Paddle Shift Retrofit/Modification for R230

diablo2112 · 06-01-2009, 12:21 AM

Hello. Been lurking a bit here. I bought a very nice 2005 R230, wonderful car. I'd like to retrofit a paddle shift steering wheel, and have done a quite a bit of research into this with no clear answers. It appears it can be done, though some reference to a new wheel (of course) is given as well as a new slip ring (less obvious) for the connectors.

I've taken the airbag off of my car, and the connector below is obvious. Sure looks like a CAN-bus connector for the paddle-shift plug. Does anyone have anymore insight into this? From what I've read, I would guess this recepticle accepts the paddle shift connector, and with the appropriate steering wheel with shifters, you would have the dealer reprogram with the STAR system to accept the paddle shift option.

Anyone know differently? I would love a picture of the connections behind the airbag on a paddle-shift equipped R230. Thanks so much.

Joe M.

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Wiz · 10-16-2009, 05:46 PM

Hi, I'm looking at this as well at the moment, did you get any further with it?

Thanks

diablo2112 · 10-16-2009, 10:58 PM

I haven't been able to finish this mod, yet. I have made some progress. There's 2 kinds of shift paddles 03-mid 06, and late 06 and beyond. They differ in having a different control box in the steering wheel. I know, I've procurred both. My car (05) requires the earlier control box with 2-wire connection.

I retrofitted a set of paddles to my leather 'n wood steering wheel, that job went fine. Took it to my dealer to program, no-go. After some research, the steering wheel control module in the 03-05 cars has two version: one for paddle shift, one without. I ordered the one for paddle shift (about $300), and that's where I am today. I'll have this installed in a few weeks (I'm on a job assignment out of state), and we'll see if that works.

Big unknown is electrical slip-rings in the steering wheel. Does anyone know if the 2-wire socket in the picture above connects through the slip ring? If not, then that's another part to obtain...

The quest continues.

Benz-O-Rama · 10-16-2009, 11:21 PM

Good job on this, man.

When it's all said and done, you might want to post part#'s, prices, and any pics and procedures you have. You're gonna get asked anyway.

GFEAR · 10-17-2009, 01:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Benz-O-Rama

Good job on this, man.

When it's all said and done, you might want to post part#'s, prices, and any pics and procedures you have. You're gonna get asked anyway.

TRUE!!

Wiz · 10-17-2009, 05:20 PM

Thanks for the update

It's nice to know at least that cars without the buttons on do have some wiring there. Be reaslly interested to know if you get it working

Wiz · 10-17-2009, 05:30 PM

This is the wheel I saw on eBay and liked the look of. I have seen a thread for someone who had the older style push buttons gear shifters and swapped for this paddle shift version very easily, so hopefully if it can be made to work at all, it won't be much harder making the paddle version work

.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...X:eRTM:GB:1123

diablo2112 · 10-18-2009, 02:08 AM

The wheel in that pic if a 2006+ paddle shift car. As I mentionned, there's two kind of control box in the steering wheel, that wheel has the later-model, 3-wire control box. When/If I get this working, I'll be happy to post a complete description with pics, part numbers, etc.

I have already installed the paddle shift buttons on my wheel, the newer style like the picture above. I have an ash interior with wood-accents wheel. Mercedes didn't release a paddle shift version of this wheel as near as I can tell, so I carefully cut the leather and carved out the rubber and managed to get the paddle shift button to install quite well.

The only thing I need now is to get these hooked up through the wheel into the Mercedes controller. Working on that now. Plan B is to wire the switches in parallel to the shifter, but I'll cross that bridge if/when I come to that.

NEMES1S · 10-21-2009, 02:25 AM

congrats on your progress, I will be following your project when you get back as I was curious what kind of work is involved in such a project, since the shift buttons are one of the few things that make me want to save up for an sl65 instead of an sl600.

santomen · 10-25-2009, 02:32 PM

diablo2112, I am also trying to add button/paddle shifter to my 04 SL600. I've already hard wired to the steering wheel from the console shifter, still working on progamming it to work! Pat.

NEMES1S · 10-25-2009, 03:40 PM

anyone have pics?

santomen · 10-29-2009, 11:29 AM

diablo2112, any updates yet?? Pat.

diablo2112 · 10-29-2009, 05:07 PM

Still not working, but tons of progress.

I received the new steering wheel control module, and installed it. Suspiciously, it has the exact same part number as the old module. That's the bad news, I think they sent a non-paddle shift module as a subsitute. Good news, during the install, was able to verify that the switch harness *does* have electrical continuity through the slip ring. This is very, very good news. I'm certain that with the correct steering wheel control module, that this will work.

I also learned that the paddle switches work via "resistive multiplexing". The little box in the steering wheel contains a circuit which places one resistance across the 2 wires when one paddle shift is pressed (25k ohms if I recall), and another resistance when the other switch is activated (17k ohm I think).

So, I need to reconfirm part numbers with my dealer, and will go from there.

Also, I took complete pictures of the steering column disassembly, and will have these for a DIY once I get this all figured out.

Note, I spent about 3 hours testing EVERY plug into the shifter unit on the console, looking for the switch wires from the normal lever (the one we all have). No luck. If anyone knows where to tie into those switches, it's an easy plan-b to wire the steering wheel switches in parallel, using the 2 lines through the slip ring that I previously traced + a ground wire.

NEMES1S · 10-29-2009, 05:59 PM

glad to hear there is progress, when completed a kit would be amazing for us DIY folks that are terrified to blow up several hundreds of dollars worth of sensors/relays.

AMGfan · 10-29-2009, 06:35 PM

diablo2112...I don't know if this helps but this was an install thread of the paddle shifters on an E63...

MP Steering Wheel Installed

I had my 2006 SL65 retrofitted with paddle shifters and it turned out great...I'm not a DIY and it was done by a tuner shop I use...you can PM the tech that did my install...he goes by the handle of "wrench" on mbworld.

He doesn't check on MBWorld.org much but I can tell him to check his PM box if you do PM him...just PM me...lol.

Here is the finished product...the fit and feel of the paddle shifters is excellent.

http://www.mbworld.org/forums/3575961-post1.html

diablo2112 · 10-29-2009, 09:49 PM

There's a major difference between cars 2005 and older and the newer 2006 cars. For 2006+, the retrofit is fairly simple, as the paddle shift buttons are part of the CAN bus, and basically, you install the buttons, the proper bus connector in the steering wheel, and have your dealer reprogram the CAN bus.

For 2005 and earlier cars - like mine - it's considerably more work as the paddle shift buttons are part of a dedicated circuit.

santomen · 10-30-2009, 01:52 PM

diablo2112, sent you a pm! Pat.

diablo2112 · 10-30-2009, 05:17 PM

Here's a few pics of the upgrade. I carved out the steering wheel to accept the paddle shift buttons, and drilled through the aluminum support in the wheel for the wires and bolt. I've included pics of the slip ring and steering wheel control module, so you can get a feel for what I'm talking about in the comments, above.

Picture 2 is the slip-ring.

Picture 3 is the steering wheel interface box (not to be confused with the steering wheel control module in picture 5). This is the "2-wire" interface box used in the 2003-2005 models. 2006+ use a different interface, a 3-wire CAN bus hookup.

Looks great in person, now only to get the final hookup done!

AMGfan · 10-30-2009, 05:42 PM

diablo...love the wood treatment in your car!

diablo2112 · 10-30-2009, 05:46 PM

As near as I can tell, Mercedes did not offer a wood steering wheel with the paddle shift option. My retrofit maybe a bit rare as a result; I haven't seen these two together on another car.

10-16-2009, 11:21 PM	#4
Benz-O-Rama MBWorld Fanatic! Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Maryland Posts: 4,317 Drives: 2001 C240, Eurocharged Stage (1) 2004 E500, Eurocharged Stage (1) 2005 SL600, 2006 R500	Good job on this, man. When it's all said and done, you might want to post part#'s, prices, and any pics and procedures you have. You're gonna get asked anyway. __________________ 2004 Eurocharged E500 - Eurocharged ECU, VRP headers and E55 exhaust. #1 record holder on dragtimes (13.49@102.5 w/2.0 60') 2005 Eurocharged SL600 - Stock with only Eurocharged ECU. #4 record holder on dragtimes (11.55@120.20 w/ 1.79 60' on All-Season's. MY WHEELS ARE FOR SALE! CLICK ME! Sig by Shake

10-29-2009, 06:35 PM	#15
AMGfan MBWorld Fanatic! Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Tampa, Florida Posts: 3,599 Drives: 06 SL65 / 04 E55 / 04 Cadillac Deville (AMG è la mia Famiglia la Bestia è la mia protezione)	diablo2112...I don't know if this helps but this was an install thread of the paddle shifters on an E63... MP Steering Wheel Installed I had my 2006 SL65 retrofitted with paddle shifters and it turned out great...I'm not a DIY and it was done by a tuner shop I use...you can PM the tech that did my install...he goes by the handle of "wrench" on mbworld. He doesn't check on MBWorld.org much but I can tell him to check his PM box if you do PM him...just PM me...lol. Here is the finished product...the fit and feel of the paddle shifters is excellent. http://www.mbworld.org/forums/3575961-post1.html __________________ *Capo Regime Central Florida (Member #4)...Mi ha dato un'offerta che non potrei rifiutare.*

10-30-2009, 05:17 PM	#18
diablo2112 Junior Member Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 50 Drives: 2005 SL500	Here's a few pics of the upgrade. I carved out the steering wheel to accept the paddle shift buttons, and drilled through the aluminum support in the wheel for the wires and bolt. I've included pics of the slip ring and steering wheel control module, so you can get a feel for what I'm talking about in the comments, above. Picture 2 is the slip-ring. Picture 3 is the steering wheel interface box (not to be confused with the steering wheel control module in picture 5). This is the "2-wire" interface box used in the 2003-2005 models. 2006+ use a different interface, a 3-wire CAN bus hookup. Looks great in person, now only to get the final hookup done! Last edited by diablo2112; 10-30-2009 at 05:19 PM.

10-30-2009, 05:42 PM	#19
AMGfan MBWorld Fanatic! Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Tampa, Florida Posts: 3,599 Drives: 06 SL65 / 04 E55 / 04 Cadillac Deville (AMG è la mia Famiglia la Bestia è la mia protezione)	diablo...love the wood treatment in your car! __________________ *Capo Regime Central Florida (Member #4)...Mi ha dato un'offerta che non potrei rifiutare.*

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10-16-2009, 05:46 PM	#2
Wiz Newbie Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 6 Drives: SL500 2004	Hi, I'm looking at this as well at the moment, did you get any further with it? Thanks

10-16-2009, 10:58 PM	#3
diablo2112 Junior Member Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 50 Drives: 2005 SL500	I haven't been able to finish this mod, yet. I have made some progress. There's 2 kinds of shift paddles 03-mid 06, and late 06 and beyond. They differ in having a different control box in the steering wheel. I know, I've procurred both. My car (05) requires the earlier control box with 2-wire connection. I retrofitted a set of paddles to my leather 'n wood steering wheel, that job went fine. Took it to my dealer to program, no-go. After some research, the steering wheel control module in the 03-05 cars has two version: one for paddle shift, one without. I ordered the one for paddle shift (about $300), and that's where I am today. I'll have this installed in a few weeks (I'm on a job assignment out of state), and we'll see if that works. Big unknown is electrical slip-rings in the steering wheel. Does anyone know if the 2-wire socket in the picture above connects through the slip ring? If not, then that's another part to obtain... The quest continues.

10-17-2009, 05:20 PM	#6
Wiz Newbie Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 6 Drives: SL500 2004	Thanks for the update It's nice to know at least that cars without the buttons on do have some wiring there. Be reaslly interested to know if you get it working

10-17-2009, 05:30 PM	#7
Wiz Newbie Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 6 Drives: SL500 2004	This is the wheel I saw on eBay and liked the look of. I have seen a thread for someone who had the older style push buttons gear shifters and swapped for this paddle shift version very easily, so hopefully if it can be made to work at all, it won't be much harder making the paddle version work . http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...X:eRTM:GB:1123

10-18-2009, 02:08 AM	#8
diablo2112 Junior Member Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 50 Drives: 2005 SL500	The wheel in that pic if a 2006+ paddle shift car. As I mentionned, there's two kind of control box in the steering wheel, that wheel has the later-model, 3-wire control box. When/If I get this working, I'll be happy to post a complete description with pics, part numbers, etc. I have already installed the paddle shift buttons on my wheel, the newer style like the picture above. I have an ash interior with wood-accents wheel. Mercedes didn't release a paddle shift version of this wheel as near as I can tell, so I carefully cut the leather and carved out the rubber and managed to get the paddle shift button to install quite well. The only thing I need now is to get these hooked up through the wheel into the Mercedes controller. Working on that now. Plan B is to wire the switches in parallel to the shifter, but I'll cross that bridge if/when I come to that.

10-21-2009, 02:25 AM	#9
NEMES1S Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 69 Drives: SL600 (soon)	congrats on your progress, I will be following your project when you get back as I was curious what kind of work is involved in such a project, since the shift buttons are one of the few things that make me want to save up for an sl65 instead of an sl600.

10-25-2009, 02:32 PM	#10
santomen Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 110	diablo2112, I am also trying to add button/paddle shifter to my 04 SL600. I've already hard wired to the steering wheel from the console shifter, still working on progamming it to work! Pat.

10-25-2009, 03:40 PM	#11
NEMES1S Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 69 Drives: SL600 (soon)	anyone have pics?

10-29-2009, 11:29 AM	#12
santomen Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 110	diablo2112, any updates yet?? Pat.

10-29-2009, 05:07 PM	#13
diablo2112 Junior Member Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 50 Drives: 2005 SL500	Still not working, but tons of progress. I received the new steering wheel control module, and installed it. Suspiciously, it has the exact same part number as the old module. That's the bad news, I think they sent a non-paddle shift module as a subsitute. Good news, during the install, was able to verify that the switch harness does have electrical continuity through the slip ring. This is very, very good news. I'm certain that with the correct steering wheel control module, that this will work. I also learned that the paddle switches work via "resistive multiplexing". The little box in the steering wheel contains a circuit which places one resistance across the 2 wires when one paddle shift is pressed (25k ohms if I recall), and another resistance when the other switch is activated (17k ohm I think). So, I need to reconfirm part numbers with my dealer, and will go from there. Also, I took complete pictures of the steering column disassembly, and will have these for a DIY once I get this all figured out. Note, I spent about 3 hours testing EVERY plug into the shifter unit on the console, looking for the switch wires from the normal lever (the one we all have). No luck. If anyone knows where to tie into those switches, it's an easy plan-b to wire the steering wheel switches in parallel, using the 2 lines through the slip ring that I previously traced + a ground wire.

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)

10-29-2009, 05:59 PM	#14
NEMES1S Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 69 Drives: SL600 (soon)	glad to hear there is progress, when completed a kit would be amazing for us DIY folks that are terrified to blow up several hundreds of dollars worth of sensors/relays.

10-29-2009, 09:49 PM	#16
diablo2112 Junior Member Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 50 Drives: 2005 SL500	There's a major difference between cars 2005 and older and the newer 2006 cars. For 2006+, the retrofit is fairly simple, as the paddle shift buttons are part of the CAN bus, and basically, you install the buttons, the proper bus connector in the steering wheel, and have your dealer reprogram the CAN bus. For 2005 and earlier cars - like mine - it's considerably more work as the paddle shift buttons are part of a dedicated circuit.

10-30-2009, 01:52 PM	#17
santomen Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 110	diablo2112, sent you a pm! Pat.

10-30-2009, 05:46 PM	#20
diablo2112 Junior Member Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 50 Drives: 2005 SL500	As near as I can tell, Mercedes did not offer a wood steering wheel with the paddle shift option. My retrofit maybe a bit rare as a result; I haven't seen these two together on another car.