Factory (OEM) Car Stereo Removal and Installation Guide
Car Stereo Help Removal Guide

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Mercedes Benz Fiber Optic Applications, Cable Location and Troubleshooting
For Factory CD Changer Installation
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Fiber Optic Cable Location for CD changers

E-Class 99-02+  Drivers side wheel-well in trunk SL 99-02+ Drivers side wheel-well trunk
E320T 99-02+ Passenger side wheel-well in trunk CLK 99-02 Passenger side right rear corner trunk
C-Class 99-00 Passenger side wheel-well in trunk CLK 03 Glove box
C-Class 01-03+ Glove box SLK 99-02+ Pass side right rear corner trunk
S-Class 99-02+ Drivers side wheel-well trunk ML 01-02+ Passenger side right rear corner trunk
   

Troubleshooting Fiber Optic Stereo Systems for NO AUDIO
 

The fiber optic system ties many components in the car together. The main components may be the car stereo, amplifier, CD changer, telephone and the Tel-aid. The features of your vehicle determines which pieces are involved with the fiber optics. The fiber optics loops all the components together. Similar to the old fashion Christmas Tree light, all in series. If one bulb of the loop is defective, this causes the entire string to go dead. With the fiber optic loop, one component goes bad, you have no audio. The fiber optic cable looks like two orange wires that connect to each piece of equipment in the loop. Do not bend, crimp or cut the fiber optic cable.

Mercedes Benz Fiber Optic Bypass Coupler
Part Number 000-545-33-84
Available from the dealership
Part needed for troubleshooting

Our example for troubleshooting will be for the E430

Read through instructions before attempting to troubleshoot.

 

1) The Mercedes E430 contains all the components in the fiber optic system in the trunk, driver's side wheel well. Except the stereo. We have found no particular pattern for which equipment is next in the fiber optic loop.

2) Removing the fiber optic cable from the stereo or amplifier will cause no audio output. Begin troubleshooting with any one of the other components in the fiber optic loop.
In this troubleshooting, we started with the CD changer. Locate the fiber optic cable.
3) Release the trigger on the fiber optic connector and remove from the CD changer.
4) With the connector removed, turn the car stereo on. The red side should blink, usually three times. In this case, the red side blinked. Continue with instructions. If the red light did not blink, see step 13.

There are several different fiber optic coupler connectors. The connectors are "Keyed", one edge is angled. Note what side of the connector is red and white. Red receives the fiber optic signal from the previous component in the loop. White sends the signal to the next component in the loop.

5) On connector, with flat head screw driver, lift blue tab on connector.
6) With blue tab released, fiber optic cables will release from the connector.
7) On fiber optic bypass coupler purchased from dealership, lift metal tabs on opposite sides with a small flat head screw driver.
8) The openings on each side of the coupler are keys, only one of the ends of the fiber optic cable fits either end. Place fiber optic ends into coupler push tabs down to lock cables into coupler.

Turn your car stereo on, do you have audio? The component you have bypassed, the CD changer is bad.

Still no audio, remove fiber optic coupler, place back into original connector and connect back to CD changer.

9) Follow white side of fiber optic cable to next component in line. On the E430, the telephone was next in line.
10) Note the key on the connector along with the location of the red and white ends of the cables.
11) With a flat head screw driver, pry the two pieces of the connector apart to remove the fiber optic cables.
12) Install the splice purchased from the dealership.

Turn your car stereo on, do you have audio? The component you have bypassed is bad.

Still no audio, remove fiber optic coupler, place back into original connector and connect back to CD changer.

Follow white side of fiber optic cable to next component and repeat.

   

13) The red light did not blink when starting.
Read through the above instructions. The above instructions deal with the original red fiber optic coupler blinking when testing. If the red side of the coupler does not blink, you need to trace the red side back to the component before. Continue testing.

Notes -  There are some variations to troubleshooting. Remove fiber optic connectors one at a time, check for the blinking red light when turning the stereo on. When you locate the connector that does not blink red, trace the red side of the cable back to the previous component in line and check for the blinking red light. If the red light blinks, install the bypass coupler, turn the stereo on and check for audio. If the red light does not blink, continue tracing the red side of the fiber optic cable back to the previous component and install the bypass coupler to check for audio.

Bypassing the car stereo or Bose amplifier will not provide audio.

There have been many occasions where we have returned Bose amplifiers with no defect when tested. This page is to help you troubleshoot your audio system for "No Audio" to the correct defective component.

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