w203 handfree aftermarket stereo

[Ninja bouncer]

Before i picked up my w203 i purchased a Blaupunkt bluetooth headunit with handsfree calling via the stereo.

what im wondering is, once wired up apparently the steering wheel, stereo controls will still work but will i then be able to use the phone answering buttons on my wheel, that at the moment do nothing?

 

[shorty]

The phone buttons wont work , they will only work with a oe phone pre wire or with a parrot blue tooth with adaptor loom

 

[npuk]

Make sure you get the right harness adapter if you want to use steering controls.

http://www.nexxia.co.uk/Car_Stereo_fitting_kits/mercedes_benz/C_Class.htm

 

[cplnoonoo]

Even if you get the right harness adapter the steering buttons will not have any control over the phone operation. The phone buttons are used for track +/- skip etc You will also not have anything displayed on the audio screen of the dash display. Afraid you just have to use the buttons on the headunit or voice command if it has it.

 

[omega1]

my kenwood aftermarket loom allows me to use the sterring wheel buttons. the volume up/down works as it should, the menu forward/backwards control track +/- and the phone hang/pickup control mute/unmute

 

[Diesel Benz]

my kenwood aftermarket loom allows me to use the sterring wheel buttons. the volume up/down works as it should, the menu forward/backwards control track +/- and the phone hang/pickup control mute/unmute

This is a lot better than nothing. I have not heard of an after market unit that would be able to make use of the cluster menu for phonebook dialling. I guess that can be done from the stereo control buttons? This would be important because for us at least the setup is illegal for calling if you dial from the phone. Also one would not want to pick up the phone from the pocket, with BT the phone should stay in the pocket after all.

 

[Ninja bouncer]

thanks for all your replies.
im not overly bothered about the phone functions but would like the normal buttons to work, if this then makes the phone buttons do something then happy days.

they dont seem to list much in the way of wiring harnesses for anything before 2004 anyway

 

[cplnoonoo]

Yes the interfaces will allow you to use the steering wheel buttons...all of them. They just wont be serving the purpose thats printed on the actual button itself ie as said above the phone pickup/hangup buttons perform mute/unmute.

You will need to get a headunit that has the ability to use stock steering wheel controls...the best make for this is kenwood and they have a range of harnesses for all models. I got mine eventually for my 2004 c180 sportcoupe. Took a bit of work to get the right one as they changed the models just as i bought mine. Check out kenwoods website or google kenwood interfaces. Easy to find from there.