C-Class Hands Free Phone

[David1946]

My 2005 C-Class has the factory fitted phone kit. It only appears to work if the radio is switched on. Is this correct?
On my old slk, the phone worked irrespective of the radio, apart from muting the radio when a call came in.
Any help appreciated.

Thanks David

 

[Rory]

Yep. Mine has COMAND and this threw me too. The main 'off' button shuts the whole thing down, radio, nav and phone.
Seems bonkers really - if I'm travelling with colleagues then I'd normally turn the radio off, but now have to remember not to.

 

[jberks]

I guess its because the radio is used for the phone's display and speakers, so no radio power, no phone. Was your old SLK a factory phone unit or a Nokia type?
In any case, I just hit the mute - has the same effect without shutting off the phone.

 

[David1946]

Thanks for these comments. It does seem a poor arrangement.
My SLK did have the factory fitted phone kit, which worked fine at all times.

David

 

[angus falconer]

A Luddite Writes

Thanks for these comments. It does seem a poor arrangement.
My SLK did have the factory fitted phone kit, which worked fine at all times.

David

This kind of override drives me nuts. I once borrowed an Audi A4 and every time my phone rang the radio cut out. After a week of this happening over and over and over again I was tempted to get behind the dash and start hacking at the wiring loom until I stopped it happening.

A couple of years ago I had a hands free kit fitted in my current car and as a (well-meaning) "favour" the audio guys put in the extra black box in to the same effect - aaaarghh!!! The car went straight back in to have it removed.

I personally like to choose whether or not to have phone/radio/CD on or off in any combination. For example if I am in the middle of a news analysis piece on R4 or listening to favourite tune at high volume I will return the call at my convenience. Similarly if I am dialling out only to get no response I don't want to lose 60 seconds of news and current affairs just to find there's no one home. If someone answers I use my finger to hit the mute button. What's so difficult about that?

Imagine sitting at home and having you TV/Video/Stereo/HiFi switched off every time a saleman cold calls you - I don't think that would go down well.

As for having to turn your tuner on at home to reveive a phone call - think about it.....

To someone like me this is technology for technology's sake. A solution looking for a problem

I am hoping against hope that that when I eventually get a C32 that it doesn't have all this stuff pointlessly interconnected. I have a horrible feeling it will though........

Look out for the luddite's posts asking how to disconnect Command and give control back to the driver.......