W204 NTG 4 to NTG 4.5 with full dash facelift problems

[Nocturnal204]

Hey! Long time researcher and viewer of MBClub. I just can’t find a solution to my problem despite this project being attempted and documented 2-3 times on this forum. Any help is greatly appreciated!!

Here’s what I have, what I’ve done, and what the problem is:

2008 C Class W204 with 2013 facelift complete dash installation.
A few things don’t work - obviously: (I’ll make a short list but I want the primary focus of this thread to be on helping me with the NTG 4 to NTG 4.5 conversion)
- HU45 (ish)
- Display screen
- Hazard button

I managed to virginize the instrument cluster and coding went well. It all works.

The car originally came with a Audio20 HU with NTG 4. When I bought the dash, it was pulled out of a totalled W204 2013 with NTG 4.5 but unfortunately the cables being damaged were removed before it got put up for sale. So I’m left with only the factory Audio20 cables which obviously aren’t enough.

The HU turns on and it jumps to radio and is outputting sound to the speakers but despite buying an LVDS cable and also trying one from another working car, the screen won’t turn on at all. It’s just dead but the seller reassured me that the screen was definitely working. So now I’m in a bit of a pickle because I can’t get the screen to work.

I’m new to the modding and retrofit community so I might have missed a few things. Please-please do help me out if you can with the NTG problem or any other issues that I might have missed.

Progress pictures:

 

[markjay]

I am assuming that the screen is the same one that came with the COMAND NTG4.5 from the donor car? And that it came with the cable connection to the COMAND NTG4.5 HU? I.e., the screen did not come from a different unit (e.g. Audio 20 NTG4.5)?

 

[markjay]

On another note, you'll have two more hurdles to cross (unless you've already figured it out):

The HU has anti-theft protection, it is locked to the donor's car's VIN. The seller should have either provided you with the unlocking PIN code, or alternatively, the seller should have disabled the anti-theft feature before removing the HU from the car (However, this does not explain the blank screen, because you should have been promoted for an unlock code).

Then, the maps data is also locked to the car's VIN using a (separate) PIN code. In theory, you should not be able to get the satnav going, because you will not be able to generate a PIN code for the maps for your VIN, because the MB computer won't recognise NTG4.5 as a valid configuration for your car when attempting to SCN code it. The reason I am saying 'in theory' is because I know that this conversion has been done before, so I guess there's a way around it. But even assuming that you do manage to SCN code the NTH4.5 unit to your VIN, you'll still need to purchase a PIN code for your VIN in order to get the maps working.

 

[Nocturnal204]

I am assuming that the screen is the same one that came with the COMAND NTG4.5 from the donor car? And that it came with the cable connection to the COMAND NTG4.5 HU? I.e., the screen did not come from a different unit (e.g. Audio 20 NTG4.5)?

Thank you for taking the time out to reply!

That’s actually a great question and I’m surprised that I forgot about this detail when writing my initial post. So when I wrote that the wiring was damaged and removed, the sudden impact also removed the front buttons panel and it got lost in the wreck. So I had to purchase another HU just to get the buttons back but I couldn’t find the front plate alone so I purchased another HU completely. And I just ended up installing the new one without going through the hassle of trying to move the buttons and front panel over.

In my mind, I thought I’d just wing it to see what I ended up buying which I assume is a COMAND because of the SD card slot. But yes, I don’t know what the original one was. Might have been an Audio20.

Does that mean that a display from Audio20 won’t even power on when connected to a COMAND? Given that the first one was an Audio20. I can share part numbers for both HUs if you like?

 

[Nocturnal204]

On another note, you'll have two more hurdles to cross (unless you've already figured it out):

The HU has anti-theft protection, it is locked to the donor's car's VIN. The seller should have either provided you with the unlocking PIN code, or alternatively, the seller should have disabled the anti-theft feature before removing the HU from the car (However, this does not explain the blank screen, because you should have been promoted for an unlock code).

Then, the maps data is also locked to the car's VIN using a (separate) PIN code. In theory, you should not be able to get the satnav going, because you will not be able to generate a PIN code for the maps for your VIN, because the MB computer won't recognise NTG4.5 as a valid configuration for your car when attempting to SCN code it. The reason I am saying 'in theory' is because I know that this conversion has been done before, so I guess there's a way around it. But even assuming that you do manage to SCN code the NTH4.5 unit to your VIN, you'll still need to purchase a PIN code for your VIN in order to get the maps working.

Honestly, I’m not too worried about the anti-theft protection problem because there are ways to removing it but yes you’re right the maps won’t work and I have a need/want for them anyways so I’ll just never touch the navi. But like you said, the screen should have powered on to even ask for the code right?

 

[markjay]

The Audio20 screen won't power up at all if connected to COMAND.

The Audio20 screen is also physically smaller than the COMAND screen, and has a wider bezel around it to make up for the additional space.

If you look at photos online or on YouTube of COMAND NTG4.5 and Audio20 you'll be able to see the difference.

Also, you can tell if the original HU was COMAND or Audio20 if you look at the front of the unit - as you correctly said, COMAND has an SD-Card slot, while Audio20 does not.

And last, ideally you should be getting a replacement HU that has the exact same P/N as the original HU - even with COMAND NTG4.5 there were three different variants (Gen2, Gen2, and Gen3 aka NTG4.7) and I don't know if the screens are interchangeable between the different units.

 

[Nocturnal204]

The Audio20 screen won't power up at all if connected to COMAND.

The Audio20 screen is also physically smaller than the COMAND screen, and has a wider bezel around it to make up for the additional space.

If you look at photos online or on YouTube of COMAND NTG4.5 and Audio20 you'll be able to see the difference.

Also, you can tell if the original HU was COMAND or Audio20 if you look at the front of the unit - as you correctly said, COMAND has an SD-Card slot, while Audio20 does not.

And last, ideally you should be getting a replacement HU that has the exact same P/N as the original HU - even with COMAND NTG4.5 there were three different variants (Gen2, Gen2, and Gen3 aka NTG4.7) and I don't know if the screens are interchangeable between the different units.

Oh! Then that may be it! Because I know for sure the screen that I have is 5.8” not the 7” one so that’s how I can tell that the original HU was Audio20. The original HU doesn’t have a front plate so I can’t visually inspect it to determine what it is.

Is there a way I can move the plate over to the original one? I know it may be a bit of a struggle haha.

Original HU with missing button plate thing:

 

[markjay]

I don't know if you can move the faceplate, but you could either get an Audio20 unit, or alternatively get a second hand COMAND screen off eBay (but make sure that you have the cable connecting the HU to the screen - to the COMAND cable is different to the Audio20 cable, in spite of the similar appearance).

But, again, go by P/N and replace like for like.

 

[Nocturnal204]

I don't know if you can move the faceplate, but you could either get an Audio20 unit, or alternatively get a second hand COMAND screen off eBay (but make sure that you have the cable connecting the HU to the screen - to the COMAND cable is different to the Audio20 cable, in spite of the similar appearance).

But, again, go by P/N and replace like for like.

Trying this out today. Will let you know how it goes! Thanks you!

Any idea on the hazard indicator issue? It's not working with the pre-facelift wiring, unfortunately.