Hi Guys,

bear with me, here's the story!

I lived in the states the last two years, and bought my C350 (Aug, '08) with all the options possible in it (fully loaded I guess you guys call that...)
I shipped it back to Europe a few months ago. Went into the eng. menu and switched over to ECE mode: Worked like a charm! Stuff that was never there in the US config, was now available. Stuff like TMC (traffic) information, odd and even freq's for the radio, and a lot more cool but small things. Only thing not working was the Nav, because I didn't have the Euro maps in there!

To make a very long story short:

Went to the MB dealer, they said it wasn't possible, and that I had to buy a new Comand! Other option was shipping it to MB germany for 1500 Euro, they would flash it for me and it ''should'' work afterwards...
1500 Euro?! Yeah, let me think about it...No!
How about lending me a DVD to try it out? See if it works!
"No sir, we can't do that! You can try and buy a used one on internet!" ...

So I went searching on the internet, and found the 2010 Europe maps on Usenet. Now I know I shouldn't do stuff like that, but I was just curious if it would actually work!
Burned it on two DVD's (one DVD+R DL one DVD+R) using ImgBurn, speed 2,4x...and popped it in!

"Do you want to update map information?" Yes please!

It took about 80 min's total, and like 5 minutes for the first 1%...(so that kind off scared me, I thought it froze up on me!) It took so long because it even loaded all the menu languages, and speech data! Even all voice commands are loaded, and work perfectly!

So I'm a very happy camper! And moral of the stroy, don't buy in to everything the dealer tells you!

If u guys need any more info or help, just let me know! Hope this will help some others with the same problem!

 

If Dealers want to BS you then you gotta do what it takes to get the job done. Good Deal.

 

nice work!

take some pics of some of the differences between the two different types of software...interested to see what it looks like with everything activated.

 

I know right, but mainly I was just happy everything worked! Navigating traffic on your Iphone isn't that practical I can tell you!

I will! It's really cool how the TMC function works! It displayes all the traffic jams, and police checkpoints. Alerts you for traffic ahead, and with dynamic route it plans around known traffic jams! Awesome!

 

Would you know if the TMC function can be turned on by itself to work here in the US or is it part of the European functions only?

 

Well, I only know that it turned on when I switched it to ECE mode in the eng menu...You could try doing that(?!) I only got extra functions, haven't lost any!

Oh wait, no...I lost the XM mode on the Radio...we don't have that over here....So thats not an option...I'll have a look for you in the menu, see if I can find anything.

 

Wow, I'm excited I know what you mean about navigating in traffic with a iphone, I do the same sometimes with my blackberry! I bought a little nav system for the car, but I HATE having it stuck to my windshield and it takes like 5 minutes to find the satellites (Navigon) with my peugeot the nav system would be available in about 20 seconds so I'm excited to see how Comand turrns out. I posted somewhere before that it was definitely possible since Carlsson offered to do this for me, but I haven't been back yet since I turned it in last time.

 

Well, I hit a snag in the process.. it doesn't like my DVDs.. Time to fall back, regroup, and attack from a new plan. Though I am quite interested in the Update from USB option. That's how I like to do things.. Maybe I can just copy the DVD files onto a memory stick.. but where's the USB plug, the glove box?

 

OK so here's the snag, I hit system update with the disc in thinking it would well.. update, but apparently this isn't a system update disc and my comand isn't going to work until it gets one! Anyone know how to escape this hell, or do I need to take it to the dealership with my tail between my legs.

EDIT: Well I suppose this method would have worked all along. I took it to the dealership and they said to bring it back in the morning and they will do a system update to make the screen go away. Of course, all they have is the euro disk so problem solved. I get a Comand software update to the european version, which includes all the maps. Then when I get back to the States I have an excuse to get it updated again. A slight pain in the *** but a pocket full of win in my book!

 

In your position I would not call a dealership stupid if they did what you were after, irrespectively if you asked it.

And please don't tell anybody even at the internet that this happened, MB will make sure the engineering mode will be closed from owners' access.

Sorry about an off topic post.

 

Have you changed your DVD from NTSC to PAL in Eng?

 

The internet fails to deliver sarcasm once again. Yes I switched the region to ECE, which happened to automatically change the radio to ECE, and the playback to PAL. However, PAL playback isn't really necessary to use a european data dvd, only video dvds. I suppose the system update only uses the dvd region as a sanity check.

 

So is your car an 08 or an 09 model? I took mine into the dealership, and it would not update to the European version of the software, but they did get the annoying update screen to go away. They want me to come back next week, as they have ordered the updated US version software for my car. However, when I get my car home, I put in the DVD and it sat at 0% updating Gracenote database and Map data.. but then after about 3 minutes a screen comes on that says, Updating map data is not possible, ejecting DVD. Refer to your Owner's Manual for details and then it spits out the disc. Now when I click on Navi it has a box that says Insert Map update DVD disc 1. At least the radio and everything else still works unlike when it was stuck on the COMAND update screen but frack...

Also what exactly in the ENG mode did you change?

 

As per the original post, I just returned from MB dealership with successful outcome. Service tech and I sat in car together and we went into Eng mode and reset the region to Europe and they popped in the 1st DVD and then we were promopted if we wanted to update the SW. Did not do it as this will take 4 hours so will do so later this week. So it seems that once you enter Eng mode, change region, and then go into update screen you can use the MB DVDs to change over Nav system. Just need to let the car sit for 4 hours and load

 

Hi,
I have a question: I have C350 2008 US version in KZ (near to Russia). I've switched Region to ECE and now I can listen not only odd FM stations but even FM stations also! But I loose this beautiful old fashionable FM style.
My question can I flash EU Firmware version on US command? And does it let me back old style of FM?
And the last one where I can download it (ROM file with Firmware?) Because in our country Dealer of MB is very poor!! They don't know what is command software update!