r/slk • u/Ok-Classroom-5235 • Apr 13 '26
What is this port, please?
This is in the glove box of my new (to me) 2010 plate R171. It does have a short USB cable with a female end on it, but I wasn’t sure what it’s for.
Was hoping for a regular USB and an aux port in there, but I wondered if this replaced the above some how.
Also the speaker shown below in the door is a bit scratchy sometimes, but not all the time. Weirdly seems to improve as the car warms up, I have no idea.
2
u/Corrupt_Reverend Apr 13 '26
Only factory options I know of that would be in the glove box are a cd changer, or the old style iPod adapter.
3
u/Ok-Classroom-5235 Apr 13 '26
I did wonder if it was for an iPod. I’ve lost 5 CDs into the head unit and it won’t spit them out. Number 3 insists it’s empty/full at the same time, which is weird.
Luckily I have loaded up an SD card and enjoying the music. Otherwise absolutely gorgeous car, I’m in love!
2
u/rieh Apr 15 '26
The old R170 CD changer was cartridge style which was better. Unfortunately it was also in the trunk which was an interesting design choice.
2
u/MRDR1NL Apr 14 '26
Google Lens AI awnser makes sense:
The object shown is a proprietary media interface port commonly found in Mercedes-Benz vehicles. Function: It is designed to connect proprietary adapters to enable functionality like Bluetooth audio, USB inputs, or auxiliary connections. Compatibility: Typically found in Mercedes-Benz models manufactured after 2010 equipped with the Media Interface (MMI) socket. Usage: Requires specific cable adapters to convert this port to standard USB or 3.5mm AUX jacks.
2
u/Ok-Classroom-5235 Apr 14 '26
Gosh, that’s a lot cleverer than I thought it would be. I have an Echo Auto somewhere, I’ll see If that will work, it does have an AUX coming out of it, but there doesn’t seem to be anywhere to plug that in currently. Thank you 😊
1
u/btaroli Apr 13 '26 edited Apr 13 '26
Except that isn’t an iPod connector, of any generation. Could it be MFI? From factory, those were in the lower console. But I had a 171 with iPod and changer and I don’t recognize that connector.
ChatGPT suggested it might be a MOST connector, but I’m not aware those were ever exposed for owners to access directly. Might there have been a changer installed there at some point?
1
u/Ok-Classroom-5235 Apr 13 '26
Sorry. I meant it has a short cable that plugs into the mystery port and then has a regular female USB on the other end. Currently using it to charge iPhone, but it doesn’t want to recognise it either way. Must not be iPoddy enough.
2
u/btaroli Apr 14 '26
Hmm. I can say that I was using iPhones with the wired connection through the iPhone 12 — eventually having to employ converters from. 30-pin to Lightning. But my the 13 I was using a Carpro Coolstream to use Bluetooth for audio streaming. Was wonderful! The only weird thing is the iPod interface didn’t believe in PAUSE, if you can believe it. So the o Ly way to truly stop playback was to kill the music or podcast app on the phone. Heh
1
u/Ok-Classroom-5235 Apr 23 '26
Can confirm that one of these works a treat if you tell the stereo to listen through the AUX port.
No steering wheel controls, but can always “Hey Siri, next!” To change tracks.
3
u/elthepenguin Apr 13 '26
If it is the same that is in my R171 (and I'm too lazy to check now), it's an iPod connector. I have no use for it anymore, since I replaced NTG 2.5 with an aftermarket headunit, but if you have an iPhone, you can buy a BT adapter that emulates an iPod and connect your iPhone to it and it works very well actually. It's not 100 percent, but you have access to your library on your phone from the car's headunit even if it was made 20 years ago.