13 replies to this topic

[Pardesi]

Hello,
I just got my new Z140BH and scheduled to be installed later this week, on my 2006 ML350, along with JBL MS-8. I would like to check with you ALL, to get prepared with the:-

1. Checklist of most common/popular Hacks/Mods for Z140BH
2. Checklist for testing the installation (especially the Installer is couple of hours away from my home!!!)
3. Can anyone recommend the good Installer in North Jersey, from your experience?

I would highly appreciate your input and sharing your expertise. Thank you all in advance.

Thanks, D

[VBLUE42]

One thread is enough. Please don't be a nuisance here with the reviving of several year old threads and multiple post. Someone will respond in due time.

[Pardesi]

Sorry, I wasn't sure to post under General or Hack. Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks.

[RonS]

Sorry, I wasn't sure to post under General or Hack. Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks.

There are no useful hacks (other than the Parking Brake bypass) for the Z140 (or any z-series, for that matter)

[Pardesi]

Thanks RonS! Have you come across any issues/hiccups from Z140BH installation, which you might have got resolved eventually? If there any, please advise, so that I can keep in my list for testing, since my installer is 3 hours away from my place.

[RonS]

Typical installation problems:

1. If he's doing the bypass, go for a 5 min test drive to make sure you can get to Settings menus while driving. Make sure you go over 30MPH and it doesn't give you the warning. Carefully try setting a destination to verify the bypass was done correctly.
2. Test FM/AM radio reception quality. You might need a signal amp in some cars.
3. Test traffic update operation (if you are in the US near a larger city). Weak signal (antenna) would affect this too.
4. Test hands-free BT phone voice quality. Mic placement is critical in some cars. Call someone and ask them how it sounds. Don't expect great quality, but make sure it doesn't suck. If wind-noise affects quality, the mic may need to be moved.
5. Test Voice Recognition for iPod and or phone.
6. If you have a Backup Camera, test that it works automatically when you are in reverse.
7. Make sure he installed Illumination, Backup, and VSS wiring. Go to Settings/Navi Settings/Connection Status. If PB bypass was done Parking Brake is always shown as "On". Make sure Ilumination goes "On"/"Off" when you turn the headlights on/off. If you have DRL it will sometimes always show ON. Make sure "Speed Pulse" (VSS) is non-zero when the car is moving (I guess PB bypass is necessary to see this screen while driving?). Some installers cheat you and skip this stuff - thinking you won't notice the shortcut he took to save time (or he couldn't figure out how to connect).
8. If you have an iPod/iPhone, make sure you have the correct (working) cable from Pioneer - test iPod control, and audio/video playback. For audio, you should see cover art on the HU screen (lower right).
9. Sound quality is subjective - just make sure you are happy with it.

[Pardesi]

Thank you so much RonS! This was exactly I was looking for. I really appreciate it.

Question on 7 - Clarify the Abbreviations like VSS, PB, DRL?

If I have other questions, may I contact email you directly. Of course, if you can share/PM your email address.

Thanks again!

DR

[RonS]

Sorry, I was assuming you already had an installation manual. I don't have one for the Z140, but I'd bet it isnt much different than the Z120. You should download one from Pioneer's web site.
http://www.pioneerel...ion/AVIC-Z140BH
VSS = Vehicle Speed Sensor. Basically, it is a signal used by your car's electronics (Speedo, ABS, stability control, etc). It is just a circuit that sends a pulse that increases linearly with the rotation speed on your wheel(s). It will take some research to find the best place to tap into this circuit on your vehicle. The Z140 harness has a pink wire that should be tapped into this circuit. As you drive, the Z140 will self-calibrate using the GPS to calculate how far the car travels for each pulse. The primary purpose is for when GPS satelites are not receivable (such as in a parking garage or when driving among tall buildings). This is called "dead-reckoning". The Z140 will work very well without this, so some installers skip this - it requires some research on their part to figure out where to tap that circuit.

PB = Parking brake. The Z140 won't allow you to enter many NAV and settings menus unless the parking brake is set. This can be bypassed by modifying the harness. Otherwise it needs to be connected as shown in the manual. Installers can screw this up.

DRL = Daytime Running Lights. The Z140 harness has an orange & white wire (marked ILL) that needs to be connected to a circuit that has +voltage when the lights are on. The Z1140 display will then switch into night-time mode - not as bright and the maps have a black (instead ow white) background. It your car has DRLs then it becomes a greater challenge to find an illumination circuit that is only "on" at night. It you don't have DRLs, almost any running-light or headlight circuit will work.

BU = backup or reverse signal sensor. A violet & white wire that should be tapped into one of your back-up light. This is used for 2 things:
- if you have a backup camera installed, it automatically switches the head unit (HU) to the rear camera display when you shift into reverse.
- when combined with the VSS signal (which is just a speed indication), it tells the Z140 whether you are going forward or reverse. Thus improving dead-reckoning slightly - assuming you don't drive in reverse alot.

One final note on dead-reckoning - the Z140 has inertial and tilt sensors that immediately detect changes in direction and the slope/incline. These self-calibrate over time and become very accurate. These sensors also are used for dead-reckoning position estimates when the GPS signals are not available. Remember that a GPS "fix" takes a period of time to lock-on to at least 3 sattelites - sometimes minutes. So dead reckoning is also used when you first start-up your car and drive off.

No, I don't accept PMs (for a reason) or give out my email address. As far as specific questions about your car installation, I probably wouldn't know the answer anyway (unless you have a Porsche 987). Just post your questions here and someone will likely know the answer.

[Pardesi]

Thanks again RonS! I appreciate it.

I will let you know, how it goes by next week.

DR

[Pardesi]

Hi RonS and everyone,
I got my Z140BH installed on 2006 ML350 this weekend with few glitches/open issues. The Installer was organized, very neat in wiring and worked extensively to complete it at midnight.

Here are few glitches / open issues, where I need your help with...
1. 'Traffic Alert' icon from the Navigation shortcut is not enabled.
(a) NO Traffic Data and NO TMC Providers available error on Settings screen

Question: Is there any specific connection which might have missed here?

2. Receiver hearing the ECHO of their words, even when ECHO is turned off from the Bluetooth setting. Any suggestion/resolutions...?

3. Could not locate the VSS on my ML350 to integrate?

4. Had trouble integrating the ASWC Steering wheel control.

5. We installed the Radio Antenna, it worked initially with few stations, but now tere is absolutely NO radio signals.

Any suggestions / advise / input / fix would be highly appreciated.

Thanks,

[RonS]

Sounds like you should of chosen an installer more familiar/experienced with Merc. VSS will require a wiring diagram and familiarity with where the modules are located. Sorry, I can't help with that.

My first thought on the Traffic problem was - where are you located? Some/many areas of the country won't have it because it isn't carried by local ClearChannel stations. However, since you are also experiencing regular radio reception problems, that is probably the same issue. It uses the same RDS data as the radio stations.

You probably need an amp for your antenna - especially if it is just a wire in your windshield - like many German cars. The factory harness might of had a wire to power an existing built-in antenna amp. Or the factory radio might of been "tuned" to better work with the factory antenna.

Since you had to travel far to get it installed, I am assuming there isn't a good, experienced installer local to you. Maybe you should find a good web-site that caters to Merc SUVs. Try these guys: http://www.benzworld...s/w163-m-class/

Those are all vehicle specific integration issues, rather than problems with the Z140. It will take some research. When I bought my car, I asked the dealer which local shop they used for aftermarket high-end installations. I wouldn't of gone to an installer who wasn't familiar with my vehicle's system. But, after some research on Porche web-sites, I found an installation kit that had good instructions, so I did it myself. My point being, with good DIY instructions and a good support community, it was pretty easy.

Now, I've gotta go prepare for TS Isaac.

Note: turn Echo Cancelation ON. I'm not sure what else could cause echo. Maybe mic location could make it worse. Is your mic close to a speaker?

[rgarjr]

Traffic Coverage Area
http://totaltraffic.com/CoverageAreas/

[Pardesi]

Thanks RonS, as always with your valuable input.

Reg the amp for antenna, we used the "Euro Antenna Adapter OEM F to Motorola M". Are you referring to the same or an add-on? Please clarify.

Reg VSS - Is there a place, I can find this wiring diagram for 2006 ML350? Where/How did you find yours?

Mic - we installed it at the factory location at the overhead lighting area.

Thanks!

[Pardesi]

Traffic Coverage Area
http://totaltraffic.com/CoverageAreas/

Thanks!