• The Forums are now open to new registrations, adverts are also being de-tuned.

Possible to fit a HDD comand into a W209?

darrellr

Active Member
Joined
Jul 2, 2009
Messages
125
Location
Monmouth
Car
M140 (68) / E300 Coupe (69) - coming soon
When I agreed to buy my CLK a few months ago we debated whether I would get the HDD COMAND (NTG 2.5) or the old APS. Richard found out it would be the old DVD saying :

I found this by (a) looking in EPCnet to see if it ever got NTG2.5 telematics or the part number changed for MY09 or thereabouts, and then (b) asking my local dealer as I was surprised by what I discovered in EPCnet.

So my question is how complex is it to upgrade from an NTG 2 to a 2.5?
 
Last edited:
I don't think it is a viable option. My info is that it will fit into other Mercs like THE CLS and SL, but not the CLK.
 
Since they fit in the C-Class I thought there was a decent chance as they generally seem to share the same kit and Alfie/Richard have this kit for sale which suggests it may be a go-er

Also there are these comments in "All about Comand" on the mercupgrades site:

The wiring for the NTG2 and NTG2.5 look very similar, however there are some major differences if trying to put a NTG2.5 unit in a NTG2 car. These include, the phone controller and linguatronic are built in, so microphone wiring needs to be routed to the COMAND and probably the old phone and linguatronic (if present) need to be removed from the MOST fibre loop. The antenna power on NTG2 cars is driven from the COMAND, on NTG2.5 cars its controlled by another control unit (Rear SAM). The FM antenna connectors are different, and the AUX wiring now connects to different pins on the multiway connector.

Finally, other sites report (non-W209) success with the antenna power being fixed by taking it from Block B Pin 7 and agree that all MOST stuff is now redundant (if fitted).

So all-in-all swapping out my DVD COMAND for a HDD sounds possible. I don't have fibre (MOST) fitted and so I think I just need to swap the head units, hack the antenna power and source microphone and bluetooth aerial parts.
 
Last edited:
As far as I am aware this isnt possible without a lot of hard work.

This is primarily due to the fact that although there is a W203 HD comand unit available it wont physically fit into a W209. The W209 never got MY09 Hd comand.

It might be possible to swap the centre trim and mounting cage from the W209 for a W203 one and then it might fit but I havnt tried this myself (yet).

To all of you who have W203's with comand, yes you read it right. There is a W203 HD comand unit which will fit into your MY2005 - MY2007 W203 C class:) However it will render all your other MOST devices useless and you wont get linguatronic unless you install the necessary additional parts. You will get bluetooth phone though!
 
This is primarily due to the fact that although there is a W203 HD comand unit available it wont physically fit into a W209. The W209 never got MY09 Hd comand.

It might be possible to swap the centre trim and mounting cage from the W209 for a W203 one and then it might fit but I havnt tried this myself (yet).

I thought that W203 and W209 DVD COMAND units were interchangable. Didn't realise they were different sizes :(

Would love to hear if you did have a go but it sounds like too much hassle/cost if I have to replace dash parts too.
 
Last edited:
I thought that W203 and W209 DVD COMAND units were interchangable. Didn't realise they were different sizes :(

Would love to hear if you did have a go but it sounds like too much hassle/cost if I have to replace dash parts too.

Yep its a common issue. Loads of sellers on ebay advertise the W203 units as fitting into a W209. They dont. They are a similar shape but different enough not to fit. Plus the mountings are different too.
 
So is the W209 COMAND unique in size/fit within Mercedes?
 
Yep its a common issue. Loads of sellers on ebay advertise the W203 units as fitting into a W209. They dont. They are a similar shape but different enough not to fit. Plus the mountings are different too.

That's a real surprise, is this the same case for the W203 Audio 30 APS units, or is it purely an issue with the double DIN unit?
 
The MOST (i.e post 05) facelift units are a different shape between the W203 and W209. The older CD based COMAND (audio 10 and audio 30 aps also) units were the same shape.

Mercedes decided not to bother to have a HDD unit made for the W209 since it was end-of-life'd before MY2009.
In fact, it took them a little while to do the HDD unit for the CLC, i.e it came out a few months after MY2009 was released - for a while i thought it was not going to get the HDD unit at all.

Richard
 
So is the W209 COMAND unique in size/fit within Mercedes?

Facelifted W209 (MY2005 onwards) yes.

Pre MY2005 no. The same comand 2 units were used between the W203 and the W209.
 
Richard /Alfie
Practically can the same mod be done to a 2003 R230 i.e HDD?
 
Facelifted W209 (MY2005 onwards) yes.

Bugger! So is it your impression that I would need to fit new aircon / ashtray / button strip from a 2005+ W203 etc as well as the HDD unit?
 
Bugger! So is it your impression that I would need to fit new aircon / ashtray / button strip from a 2005+ W203 etc as well as the HDD unit?
& probably the chassis behind the dash front which supports the comand
 
Bugger! So is it your impression that I would need to fit new aircon / ashtray / button strip from a 2005+ W203 etc as well as the HDD unit?

You might get away with keeping the Ash tray/A/C and switchpanel, I'm not sure until its tried. The mounting cage behind the comand will have to change though.

This really is one of those mods that needs to be tried by someone before we get a definitive answer.
 
This really is one of those mods that needs to be tried by someone before we get a definitive answer.

So effectively I should get a W203 2005+ 'cage' and see if I can get all the other trim peices back in save the COMAND?

Is there a short cut of checking the aircon, ashtray etc part numbers for 2005+ W209 / W203 and see if they differ?
 
So effectively I should get a W203 2005+ 'cage' and see if I can get all the other trim peices back in save the COMAND?

Is there a short cut of checking the aircon, ashtray etc part numbers for 2005+ W209 / W203 and see if they differ?

The mounting cage wont cost a lot of money. I'd get one of those and offer up your W209 parts to it and see if they fit.
 
Can I fit A-class or B-class NTG 2.5 to W203? What is differences of A and C NTG 2.5? looks similar..
 
Can I fit A-class or B-class NTG 2.5 to W203? What is differences of A and C NTG 2.5? looks similar..

No. CLC NTG2.5 for W203 C.

A class NTG2.5 goes in A,B, Vito, Sprinter, Viano.

Richard
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top Bottom