For owners of a 2014 Mercedes-Benz C250, integrating modern smartphone features like Apple CarPlay can significantly enhance your driving experience. While not originally equipped with this technology, adding Apple CarPlay to your C250 is achievable through aftermarket solutions. This guide provides a detailed, step-by-step process for a do-it-yourself installation, focusing on a popular module that offers a seamless integration.
Choosing the right module is crucial. Several vendors offer CarPlay solutions for the Mercedes-Benz W204 platform, which includes the 2014 C250. Options like Unique Auto Developments, Joyauto, and Road Top are available. Unique Auto Developments tends to be a pricier option. Joyauto and Road Top offer more DIY-friendly and cost-effective alternatives. This guide focuses on the Road Top module, chosen for its features, ease of purchase on platforms like Amazon, and its utilization of the car’s built-in microphone for hands-free calling and Siri commands – a distinct advantage over some competitors that require a separate microphone for full voice command functionality.
This installation, while requiring some time and patience, is entirely manageable for the average car enthusiast. By following these instructions, you can bring Apple CarPlay to your Mercedes Benz 2014 C250, enjoying navigation, music, and communication apps directly through your car’s display.
Tools You’ll Need
Before starting, gather the necessary tools to ensure a smooth and damage-free installation. A trim removal kit is essential to protect your Mercedes’ interior panels. A recommended kit includes:
- Trim Removal Tools: A set of plastic pry tools of various shapes and sizes.
- Panel Door Audio Removal Tool Kit: Tools specifically designed for removing door panels and audio components.
- Auto Clip Pliers Fastener Remover: For safely removing clips and fasteners without breaking them.
A kit like the 41Pcs Trim Removal Tool Kit available on Amazon is highly recommended. These tools will help you safely remove trim pieces and access the radio and glove box areas without causing scratches or damage to your Mercedes Benz 2014 C250‘s interior.
Step-by-Step Installation Guide: Dashboard
The first part of the installation involves accessing and modifying the radio connections behind the dashboard. Follow these steps carefully:
-
Prepare the Trim: Begin by using your trim removal tools to protect the interior surfaces. These tools are designed to apply pressure correctly, minimizing the risk of cracking or breaking plastic components.
-
Remove the Front Trim: Locate the trim piece above the radio, which incorporates the air vents and extends towards the door. Start prying from the edge closest to the door. The trim is held in place by clips that should release with gentle but firm pressure. Be particularly careful around the vent area, as these clips can be more tightly secured.
-
Disconnect the Vent Wire: Once the front trim is loose, disconnect the wire harness connected to the vent assembly and carefully set the assembly aside.
-
Prepare for Module Placement: Identify a suitable location for the Road Top module. A perfect spot exists between the glove box and the radio cavity. This space is snug and generally doesn’t require additional securing of the module. Access this area by entering the passenger compartment and removing the three screws located underneath the dash that secure the rear trim piece. After removing the screws, gently pull down the trim, and you may encounter an “L” shaped hook that needs to be moved to release the trim fully. Wiggle the trim piece out and disconnect the passenger light wire.
-
Remove Passenger Side Trim: Use your trim tools to pry off the trim piece on the far right of the dash, on the passenger side, positioned between the glove box and the door. This piece is held by four pop-out clips. Once released, the trim piece should wiggle out.
-
Access Glove Box Screws: With the passenger side trim removed, you can now access the first glove box screw, located at the bottom where the trim was removed. Locate and unscrew the matching screw on the opposite side of the glove box.
-
Remove Glove Box Screws (Inside): Open the glove box and locate four screws at the top inside. Remove these screws.
-
Detach the Glove Box: Your glove box should now be loose. Gently pull it down and away, wiggling it as needed. Disconnect all wire harnesses attached to the glove box and move it aside to provide ample workspace.
-
Access Radio Locking Screws: Return to the radio area. Locate the two locking screws at the top of the radio cavity, where the vent was previously positioned. These silver screws secure the radio to rails. Unscrew them and then insert your screwdriver back into the screw holes. Give the screwdriver a firm tap with your palm to disengage the security rails, allowing the radio to slide forward.
-
Slide Out the Radio: Carefully slide the radio out of the dashboard. Locate the main wiring block – a large, square plastic connector situated on the bottom, closer to the driver’s side. Find the lever on the edge of this block and pull it back to release the harness.
-
Fiber Optic Cable Adjustment: Inspect the removed harness for fiber optic wires entering the upper right portion of the connector (they are typically orange). If present, use a pin tool from your trim kit to depress the lock on each fiber optic cable and gently pull them out. These cables need to be transferred to the corresponding position on the new pigtail harness included with the Road Top kit.
-
LVDS Cable Connection: Identify the LVDS cable on the back of your radio. In W204 Mercedes Benz 2014 C250 models, this cable is often GRAY, not blue as mentioned in some generic instructions. Disconnect the GRAY LVDS plug. Connect this gray plug into the provided BLUE splitter. Then, connect one end of the splitter back into the radio (blue plug into the gray input) and the other end to the Road Top module. This step might require some trial and error to identify the correct cable, so proceed carefully.
-
Connect Wiring Block Pigtail: Connect the wiring block pigtail from the Road Top kit into the radio. Push the lever down to secure and lock it in place.
-
Radio Wiring Complete: The wiring modifications at the radio are now complete.
Alt Text: Removing the radio unit from a 2014 Mercedes C250 dashboard to access wiring for Apple CarPlay installation.
-
Set Jumpers on Road Top Module: Configure the jumpers on the Road Top module according to your specific Mercedes Benz 2014 C250 model year and specifications. For a 2014 C300 W204, typically jumpers 3, 5, and 8 should be set to ON, with the rest OFF. Refer to the Road Top manual for the correct settings for your vehicle.
-
Route Wires: Guide the wires from the Road Top module through the opening between the radio compartment and the glove box cavity. This opening is usually where the vent wire passes through. There might be two holes; the one closer to the engine bay is generally more suitable as the other can obstruct when reassembling. Position the Road Top module in the space on the glove box side of this opening, ideally with connectors facing upwards and the wireless antenna wire pointing downwards for a clean fit.
Connecting the Audio: Center Console AUX
To ensure audio output for CarPlay, connecting the 3.5mm audio jack to your Mercedes Benz 2014 C250‘s AUX input is necessary. If your AUX port is located in the glove box, routing the cable is simpler. However, if it’s in the center console, as is common, follow these steps:
-
Pry Up Shifter Boot: Use a pry tool to lift the shifter boot. It’s secured by four snaps and should detach easily.
-
Remove Shift Knob: Turn the shifter boot inside out over the knob to expose the retainer nut. Twist this nut counter-clockwise and slide it down the shaft. Then, pull the knob and boot off the shaft. You may need to shift your car into neutral temporarily to remove the knob, remembering to put it back in park afterward.
-
Remove Aluminum Trim: Using a pry tool, remove the aluminum trim surrounding the shifter boot. This trim is held on firmly, so apply a steady tug while prying. It will eventually pop off.
-
Access Center Console Storage: You can choose to disconnect the wires connected to the trim, but it’s often unnecessary. You can perform the following steps by carefully maneuvering around the connected trim from the passenger seat.
-
Remove Storage Compartment Liner: Inside the small storage compartment in the center console, remove the rubber liner to expose a Torx screw. Remove this screw.
-
Pry Up Trim Piece: Once the screw is removed, pry up the trim piece that the screw was holding down. Four clips secure this piece; gently prying at a corner will release them.
-
Locate Torx Screws: With the trim removed, you’ll find three more Torx screws. One secures the COMAND assembly, and the others hold the remaining console trim.
-
Route Wire Under Console: With the trim pieces removed, you should be able to see under the center console, possibly even the car’s painted metal. Use your trim tools to carefully push the 3.5mm audio cable upwards towards the carpet seam near the shift knob. This seam is an ideal spot to feed the connector upwards and grab it from above. Feed enough wire through so that it gathers near the shifter opening, making it accessible to pull through. This method conceals the wire up to this point.
-
Access Center Console Storage (Inner Liner): Open your center console storage. If it has a USB and accessory plug, there will be a black hard plastic liner clipped inside. Use a pry tool to detach this liner from the side of the storage compartment. This should loosen the insert, allowing some movement. Complete removal isn’t necessary or easy without further disassembly of the console. The goal is to create enough space to route the audio cable. The front clips of this liner usually detach easier than the rear ones, which may require more force to pop off.
-
Fish the Audio Cable: Take a coat hanger and create a loop at one end to avoid snagging or damaging interior parts. Bend the looped end at about a 45-degree angle. Insert this hanger behind the loosened plastic insert in the storage compartment and maneuver it until the looped end appears in the first opening in the center console, just under where the cup holders are located. Pull the hanger upwards so you can attach the 3.5mm audio connector to it.
-
Connect 3.5mm Plug: Attach the 3.5mm connector to the looped end of the hanger and carefully pull the hanger back, guiding the connector through the console until it emerges behind the plastic insert you loosened earlier in the storage compartment. Your 3.5mm plug should now be inside the console box. Connect it to the provided adapter and plug it into the AUX port. Tuck the adapter and any excess wire behind the plastic insert, into the cavity behind it, so only the clean plug and a minimal wire are visible in the compartment.
-
Reassemble Console Storage: With some pressure, as the wire might be pushing against the plastic insert, snap the insert back into place on the sides of the storage compartment. Gather any slack in the audio cable and tuck it under the center console before reassembling the console trim pieces in reverse order of removal.
Final Steps and Testing
With all connections made, it’s time to test the system and reassemble the components of your Mercedes Benz 2014 C250.
-
Initial Testing: Before full reassembly, test the Apple CarPlay functionality. Turn on your car and connect your phone via USB (for initial testing of both wired and wireless CarPlay/Android Auto). Press and hold the “CLEAR” button on your center console COMAND system. CarPlay should activate on the screen. Verify audio output and ensure the COMAND dial navigates the CarPlay interface. If there’s no screen display, re-check the gray cable and splitter connections. If there’s no sound, verify the 3.5mm cable connection to the AUX port. If there’s no power, check the main wiring block connection to the radio.
-
Reverse Installation Process: Once everything is confirmed working, begin the re-installation process in reverse order of disassembly.
-
Slide Radio Back in Partially: Slide the radio back into its cavity until it is about 2 inches from being fully seated. Tuck the large connector block pigtail into a void beneath the radio. As you continue to slide the radio in, manage any slack in the Road Top module wires to prevent them from getting caught.
-
Engage Radio Lock Levers: In the remaining 2-inch gap, use a hook tool from your trim kit to pull up the sliding radio lock levers on each side. Hold them in the uppermost position and start threading the screws back into place. This method aligns the screw holes with the locking mechanism, making screw insertion significantly easier. Tighten the screws just enough to secure them without fully locking the radio.
-
Lower Locking Mechanisms: After getting a few threads of each screw engaged, push down on the screws to allow the locking mechanisms to drop back down slightly. This enables you to slide the radio the rest of the way in without obstruction from the locks.
-
Slide Radio Fully In: Slide the radio all the way back into its place until it snaps securely into the dashboard.
-
Tighten Radio Screws: Fully tighten the two screws at the top of the radio. This will draw the locking mechanisms back up, fully securing the radio in place.
-
Wireless Antenna Placement: Notice the space between the two screws at the top of the secured radio. This is an ideal location to place the wireless antenna. Use electrical tape to secure the antenna to the plastic trim in this area.
-
Reconnect Vent Wire and Trim: Reconnect the vent wire and re-install the vent and vent trim piece.
-
Position Road Top Module: With the glove box still removed, maneuver the Road Top module into the space between the glove box cavity and the radio. It should fit snugly. Ensure connectors are oriented upwards and the antenna wire downwards for optimal positioning. Consider routing the USB port to protrude from the center console trim for easy access, planning for a more permanent and cleaner solution later.
-
Cabin Air Filter (Optional): With the glove box removed, this is an opportune time to replace your cabin air filter, as it is now easily accessible. Simply slide the plastic tabs to release the filter housing.
-
Reinstall Glove Box and Trim: Reinstall the glove box, bottom cover, and side cover trim pieces in reverse order of removal.
Alt Text: Apple CarPlay interface successfully installed and running on the dashboard screen of a 2014 Mercedes C250.
This detailed guide, while extensive, breaks down the process into manageable steps. While initial attempts might take longer due to familiarization and troubleshooting, subsequent installations become quicker. By following these instructions, you can successfully install Apple CarPlay in your Mercedes Benz 2014 C250, significantly modernizing its infotainment system and enhancing your driving experience.
