C204 DAB query

[pikeg]

He folks,

I've had my 2013 C180 Coupe now for a year and a half now and ever since I've had it I can never get the DAB to work just says "Device Unavailable" constantly.. I've even driven around for a good half hour and left it but nothing..

A few have said to go to the pre-sets and reset it, however my lower bar on screen is greyed out apart from the band list to go back to FM etc so I can't reset it. A few have said its an expensive software update and some suggest to check the physical module for damage/moisture etc.

Just wondered if anyone would know where the DAB module would be found in a C Class Coupe? I'm assuming in the boot somewhere? I was thinking maybe a fuse had popped somewhere too as I recently found that my ciggy lighter fuse was blown which I was surprised at..

Would it be cheaper to just buy a module from a later car on ebay instead of taking it to the dealership for a update?

 

[richlumb]

Hi the DAB was only available on the later 204s believe it was 2014 models

 

[pikeg]

Oh thats odd, as the option to select DAB on the band list is there.. I assumed that the module was broken

 

[richlumb]

I had a 2013 s204 prem plus and tried the same to get the dab and data connection to work and couldn’t then a work colleague bought a 2014 c2o4 prem plus and the dab and data worked fine, researched online and read it was 2014 models ? Hope you can sort it tho

 

[pikeg]

Ah this is interesting I managed to get my car's build sheet and its on there listed.. Maybe I'll have a chat with the dealership in the week to see for sure.. I'm sure one of the tech lads can see if I have a module installed there somewhere..

 

[Blobcat]

It might be the DAB / DAB+ issue - have a search on the forum @Botus has done a few write ups on it

 

[Botus]

two likely issues - too many channels received or too little reception

one easy check that can work... scout round the saved presets - sometimes it will find and lock on to a weak signal enough you can hear it working, if drops out and is glitchy then likely reception issue (note mercedes DAB antenna are shockingly bad).

Alternately if known to be a DAB+ capable receiver it is quite likely it can't cope and needs a software update - no one bothered to do (dealer or decent indy can do it). DAB+ a new standard (quite different) came to be an issue with a big stwitch over in Feb 2016, where the UK left old DAB running alongside. Go to high signal area with multiple channels and if it finds >99 the tuner crashes under the strain - software update is only proper fix - you can move home or only drive in area's where there's nasty reception, but one day it will bite

 

[pikeg]

two likely issues - too many channels received or too little reception

one easy check that can work... scout round the saved presets - sometimes it will find and lock on to a weak signal enough you can hear it working, if drops out and is glitchy then likely reception issue (note mercedes DAB antenna are shockingly bad).

Alternately if known to be a DAB+ capable receiver it is quite likely it can't cope and needs a software update - no one bothered to do (dealer or decent indy can do it). DAB+ a new standard (quite different) came to be an issue with a big stwitch over in Feb 2016, where the UK left old DAB running alongside. Go to high signal area with multiple channels and if it finds >99 the tuner crashes under the strain - software update is only proper fix - you can move home or only drive in area's where there's nasty reception, but one day it will bite

Still no joy sadly, I've been driving about for an hour and a half tonight.. Nipped to the next town over from me, out on the coastal road so the signals aren't great but no sign of anything being picked up..
I've had the car for a year and a half now and the DAB has never picked anything up.. I'm wondering whether the actual DAB module has packed in? Only trouble is I don't know where to find it in my Coupe, I was thinking behind the back seats or somewhere in the boot?

 

[Botus]

so you say, you did get chassis number decoded and got 537 Digital Radio (not 537L which is on all UK cars) ? https://www.lastvin.com/

so you get the standard not very good antenna - but then you should at least get something....
did you try searching for "new" mutliplexes ? some people never used DAB and with the big switch over Feb 2016 nearly everything moved and you need to re tune - but the way they did it on these tuners is a little random...

not sure what u see on screen, on mine at the bottom is two sets of chevrons ... this is to search the bundles of channels hidden inside each group (called a multiplex), left chevrons look for stuff to the left, right to the right. There are likely about 7 bundles of mulitplexes dependent upon coverage where you are... you might as well go right and search, it will fumble about for around 2 to 3 mins then you can do it again 7 times (going right each occasion) along the top of the screen you will see the name of the multiplex its currently searching - (in Merc world a multiplex is wrongly called an Ensemble) - once you get the same name along the top u can stop

try that you should see something - then you can save the channels you want as favorites - (in Merc world these are called presets) - so although a long slow lag if jumping channels between different mulitplexes at least u find them

if after doing this you get

1) nothing - I'd say your antenna is broken
2) its swamped and not coping - but you should get something sometimes - try the favorites and see if anyone else stored any that still work

I have been trying to get a later tuner to work and eventually got the slider to scroll to other stations when I was in a weak signal area and some gibberish on the screen - but I'm having issues with antenna's the stock one is £700 and they are terrible, my 12 quid one is awsome but needs the tuner switching from std unpowered antenna mode, to powered mode (where I had it for 5 years), till bug fixing other issues we put to Merc standard and I'm struggling to get power remotely to that antenna. So I bought another "better more expensive self powered one" - but its much worse than the cheap one that was faultless.



find what you should be able to hear, here https://getdigitalradio.com/?slide=check-your-available-stations
if you can pick up TalkSport2 then its a DAB+ receiver and you should go get the Oct 2016 software update put on the car - in fact it could still be - some had the DAB+ bit turned off - get the part number off the DAB tuner sticker in the boot - if its a black module its DAB only, if silver you want to get get a software update ASAP

DAB tuner part 200 - and the insanity of antenna https://nemigaparts.com/cat_spares/epc/mercedes/1/fg/204045/61r/82/346/

 

[pikeg]

Cheers for the reply, really helpful to know where the module is located.. As far as the display screen goes here's what I'm seeing....



The bottom bar is pretty much all greyed out, the only option I have is to change the Band back to FM etc, Radio, Presets, Info and Sound are all greyed out.. This all I've seen since owning the car, FM etc all work fine but ideally I'd like the DAB to work.. I think maybe the update is the only option.

 

[mioba]

Get in your boot and see if you have the DAB module and if its plugged in.

 

[pikeg]

Get in your boot and see if you have the DAB module and if its plugged in.

Will do, thats next on my to do list haha

 

[pikeg]

Ok I just had a nosey under the panel behind my back seats and it was right in front of me! this is whats installed.. Everything seems to be plugged in ok, no signs of any damage or moisture so thats a good thing.. I also found the fuse that is linked to this and that is all ok too..



I'm thinking, would it just be cheaper to buy a newer unit from say a 2015/6 car than updating this one?

 

[LostKiwi]

Check for MOST loop errors on Star (or similar).
If you go into the hidden menus you can also view what's configured Vs what's visible on the MOST loop.

 

[mioba]

I would unplug it, re seat it. Did you test the fuse with a multi meter.
Have you actually had the box tested to see if works, do you know somone with same car - you could do a swap with.
Have you tested the antenna - DAB antena may be different (not sure).
Simple checks are easier than buying a replacement unit that may not be faulty.
Have you ensured you have the latest software on your car for the DAB issues.

As mentioned above and previous - have you had the car scanned. Even icarsoft does a very thorough COMMAND scan.

That pn has been superceded a few times now and latest is A1669007616

just my tuppence.

 

[Botus]

no one ever updates software in cars, and on Merc its never times a thousand % less likely

so unless you can guarantee the tuner came out of at late 2017 car, its HIGHLY unlikely another one you buy won't have the software you need either - its not a big deal just needs plugging in and giving a kick - worth a shot

you have the same tuner I'm playing with - its DAB + capable BUT you need the Oct 2016 firmware update
wales.... otherwise we could have helped each other - as I need a car that I can push the same update on to my box.... ?

my box is 2 years newer than yours (from 2015) but on the same obsolete software u have (yours is the one on the right.... and this is actually the same box I can't get to work in my car - as in thats the one shown in the comand screenshot post #9 above) don't worry about the part numbers Merc don't know what they are doing and the MB number is not the part number)



here u go 15T where u have 13T which I believe is the year of manu...

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