2003 Mercedes G500 lighting, wood trim and CarPlay installation
obz documented lighting changes, refinished wood trim and an Android head unit with wireless CarPlay. Later posts describe replacing the HIDs with LEDs and a different owner’s 2004 installation.
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A 2003 G500 exterior and interior project
obz bought a 2003 G500 with about 98,000 miles from his sister, its original owner. His stated aim was a budget-conscious G63-look update, partly for resale. He explicitly describes a cosmetic project: the vehicle remains a 2003 G500, without a lift or portal-axle conversion.
DRL and fog-light wiring
obz described supplying the DRLs through an engine-bay power connection and relay, with a signal at the water pump switching the relay. He connected the Brabus lights to the factory fog-light switch and installed black LED parking lights. This records his particular installation; it does not supply a validated wiring specification or a general circuit diagram.
Painted replacement panels
obz showed the replacement panels after they returned from paint.
Front bumper and lamp assembly
The front bumper, DRLs and headlamps were assembled next. obz fitted HIDs at this stage; his later update says he removed that conversion and fitted LEDs instead.
Exterior finishing and a later lighting change
After assembling the front fenders and bumper, obz said the HIDs aimed too high and still needed adjustment. In a later reply he reported removing that HID conversion and replacing it with LEDs.
Exterior after washing
obz washed the fingerprints off the assembled exterior; further detailing was still planned.
Removing trim for refinishing
The wood trim and steering wheel were removed for a darker wood-pattern refinish. obz found access behind the passenger grab handle particularly awkward; his update records the removal, not a complete disassembly procedure.
A cover over the existing spare cover
obz placed the carbon-look cover over the original spare-wheel cover and said it sat tightly. He explicitly was unsure whether that was the intended mounting arrangement.
Interior trim and head-unit installation
obz installed the darker woodgrain trim and an aftermarket Android head unit. He described replacing mismatched adapters and getting sound after connecting the ANT wires between two harnesses. He also reported using a separate connector to close an open optical loop after an SOS warning, then reported working audio and wireless CarPlay. He found the operating system somewhat buggy. These connections and results concern his particular installation.
Later replies: lamp assemblies and kit differences
obz clarified that he replaced the complete parking-lamp and tail-lamp units, with resistors required in his installation. He also wired Brabus LEDs in place of the original fog lamps.
A discussion of different front-panel arrangements
Eric C and obz discussed whether particular front-panel pieces were needed. Eric C clarified that his 2003 G55 already had aftermarket headlight bezels installed. Their exchange did not establish a general parts requirement for other kits.
A different owner’s 2004 head-unit and camera installation
GTank reported using a different steering-wheel connector on his 2004 vehicle. He described routing the rear-camera cable along the driver’s side, under the seats to the CD-changer area, then through existing body plugs. This is a separate installation from obz’s 2003 vehicle.
Source reply ↗ · GTank