COMAND navigation problem

[BrianM]

Switched over to Nav to set a destination and it doesn't display the opening screen. What I'm getting is "Navigation activated. Please wait"
I've removed the disc and the message goes away and is replaced with "Please insert disc" but when I reinsert the disc the message reappears.
Any ideas? Seems like the screen is frozen in this position.

 

[television]

Switched over to Nav to set a destination and it doesn't display the opening screen. What I'm getting is "Navigation activated. Please wait"
I've removed the disc and the message goes away and is replaced with "Please insert disc" but when I reinsert the disc the message reappears.
Any ideas? Seems like the screen is frozen in this position.

I think that Alfie would say re set it and go through the diagnostic set mode.

Hold down, Mute 1,3 for about 10 sec This is for Command 2

 

[BrianM]

I think that Alfie would say re set it and go through the diagnostic set mode.

Hold down, Mute 1,3 for about 10 sec This is for Command 2

I'll give that a go in the morning. Many thanks (as usual). Brian

 

[television]

I will be in and out during the day, but you can go here for all of the info

http://www.mercupgrades.com/

 

[Alfie]

Switched over to Nav to set a destination and it doesn't display the opening screen. What I'm getting is "Navigation activated. Please wait"
I've removed the disc and the message goes away and is replaced with "Please insert disc" but when I reinsert the disc the message reappears.
Any ideas? Seems like the screen is frozen in this position.

What car and COMAND version are you using? Have you got an original navigation disk or a copy?

 

[BrianM]

The car is a 2004 E320CDI. The disc is an original and is version 3.0.

 

[Alfie]

The car is a 2004 E320CDI. The disc is an original and is version 3.0.

Try a much newer disk such as version 5 or version 5.1. the one you have is very very old.

 

[BrianM]

Try a much newer disk such as version 5 or version 5.1. the one you have is very very old.

Should my 2004 car have been supplied with a version 5 disc? I bought the car last year from a main dealer and that's what they supplied with it.

The car is still under warranty so I'll take it in to the dealers and let them have a look at it. Just wondering if there was a simple fix I could do myself to unfreeze' it.

 

[Alfie]

Should my 2004 car have been supplied with a version 5 disc? I bought the car last year from a main dealer and that's what they supplied with it.

The car is still under warranty so I'll take it in to the dealers and let them have a look at it. Just wondering if there was a simple fix I could do myself to unfreeze' it.

Many dealers are offering a free upgrade from 5 to 5.1 so maybe you can convince them to give you a more up to date disk!

 

[BrianM]

I'll give that a go in the morning. Many thanks (as usual). Brian

Thanks for the help/advice. I gave it a try but it didn't work. Car is still under warranty so I'll take it into the main dealers and let them sort it out plus enquire as to why I seem to have an old version.

 

[High-Lo]

Not sure if its any help to you but I have an older disc but newer than yours which is Europe v 4.1 Part number B67823395 which is yours for free if you want it

 

[BrianM]

Not sure if its any help to you but I have an older disc but newer than yours which is Europe v 4.1 Part number B67823395 which is yours for free if you want it

Brilliant offer High-Lo, many thanks!
I'll take the car into the main dealers and see what they've got to say then I'll get back to you. Thanks again for your very kind offer.

Alfie
I've been on your website and my COMAND-APS manual (part no 211 584 37 83) corresponds to an E class with COMAND-APS fitted from ~03/2004. My car was first reg in 7/2004 so that adds up.
Is there any way I can tell what version COMAND-APS I have and what discs should have been supplied with the car when new? You mentioned in an earlier email that version 3.0 was very old. Should a newer version have been supplied with my car? What difference does a different version make? Is it like on a pc where an updated version of software can give better functionality?

I'm always suspicious of MB main dealers (!) and am keen to get my facts straight before I go in to talk with them. I'm hoping the Nav can be easily reset and is not a hardware problem.

Thanks again to all for your help.

 

[Alfie]

Brilliant offer High-Lo, many thanks!
I'll take the car into the main dealers and see what they've got to say then I'll get back to you. Thanks again for your very kind offer.

Alfie
I've been on your website and my COMAND-APS manual (part no 211 584 37 83) corresponds to an E class with COMAND-APS fitted from ~03/2004. My car was first reg in 7/2004 so that adds up.
Is there any way I can tell what version COMAND-APS I have and what discs should have been supplied with the car when new? You mentioned in an earlier email that version 3.0 was very old. Should a newer version have been supplied with my car? What difference does a different version make? Is it like on a pc where an updated version of software can give better functionality?

I'm always suspicious of MB main dealers (!) and am keen to get my facts straight before I go in to talk with them. I'm hoping the Nav can be easily reset and is not a hardware problem.

Thanks again to all for your help.

You should have been given version 4 at the very least. The newer versions all add functionality and update the navigation software. the very latest for your car is Version 6 which is available in europe. Most dealers are now offering version 5.1 which is the one prior to V6.

hope this helps,

 

[BrianM]

Update after visiting dealer

I took the car into the main dealers today. They ran some diagnostics and advised the Nav screen can't be reset and that the head unit needs replacing! They have opened a technical case with MB and hope to confirm the go ahead later this week. The service advisor said that a new head unit was £1500 to buy but not to worry as it's covered under warranty. Don't know if this is a common fault but it's expensive.

I mentioned to the service advisor that my discs where version 3.0 and I'd gathered from the internet that they should be v4 minimum. I asked that when the new unit is fitted it is supplied with the latest discs. They said they would do this.

Watch this space!

Another couple of questions for Alfie please, if you don't mind
1. Will the replacement head unit be identical to the old one?
2. If I get the latest discs will these have better functionality?

 

[Alfie]

I took the car into the main dealers today. They ran some diagnostics and advised the Nav screen can't be reset and that the head unit needs replacing! They have opened a technical case with MB and hope to confirm the go ahead later this week. The service advisor said that a new head unit was £1500 to buy but not to worry as it's covered under warranty. Don't know if this is a common fault but it's expensive.

I mentioned to the service advisor that my discs where version 3.0 and I'd gathered from the internet that they should be v4 minimum. I asked that when the new unit is fitted it is supplied with the latest discs. They said they would do this.

Watch this space!

Another couple of questions for Alfie please, if you don't mind
1. Will the replacement head unit be identical to the old one?
2. If I get the latest discs will these have better functionality?

1). Yes or probably newer. Identical visually though.
2). Yes much. If you get version 5.1 it will have TMC.

Sounds like you have a result there!

 

[BrianM]

1). Yes or probably newer. Identical visually though.
2). Yes much. If you get version 5.1 it will have TMC.

Sounds like you have a result there!

I hope so!

Many thanks for your help and advice. I'll keep you posted with how things go.

 

[BrianM]

Update 22nd May

The Merc dealer has had my car in for 4 days! Good job I took up the option of a loan car. First day was running a full set of diagnostics to prove the fault and getting MB authorisation to proceed with rectification. After that they've been waiting for the parts to come in. Apparently for expensive or technically complex faults they have to go online with the MB technical centre before it can be authorised. I asked the service advisor how much it would have cost if it wasn't under warranty and he looked up the job record on the pc. Total costs booked to the job, inc diagnostics, parts, labour was a whopping £3010 .... and he believed there was still some labour to book!! No wonder MB insist on validating the repairs. Must be a little goldmine for the dealers booking his expensive manhours against warranty work.

Anyway the outcome is that the head unit and DVD player have been replaced under warranty and a new disc provided (2007 version 6.0). This seems to have more functionality than the old one (3.0) and presumably has up-to-date maps. It certainly has TMC enabled whereas the old one did not.

Overall a good result but if it had failed outside of the warranty then the costs would have been horrendous, I think I'd have had to leave it broken or got in touch with Alfie to see if it could be mended (or bought a Tom-Tom!)

P.S. In passing I mentioned that at least the COMAND would be covered for the next 12 months. Apparently not! Items replaced under warranty have the same period of warranty as the original item and do not come with their own warranty. He explained this as common practice across all retail items i.e domestic appliances etc. The warranty is there to ensure you have a fully working item throughout the orignal warranty period. I suppose it makes sense but was a surprise to me.[/LEFT]

 

[steve.link]

Brian,

Good result! - In my opinion this equipment is generally very reliable so you shouldn't have any more trouble. You must have been extremely unlucky to have both the head unit and navi DVD drive go faulty!

I wonder if the fault was diagnosed properly or did they simply change parts until it worked again?

Regards

 

[High-Lo]

Good result Brian - Well done

 

[BrianM]

Brian,

Good result! - In my opinion this equipment is generally very reliable so you shouldn't have any more trouble. You must have been extremely unlucky to have both the head unit and navi DVD drive go faulty!

I wonder if the fault was diagnosed properly or did they simply change parts until it worked again?

Regards

I was wondering that myself. According to the dealer they had to do extensive diagnostic tests to determine that the units needed changing and to convince MB to authorise it although they did mention trying in units from another car to prove it. Just hope I got the new units (suspicious )

Would have probably been cheaper just changing out the units in the first place!