Audio 15 head unit reference

[KentuckyWR]

I was able to remove all three grills on the dash very easily by using a very small screwdriver and carefully prying up a corner. I then slid my finger underneath and slowly worked across it from one side to the other to get one edge off. Once that first edge is up, you can then move forward towards the windows with caution. All three of mine were off twice and popped right back into place with no problems.

 

[thorn]

I would like to add some rear speakers. I dropped by the Tucson MB dealer this morning to get a grommet for the fire wall since I want to run some wires for a 2m ham radio through the firewall. While I was there I spoke to the service manager if the radio 15 could be reprogrammed to turn on the fader control and rear output. He said to call and stop by next week when they are not busy and he would plug their computer/reader in check to see if it was possible at no charge. He said it could just be a simple parameter to change. I'll report back what they find.

 

[avanti]

He said to call and stop by next week when they are not busy and he would plug their computer/reader in check to see if it was possible at no charge. He said it could just be a simple parameter to change. I'll report back what they find.

That would be awesome! If he succeeds, please see if you can get the details from him so the rest of us will know exactly what to tell our possibly-skeptial service advisors.

 

[thorn]

That would be awesome! If he succeeds, please see if you can get the details from him so the rest of us will know exactly what to tell our possibly-skeptial service advisors.

I hope they will let me watch. I'll let you know what they find and what the parameter/setting is called. Also what the part number is for the connector for the back of the radio.

According to the MB Body & Equipment Guideline PDF I have for 2015:

"NOTE: If the radio was not setup for the eight rear
speakers from the factory, a dealer must update the
radio programming by activating a fader to activate the
rear loudspeaker terminals."

In theory they should be able to program it.

He gave me his card, I may email him to setup a time for next week and tell him about the PDF document. He mentioned a local radio shop they use to do audio work. He said they know more about the audio systems than their mechanics.

I wonder what they will charge? Will it be more than a new radio?

 

[thorn]

I stopped by the dealer and they changed the radio parameter and I have fader control. He wouldn't say which parameter/code but he said it was easy to do, no charge. He has never done this before, but now he knows. He said sometimes they need to send a request to MB to get the codes and an OK to change some parameters.

Now I need to get the correct pins for the connector so I can run the wires to the back.

I wonder since they have 8 speakers on the rear of the passenger cans can I just drive 2 without any problems? They didn't know much about the radios at the dealer. They use a local stereo shop for custom stuff.

The tech talked to me about keeping the DEF topped off and make sure it doesn't freeze. Also, mostly city driving is harder on it than highway. Good to get it out on the highway because of the pollution control systems.

 

[sailquik]

thorn,
There are a couple of different ways to handle the "keep the DEF fluid topped off" issue.
If your SCR (Selective Catalyst Reduction) system is working correctly, there is no need to constantly be checking
that the DEF fluid is full.
When the DEF fluid reaches the low threshold level you still have several hundred miles that you can go before the DEF fluid
runs out and you go into the "SCR countdown mode" where you only get 20 starts and then you can't drive the Sprinter and it needs
to go to a dealer and have the DEF refilled and the SCR system reset.
As long as you add at least 2 gallons of fresh DEF fluid between the time the "low DEF read your operators Manual" warning shows
up on your "Messages" (every time you restart your engine) the SCR system will reset itself, and you will be "good to go" until you
get the low DEF message again.
If the system is working as it was designed to do, there is absolutely no reason to be adding DEF to keep it full.
Besides which, if you are constantly refilling the DEF to the top of the fill tube you will be spilling it pretty frequently, which will eat the
paint off the non-plastic area that the DEF comes in contact with.
I just drive mine until I get the DEF low message, and then stop at a Tractor Supply Co. Store and by a 2.5 gallon kit of TerraCair Ultra
Pure DEF fluid and add it to the DEF fill.
In one to three engine start stop cycles, the SCR system will reset and I'm good for another 4k-6k miles.
Others seem to like to keep filling it up....but in my experience with 2010/2011/2012/2014 Sprinters (all of them having the Blue Efficiency SCR systems that
require DEF fluid) it really makes no difference as long as the system is working as designed.
Plus you can get DEF fluid at most Auto Parts stores and at WalMart...so you are never really far from a DEF source.
It's slightly cheaper @ WalMart, but Tractor Supply Co. has the TerraCair Ultra Pure DEF for about the same price as the Peak Blue DEF (in the
awful, hard to pour from, card board box with the leaky spout.
Hope this helps,
Roger

 

[Inertiaman]

I wonder since they have 8 speakers on the rear of the passenger cans can I just drive 2 without any problems? They didn't know much about the radios at the dealer. They use a local stereo shop for custom stuff.

Generally speaking, fewer speakers will have higher impedance and therefore be safe for the radio. I'd be very surprised if the OEM radio had a problem w/ a pair of 4 ohm speakers on the rear outputs.

 

[thorn]

thorn,
There are a couple of different ways to handle the "keep the DEF fluid topped off" issue.
If your SCR (Selective Catalyst Reduction) system is working correctly, there is no need to constantly be checking
that the DEF fluid is full.
When the DEF fluid reaches the low threshold level you still have several hundred miles that you can go before the DEF fluid
runs out and you go into the "SCR countdown mode" where you only get 20 starts and then you can't drive the Sprinter and it needs
to go to a dealer and have the DEF refilled and the SCR system reset.
As long as you add at least 2 gallons of fresh DEF fluid between the time the "low DEF read your operators Manual" warning shows
up on your "Messages" (every time you restart your engine) the SCR system will reset itself, and you will be "good to go" until you
get the low DEF message again.
If the system is working as it was designed to do, there is absolutely no reason to be adding DEF to keep it full.
Besides which, if you are constantly refilling the DEF to the top of the fill tube you will be spilling it pretty frequently, which will eat the
paint off the non-plastic area that the DEF comes in contact with.
I just drive mine until I get the DEF low message, and then stop at a Tractor Supply Co. Store and by a 2.5 gallon kit of TerraCair Ultra
Pure DEF fluid and add it to the DEF fill.
In one to three engine start stop cycles, the SCR system will reset and I'm good for another 4k-6k miles.
Others seem to like to keep filling it up....but in my experience with 2010/2011/2012/2014 Sprinters (all of them having the Blue Efficiency SCR systems that
require DEF fluid) it really makes no difference as long as the system is working as designed.
Plus you can get DEF fluid at most Auto Parts stores and at WalMart...so you are never really far from a DEF source.
It's slightly cheaper @ WalMart, but Tractor Supply Co. has the TerraCair Ultra Pure DEF for about the same price as the Peak Blue DEF (in the
awful, hard to pour from, card board box with the leaky spout.
Hope this helps,
Roger

Hi Roger, I had stopped by Tractor Supply (you had posted something about it before) that I saw earlier today on the way to Catalina and they were out. It was on sale for $9.

I have a DEF gauge in one of the menus, it shows about 1/2 full. The MB tech said that the MB brand has a spill proof pour built in. I didn't ask how much it was. He also said that one can go and top it off at truck stops. I have seen the signs at some of the truck stop for DEF. He said that someone added the DEF to the oil filler instead to the DEF filler and damaged the engine. I assured him I would not do that.

What about using a funnel for adding DEF to prevent spills?

I asked about changing oil myself and he said to use the MB/FL brand due to quality. I forgot to ask how to reset the system when you change it. I guess it's probably not so simple as my Toyota's.

I stopped by the MB dealer on the way back to see if the parts dept. had the pins for the radio connector. They could not find a part number and the service manager brought out a tray/bins with a bunch of pins. We could not figure out which one it could be. From the photos on this thread it looks like female, but there are different sizes. I'll have to take the radio out, take over to them and match them up when I get time. He said they usually change the entire wiring harness for something like this instead of crimping or soldering pins to wires, yikes.

So your topped off DEF last 4-5k miles?

Greg

 

[avanti]

I didn't ask how much it was.

If you have to ask, you can't afford it.


Hey, guys:
Nobody enjoys a good DEF fluid flame-fest more that I do, but this is probably the least-appropriate thread to have one. There are plenty of other ones to choose from. Here's one:

https://sprinter-source.com/forums/showthread.php?t=40367&highlight=def+fluid

 

[thorn]

If you have to ask, you can't afford it.


Hey, guys:
Nobody enjoys a good DEF fluid flame-fest more that I do, but this is probably the least-appropriate thread to have one. There are plenty of other ones to choose from. Here's one:

https://sprinter-source.com/forums/showthread.php?t=40367&highlight=def+fluid

True, stick to the radio. Sorry, I was just reporting what the Sprinter tech was telling me while I was there.

Any easy way to find the part number of the pins for the radio connector?

Thinking about it, the service manager did mention a radio shop they use here in Tucson, he said he may know which pins to use. I'll try to call them and find out.

 

[thorn]

What speaker wire do you use? The same stuff one would use for indoor stereo system?

 

[lukedog]

I just did a component speaker install on my audio 15 system. Here is a lot more detail if interested in how to do it.

https://sprinter-source.com/forums/showthread.php?t=40079&page=2

Here is a wiring diagram of what the MB stock setup looks like in my 2015 Crew and a picture of the speakers it came with......

For stock Audio 15 is there a way to "Fade" front to back? Or do I get what I get? I have ordered these. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000BI7Y64?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00I think they are pretty efficient. Price has gone down since my order.

 

[Inertiaman]

For stock Audio 15 is there a way to "Fade" front to back? Or do I get what I get? I have ordered these. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000BI7Y64?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00I think they are pretty efficient. Price has gone down since my order.

Per post #45 above, a dealer can enable the fader control, apparently quite easily. Free of charge in the case of @thorn. Documentation implied this was possible, but its nice to have direct confirmation from a van owner who has done it.

 

[lukedog]

Per post #45 above, a dealer can enable the fader control, apparently quite easily. Free of charge in the case of @thorn. Documentation implied this was possible, but its nice to have direct confirmation from a van owner who has done it.

Post 45 seems to be referring to fading front to some new to be added speakers. I want to be able to fade front dash to doors.

 

[thorn]

Post 45 seems to be referring to fading front to some new to be added speakers. I want to be able to fade front dash to doors.

I think the dash ones are tweeters and the door midrange. ?

 

[Inertiaman]

Post 45 seems to be referring to fading front to some new to be added speakers. I want to be able to fade front dash to doors.

The dash and front door speakers are literally all hanging off the same wires, so can't be faded as-is from the Audio 15.

Are you putting aftermarket speakers into the door and dash, and want to use a fader to balance the tweeters (dash) and woofers(door)?

To do so, you'd have to (a) get the rear fader function enabled by a dealer, (b) get the necessary terminals so you can get new "rear" wires attached to the Audio 15 connector, and (c) install a new pair of wires to either the tweeters (easier) or the door speakers (harder). Then just connect those newly run wires to the new "rear" output terminals for the connector. Then fading front/rear on the head unit would actually be balancing door/dash output.

 

[thorn]

I took my radio out today just to see what's back there and how hard it is to remove. I'll stop by the dealer and have them check their box of pins to see which ones fit the orange plug later this week. It's a bit tight to get the orange plug out.

It's actually very small, I thought it would be larger. It's very easy to take out. Looks like it was "assembled" just a few days before the van was produced.

 

[lukedog]

I do not need a super hi fi stereo. Just hoping for some improvement. I know much of the stuff in the Van is not that hard to remove if you know exactly how to do it. If not there is likely to be some visible damage. Is there a thread somewhere..... How to remove X. I know some of it is buried if you can find it.

 

[avanti]

Thorn,
That radio is different from mine (as shown earlier in this thread), and much smaller. I see that your model number is RY2550. Mine is RY2350. They must have upgraded. Wonder what differences there are?

Just to confirm, it IS an Audio 15, right? What model year is your van?
Thanks.

 

[thorn]

Thorn,
That radio is different from mine (as shown earlier in this thread), and much smaller. I see that your model number is RY2550. Mine is RY2350. They must have upgraded. Wonder what differences there are?

Just to confirm, it IS an Audio 15, right? What model year is your van?
Thanks.

I guess that's why yours looked bigger in the photos.

Moore's law at play with MB radios?

It's a 2016 3500 170 cargo w/ V6. It has the Becker map and buttons on the steering wheel. Audio 15.