Speed sense wire
 

I am tired of the stock BOSE sound system in my 1999 ML430, so I am pulling all of it out, and replacing it with a Kenwood Nav headunit, Boston Acoustics speakers and a Kicker sub. I have gone through a few different ideas in the planning stages, and think I finally have all my stuff laid out. But, I need a little wiring help.

The biggest thing is that I need to locate the wire in the car that carries the speed pulse signal to hook up the nav unit. Any help on this would be great.

The other wiring issue I have deals with hooking up the speakers in the doors. The truck does not have the typical rubber tubes from the door jambs to the doors, but rather a big multi-pin connector. that means I need to either drill holes in the doors to run new speaker wires, or try to tie into the existing wires that go through the connector. I pulled the boot off to try and sort out the color code, and found that there are multiple wires going into the plug that are the exact same color!!!! Thanks MB. I would rather not drill the doors, but do not know how else to wire it. Anyone know how to "crack" the color code?

If you have a BOSE radio produced before 11/99 you do not have a speed signal wire -you should be able to tell because that radio does not have fiber optics (seperate plug connector with two bright orange wires and red/white plastic ends)

If you have a radio after 11/99 your speed signal should be CONNECTOR A, PIN 1, SOLID BLUE WIRE.

I say "should" because there's about 12 different schematics depending on what options your vehicle has and when it was produced.

hope that helps........

In an attempt to avoid real work, I rechecked that. It is still connector A, pin 1, blue wire.

My car was built in 1998, and when I installed my SIRIUS radio, I saw no fiber optics. I take it that (according to what you posted) there is no speed pulse wire up at the head unit wiring harness, but there still has to be one in the car somewhere to run the spedo at least. Kenwood tells me it can be tapped off the BAS box under the hood, pink wire, pin 25 (I think). Does this sound right?

Just to be sure, Melcher, when you said "...it is still..." did you mean it is still the speed pulse wire even if no fiber optics, or it is still the blue wire, pin 1 no doubt about it, on a fiber optic unit?

I called MB tech support and they literally told me that they would not tell me where the wire was, and told me to buy the factory unit.

I see no speed sensor wire for radios that are "pre-fiber optic".
I really don't know where else to tap into it. BAS module may be one good place - but I don't want to give you advise unless I'm sure. Not sure what kind of signal it is, I know it goes from the left front wheel to the esp module,
but don't know how the IC or BAS modules recieve the signal from esp.
Good luck, sorry can't be of more help.