Tom Kassab

Ok guys, I just installed a Comand 2.0 into my 2000 E320 4 Matic Wagon. The install went pretty good - the radio works fine, the steering wheel controls control the volume and change the stations just fine. The phone (V60) and the CD Changer are no longer working - which was to be expected - this will need to be programmed by the dealer - the problem I'm having is the volume control on the unit itself, first was not working at all - then I found by pressing it in and turning it it would work. A little while later, it would work normally. Then a little while later it would not work at all! I then did a system reset (Depress the 1,3 and mute while on the radio) and it started working for a few minutes then stopped. The navigation map was moving as I drove, however there was no accuracy whatsoever. I stopped and manually programmed my location and that still did not help - the message on the display says 00 sat ?? Not sure what that means? I took it to the dealer - they could not get there computer to talk to it at all - I'm going to talk to the tech tomorrow - What do you guys think? The head unit is bad? If so, where can I send it to for repair? Any help would be appreciated!

scorchie

A question: why is the phone and changer not working to be expected, and what could the dealer program to make it work? The reason I ask is because I've had 3 COMANDs installed in my cars, plus seen at least 10-15 more, and in every case, the CD changer would work afterwards. In the cases where phones existed, it would work afterwards. And adding a new phone, it works fine. The only programming I know of is to make the phone option show up in the CLUSTER screen... but it doesn't affect the COMAND.

The way the D2B works is that when the wakeup line goes high, each device on the bus must announce itself, and the controlling unit then knows about it. So if your system comes up without peripherals, doing a cold boot usually causes the missing items to be found.

Also, after doing a system reset, I've seen the cluster get out of whack, and it requires disconnectint power to the cluster for 10-20 minutes before it comes back to default state. Again, this is the cluster and doesn't affect the COMAND.

-s-

Tom Kassab

I was told by oneof the members that when it goes to the dealer for ptrogramming that they will have to tell it which options are installed - everything worked fine before the Comand was installed - I will pull the fuse tonight and do a system reset - Also weird was this morning when I got in the car before I put the key in the ignition, I could here the cooling fan running on theComand - Weird!

Tom Kassab

Ok, when I got back in the car the fan was running with everything else off in the car - same as this morning - I then removed the fuse and waited 10 minutes - re-installed the fuse and the volume control worked great..... I went into diagnostics on the unit an the phone and CD Wakeups looked good and the boxes were checked off. Then I cycled the ignition swich and all of a sudden the volume contol stopped working, I went into diagnostics again and found none of the boxes were checked off! I'm thinking I have a bad Comand unit. Any ideas on who can repair it?

MBenzNL

I answered your problems in the W210 section...everything you mentioned is most probably due to installation failures.

The FAN is supposed to run...it runs after you turn off the ignition and it runs when you enter the car BUT DON"T BE AFRAID; it doe'sn't run all night.

As soon as you open your drivers door, the fan starts running...it reacts to the doorswitch just like the dashcluster illumination...NOTHINGH TO WORRY ABOUT.

greetingz,

Lynn

Fan? Damn, what a disappointment. I thought it was a gyroscope spinning up. A gyro and the speed signal would make an inertial nav system for when the COMAND looses lock on the GPS satellites.

scorchie

It does have a gyro and uses INS. INS is used primarily before dead reckoning (others think the dead reckoning is used more often, but I am pretty sure it is not... that wouldn't make sense).

One day while I was observing MBenzNL perform his magic, I was playing with my ML MCS... holding it in my hands, and rocking it back and forth, I watched the map rotate on the screen. A true demonstration of gyroscopic principles if I've ever seen one!

-s-

Tom Kassab

Steve: Here is how the plugs are configured:

*** Small Plug: Pin 5=Brown; Pin 6=Black; All other positions on the small plug are empty;

*** Big Plug A: Pin 2=Gray; Pin 3=Yellow/Black; Pin 4=Red/White; Pin 5=Blue/White; Pin 8=Brown; Plug B: Pin 1=Black/Violet; Pin 2=Black/Yellow; Pin 3=Yellow/Black; Pin 4=Yellow/Brown; Pin 5=Green; Pin 6=Yellow; Pin 7=Brown/Red; Pin 8=Brown; All other positions on the plug are empty;

*** Big Plug C: Pin 6=Speed Sensor from RH Kick Panel; Pin 8=Brown; Pin 9=Brown/Red; Pin 10=Blue/Black; All other positions on the plug are empty;

The GPS Antenna is connected to the Tele-Aid antenna on the roof via splitter - however we are not getting a signal - I have a aftermarket antenna coming to check this problem out.