Retro fit cruise control

[satking]

Hi All
My first posting on this very informative forum.I would like to fit cruise control on my b180 and have been told that all i need is a few items including the switch stalk,anybody have any ideas.

Thanks

 

[television]

Hi All
My first posting on this very informative forum.I would like to fit cruise control on my b180 and have been told that all i need is a few items including the switch stalk,anybody have any ideas.

Thanks

Welcome to the forum, it is much easier to fit an after market cruise control than an MB one.

 

[miro]

All you need is

- stalk with cruise / speed limit (tempomat + speedtronic)
- large plastic tube for steering column with stalk cutout
- small dressing cover to close a gap at the stalk

Total cost is around 70Euro but it may be less.

Then you need engine controller programming and cluster programming.

If you have the phone kit then you may want to order the Japan spec parts so that you have the option of installing the voice control system.

 

[Metman]

Hi All
My first posting on this very informative forum.I would like to fit cruise control on my b180 and have been told that all i need is a few items including the switch stalk,anybody have any ideas.

Thanks

Hi satking,

Merc cruise controls in my opinion take a lot of beating because of their simplicity of operation.

Many retro fits are an ergonomic nightmare in their operation and cause much frustration. Try and locate one that replicates Merc if you can and by this I mean: you don’t have to switch it on only set it and the memory is maintained at stops where the engine is not switched off, nor does the memory fail at below the threshold speed. I once had a CC which did all these things and it was highly irritating, constantly resetting and messing about.

I’m sure one of the other posters can steer you in the direction of a suitable make.

Good luck with your CC.

 

[MBManInKen]

Many retro fits are an ergonomic nightmare in their operation and cause much frustration. Try and locate one that replicates Merc if you can

I would like to second this.

I have driven quite a few cars of different brands with different types of CC, and I must say that in comparison to the Merc system, most are pretty bad in terms of usability.

Some of them, you have to prime the system before you can use the CC controls. I remember a Kia where the bloody activation button was somewhere well out of sight and out of reach under the dash. So, you drive along, want to set the CC... only to find that the controls do not respond because you had forgotten to turn the bloody thing on when getting into the car. Not very safe to go and look for it while driving either. Then, if you switch the engine off, the system is deactivated and next time you have to remember again to turn it on.

Some systems put a few small buttons close to one another on either the steering wheel or somewhere on the dash. Try to find the right button just by feeling for it or looking at the (tiny) symbols/print on them is another usability fiasco and again not very safe.

The Merc system on the other hand is very simple and most of all, can be operated unambiguously without looking at it while driving. To me it is by far the best of any car I have ever driven in terms of usability.

 

[fuzzer]

bmw system is pretty good too , but i do miss the speed limiter tho

 

[satking]

Fab response from you guys,must admit i like the idea of the voice controled system as i have the phone kit installed any chance of telling me more.
Would the engine controller programming and cluster programming have to be carried out by MB dealer.

 

[Gollom]

All you need is

- stalk with cruise / speed limit (tempomat + speedtronic)
- large plastic tube for steering column with stalk cutout
- small dressing cover to close a gap at the stalk

Total cost is around 70Euro but it may be less.

Then you need engine controller programming and cluster programming.

If you have the phone kit then you may want to order the Japan spec parts so that you have the option of installing the voice control system.

Hi Miro

Already have CC and Pre-wire on my B-class. Do I understand correctly that by changing the controls I have to Japanese specs I can then have voice control? What is the ballpark figure for that and is it a complicated install?

Many thanks

 

[miro]

Hi Miro

Already have CC and Pre-wire on my B-class. Do I understand correctly that by changing the controls I have to Japanese specs I can then have voice control? What is the ballpark figure for that and is it a complicated install?

Many thanks

The stalk and all those steering column bits dont cost much at all. The difference between cruise control setup and cruise + voice is hardly anything at all in the steering column end.

The cost comes in the VCS module which is a hefty 400-500 Euro.

Let me give a quick rundown of what is involved.

- you do the cruise + voice upgrade the same way you do cruise control upgrade.
- the column cover and stalk are japan only parts so the parts dude will resist ordering them because of the 498 code (japan).
- the tube and switch / stalk are different and you need to order the relevant VCS stalk that goes on the right side - it just pushes in.
- it needs two cover plates to fill the gap of the two stalks (column repair kit)
- it works fine so have it installed.

- remove passenger seat (fold back forwards and push backwards so rails are out of the way )
- fold up carpet by removing front passenger door sill
- take off 3 nuts (M10)
- remove cover plate

Observe grey sponge and the position in the foam for VCS to rest.
- remove microphone lead from phone module
- obtain VCS optical connector with copper wire housing
- extend power, earth, ground and microphone wires to VCS module
- take INPUT PHONE optical fibre and route to VCS INPUT. Route VCS OUPUT to PHONE INPUT - you may need an optical joiner and some extension fibres from CD stacker installation.

Code Navigation unit and VCS unit. Should then work with volume adjustment and may take a few minutes to kick in.

Was done to this B-Class some time ago and it was possibly the first one ever done.

http://mbclub.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=30167&highlight=W245

Look at the first set of photos showing the steering column and the space under the seat. The photos at the bottom of that series show VCS working.

 

[satking]

All you need is

- stalk with cruise / speed limit (tempomat + speedtronic)
- large plastic tube for steering column with stalk cutout
- small dressing cover to close a gap at the stalk

Total cost is around 70Euro but it may be less.

Then you need engine controller programming and cluster programming.


__________________
Any chance anybody knows where in the UK i could get this work carried out.

 

[Shude]

This thread may be of some interest:

http://www.mbclub.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=8644

 

[miro]

Remove airbag

Remove control unit

Naked steering column

Modified with voice control - Can also ADD cruise / limit if the car doesnt have it

Control units for phone and voice live under the left seat

Voice control asking for selection in navigation function

Voice control asking for selection in phone function

Voice control asking for selection in radio function

 

[miro]

Any chance anybody knows where in can get this work carried out.

A169 462 02 23 Verkleidung.......10,30
A169 540 33 45 Reparatursatz...10,52
A169 545 00 04 Schalter.............65,11

From another forum. Suggested part numbers (generic CC without VCS)