Got a merc with 3g/UMTS and use Mercedes ME app ?

[anyweb]

hi,
my car is a 2017 C400, which has some nice features such as the ability to lock my doors (or open them) remotely. In addition to that I can start/stop the auxilliary heater to warm/cool the car before heading off, this is a great feature in the winter months here in Sweden. However, I just noticed the auxilliary heater button has vanished from my Mercedes Me app, at first I thought it was because I changed my iphone from an iphone 11, to an iphone 13, but no. Next, I thought it was my subscription had run out, so i checked the Mercedes store and to my shock, none of the remote features were available to buy any more (aside from remote parking). It did offer me Navigation packet and 360 guard however.

But again, where is my ability to 'lock' the car using the app, gone. Where is the ability to remotely turn on the heating/cooling in the app. Gone.

So I called Mercedes support and was told that due to Sweden deregulating 3G services, they are no longer offering those services. This got me irritated right away, I mean these features are part of what makes the car cool, now they are effectively removed from my car. I asked to raise a ticket (complaint) and that is underway.

So my thoughts here are if this is so then why...

* does my phone still notify me if i leave the car unlocked, and when i click on the notification (which asks me do I want to lock the car) it takes me to the app, but no lock button appears
* why am I offered a 3 year plan at a crazy price to upgrade the navigation, surely that too uses the very same 3g/UMTS system., so isn't that also to be removed ?
* why can i see all the usual details in the Mercedes Me app such as car locked/unlocked/air pressure in the tires/mileage if the 3G system is not going to be used

none of this makes sense

does anyone in the UK have this same issue ? and if so, what are you going to do about it ? will Mercedes or a third party offer a 4G upgrade to continue using these features ?

 

[sl500amgsport]

In the UK all 3g mobile data is in the process of being withdrawn as EOL.

I guess car makers will insist we all upgrade our cars!

Sent from my SM-G988B using Tapatalk

 

[Srdl]

Yes, its a problem here too. Mercedes have said that there is no upgrade. See this thread:

Mercedes Me turned off for pre 2020 vehicles

My GLC had Mercedes Me full funcionality. It was great, being able to lock/open doors etc. Then it was up for renewal after the 3 year period. I tried to go to the store to renew but it had 'disappeared' and it was on the same day my car was in getting a new NoX sensor fitted so I though the MB...

forums.mercedesclub.org.uk

I'm lucky because mine has 4G/LTE and I seem to have just got a car with the updated comms module.

 

[Srdl]

I suspect you are seeing some info but not able to use all the services because your 3G is still working, at the moment, but Mercedes, in their wisdom, have decided now is the time to remove certain functionality. I don't have your navigation system but don't online updates need your phone for the data download (rather than the car's inbuilt SIM card)?

 

[anyweb]

not sure to be honest, but i'm also pretty ****ed off, this is a complete rip off, removing features from a car that is not EOL...
lets hope some smart people come up with a 4g adapter (like the usb carplay adaptor) that can solve this...

 

[anyweb]

this is still annoying the **** out of me, I used the remote heating option very often during the winter so loosing that ability sucks majorly,
I've done some googling and found this

T-Mobile 4G Adapter

obd-guide.cloud.sdp.prod.iot.sprint.com

has anyone tried it ? will it work in Europe ?

 

[anyweb]

nevermind, seems that adaptor is for dodge/ram and other american cars

 

[lLenaMH]

I've just had the same problem this last week. My response was:

Following further investigations, we have been informed by our technical department that, since January 2023 the Network Operators all over UK have shutdown the 3G connectivity and our vehicles have been affected by this decision.
Vehicles are now falling back on a 2G Network where bigger transfers of data are not possible and therefore, the Remote Package won't be available anymore for different car generations similar to your vehicle's.
We apologize for the inconvenience this may cause you.

With regard to the Navigation package and 360 Guard, that did not make sense to me either so I tried to put them in my basket and then I got the same message that these were not compatible with my vehicle.

I has asked what happens as far as security and having an active tracker that will be acceptable to my insurance company. No response as yet.
Does anyone know on here?

 

[Srdl]

Does your insurance company actually require a tracker for your B Class?

 

[lLenaMH]

Does your insurance company actually require a tracker for your B Class?

Its not compulsory but it does reduce the cost of my policy.

 

[V6Matty]

Its not compulsory but it does reduce the cost of my policy.

The Mercedes me isn’t a tracker approved by the insurance industry so you wouldn’t have had any saving there I’m afraid

 

[CaboSteve]

Same here - just noticed that I was unable to lock the car remotely on the Me app - looked everywhere on the app and online to find a solution and then called Mercedes Me support which told me the same thing - it has been disabled because of 3G turn-down in the UK! Somehow I feel this is a withdrawal of a paid for service and should be remedied - has anyone tried calling their dealer - I am going to in the morning and see what they say! Unacceptable.

 

[Blobcat]

Same here - just noticed that I was unable to lock the car remotely on the Me app - looked everywhere on the app and online to find a solution and then called Mercedes Me support which told me the same thing - it has been disabled because of 3G turn-down in the UK! Somehow I feel this is a withdrawal of a paid for service and should be remedied - has anyone tried calling their dealer - I am going to in the morning and see what they say! Unacceptable.

They’ll advise you to lease a new car and stop being a peasant… don’t you realise you can only save the world by leasing a new car every 2-3 years…

 

[anyweb]

I've heard that BMW users have figured out how to solve it by replacing the 3g unit with a 4g one, see here
why are we not doing the same thing ?

 

[Srdl]

If anyone can do this it’s the guys at Comand Online. They have done some amazing development work in the past. I suppose it depends on whether the income potential makes it worthwhile to do the initial investigations.

Why don’t one of you ask (I’m lucky mine has the 4G unit fitted)?

Catalog

We have the parts you need to upgrade & update your Mercedes In-Car Entertainment Systems. We provide Genuine Mercedes map updates (and map updates for more than just Mercedes), Reversing Camera, Phone & Bluetooth solutions, iPod integration, Sat-Nav retrofit parts and much more for you to...

www.commandonline.co.uk

 

[anyweb]

update, i've found a setting in Climate Control in Comand which allows you to configure up to three times where the car heater will start, and you can enable or disable all or some of them for the week or following day,
so while it's defintely not ideal, this is how I'll heat my car up in the winter prior to driving to work, in other words, the day before i'll enable the car heater to heat the car for 15-30 minutes prior to my departure via the menu in Comand. I'll take some photos later and post them here for your reference.

 

[anyweb]

here are the photos, my Comand is in Swedish but I think you can get the idea, to use this, do the following steps the day BEFORE you want the heat to warm your car...

step 1. select Car
step 2. select climate control
step 3. select parking warmer
step 4. turn on or off a pre-selected time, or edit one (or all of them) to suit a better time

after your trip, don't forget to turn it Off otherwise it'll try to warm your car every morning at the pre-selected time

 

[Richard Almeida]

We (Comand Europe / Comand Online) can now upgrade the Hermes 3G vehicles to work with 4G properly See https://www.uniquecarsound.com/2024/01/mercedes-me-3g-to-4g-upgrade/ - if you contact us with your VIN we'll check if / how much !

 

[Nellsis]

Same here - just noticed that I was unable to lock the car remotely on the Me app - looked everywhere on the app and online to find a solution and then called Mercedes Me support which told me the same thing - it has been disabled because of 3G turn-down in the UK! Somehow I feel this is a withdrawal of a paid for service and should be remedied - has anyone tried calling their dealer - I am going to in the morning and see what they say! Unacceptable.

My workshop told that in Sweden there is an offer for monthly subscriptions until end of 3G. I don't have that offer for my 2017 model but my friend with his 2018 has it.... This is one more thing adding on to the huge dissapoinment and also makes me really p*****d off.

 

[anyweb]

My workshop told that in Sweden there is an offer for monthly subscriptions until end of 3G. I don't have that offer for my 2017 model but my friend with his 2018 has it.... This is one more thing adding on to the huge dissapoinment and also makes me really p*****d off.

i totally agree that this is a disappointment, i'm guessing your friend with 2018 model actually has 4g, it'll be visible on his comand screen (3G or 4G)