Sports Coupe Outside Temperature Display

[niva441]

Hi all

I've just collected my new C220 Sport Coupe and am starting to get used to driving a decent car again. Just a couple of things have come to light and I'd like to change - the outside temperature display and using the steering wheel buttons to change radio stations.

I notice from an earlier post the outside temperature display has been discussed before.

http://forums.mercedesclub.org.uk/showthread.php?t=6474

I was wondering if anyone had any success in changing this as I find the KM display both useless and unreadable. Also as it seems I don't have an ice warning the permanently displayed temperature would useful (just like my old W202). Changing the display is seems even more useful to me when I looked at the manual and saw that if the temperature is in the status line, the KM speedo is displayed large and legibly in the larger display area, so it's an all round improvement.

The other question about changing radio stations using the steering wheel buttons, is it possible to reconfigure the buttons to change between presets, rather than scanning? It seems strange to me that every other car I have driven with remote radio controls uses them to both scan and change presets. However the W203 only allows scanning, which I find is frequently the less useful option.

Thenks for your time.

Todd

 

[piestore]

kph display

HI

It can be changed but it takes the vehicle outside Euro regulation at any one time MPH and KPH MUST be displayed

 

[niva441]

I'm not totally surprised it's something like that, although the usefulness of the regulations is reduced as I found drivng back from the factory, reading the KM display took a definate effort and amount of time looking away from the road. It would have been easier with the other display enabled.

Still I suppose styling are happy with the clean uncluttered look of the dials. Funny that you don't miss something until it's gone.

At least it is possible to change it, all I need to do it get the dealer to understand that,

 

[niva441]

Took the car to the dealer on Friday. Although they tried several different settings the closest they got was to have the displays enabled, but the speedo apparently worked in km/h. According to the Technician the speedos work differently when working in km/h to mph, so I'm back to the standard settings.

I think a call to MB is next as, in addition to wanting a permanent temperature reading, I find it dangerous trying to read the km/h display.

Has anyone else had this sorted?

Thanks

Todd

 

[jberks]

Not certain about the C, but the E has the option to display the MPH in big numbers as the main readout on the display and by changing the settings for the computer from Imperial to Metric I suspect this would pop up in KPH whilst leaving the needle unchanged on MPH.

MB/Dealer etc won't remove the KPH readout at the bottom as this would make the car illegal. Its small enough to ignore anyway. I would be amazed if they could replace it with anything else anyway as I don't imagine the software will have been programmed with this in mind.

 

[niva441]

MB/Dealer etc won't remove the KPH readout at the bottom as this would make the car illegal. Its small enough to ignore anyway. I would be amazed if they could replace it with anything else anyway as I don't imagine the software will have been programmed with this in mind.

Ordinarily I would ingore it (as I wrote previously it isn't very readable), unfortunately, as became immedately apparent when collecting it from the factory, the km/h reading is quite useful on the continent. My problem with the display is that although they conform to the letter of the law having a km/h display. It doesn't conform to the spirit as it takes a definate effort and focusing away from the road to read.

The capability must be there as looking through the UK manual the displays are shown, but annoted as not possible on UK spec vehicles. Are they just on a wind-up?

 

[television]

Ordinarily I would ingore it (as I wrote previously it isn't very readable), unfortunately, as became immedately apparent when collecting it from the factory, the km/h reading is quite useful on the continent. My problem with the display is that although they conform to the letter of the law having a km/h display. It doesn't conform to the spirit as it takes a definate effort and focusing away from the road to read.

The capability must be there as looking through the UK manual the displays are shown, but annoted as not possible on UK spec vehicles. Are they just on a wind-up?

After living in Sweden 15 years using both MPH & KMH I learnt the main conversions, ie, 50km = 30 mph, 65 = 40, 80 = 50 and 110 = 70.

malcolm

 

[jberks]

Do you not have the facility to pull up the speed as the main central readout? I would assume that this can easily be changed to KPH from the menu's. I'll give it a try on the way home but that would only prove it on a 211.

 

[niva441]

No, that is specifically disallowed on UK spec C class. Hence why the small lower speed display is fixed to km/h. But temperature can be displayed on the main screen.

Unfortunate as the capability is there to make the system really useful, but it's artificially restricted.

 

[jberks]

Odd - I tried it on the way home and had a big digital KPH readout in the middle of the dash within a few button presses with no problem. I still have the smaller one at the bottom, but like you, I feel that's too small to use practically.
I wonder why they've not allowed the same capability on the C.

 

[niva441]

I suppose it's because I've been a cheapskate buying a C, not an E

 

[Blobcat]

I suppose it's because I've been a cheapskate buying a C, not an E

I wouldn't say that, you can spend about the same on a C as you can on an E.
I find little things like the KPH/Temperature issue really can become a thorn in your side. If there are companies out there that can unlock Command TV's and the like maybe they can reprogram your dash.

 

[niva441]

Yes I probably could have bought an E for less, amazing, particularly as mine is the 'cheaper' hatchback.

I'm going to have another try with the dealer and next it's talking to MB direct (no idea how that will go).

Next step is alternative companies.

Discussing it on another forum it is possible, but apparently a password is required to unlock the full reprogramming functionality of the Star diagnostics.

 

[niva441]

Despite the dealers efforts to fob me off it is possible.

My status line now reads temperature (useful all the time) and the main display can be selected to speed, in kph when the cluster units are set to km. So I've now got a more legible km speed display when required.

The analogue speedo always reads in mph regardless of setting.

 

[Flukez]

A late additional reply to this thread:
My e class displayed outside temp in the small display area and MPH or temp in the large digital area until it had a command APS dvd software upgrade and it now has a display like yours, I've no idea why this should have changed but it has to go back to MB for another command problem so I'm hoping they will put it back as it was and I'm certain if they can change it on mine they could do it on yours.

 

[niva441]

I fortunately managed to find a guy through another forum who knows more about STAR diagnostics than the dealers. It's a bit of a hobby for him. I just hope the dealer never needs to mess with the settings.

He also configured the car to auto fold the mirrors on locking, display gallons left on the fuel range display and a couple of other useful thing that Mercedes decided to leave locked away in the system.

 

[Rory]

niva441 - sent you a PM.

 

[niva441]

Just had a thought on the problem of getting your local dealer to disable the UK variant mode.

My local dealer couldn't revise the dash settings as they needed a password from MB. However, if you requested they activate the Auto folding mirrors on locking, MB could probably supply the password to do this. The hidden parts of the system required to activate this are at the same level as the settings to change the UK mode and Status line settings.

So you could ask them to activate auto mirror folding and then whilst they're in there ask them to sort out all the other settings.

I was originally going to suggest asking the dealer to do this with Tyre Pressure Monitoring System, as this is available as factory fit, but all the coding is present in the car ready and waiting to be activated. However I remembered that my dealer was able to enable this without the password.

 

[Courtman]

Hi Niva441

Sorry to drag up an old thread, but as a new owner of a Mercedes B180 CDI I'd be interested to know how to change the status line as well.

I think its crazy that the km/h reading is always on the status line. I'd like to have the temperature gauge there all the time - as you say its far more useful - and the km/h reading available to select on the main display when required (rarely if ever in my case).

I'd be grateful if you could advise how I can adjust my B-Class display to the settings, thanks in advance for your help!

Regards,
Adrian
(-:

 

[niva441]

Simple

Have a word with Richard or Alfie at COMAND.co.uk, it's a straightforward job for them to reconfigure the cluster and remove the block. Plus they can open up whatever other features that may be hidden.