3Diamond

This is a two part thread. I wish to warn persons regarding the misrepresentation of the Mbarce product. I was informed by embrace of all the nice features that would work with my 2007 E350. Oh joy if it were only true and so i switched from Tele-aid.

Currently the search and send feature is nonfunctional. The door lock feature is also non functional. I have spoken with embrace 4 times and USA MB twice. Thanks for all the concern and apologies guys but I purchased a product and want it to work. Is this to much to ask for?

By the way, they promised me a welcome package. It is a sorry case when a company can not even drop a package into the post.

This is just one more issue with MB. It will be a cold day you know where before I purchase another Mercedes.

Now the technical issue: Since the Teleaid to Mbrace switch the key fob no longer works with the driver’s door. It functions with all other doors and the trunk. I have installed new batteries to no avail. I have tried my second fob and receive the same results. I have made yet another appointment at the dealership. Has anyone seen / experienced this before? Any insight or hint I can pass to the dealer would be appreciated. I think they clicked some setting etc and I possibly lost the functionality?

220S

fwiw, I decided to go with TeleAid instead of MBrace. ATX has been around for a long time (they're still the contract telematics company for BMW and Rolls Royce.) Basically, MBrace didn't offer me anything better than what TeleAid had to offer, and Teleaid even made me a better deal.

On the other hand, don't blame MB for the MBrace issues. It's just a contract company. It's also the first year of the switch, so no doubt certain issues will appear and need to be fixed.

Just take the car back to the dealer and they'll get your key fob issue figured out. It's a pain, I realize, but they'll fix it. Sh*t happens.

amdeutsch

Thanx

I just got a letter from MBUSA on mbrace inviting me to go to the stealer for a free upgrade to it. lol

Barry45RPM

I find MBrace better than TeleAid. They answer the phone faster and there is far less time on hold. I too have a 2007, and there are different areas on the MB website with conflicting info. The MBrace operators are not as familliar with all of the MB cars they serve... there are some points of confusion. This is MB USAs fault.

However... I know for sure that in the maze of literature available on line it is specifically stated that for downloading destinations to your NAV, your car's NAV must be integrated IN DASH. Our cars do not have this. Our NAVs are in the trunk. Therefore search & send is not applicable to E classes prior to 2009 MY.

Elsewhere on the site is also specifically stated that remote UNLOCK will work when initiated by MBrace, but remote LOCK only will work on 2009+ vehicles, again due to the in dash electronics. They do not state model years for exclusions, they infer compatibility by specifying what type of equipment must be factory installed in your E Class. It IS a little vague if you are not completely familiar with what is installed in your car's "entertainment/NAV systems"

I know, there were earlier and later versions of the promotional reading material on line, and that they are revising it along the way. Hell, most people never knew that if you switched to MBrace before 12/21/09, you paid one fee for a lifetime subscription for the current car with the ability to transfer the lifetime subscription to another new vehicle if it were done within 1 year. (I heard about it here & switched 60 days early to get this).

Soon all MBs will be on MBrace as MBUSA is NOT going forward with Teleaid promotion or subscriptions. As the contracts lapse, it will cease to function. The software update done to the car simply gave the car a new cellular phone number so TeleAid can not call the car, and gave it instructions to dial out to MBrace's phone numbers... thats all. The fact that your car is acting up is coincidental, and frankly not unexpected for MB electronics. (My SAT radio just freaked out & said "No subscription" & Sirius couldn't reactivate it after repeated attempts... it needed a software update after over 3 years of perfect performance).

Thats, the fact.... you weren't screwed. You will get a "welcome" package. Mine came 3 weeks ago after signing on in December... Its little more than the online & Showroom brochure. It SHOULD be a little more slick & "welcoming". I guess they are learning as they go. They should have had a longer "soft Launch".

gaazmon

that sucks. hope they fix everything and give you some form of compensation too (good luck with the latter part though).

220S

That special deal is the big (and perhaps really the only) reason for customers to have gone over to MBrace with existing MB cars. MBrace did that to be sure to grab TeleAid customers whose contracts were ending. What MB doesn't tell you is that Hughes Telematics paid them $40 million to get the contract. MB doesn't care if it's TeleAid or Mbrace or FuzzyWarmAid, as they have nothing to do with the service itself. They just like lucrative contracts that pay good cash.

Anyone can stay with Teleaid for as long as they wish. It will only cease to function if you cancel the service. Teleaid pioneered telematics and MBrace just started getting into it a couple of years ago. It's the consumer's choice. And TeleAid is cutting really good deals right now on renewals.

MBrace and MB are somewhat misleading owners. They are making it sound as though TeleAid is going out of business. This isn't true. TeleAid is also BMW Assist. And TeleAid is offering the same services (if you have a 2009 model) at a lower yearly cost (except for that earlier special MBrace deal.)

You're right. That's all the "software update" was about. The wrench icon, the info icon and SOS still work identically whether it's MBrace or TeleAid. You just need a new number (and your VIN so they know the car you own.)

They sure are. I'm assuming you read all the horror stories on SLKWorld and here on the S Class boards. MBrace is new to the business. They will be stumbling along for a while until they get it figured out (and hopefully not at the expense of someone in an accident.)

Anyway, the bottom line is choose which company you're comfortable with. That lifetime charge was a good incentive to go with MBrace. But now that's over. TeleAid's pricing is competitive, and MBrace is now getting contracts from all new MBs that are being sold, so they're beginning to get a return on their investment and no longer need to compete price-wise or service-wise.

TeleAid is developing new services for BMWs. However as those new services appear, they will most likely not work on all existing MB hardware. But the same goes with MBrace, as owners of pre-2009 models can attest. As new services come on board, you'll need a new MB and/or new smart phone to use them. Dat's bidness.

vettdvr

I won't pay for any of them.

During Katrina evacuation we were rear ended, the air bags didn't go off. In all the difficulty of being in the evacuation Telaid gave extremely poor service and was insulting after a 30 minute wait for them to answer.

I cnx. the service and will never use them again. Four weeks AFTER Katrina telaid sent out a notice the Katrina area people would be given priority. A little like closing the barn door after the horse is out.

I can provide details off line. But I was not impressed with the service.

Barry45RPM

Neither service is a "must have" nor is either extremely usefull... I fugure much like a fire extinguisher, they cost money, hang around, promise vast amounts of "peace of mind", are not overworked, and are only great to have the very few times they are the only thing that will do.

If you figure out their cost per use, they are all overpriced. As for long delays during an overwhelming emergency such as Katrina, everything was overwhelmed during that disaster. BTW... TeleAid is notorious for long waits for an operator. MBrace waits are much, much shorter.

PS... NOW that there is competition, TeleAid's prices are better?

220S

Neither service is ideal. You hear horror stories with both. People in the S Class forums claim that the MBrace operators don't even know what kind of cars they are driving. One person got in an accident (airbags deployed) with no reply whatsoever and went back to using TeleAid. Who knows how MBrace would have handled a major disaster failure like Katrina.

It's just like some people have good service with one cell phone provider while others don't. Which is better: Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, etc., etc.. MB didn't switch to MBrace because of TeleAid complaints. They switched because of $$$. We'll have to see over time how well MBrace does, but the contract is signed and MB is with them now.

But what some people still don't realize is that MB has nothing to do with the service. It's simply a contract company. OnStar, TeleAid, MBrace, they're all really the same in the end. No telematics company's services may be worth the cost. They sell well because of the "safety" features in mind; it's all up to the consumer to use one company over another. Or none at all.

edit: Barry, yeah, TeleAid offered me a better subscription price than MBrace. I haven't yet taken them up on it (I have a 2009 that came with a free year of TeleAid.) Competition will/could make both services competitive and more efficient. However, because of the contracts, car manufacturers (i.e., MB) don't inform you that you could still choose either company. So, MBrace becomes a monopoly of sorts just like TeleAid was. In an ideal world we should all be able to choose any telematics company despite brand of car.

Barry45RPM

Actually, GMs Onstar is the best overall between answering time, helpfullness, knowledge, etc. Its really too bad we can't subscribe to thet service. Acura offered it for a few years but doesn't any more for whatever reason.

Just like the printed Yellow Pages, there are too many publishers of them in each area, none of them has complete listings anymore because merchants go to the one with the lowest ad rates when they need to book an ad, and as a result, their usefullness and use has been severely diminished... one really good telematics operator would be the best scenario.

3Diamond

Well last Friday I decided that I would swing by my local dealer and have a chat regarding the issues plaguing my MB for the past month. My intent was good, though unfortunately my MB had other plans. It took me over two hours to gain access to the car. It is a 2007 e-class with RFID keyless entry. It has been acting up since the switch to mbrace. I attempted to open the door by pulling on the door handle and the car would beep and the locks would stay down. This was happening on all doors. Even the little hide a key would not open the door. I guess everything is wires now?. In any case as I stood away from the car talking to a neighbor the locks began to cycle up and down on their own. I grabbed the handle and opened the door. I drove straight to the dealer, locked the car (this took a while as it also does not like to lock anymore) and spoke with my service advisor. He had never heard of this issue though he appeased me and brought out the service manager. We talked about the situation and eventually went out to the car. Surprise he could not get into the car. I had to laugh but in a sad way. He eventual got the door to open and took the car into the shop to read a "go" code. No codes were available, everything checked out. He said he would research the issue and speak with mbrace and see if there was a technical issue.
Well Monday mbrace canceled the service (not me) after I complained and complained and complained about the issues. I have not received a credit back, no resolution, no reinstating of Teleaid and no telephone call to me as they said their executive rep would call me. Very poor communication and service by mbrace I must say.

Well guess what, the locks all work fine now that the mbrace account is closed. They lock, unlock perfectly oh glorious day. This little incident with mbarce and their abrupt cancellation of the service contract proved that their service was faulty in my mind. I am not sure how but everything is working back to normal.

Now to get my money back, my remaining 9 months of Teleaid contract reinstated and one big apology from mbrace.

vettdvr

And now you know why I turned off my Teleaid and won't use it!

jlc740

After registering for the Mbrace 90 day free trial, the following morning my car would not start, by evening the battery was completely drained - no lights inside or out, car doors would not lock, etc. I should mention that when I purchased my 2010 E350 two months ago, it came with a new battery. Has anyone experienced this type of problem?
When I signed up, I called first and they told me I had to sign up by pressing the Roadside Assistance button inside the car, which I did. I was on the call for nearly 40 minutes. (Upselling me on their crappy program!)
After my car would not start, I pressed the Roadside Assistance and SOS button and received no response. I then called, the first lady I spoke with, "Alice", informed me that Mbrace no longer offered Roadside Assistance. She explained Mbrace had changed some of its services in 2013 and doing away with Roadside Assistance was one of them. However, she agreed to offer me a one time complimentary service and would dispatch a tech to my home. WHAT????
I told her I had just agreed to pay $420 two days ago for a two year Mbrace subscription. I then requested to cancel the service due to the misrepresentation. She then transferred me to "Stacey". Stacey stated she had no idea what "Alice" was talking about because I did have Roadside Assistance, although, I would have to pay for each call. What a joke! Then mysteriously, the call was dropped! I will be calling back tomorrow to cancel.
Hopefully, I won't need an Act of Congress to get this done.