Flyer
MB Enthusiast
Last weekend, I finally got around to installing my iPod in the storage compartment of my CLK. It wasn't difficult, but there were a couple of things I wish I'd known before I started the install, so hopefully this howto will help anybody installing an iPod or similar and who needs to take their car apart. Usual disclaimers apply - only do this if you are reasonably competent, although it's not difficult.
When I bought the iPod, I also bought this from Belkin:
An Auto Kit for iPod w/ Dock Connector: works very well. This is the setup I had before the installation, going into COMAND via a 3.5mm audio cable and plugging into the main power socket:
I bought 2m each (red and black) of 6a cable, a 10a 20mm in-line fuse holder, a car accessory socket (ciggy lighter) and a 3.15a fuse, all from Maplins. I already had a 2.5m 3.5mm stereo plug to plug lead.
First job is to remove the gear knob, gear surround and ashtray insert. Pull up on the switch panel (carefully!) and it should come away. There will be three or four plugs; they come out easily enough apart from, on mine, the red one (ASR) which was *very* tight. Remove the cupholder.
Remove the COMAND unit and then the ashtray. This is held in place by two screws at the front. Remove them and then pull the ashtray out towards you. You can see on this pic the two lugs which hold it in place at the back of the ashtray.
Remove the top storage compartment (simply lifts off), and remove the carpet from the bottom. You are left with this:
There is a plastic cut-out in the top-right corner (visible in the photo above) where wires will come through. This can be removed with tin snips. The carpet has a cut-out in the top-right corner which can be removed, if necessary. I did remove it, but there is no need to; there is only three wires coming out of the hole, so you just need to make a small gap. I secured mine back in place with tape.
I cut one end off the 3.5mm stereo plug to plug lead and fed that and the two power cables (which I had wrapped in insulation tape; done after these photos were taken) through the hole in the compartment box, underneath the cup holder box and out just behind the gearshift:
The audio cable went to the left-hand side, the power to the right (probably doesn't make any difference, but the right way is to seperate audio and power). Feed the cables under the brown sound-deadening material:
Make up the fuse connector, allowing enough cable for this to be hidden out of the way behind the side panel. This is because it is tight for space with COMAND in place and it was with some trial and error before I could get COMAND to slide back in place. The Belkin adapter is fused so this isn't strictly necessary, but "better to be safe ..."
Regrettably, I must have forgot about the camera as there are no photos available of the next stage of the installation, so words will have to suffice. I wanted to keep the existing 3.mm stereo socket in the glove box, so I needed to splice into that stereo cable.
This was easily done by stripping the black insulation and then stripping each of the three cables by about 2mm (the fourth is the shield so doesn't need stripping). The new cable was also stripped back and then the individual signal cables were soldered onto the existing one. A simpler way would be to use something like "chocolate block", but I prefer to solder the joints.
At the compartment end, the power cable was soldered onto the accessory socket and the stereo plug was plugged into the Belkin connector.
I spliced into the cable assembly supplying power to the existing accessory socket. At this point my soldering iron decided to pack in, repeatedly blowing the RCD. As much as I hate the things I ended up using ScotchLoks. Bleugh! Next time I have COMAND out, I'll solder the joints with my new gas iron. In the above photo, you can see the audio cable exiting from the left side and the power on the right. The plug for the accessory socket is just visible in the bottom right-hand side of the photo. Due to the size of the ScotchLoks and the limited room available behind COMAND, I had to stagger the connections.
Everything was tested and then the car was reassembled. Here's a photo of the storage compartment, looking forward. Due to the design of the Belkin connector, this is the neatest I could get it. The white cable from the connector supplies power and receives signal from/to the iPod and is taped underneath a lip so that it isn't visible at all ...
... and then exits to go through the cut-out in the upper compartment ...
... where the cable is coiled up in the supplied velcro strap. This means that the iPod can easily be removed whilst still connected to COMAND. It rests on the supplied case and doesn't move about at all.
The iPod has to be lifted out to view or change tracks, so it is far from ideal, but good enough for now. I had thought about mounting it in the cup holder and having it rise serenely, and what do you know, Belkin have nicked my idea:
I'll have to get my hands on one first, but that could be a better option and frees up the storage compartment again. Also, be neater as the cable would be out of the way.
Quite happy with the result, but there are downsides as well as ups:
Upper:
ALL my music in one place
Great sound quality
Can take it with me
Downer:
Not easy to change tracks (passenger does it or you do it before you set off - or learn to love playlists!)
Have to remember to turn it off when leave the car (power will, of course, be shut off when the ignition goes off, but the iPod will stay on until it exhausts its internal battery).
Hope that's comprehensive and easy enough to follow
.
Cheers
Andrew
When I bought the iPod, I also bought this from Belkin:
An Auto Kit for iPod w/ Dock Connector: works very well. This is the setup I had before the installation, going into COMAND via a 3.5mm audio cable and plugging into the main power socket:
I bought 2m each (red and black) of 6a cable, a 10a 20mm in-line fuse holder, a car accessory socket (ciggy lighter) and a 3.15a fuse, all from Maplins. I already had a 2.5m 3.5mm stereo plug to plug lead.
First job is to remove the gear knob, gear surround and ashtray insert. Pull up on the switch panel (carefully!) and it should come away. There will be three or four plugs; they come out easily enough apart from, on mine, the red one (ASR) which was *very* tight. Remove the cupholder.
Remove the COMAND unit and then the ashtray. This is held in place by two screws at the front. Remove them and then pull the ashtray out towards you. You can see on this pic the two lugs which hold it in place at the back of the ashtray.
Remove the top storage compartment (simply lifts off), and remove the carpet from the bottom. You are left with this:
There is a plastic cut-out in the top-right corner (visible in the photo above) where wires will come through. This can be removed with tin snips. The carpet has a cut-out in the top-right corner which can be removed, if necessary. I did remove it, but there is no need to; there is only three wires coming out of the hole, so you just need to make a small gap. I secured mine back in place with tape.
I cut one end off the 3.5mm stereo plug to plug lead and fed that and the two power cables (which I had wrapped in insulation tape; done after these photos were taken) through the hole in the compartment box, underneath the cup holder box and out just behind the gearshift:
The audio cable went to the left-hand side, the power to the right (probably doesn't make any difference, but the right way is to seperate audio and power). Feed the cables under the brown sound-deadening material:
Make up the fuse connector, allowing enough cable for this to be hidden out of the way behind the side panel. This is because it is tight for space with COMAND in place and it was with some trial and error before I could get COMAND to slide back in place. The Belkin adapter is fused so this isn't strictly necessary, but "better to be safe ..."
Regrettably, I must have forgot about the camera as there are no photos available of the next stage of the installation, so words will have to suffice. I wanted to keep the existing 3.mm stereo socket in the glove box, so I needed to splice into that stereo cable.
This was easily done by stripping the black insulation and then stripping each of the three cables by about 2mm (the fourth is the shield so doesn't need stripping). The new cable was also stripped back and then the individual signal cables were soldered onto the existing one. A simpler way would be to use something like "chocolate block", but I prefer to solder the joints.
At the compartment end, the power cable was soldered onto the accessory socket and the stereo plug was plugged into the Belkin connector.
I spliced into the cable assembly supplying power to the existing accessory socket. At this point my soldering iron decided to pack in, repeatedly blowing the RCD. As much as I hate the things I ended up using ScotchLoks. Bleugh! Next time I have COMAND out, I'll solder the joints with my new gas iron. In the above photo, you can see the audio cable exiting from the left side and the power on the right. The plug for the accessory socket is just visible in the bottom right-hand side of the photo. Due to the size of the ScotchLoks and the limited room available behind COMAND, I had to stagger the connections.
Everything was tested and then the car was reassembled. Here's a photo of the storage compartment, looking forward. Due to the design of the Belkin connector, this is the neatest I could get it. The white cable from the connector supplies power and receives signal from/to the iPod and is taped underneath a lip so that it isn't visible at all ...
... and then exits to go through the cut-out in the upper compartment ...
... where the cable is coiled up in the supplied velcro strap. This means that the iPod can easily be removed whilst still connected to COMAND. It rests on the supplied case and doesn't move about at all.
The iPod has to be lifted out to view or change tracks, so it is far from ideal, but good enough for now. I had thought about mounting it in the cup holder and having it rise serenely, and what do you know, Belkin have nicked my idea:
I'll have to get my hands on one first, but that could be a better option and frees up the storage compartment again. Also, be neater as the cable would be out of the way.
Quite happy with the result, but there are downsides as well as ups:
Upper:
ALL my music in one place
Great sound quality
Can take it with me
Downer:
Not easy to change tracks (passenger does it or you do it before you set off - or learn to love playlists!)
Have to remember to turn it off when leave the car (power will, of course, be shut off when the ignition goes off, but the iPod will stay on until it exhausts its internal battery).
Hope that's comprehensive and easy enough to follow
.Cheers
Andrew
