I just recently purchased a kit to add NAVI to my 2001 ML 320. I'm told it is a complete kit, is DVD rather than CD, and has the software with it. I have gotten conflicting information from e-bay, the web, and my dealer regarding installation of NAVI into an ML. One e-bay seller said that 2001 ML's required a splitter and several cables which, I presume are in this kit. I figured the splitter was for the antenna, since he also said that you had to add the antenna on the 2000 trucks. There are already two unused antenna connectors and one unused multi-pin connector under my passenger seat, tie-wrapped to the seat frame. One antenna cable is TNC and I'm guessing this is for the cell phone. Another looks is a small female connector like MCX, maybe. I figured that one for the GPS. A web site I found showed removing the console to get access to the vehicle speed and reverse indicator at the CAN bus on the connector on the front of the transmission selector. The e-bay seller says the car has to be version coded to get the NAVI to work. My dealer (parts) says its plug and play. I hope this "kit" has instructions. Barring that, is there a definitive source of information for this mod short of taking it all to the dealer and picking the car up when they are done?

Thanks,

Al

What you should really try doing is getting the installation instructions. I don't have all the differences committed to memory exactly, but I'll share what I do know. ASK your local dealer if they would be willing to supply you with a copy of the work instructions, and make SURE it's for an '01 as the instructions I believe changed every year from 00 to 01 to 02.
First, it's good you got the DVD version, it works fine on all MCS units. When you say it includes "the software" I am a little leery of that, because I believe you mean it includes the DVD map. It has never (as far as I know) included this, so make sure you are getting it. (I am assuming you haven't received what you bought yet).
To install the driver in the MCS is pretty easy, but you will require the MB special tool "keys" to remove the MCS unit from the dash.
These you can also find at various specialty tool sources or EBay, about 5 to 10 bucks I want to say, for a pair. You also need a real small Torx bit/screwdriver (I think T9, T8 or T7)to disassemble the plate from the top of the MCS and install the driver. Plug one pigtail wire into the MCS from the driver, plug the wires back in plus the GPS antenna wire and you're done. However the source that is telling you there is some version coding to be done is correct. Someone with an MB scanner (SDS) will need to set the version coding for internal components to show the Nav was installed. I am relatively sure the Nav will NOT work without this being done, unlike some of the fiber optics additions where the system "may" work but not reliably.
Now the big question, what about the antenna stuff? Well I do know you are at an advantage (usually) in that you have an 01, because that's the first year of Teleaid on the ML, and yes it uses the same antenna the Teleaid uses. But something tells me you are correct that there is extra work to do because it's an 01. I think (not 100% sure) that there is a switch involved for the Nav on an 01. You end up I believe removing the right seat, and once the seat is out there is a sheetmetal "bracket" for lack of a better name that the Teleaid control unit bolts to, and a mess of wires. The switch I believe is used in an accident, it switches the availability of the GPS antenna from Nav to Teleaid so when Teleaid places a call it can give the vehicle location (coordinates).
I say "usually" you are better off with an 01 because you may have a bad GPS antenna and not know it right now. If you end up with a bad GPS antenna they are kind of pricey. Just a heads-up on that possiblity.
I don't remember what exactly happened in 02, but I think in 02 you didn't have to mess with the stuff under the seat, just the work on the MCS and that was it. In 00 it wasn't too bad, you had to do all the stuff that I described on the 01, but you also had to install the antenna itself, but you had to do that to install a factory cell phone too. The wiring was all there already. The 98 and 99 pod-type Nav, now THAT was a pain in the butt, but surprisingly the antenna wiring was all there for those too!

Gilly

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This sounds like a cool kit. Care to share any more details? I'd love to see a picture and know what you paid for it. All the units I've seen on Ebay are CD based OEM units. What you have sounds more like what I'm interested in.

Thanks!