CarPlay Screen for Mercedes E-Class W212 (2009-2016): how to install Android Auto and Apple CarPlay

The Mercedes E-Class W212 is probably the most highly rated high-mileage saloon of its generation. The E 220 CDI and E 250 CDI rack up mileages that would frighten other brands, motorway ride comfort is still in a league of its own, and the S212 estate is a travelling car that is hard to beat. That is why there are so many on the road and why they are still bought second-hand.

Where the years do show is the screen. The W212 has a fixed display at the top of the console, controlled by the rotary controller on the centre console, and a multimedia system that stayed a generation behind: navigation with paid maps, music limited to Bluetooth and no apps at all. Without Apple CarPlay or Android Auto there is no Google Maps with traffic, no Spotify and no dictated messages. An Android head unit made specifically for the W212 fixes exactly that without touching anything else in the car.

Does the Mercedes E-Class W212 have CarPlay as standard?

No. The W212 was sold with two multimedia setups, and neither includes Apple CarPlay or Android Auto:

• Audio 20 CD: 5.8" or 7" screen, radio, CD player, Bluetooth for calls and basic streaming, no built-in navigation.
• Comand Online (NTG 4.5 / NTG 5): 7" screen, hard-drive navigation, online services and a rotary controller.

Mercedes did not offer CarPlay in this generation. Smartphone integration arrived with the following model, the W213, and not even as standard on every trim. There is no official update that adds CarPlay to the W212: the Comand hardware of these years simply does not support it.

The solution: Android head unit for Mercedes E-Class W212

The sensible option is to fit an Android screen developed specifically for the W212. It takes the position of the original display at the top of the console, respecting the dashboard line, and brings everything Comand cannot.

• Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto: your phone connects on its own as soon as you start the car.
• Large HD touchscreen, far ahead of the original in size, brightness and resolution.
• Google Maps and Waze in real time, with traffic, speed cameras and alternative routes, with no map updates to buy.
• Spotify, Amazon Music, YouTube Music, podcasts and online radio built in.
• WiFi, Bluetooth and a SIM slot, or data shared from your phone.
• Rear and front camera inputs, with guide lines when you engage reverse.
• Steering wheel controls and rotary controller still working thanks to the included CAN Bus decoder.
• Compatible with the Harman Kardon system and with the factory amplifier.
• Split screen to see navigation and music at once.

Something that worries many Mercedes owners: the vehicle information menus and comfort settings remain accessible, and the instrument cluster is not touched at any point.

Compatibility with Mercedes E-Class W212: supported versions

• Mercedes E-Class W212 saloon and S212 Estate, before and after the facelift.
• E 200 CDI, E 220 CDI, E 250 CDI, E 300 and E 350 CDI diesels, and E 200, E 250, E 300 and E 350 petrol engines.
• Classic, Elegance, Avantgarde and AMG Line trims, plus 4MATIC versions.
• Units with Audio 20 CD and with Comand Online, with a 5.8" or 7" screen.
• Compatible with manual and 7G-Tronic automatic gearboxes, with or without a premium sound system.

To identify your system, check whether the screen shows a navigation map menu (Comand) or only radio and phone (Audio 20). If in doubt, send us a photo of the screen switched on and we will confirm the reference before you buy.

What is the installation like?

Fitting is plug & play, using the original connectors, with no cutting or splicing of the car's wiring. At home it takes a little over an hour.

1. Disconnect the negative battery terminal before touching anything.
2. Using a plastic trim tool, release the upper console bezel around the screen, starting at the ends.
3. Remove the screws from the original screen and pull it out carefully; the connector releases with a rear tab.
4. Reach the radio unit in the centre console and disconnect the video cable that runs up to the screen.
5. Connect the harness and the CAN Bus decoder to the new screen: this is what translates the vehicle's signals so the steering wheel controls, the rotary controller, the warnings and the automatic power-on keep working.
6. Plug the assembly into the car's connectors and, if fitting a camera, run the video cable to the tailgate along the side trim of the boot.
7. Reconnect the battery and check sound, steering wheel controls, Bluetooth and CarPlay before closing the dashboard.
8. Fit the screen into its frame, screw it down and refit the trim.

If you would rather delegate it, any car electronics specialist will fit it in an hour to an hour and a half.

• Mercedes dealer: there is no official CarPlay retrofit for the W212. Migrating to a later Comand unit with coding easily goes beyond 0 at a specialist workshop.
• Updating the Comand maps: between and each time, and you would still have no live traffic, no apps and no CarPlay.
• PantallasPremium: the Android screen made specifically for the Mercedes E-Class W212 starts from , with higher-memory versions up to .

The difference between versions is RAM and storage. For navigation, music and calls the entry version is more than enough; if you use wireless CarPlay daily with several apps open, the higher-memory one runs freer.

Frequently asked questions

Does the console rotary controller still work?
Yes. The CAN Bus decoder keeps the controller and its buttons working so you can move through the new screen's menus, along with the steering wheel controls.

Do I lose the car settings or the service reminders?
No. Vehicle information and warnings are still displayed as usual, and the instrument cluster is left untouched.

My W212 has Harman Kardon, is there any loss of quality?
No. The screen respects the factory amplifier and speakers, and adds its own equaliser to fine-tune the sound.

Does CarPlay work without cables?
Yes. You can pair your iPhone over WiFi so it connects on its own when you start the car, or use USB if you prefer to charge at the same time. Android Auto supports both.

Does it also fit the S212 estate?
Yes. The saloon and the Estate share the same dashboard and connectors, so the same screen works for both.

See the CarPlay screen for Mercedes E-Class W212

You can see all versions, real fitting photos and the memory options on the product page for the CarPlay and Android Auto screen for Mercedes E-Class W212 (2009-2016). If you are not sure whether your car has Audio 20 or Comand Online, send us a photo of the screen switched on and we will confirm compatibility.