# Mercedes Coding Guide Canonical URL: https://mbretrofit.it/guides/vehicle-coding Description: Mercedes-Benz vehicle coding and feature unlocks, to factory standard. AMG menus, full LED, ambient tiers, MBUX extras, region conversion. Switched on the way your car was built to run them. Your Mercedes shipped with more hardware than Mercedes lets you use. On a lot of cars the matrix layer of the Multibeam headlights is switched off and the ambient lighting runs on half its zones. The AMG performance screen sits in a non-AMG cluster, waiting for someone to flip a bit. Mercedes coding changes the activation flags Mercedes left switched off in the factory build, with no modification to the car and no unofficial flashes. [See what's unlockable on your car](/coding) [Email your VIN](mailto:contact@mbretrofit.it?subject=Remote%20coding%20request) ## What we unlock These are the features owners ask for most. None of it is modification, since every feature listed is already fitted in the car from the factory. * **AMG menus on non-AMG cars.** G-meter, oil and turbo readouts. Works on W223, W206, X254, EQE, and EQS whenever the cluster supports it. * **Full LED and Digital Light (ILS+ / IHC+).** Turn on the matrix and projection layer of the Multibeam headlights you already paid for. * **Ambient lighting tiers.** The zones and modes your car already has but doesn't show, plus the 64-color pack. * **CarPlay and Android Auto.** One coding change, and you connect without the cable. * **MBUX extras.** AR navigation and rear-seat entertainment where the screens are fitted. * **Comfort kit.** Seat and steering memory, soft-close doors, auto-close, one-touch open and close. * **Driver assistance tiers.** Distronic extensions, lane-change assist, and blind-spot activation. * **Cluster and display badging.** AMG, 4MATIC, and the model-specific logos you want at start-up. * **Region conversion.** US, JP, CN, or GCC vehicles to EU spec, or back, where the law allows. That covers cluster units, headlight beam pattern, daytime running lights, side markers, ambient zones, MBUX languages, and navigation map region. The [region conversion guide](/guides/vehicle-coding/region-conversion) lists every item. * **Post-swap coding.** After a module replacement, gateway swap, or ECU transfer. If you've seen a feature on another Mercedes and want to know whether yours has it, send the VIN and ask. Where the hardware is already fitted, the feature is usually reachable in coding. ## How it works Every job runs remotely, on your laptop, and you pay after you've seen the feature working. 1. **Send your VIN.** Add a short note on what you want unlocked. 2. **We check feasibility.** We read your SA codes (the factory option codes for your car), fitted hardware, head unit generation, and region. If something's impossible on your car, you know before anyone pays. 3. **Fixed quote.** No hourly surprises. AMG menus from €150, ambient upgrades from €100, full LED from €200, depending on chassis. 4. **Remote session.** We connect into your laptop and you watch every step. 30 to 90 minutes is typical. 5. **You verify, then you pay.** Doesn't work, no charge. ## DIY or done-for-you Most coding jobs are within reach of an owner with a Windows laptop, a cable, and 60 minutes. The guides in this section walk through the setup. What you need: * A compatible OBD cable. The [VCI guide](/guides/vehicle-coding/vci) matches one to your VIN. * A Windows 10 or 11 laptop. Avoid running MB tools in a virtual machine if you can. * Patience for the first driver install. You only do that part once. Deeper work is where a remote session earns its keep. That means AMG menu unlocks on the newer chassis, [region conversion](/guides/vehicle-coding/region-conversion), and anything at gateway level. If you'd rather not learn the Mercedes coding toolchain for one feature, we run the session for you and you spend the afternoon driving. ## Is my car supported? We cover every Mercedes from NTG4.5 (2011 onwards) through the latest Gen20x / Zero-Layer cars. Anything older, meaning NTG2, NTG3, NTG3.5, and early NTG4, we handle case by case. Which interface you need depends on the generation. Paste your VIN and we'll pick the right cable for you. ## Which cable do you need? Use the VIN recommender on the canonical page before buying an interface. For hardware detail, pinouts, and what to avoid when shopping, read the [full VCI guide](/guides/vehicle-coding/vci). ## Related guides * [Interfacing and VCI cables](/guides/vehicle-coding/vci). Pick the OBD cable for your chassis. * [Star3 SECoC coding](/guides/vehicle-coding/star3-secoc). Gen20x coding with ZenZefi certificates for W206, W223, X254, EQE, and EQS. * [Region conversion (US → EU)](/guides/vehicle-coding/region-conversion). Import-car walkthrough covering cluster units, headlights, ambient zones, MBUX languages, and navigation map region. * [Remote diagnosis](/guides/vehicle-coding/remote-diagnosis). Xentry sessions for workshops and owners. ## Get started * Email your VIN and feature wishlist to [contact@mbretrofit.it](mailto:contact@mbretrofit.it). Most replies go out the same working day. * Or open the [coding landing page](/coding) to see real footage, chassis coverage, and pricing bands.