So i got a fully loaded c250 coupe

when i go to the phone option on the dash
there is a place that says 'Text Message' but it is shadowed out so i can not click on it and when i scroll to it, it just gets scrolled over

how do i enable to text message with it?
and import contacts from my iPhone on it


is there other cool features i should also enable that aren't too obvious

my car is the Top of the top of the line c250 coupe, with AMG and every single package on it. Silver with red interior and even has spoilers on it installed since it is a tribute package (only 5 released in SoCal)

tell me some cool tricks on the car i should do

thanks so much!

 

the text feature is phone dependent. It will only display incoming texts and not allow you to send via the system. I get my texts on my HTC Evo 3d through the system, kinda nice to not have to pull the phone out of my pocket to see a text, but I have to use the phone to respond.

 

There is a member here who's wife has the C250 and text messages through a Blacberry Torch. You are at an extreme disadvantage with the iPhone. Get a Blackberry or Droid. Your dealer sould have told you about this.

Wayne

 

As far as the iphone goes if you have an iphone 4 it will download the phonebook automatically. You don't have to download it manually as I thought when I first got the car. The text message thing is something that I don't think will work with the iphone. But in the end you have a phone that is better than most others so its a give and take situation

 

G'Day Sako94 congrats on your C250

I also have a fully loaded C250 on the way, so I'm going to keep a close eye this thread certainly also wanting to know about and how to best use all the features

 

Again, if your phone is capable, your dealer should have done these things for you. Our delivery lady loaded our contacts from both phones.

Wayne

 

Not everyone got their car from a dealership. Not every dealer will be so accommodating.

 

Cool tricks:
Cruise control-bump up or down in 1 & 5 mph increments.
If you have the cable, iPods & iPhones connect to the audio system.
Passenger side mirror: program to tilt down and show curb in reverse.
Teach the voice control to understand you.
Squirt the windshield washer 10 times for headlight washing. Dumb not cool.
Drain the transmission and torque converter at 39k miles or less.
Read the manuals.
Read this forum. The Apple phone woes and workarounds are everywhere.
Bump and release the turn signal stalk for 3 flahes in either direction. For lane changes. If you signal them.
Does the C250 have the window open/close feature from outside the car? Cool feature.
No Doubt there are more. Poke around.

Wayne

 

New special order cars should have come from a dealer. If you take delivery from a dealer who tosses you the keys and waves bye-bye report them to MBUSA and don't go back.

Wayne

 

I don't think he got his car by special order. Personally speaking, I didn't pick my car up from a dealer.

 

Where is the mirror tilt for reverse?

 

The instructions are in the manual. Follow the sequence of button pressings. When set up right, the passenger mirror tilts down to the position you set it for when you shift to Reverse. It returns to normal 10 seconds after shifting to Drive. I hope it helps.

Wayne

 

awesome! I will check it out in the morning!

 

I have a droid and an iphone to play with so have been able to compare. So far:

Iphone:
- Contacts autosync, give it time it'll just work it out, time dependent on number of contacts.
- AU (at least) cars come with the media interface, at least with the vision pack, which includes iphone, regular USB (in addition to the other USB port in the glove box) and a 3.5mm female adapter for the "media interface"
- Iphone doesn't work with command online without installing a third party app that also requires jail-broken phones (MB to fix later in 2012)
- Album art, playlists etc all work no issue from ipod side of phone
- SMS commands "not available"


Android
- Have to request a "business card import" from the android, then go to the droid screen to accept the car as a trusted source/destination. (suggest click always allow) imports at that point all items including address details etc which can be used by NAV (even tomtom doesn't do this!)
- Command online works with Samsung Galaxy S no issue, just dials up but is slower than phone is capable of due to the way the MB software connects, should be better at the end of the year with an upgrade to MB software
- Voice command "read messages" works no issue, if you store all your old texts however it will replay the entire conversation, suggest you clear out your phone before using this feature. (essentially the car reads back text messages to you)
- Bluetooth audio streaming works without issue, saves you from plugging in, MB software can only start/stop the audio track however. Need to test more, looks like it may skip tracks but could be dependent on app on the phone.



General
- Fat32 formatted USB keys work well, note limit of 4gb per folder and some issues when trying to access larger than 32gb usb cards
- Can copy content from usb to 10gb folder
- USB, HDD both work for voice search function when looking for music tracks (haven't tried other sources yet)
- Google "local search" works in AU (and very well from what i can tell) but requires command online and therefore a mobile that you can use.
- Voice prompts work without customisation and well from what I have tried so far, however not at all on the command online portion of the interface, and natural language not supported in AU right now ie, you need to spell out suburb or street names rather than saying "richmond" for example. Fix coming later this year (apparently)
- Most natural commands work no issue, eg "find nearest filling station" will present a list of petrol stations nearby. hard part is remembering all the short cut voice commands.
- Traffic info from SUNA traffic best part is if you set a destination it will filter out the list and only play back info that will affect your journey
- Track playing information off of the radio all there as you would expect (for stations that broadcast this)

 

Have anyone tried plugging iPod with video and playback on the dash screen? Mine keep saying "In order not to distract bla bla bla"... Screen faded out.

 

Is the car in Park? DVDs play when the car is in park. If the iPod doesn't play in Park, it doesn't play.

Wayne

 

DVD has the same screen too. Pop a DVD, audio is playing at the background but the screen says "In order not to distract bla bla". I'm at PARK mode.

 

Interesting. My 2012 GLK plays DVDs just fine. But my system is very different than the 2012 C250. Which makes me very annoyed. I hate the M-B trickle out policy on new stuff.

Wayne

 

I read somewhere that you have to have the parking brake on in addition to having the car in park. Do you want to try that?

 

Tried with brakes as well. Got the same thing.

 

Have you tried with the engine off? The morning that I tried a DVD in our GLK for about 30 seconds the engine may have been off.

Wayne

 

Tried that as well. Could it be locked and don't allow to use?

 

Sounds like something isn't right. Visit your dealer.

Wayne

 

what cable are you using to display the ipod video on to the screen? did u get the special ipod video cable connectors?

 

Yes. One of the media interface cable has a 3.5mm jack female that has "video, left-audio, right-audio, ground" connections. I bought a male-to-male 3.5mm jack cable (that supports video) and plug that into my iPod Video 3.5mm jack (headphone jack). Once I play a video, it asked on the iPod "TV on" or "TV off". Basically TV on...and then I get the error message "In order not to distract...bla bla".

venchka, you're right. I called up my sales and dug further, it seems that there's a code in the menu that can enable/disable this function (or set to display video at certain speed). I'll pay a visit to the authorised dealer.

Here's what I found from another forum. Basically this engineering menu exist except "Prohibition Settings"

[DVD setting]
ECE/US/Japan: ECE(0)
PAL/NTSC: PAL(2)
Region code: 2
Single/Changer: Single(1)
Range type AM/FM: ECE(0)
Range type LW: On(1)
Range type SW: On(1)

[TGW Parameter]
MOST: On(1)
Audio Source: force audio via external amp(1)
DAB: Not installed(0)
SDARS: Not installed(0)
UCI: Not installed(0)

[Debug Serial setting]
Main: Stop(0)
Audio: Audio Debug Port Off(0)

[Prohibition setting] <------------------------Blink blink!!!!!!
Navi speller: Enable(0)
Navi map: Enable(0)
Address book: Dis > 5km/h(3)
TV/Video: Dis > 5km/h(3)
Navi (car position): Enable(0)
Navi (destination): Enable(0)
Navi (city): Enable(0)
Navi (name): Enable(0)
Navi (phone number): Enable(0)
Navi Scroll Map: Enable(0)
Other Distraction: Disable(255)

[HU Paramter]
Language: german(0x01[4])
BT contact plate: Not installed(0)
Audio AUX: On(1)
Video AUX: Off(0)
Navi: Installed(1)
Bluetooth: On(1)
Navi Data Base: Activated(1)
RIZ signal source: reverse gear(0)
Retrofit Navi: Not installed(0)
Navi Offroad: Not installed(0)
Musicserver: Activated(1)
Basic telephone: Activated(1)
Addressbook: Activated(1)
SDS/TTS: Activated(1)
Musicserver func: Copy(1)
DVD Video: On(1)
Tail gate party: Off(0)
Rearview Camera: Not installed(0)
Display Haptics: Moveable(0)
Rear Seat Entertainment: off(RSE0)(0)

(courtesy of another forumer that has extended this research).