HumberMart
Active Member
Felt brave on Saturday morning, so decided to tackle the challenge of removing the Audio 20 unit from my W212.
I had originally planned to do this to fit an iPod interface, but knowing it would be tricky, and with no idea where to start, I'd kept putting it off.
I then won a 6 CD Changer from a W212 on eBay for £90, so I thought that it was now more worthwhile, and since I could closely examine a base unit before I stripped out the old one, I expected it to make the job easier - in the event, it made it much harder, as I made a bad decision based upon my examination of the new unit.
Before seeing the new unit, I was pretty sure that access would be gained by somehow removing the vent module above the radio, but I was concerned about the thin aluminium strip that ran in one piece, right over the glove box. The only advice I got was from Pottsy, who had suggested that there were some catches to pull down to remove this trim (see later photo) unfortunately due to some bad choices and impatience, I was not to benefit from this help.
On examining the new unit, I became convinced that the way of removing it relied upon first removing the heated seat switch console mounted under the radio. Then I expected to find some sort of sliding clamp arrangement that would pull down from each side of the unit, judging by the heavy cast aluminium tapered lugs on each side of the unit.
At first, removing the heated seat console seemed easy, but the cover just wouldn't come free at the top. I did manage it with some over heavy force, but when it did come loose, I realised that it wasn't meant to! Fortunately if wasn't damaged externally, only a couple of plastic lugs broken off the back, and it has refitted ok.
After removing the heated seat switch console and the climate control unit. I had good access to the underside of the Audio 20, but no sign of any catches of screws to loosen it.
I then realised I'd better have a go at removing the vents above the radio, and wiggling them showed me that the whole assembly would come off as one item.
However I was now a bit impatient, and forgot to look closely enough for the catches that Pottsy had mentioned. The unit seemed to click out fairly easily, when working from the left hand vent, or the right hand side near the trip reset button. I guess the leverage was quite good seeing how long the unit was, and with little force I must have broken the plastic lugs behind the sliding metal clips.
Shame, 'cos if I'd been a bit more inquisitive and looked carefully for the clips, hidden under the edge of the aluminium trim, I might have saved the lugs breaking.
I also realised, that there are two plastic lugs on the inside of each of the centre air vents, that could be made to unclip more easily, if they are pulled outwards by a hook device, as the vents are pulled towards you. However these lugs did manage to unclip themselves without assistance or subsequent damage.
Now in the photo above, you will see two shiney silver torque screws facing downwards at each side of the radio unit. These need to be unscrewed (partially) to free the unit. As you unscrew them, the screws act like a jack to lower a clamp that is holding in the unit. They need to be unscrewed quite a way to free the unit (the screws stay level, and the clamp moves downwards - not that you can see the clamp)
Eventually I got the unit out, and fitted the new changer unit, which seems to work fine. I decided against fitting the iPOD interface as well, since I only really wanted it 'cos I only had a single CD originally. (I'll prob advertise the iPod unit on here - it fits W204/W212 apparently)
Putting it all back together was tinged with a bit of disappointment, since I'd broken a couple of lugs on the aluminium trim unit. Fortunately it seems to have refitted ok without them, looks fine, and doesn't seem to rattle at all. I guess I could use some 3M sticky pads if it did start to come loose, or shell out for a new part if all else fails, but so far no need.
I had originally planned to do this to fit an iPod interface, but knowing it would be tricky, and with no idea where to start, I'd kept putting it off.
I then won a 6 CD Changer from a W212 on eBay for £90, so I thought that it was now more worthwhile, and since I could closely examine a base unit before I stripped out the old one, I expected it to make the job easier - in the event, it made it much harder, as I made a bad decision based upon my examination of the new unit.
Before seeing the new unit, I was pretty sure that access would be gained by somehow removing the vent module above the radio, but I was concerned about the thin aluminium strip that ran in one piece, right over the glove box. The only advice I got was from Pottsy, who had suggested that there were some catches to pull down to remove this trim (see later photo) unfortunately due to some bad choices and impatience, I was not to benefit from this help.
On examining the new unit, I became convinced that the way of removing it relied upon first removing the heated seat switch console mounted under the radio. Then I expected to find some sort of sliding clamp arrangement that would pull down from each side of the unit, judging by the heavy cast aluminium tapered lugs on each side of the unit.
At first, removing the heated seat console seemed easy, but the cover just wouldn't come free at the top. I did manage it with some over heavy force, but when it did come loose, I realised that it wasn't meant to! Fortunately if wasn't damaged externally, only a couple of plastic lugs broken off the back, and it has refitted ok.
After removing the heated seat switch console and the climate control unit. I had good access to the underside of the Audio 20, but no sign of any catches of screws to loosen it.
I then realised I'd better have a go at removing the vents above the radio, and wiggling them showed me that the whole assembly would come off as one item.
However I was now a bit impatient, and forgot to look closely enough for the catches that Pottsy had mentioned. The unit seemed to click out fairly easily, when working from the left hand vent, or the right hand side near the trip reset button. I guess the leverage was quite good seeing how long the unit was, and with little force I must have broken the plastic lugs behind the sliding metal clips.
Shame, 'cos if I'd been a bit more inquisitive and looked carefully for the clips, hidden under the edge of the aluminium trim, I might have saved the lugs breaking.
I also realised, that there are two plastic lugs on the inside of each of the centre air vents, that could be made to unclip more easily, if they are pulled outwards by a hook device, as the vents are pulled towards you. However these lugs did manage to unclip themselves without assistance or subsequent damage.
Now in the photo above, you will see two shiney silver torque screws facing downwards at each side of the radio unit. These need to be unscrewed (partially) to free the unit. As you unscrew them, the screws act like a jack to lower a clamp that is holding in the unit. They need to be unscrewed quite a way to free the unit (the screws stay level, and the clamp moves downwards - not that you can see the clamp)
Eventually I got the unit out, and fitted the new changer unit, which seems to work fine. I decided against fitting the iPOD interface as well, since I only really wanted it 'cos I only had a single CD originally. (I'll prob advertise the iPod unit on here - it fits W204/W212 apparently)
Putting it all back together was tinged with a bit of disappointment, since I'd broken a couple of lugs on the aluminium trim unit. Fortunately it seems to have refitted ok without them, looks fine, and doesn't seem to rattle at all. I guess I could use some 3M sticky pads if it did start to come loose, or shell out for a new part if all else fails, but so far no need.
