COMAND kupput

[jchakrak]

Recently bought a C200k Elegance Auto (2001) from a friend. Full service history and only 25k on the clock. Fitted with Comand and Linguatronic.

Nice car and great to drive for a month… and then the Comand system failed. Took it to local Merc centre who said the system had to be replaced - cost 2.5k. While undergoing the test, the SAM unit packed up and had to be replaced - cost £280.

New SAM's been fitted but I haven’t made a decision about the Command replacement yet. Have seen the postings about alternative fitters, but I’m not sure which way to turn.

I’m a bit depressed.

Anyone had any of these problems or can offer advice?

 

[dogsbody]

Comand kaput

Firstly it makes me very depressed that a car with 25 k on the clock is suffering to the extent of £2.5 worth of repair, for basically a computer system.

Bear in mind that most car dealers are fitters, that said they fit replacement parts and do not understand often the reasons for failure. A motor engineer is one who will work out the reason for a failure and then come up with a answer.

The comand system cannot be completely u/s , so ti must be one part of the system which is stopping the rest from working. Silly question but does it have a fuse? Has anything been done to the car, however trivial since you bought it? If so carefully check the work and make sure verything has been put back exactly.( reason for asking, I had to change a headlamp bulbs some years ago on a Granada, which involved having to remove the air meter and to fold back the cable... result was car would not start due to a broken (multistrand) wire in the wiring loom, feeding the air meter - the garage reaction was "You need a new loom at Gigabucks", when in fact a meter found the fault in 20 minutes and was replaced with a strand of wire which sorted the problem)

I would strongly suggest that you identify a good indie who specialises in MB electrics, as it is likely to be something really silly like a loose plug, or corroded contact. An experienced auto electrician will know what to look for and more important where.

The alternative is buy a workshop manual and then to (painfully) work through the entire comand wiring system (optics as well?) to check its integrity.

With only 25K on the clock a letter to MB would not go amiss either!

 

[jchakrak]

Update

Thanks for the advice, Dogsbody - most helpful. We did check the fuse, but I'll certainly look for an auto electrician before I go ahead with a replacement.

I've just picked the car up after having the SAM unit replaced and had to return to the centre after noticing that the clock was out and the parktronic system no longer functions. The mechanic said that it was all due to the Comand system not working (although both were working perfectly well before I took the car in to be looked at.

It's all very frustrating.

I'm letting off steam by writing a stiff letter to MB.