2014 C250 Text messages
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Newbie
Joined: Aug 2009
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From: Valencia, CA
2014 C250 Sport
2014 C250 Text messages
Hey everyone...
Just picked up a 2014 C250 and noticed that I cannot read text messages while the car is in motion. I get a message that states something about safety and distracting me. Once the car is stopped, the message displays fine. Is there a setting to turn this off? My 2012 C250 didn't do this and it seems rather silly that I can read a safety message but not my text message. The service department had no clue and said bring it in.
Thanks
Just picked up a 2014 C250 and noticed that I cannot read text messages while the car is in motion. I get a message that states something about safety and distracting me. Once the car is stopped, the message displays fine. Is there a setting to turn this off? My 2012 C250 didn't do this and it seems rather silly that I can read a safety message but not my text message. The service department had no clue and said bring it in.
Thanks
MBWorld Fanatic!
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From: Southwest USA
Another round of ICE
MBWorld Fanatic!
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From: Germantown, MD/Rehoboth Beach, DE
2024 GLS450
Cripes.
We're talking about messages that come up in the COMAND display. They are no more distracting than reading the radio screen or navigation instructions - and the car can even verbally read them out loud to you.
I'm completely for not texting and driving in a standard manner... throw the book at someone who does. Having a text message come up in an a manufacturer provided and sanctioned manner (and hopefully replying via something like Siri if you must reply) is not something that should warrant a bunch of self righteous posts.
We're talking about messages that come up in the COMAND display. They are no more distracting than reading the radio screen or navigation instructions - and the car can even verbally read them out loud to you.
I'm completely for not texting and driving in a standard manner... throw the book at someone who does. Having a text message come up in an a manufacturer provided and sanctioned manner (and hopefully replying via something like Siri if you must reply) is not something that should warrant a bunch of self righteous posts.
Last edited by MDMercedesGuy; Jun 10, 2014 at 03:47 PM.
MBWorld Fanatic!
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From: Southwest USA
Another round of ICE
Self-righteous? Not at all....very well-tempered with a brief question and some links/videos. Messages/announcements on the COMAND screen are not known as "texts". Herein is the importance of being able to communicate clearly in English, often found lacking.
If the OP and second poster intended to communicate about a car and not a phone, the dealer should be able to resolve the issue.
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MBWorld Fanatic!
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From: Germantown, MD/Rehoboth Beach, DE
2024 GLS450
Poor writing which clearly does not communicate what you surmise, in combination with the prevalence of idiots out there who do read cell phone texts while driving makes the responses quite reasonable. Where do you see clarity in the original post that the issue is the car display and not the cell phone? Further, existence of aps which do to a cell phone exactly what he complains of also fogs the intent of his question. And, how do you know to what the second poster is referring, which was the quote picked up for reply?
Messages/announcements on the COMAND screen are not known as "texts".
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MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jan 2009
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From: Southwest USA
Another round of ICE
I surmised based on what he was posting that we were talking about the car display - particularly since his 2012 did not lock him out. I've also had my 2012 scold me and lock me out when trying to enter a navigation request at a light when I had to take off - so I am familiar with the behavior he is talking about (albeit in another section of COMAND). It's once of the features present in newer versions of COMAND not on the older ones, hence my assumption.
Actually, they do show up under the "Text Messages" option of the phone page on the COMAND screen.
Actually, they do show up under the "Text Messages" option of the phone page on the COMAND screen.
MBWorld Fanatic!
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From: Germantown, MD/Rehoboth Beach, DE
2024 GLS450
If these really are text messages which are then relayed from the phone to the screen, the attempt to read them while driving remains unacceptable. The issue with driving and texting is not the hand holding the phone. It's the loss of the brain focus. Simple navigation systems are bad enough for distraction. All of the research on cell phone in-car usage has shown that handheld versus handsfree makes little to no difference. It's the loss of attention and focus which causes the loss of driving skill. If MB has enabled a feature to read phone texts on the COMAND screen, shame on them. And, then this thread really is about texting while driving...the screen location is not the issue; it's the brain function. Using this feature is as irresponsible as using the car's capability to do 120mph on public roads. Built-in, but should never happen.
People are going to do it if they are going to do it. The manufacturer adding in a feature to make it safer shouldn't relegate them to "shame on you" territory. There is risk in everything we do. Reading the message is no different than using any other feature in COMAND. Unless you drive around and never change the radio, climate control, or navigation settings in your car - there's really not much ground to the argument here.
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From: Southwest USA
Another round of ICE
I'm just gonna leave this alone, because it's not going to go anywhere positive. I will say this:
People are going to do it if they are going to do it. The manufacturer adding in a feature to make it safer shouldn't relegate them to "shame on you" territory. There is risk in everything we do. Reading the message is no different than using any other feature in COMAND. Unless you drive around and never change the radio, climate control, or navigation settings in your car - there's really not much ground to the argument here.
People are going to do it if they are going to do it. The manufacturer adding in a feature to make it safer shouldn't relegate them to "shame on you" territory. There is risk in everything we do. Reading the message is no different than using any other feature in COMAND. Unless you drive around and never change the radio, climate control, or navigation settings in your car - there's really not much ground to the argument here.
Super Member
Joined: Oct 2012
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2026 GLC300 4Matic (X254)
Whoa....wait a minute.
I have a 2013 with Premium and Multimedia package. I have an old iPhone 4. Are you saying that my car will display text messages in the Nav screen if I flip some setting switch???
I do NOT pay for MBRACE.
I have a 2013 with Premium and Multimedia package. I have an old iPhone 4. Are you saying that my car will display text messages in the Nav screen if I flip some setting switch???
I do NOT pay for MBRACE.
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From: Alberta
2014 E63 AMG S
If these really are text messages which are then relayed from the phone to the screen, the attempt to read them while driving remains unacceptable. The issue with driving and texting is not the hand holding the phone. It's the loss of the brain focus. Simple navigation systems are bad enough for distraction. All of the research on cell phone in-car usage has shown that handheld versus handsfree makes little to no difference. It's the loss of attention and focus which causes the loss of driving skill. If MB has enabled a feature to read phone texts on the COMAND screen, shame on them. And, then this thread really is about texting while driving...the screen location is not the issue; it's the brain function. Using this feature is as irresponsible as using the car's capability to do 120mph on public roads. Built-in, but should never happen.
Scrolling through navigation options, setting waypoints, navigating through contact lists, searching through audio playlists, all these things are fine, but the moment Mercedes relays another arbitrary block of text to the screen and it's "shame on them".
You can't pick and choose your issues when it comes to distracted driving. Arbitrarily drawing the line with displaying text messages is a pretty misguided stance to have.
Super Member
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From: Alberta
2014 E63 AMG S
If your phone is connected via bluetooth, go to the PHONE tab, and on the bottom, there should be a tab called Txt Msg or something similar. You can view the message, and if you push in your command dial, you can call the sender or any of the numbers present in their message.
Super Member
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2026 GLC300 4Matic (X254)
If your phone is connected via bluetooth, go to the PHONE tab, and on the bottom, there should be a tab called Txt Msg or something similar. You can view the message, and if you push in your command dial, you can call the sender or any of the numbers present in their message.
MBWorld Fanatic!
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From: Southwest USA
Another round of ICE
This is ridiculous.
Scrolling through navigation options, setting waypoints, navigating through contact lists, searching through audio playlists, all these things are fine, but the moment Mercedes relays another arbitrary block of text to the screen and it's "shame on them".
You can't pick and choose your issues when it comes to distracted driving. Arbitrarily drawing the line with displaying text messages is a pretty misguided stance to have.
Scrolling through navigation options, setting waypoints, navigating through contact lists, searching through audio playlists, all these things are fine, but the moment Mercedes relays another arbitrary block of text to the screen and it's "shame on them".
You can't pick and choose your issues when it comes to distracted driving. Arbitrarily drawing the line with displaying text messages is a pretty misguided stance to have.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 1,351
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From: Germantown, MD/Rehoboth Beach, DE
2024 GLS450
Here is a screenshot from my 5s running iOS 7.1.1. My 4s on 7.1.1 was the same.
The bluetooth stack on the 4 and 4s are completely different, but I would think this functionality might be there - it's been a while since I've had my 4.
Super Member
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2026 GLC300 4Matic (X254)
Thanks MD, it works!
It's sorta clunky, as the message doesn't just pop up. I get a sound notification then have to press the phone button to see the message. But anything is better than nothing I guess.
Thanks again.
It's sorta clunky, as the message doesn't just pop up. I get a sound notification then have to press the phone button to see the message. But anything is better than nothing I guess.
Thanks again.
MBWorld Fanatic!
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From: Germantown, MD/Rehoboth Beach, DE
2024 GLS450
Something makes me think that the COMAND in the W222 S Class handles this differently. If you haven't seen it in action, it makes our COMAND look like an Apple IIe.
Junior Member
Joined: Mar 2014
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From: Santa Clara, CA
2013 C250 Sport P1
I never knew that it did that because my Windows Phone just asks me if I want it to read the message and then takes dictation if I want to reply, well that was before I got drive mode which just responds back with a text that says. "I'm driving now and will get back to you later."
