, on the sides of the changer, that the small bright metal "dot" is in the hole where the "V" is, not on the opposite side of the curved track where the "H" is, this will mess up things big time, really weird it will act just like you describe, like there is an electrical gremlin. One wouls think the changer would simply skip track alot. You need to change BOTH sides on the changer.
Other possiblity, it might not like your velcro. If you buy the bracket, see if you need the adapter brackets as well. If you have the latest/greatest MB changer, it is smaller than the "original" changer was (made smaller, again for the 203 chassis cars in the early 00's, but the bracket for the older design cars, such as the 202, 210, 129, etc were never changed, so you need adapter brackets as well as the 129 bracket to fit it).
I think that's it, other than the possiblity that the configuration of the radio head might be causing it. I don't really think that's it at this point because the radio will usually give an error message like "no changer" on the display screen. But the setting being wrong can present itself in different ways, so never sure. Many times with strange radio problems like this the first thing I would do is see if there was a cd changer in the trunk and if the configuration was correct or not.
Gilly
edit: PS Gary, there is also a nice fuzzy "lid" you can buy that slips over the bracket that covers the top of the changer, if you buy a bracket I'd go whole hog and buy that cover too, looks nice and protect the changer from getting whacked by golf clubs or what have you. Has the MB star and Mercedes script on it, looks nice.

[Gary Baxter]

Thanks Gilly; Your knowledge is impressive.

I see the dot you're talking about but I don't see any H or V markings. Both sides are oriented the same so I thought I would just move them to the other end of the scale and mount the changer the other way and see what happens. My question is: can I just poke the dot with an awl and move it to the other end or should I unscrew the cover and do it that way?

When I resolve the skipping issue I'm going to take your advice and buy the appropriate adapter and cover. I've seen the cover on eBay for relatively short money. Thanks again.

[Gilly]

Gary
Main thing is to be able to identify by pushing in on the "guts" of the changer which way the suspension is oriented. You want the suspension to go up and down relative to how the changer is mounted in the car. Hope this makes sense. With the changer standing upright (like it is in the trunk) you want the springiness to go up and down, this is vertical. In horizontal it won't move that direction, it moves up and down if the changer is laying flat. If this seems wrong, then yes you need to change the setting the other way. Not sure what they used on yours to cover the suspension adjusters, on the newer ones it's a snap on cover you can take off, then once that's off you can see how to adjust the suspension, you may see the H and V under there too. On the earlier ones they used more of a decal than a plastic cover. The adjustment can be done by hand, no tools, just a fingernail. There are a series of notches that the shiny dot engages into, just move the dot out of the notch and swing the dot the way you need to go, easy. No unscrewing of anything, unless this changer is way different than I'm used to. If unscrewing something is removing just a small trap door looking thing, then yes unscrew it, but you don't need to take the CD changer "apart" to do this, should be easily accessable.
Don't forget what I said about the adapter brackets, if the CD changer is too narrow (on the wide dimension, front to rear in your case) then you need the adapters too, you may not know this until you get the main bracket.
Gilly

[raymond~]

gary...i have several TSBs for that vintage changer so if you email me, i can zap
to you. r-