DubVBenz

I was driving to work this morning, and the radio went into the "Updating stations" mode. The only time I've seen that before was when my subscription ran out and it kicked me back to the preview channel. This time, my subscription still has 5 months on it. While it was doing this, I was still able to listen to the channel I had it originally tuned to. Unfortunately, I drove into my parking garage before it quit. After 9 hours at work, I left the parking garage and it just stayed on the "Acquiring signal" for my 25 minute commute. I was still able to listen to channel it was stuck on , and I tried powering off the COMAND, switching to CD player, radio, etc. Everything else works fine except for the Sat, which just continues to show "Acquiring Signal" and play my one stuck channel.

So I'm still stuck in this mode. I tried sending a signal refresh per SirusXM's instructions, but that didn't seem to change anything. Anyone have an idea of how to force a reset or do anything else?

m103-w124

I had the same problem this morning, I thought they are having a promo week. But fortunately, after 10 hrs. of being stucked to one channel, my radio is back to normal

DubVBenz

Mine went back to saying I was unsubscribed this morning , I called and tried to send a refresh, but it didn't get there before I arrived at work. SiriusXM won't last beyond their first generation of Satellites, with mobile data networks becoming so fast, they're doomed, and it couldn't happen to a better company.

Barry45RPM

Search for "Problem with SDARS". Its a little lower down in the posts. It is over a year old, but was picked up again yesterday because the same problem still exists and people are still searching for a solution.

Look here: https://mbworld.org/forums/e-class-w...rs-sirius.html

Basicially this is how it happens:

1. Our Sat radio system was designed to handle about 140 stations.

2. When Sirius does a free preview week, they push thru about 160 stations free.

3. Our radios don't know where to place all that additional data so it puts it everywhere and it gags and locks up, displaying the freak out screen with your EIN and their phone number, and remains locked on the last station you were listening to.

4. Mercedes service departments claim they have never heard of this, so they blame it on Sirius. Sirius phone reps have never heard of this, so they blame it on a broken radio. MB service department will rip your car apart, pulling the headliner out, checking the antenna connections etc. according to their repair flow chart, and then the last thing on their list says to replace the radio. This usually happens after the free listening week is over and there are only 140 stations streaming to your radio so it knows how to present them without locking up... after Mercedes has wasted a ton of Tech time & warranty money. Not to mention tearing up my car. Most of the time the SDARS unit gets trashed/locked up permanently.

Supposedly Sirius has a software solution, but it has never been implemented.

I called MBUSA in NJ & politely explained that this problem has been going on for years, and it must cost them thousands, and they escalated it yesterday. I have since gotten a call from a higher up at Sirius who promised to solve the problem & call me back today.

That in a nutshell is the whole problem. Politely call MBUSA and explain the problem to them and ask for their help. If you explain the problem as above, they will know they know what you are talking about.

DubVBenz

Barry,

Thanks for the input. Can you keep us posted on what they say when they call you, and also share the number you called to explain the problem? I have one of the newer SDARS units (I had to purchase a replacement due the PO selling mine on ebay or something), so I would expect it has the last version of the firmware they released. In all honesty, it's out of a 2010 or so SLK, but the model number is exactly the same.


Edit: Also, can't we just call Sirius and explain to them NOT to authorize our ESN for this 160 channel free preview? I feel like that company is mickey mouse amateur hour.

DubVBenz

After going through the basic troubleshooting with Sirius, they sent me on to a higher tier of tech support. They explained that they did something that screwed up a lot of the factory radios in Mercedes a couple of days ago and they were trying to figure it out, but had no ETA on when it would be fixed. They told me that the missing days of service would be tacked onto the end of my contract. I'm getting the feeling they may have bricked several thousand radios at once, and this better not cost me money to fix..

Barry45RPM

They KNOW what they did.

DubVBenz

Yea, it sounds like they're not working on a fix, they're just waiting for the free preview to expire. So basically everytime they do a free preview for 1 month (about four time a year), my satellite radio won't work until it's over? This is the sort of thing that breeds lawsuits.

XXBogey

I have the exact same problem with my Sirius unit this week. M-B Dealer replaced the unit today and check all the circuits. . still doesn't work. And I lost the last working channel. Back to square one. Customer service at Sirius is
terrible, could nearly understand that they were saying. After 4 telecoms with customer service and two with the ,so called, tech reps. I just gave up....try again tomorrow..."Hope springs Eternal"

Barry45RPM

The reason you lost the "last channel listened to" is because they swapped you SDARS receiver out snd there was no channel last listened to, just the "prieview channel".

Yeah, the phone ops at Sirius know absolutely nothing other than how to read a script to hang onto a cancelling subscriber, or how to send an activation signal. Period.

I can't believe that they are not briefed on a massive screw up they continue to dump on MB owners over and over again... and I don't expect the radios to work properly again until the free listening period is over... and then many of our radios will be bricked & have to be swapped out.

Stupid, Stupid, Stupid... and incredibly poor service from Sirius.

pfphipps

I just got off the phone with the Sirius "support". I agree. I do not see how they could be more worthless! This time they denied there was a problem and would not escalate me to a higher level. I was promised that somebody from a higher level would call me but they never have in the past and I do not expect it now. How can a company like this stay in business?

I keep asking myself, "Is it time to cancel?"

Barry45RPM

That's what happens when they're the only game in town.

skippert

ANYONE GETTING A "NO SATELLITE SIGNAL" ON THEIR COMMAND SCREEN ?

DubVBenz

I've given up and will be cancelling my service.

skippert

Can anyone say LAWSUIT ?

Barry45RPM

Hang in there. I have reason to believe there will be a definitive resolution coming.

XXBogey

Come on....GIVE US A CLUE!!!!
THANKS!

skippert

anyone try to get on to the Cartronics site ?

skippert

They are SO full of "?:>(XM) I finally hung up after hearing the same ol' song and dance. I waited several weeks for the last fix, supposedly Cartronics was helping them come up with fix. Anyone have a number straight to the right person to talk to at Sirius ?

DanG2

Don't think they'll get much help from Cartronics. https://mbworld.org/forums/audio-ele...cs-closed.html

DubVBenz

Yea, I wish they were still open. I dragged my feet on buying their bluetooth module (which allows streaming of music for things like pandora), but now it's gone or selling for $400+ on eBay. Seemed like a solid company with a lot of R&D already invested, such a same that someone wasn't able to sustain it after the owner passed.

XXBogey

After 12 days of no service, a dealer radio replacement with no results, MY RADIO started working at approx. 1:30 EDT. Amazing!!! Here's hoping its permanent

pfphipps

Mine still is "acquiring", no change. Getting a little disgusted with this!

XXBogey

My radio started working @ 1:30 EDT. Lost all pre-sets with the replacement module, but able to tune all stations. Amazing, hope it continues to work.

XXBogey

So damn frustrating...I've had been an XM customer for over 6 years with never a problem with any vehicle. Sirius could learn a lesson from XM.