For a start, the Audio 15 is not a standard (DIN) width or height. Installing an aftermarket head unit in the SprinterĪdding an aftermarket stereo isn’t a straight swap with the stock unit. The on-screen icons tended to be garish and faux-3D, and the feature set included lots of options to make the stereo unit stand out from the dash (multi-color LED lighting, etc.) rather than what we wanted, which was to have it blend in. We looked at several models from Kenwood, JVC and Pioneer but all of them seemed to be designed for a different type of consumer than us. The unit has line-out connectors if you wanted to use an aftermarket amp instead of the built-in 20W RMS per channel output. That gives you some extra room inside the dash for other stuff if you want it, like an amplifier, perhaps. The Sony unit is single-DIN in the back and double-DIN in the front. Interestingly, although it has a double-DIN sized display, the unit itself is single-DIN sized. It has a clean interface, and minimal flashiness. We chose the Sony XAV-AX100 (Amazon link). Our music is digital and we don’t want to watch movies on a sub-7″ display stuck in a car dash. Keep the steering wheel volume and on/off hook controls.4 channels with sufficient power output to drive our aftermarket speakers without a separate amplifier.
Android Auto/Apple Carplay integration.Physical volume control knob (yeah, we’re old school).Our list of requirements was pretty minimal: There are hundreds of boxes all with near-identical feature sets that look so similar that you’d think they were all made in the same factory and then had different brand names stuck on the front. Shopping for replacement car stereos is not a pleasant experience. We upgraded the stock speakers and added a subwoofer in an attempt to pull every last bit of sound out of the unit, but it still wasn’t performing well enough.
A while back though, Google Maps added an offline map feature so even that benefit of the stock system was wiped out. That system isn’t great but because the maps are stored locally it would work even if we didn’t have cell reception. We were only keeping it in place because it had the Becker navigation system installed. Even though it sounded OK when you were parked up, road and engine noise easily overpowered it. The unit has no real output power and super-cheap stock speakers. Because we’re used to phones and tablets we kept trying to touch the screen to make changes.
To move between audio sources involves tons of button pushes. The Audio 15 unit that came stock in our Sprinter has an interface from the early nineties. The swap-out wasn’t hard, but there are a couple of sticky points along the way. We chose to replace it with an aftermarket unit from Sony that has Apple Carplay and Android Auto so that we can use our phones to provide navigation and music through the stereo. Even after changing out the front speakers and adding a subwoofer, the Audio 15 stereo that comes as stock in newer Sprinters was just not up to the job. We can also arrange to remove your faulty unit from your vehicle with a small charge, this service is only available by appointment only please call.We gave in. Once we have received your unit we will inspect and repair your unit and after thorough testing we post back to you. STEP 2Ĭomplete transaction and print a purchase receipt and send it along with your item to our workshop address. If you are not sure then please contact your local garage or google for removal instructions. Our repair process in 3 easy steps : STEP 1Ĭarefully remove your unit from your vehicle. Mercedes Becker Map Pilot Repair Service.Your unit will come back updated to the latest maps.
Your main board will be repaired using original components, full diagnostics will be carried out to ensure your Becker Map Pilot is working correctly.