Hello everyone! So I picked up a new 2015 C300 from the dealer recently, and I love the car and the way it drives -- it's great. But we've not even hit 1,000 miles yet, and it's already been in service...twice... (rather, it is in service). The first time (two days ago), I brought it in for quite a few issues. First, is the Bluetooth just would not work with my either of my iPhone 6's running iOS 8. It wouldn't remain connected, it wouldn't connect in the first place sometimes, it would drop calls off the system, it wouldn't place calls, it wouldn't download contacts -- it just would never work properly. Mercedes-Benz Apps also wouldn't work at all. On top of all of this, when the start-stop system was engaged, the car would (many times) not restart after it stopped, and required the electronics to be shut off and the car to be restarted (press start button once to turn off, and then restart the car). And, sometimes when you tried to start the car, it wouldn't start until the fourth try. Also, the voice command wouldn't function. And on top of all of this, you couldn't close the passenger door sometimes, until it finally closed after the fourth plus try.

So I went in today to pick the car up, and they had replaced the key battery, refreshed the car's computer systems, reset and re-provisioned the entire mbrace unit, and they lubricated and adjusted the door latch. With the refresh of the computer systems, the Bluetooth seemed to be working, and the other problems seemed to be solved. The dealer was blaming it on the iPhone 6 and iOS 8, because apparently it causes trouble with the system...more on that later...

So I picked the car up, and three/four hours later I drove it right back to the service center, because the problems started getting serious, in the time between when I picked it up and when I dropped it off again. The first thing was that the Bluetooth wasn't working again (I know this sounds like a small concern, but it really is critical to my work that I be on the phone), but we weren't going to bring it back on the same day for that. But then, we were inside of the car with the car locked, and the interior locking controls were inoperative. Neither the lock or unlock buttons on either the drivers or passengers side doors were functioning (note the car was running while this occurred). The key would not unlock the car from the inside either. This presents itself as a major safety concern to me, because as much as I love being in Mercedes, I've never been locked inside of a Mercedes. Then, shortly after that, I had left the car and locked it, and when I returned, neither the Keyless Access system nor the key fob would unlock the car -- I had to call mbrace to have them unlock the car. So right after I called my service advisor, who wasn't at his desk, and then immediately requested to speak to the service manager, I told her what happened, and made an appointment to bring the car in one hour later (just 3-4 hours after I picked it up).

When we got there, the service advisor was shocked by what happened, and they took the car and put us in a loaner. We spent about 30 minutes after that talking with the service advisor and technician about what happened...the odd locking situation. They agreed that it should be diagnosed and addressed immediately, and that it was certainly a safety concern. We also spent a lot of time talking about how the Bluetooth wasn't working, and iOS 8. They showed us an internal service bulletin/memo about how iOS 8 and this new version of COMAND were having problems with Bluetooth and as a media player, and how the car's support of the device changed from "iPhones" to "iPhones 3G-5s not running iOS 8." We also talked about how in a 2013 ML or GL you can't (at least, I can't and the service advisor can't) plug in your iPhone running iOS 8 using USB and use it as a media player. Overall, the conclusion was that Mercedes-Benz was trying to fix the iPhone problem, but it was a widespread issue with seemingly no fix in the near future. But they did agree that it had to be fixed.

Overall, these are a lot of problems for under 1,000 miles, the only time I've had to service a Mercedes at under 1,000 miles, and the only time I've ever had to go to Mercedes-Benz service twice in just hours (and not for a drop off and pickup, but for a pickup and drop off)...

 

Both my wife and I have the iPhone 6 Plus, both running IOS 8.3, and had no problems setting them up or using them. We have never experienced a dropped call, other than in areas of poor coverage, and everything works as it should. There's more going on here than a software incompatibility.

Your other problems seem to be approaching catastrophic levels. It's well beyond anything I've experienced or even read about.

 

My iPhone 6 running IOS 8.3 works perfectly with COMAND for calls, texts (receive only) and streaming music.

 

Thanks for the replies. It's definitely weird...my phone worked perfectly in the loaner (also a 2015 C300), so I think they're just using this as an excuse...it's almost 100% likely that it is a problem with the car.

Let's hope everything gets fixed though, because I really do like the car a lot!

 

I use my iPhone 6 with IOS 8.3 everyday in my car without issue - be it Bluetooth or via USB connection.

 

When I read horror stories like these, I can't help but think does the Quality team down in Alabama even test these vehicles when they roll off the assembly line?



Either that or the dealership itself possibly didn't prep the new vehicle correctly before you took delivery.

 

It is a really great car and, IMHO, worth working through some of the weird first year stuff that may, or may not, crop up. If you have a dealer you can work with, and one whose goal is your satisfaction, you'll be fine after this all gets sorted out.

Just as an aside, the iPhone 6, when being paired, must find the MB connection first. With the iPhone 5, you could just have the car search for the phone and make the connection. That doesn't work with the 6, which remains undiscoverable until it has found the network and made itself discoverable. It will then pair easily.

 

My iPhone 6 plus has been perfect with the car. Don't let them give you excuses. Tell them to fix it or raise hell.

 

Thanks for the replies, everyone. Just got the car back today...they "couldn't reproduce anything," so we'll see when it happens again. But when I got in the car, the first thing I noticed was a terrible, terrible smell (I had to open all the windows and the sunroof and set the climate control system to maximum just to be able to breathe)... I thought it was perhaps just something that was left in the car, and that it would go away, but it didn't. At the end of my drive (took a joyride now that I had the car back -- the E350 loaner wasn't nearly as fun !), I noticed the smell was still there when I stopped, and I noticed it was coming from the passenger side. The first thing I thought of was the forum posts on here about the seats leaking chemicals, and the accompanying recall, so I decided to smell the seat. When I put my nose to the passenger seat, I found the source of the smell. It was so strong and so terrible that I couldn't keep my face there for a second, and it was still permeating the entire car (but just a lot stronger at the source). Tomorrow morning I'm taking the car right down to service. Although, I'm confident the dealership will fix it and make things right, as I've been a customer of theirs for years, and with all the MB vehicles I've purchased there, they've always fixed any problems, even if they took a couple of tries, and gone out of their way to make me happy if there was ever a problem (free detailing when they lose the keys when we go to pickup our car lol and such).

Let's all hope for the best, as things are not looking good right now with this car...and I really do love Mercedes-Benz, but this experience has been disturbing to me.

 

Wow - now they did something to make it have a stench? Unfreaking believable! I would be livid.

 

No, they don't, and if we're lucky, they won't start! The post-war WWII success of Japanese industry was built on the quality principles of the American, W. Edwards Deming. The third of his fourteen key principles (from his book Out of the Crisis) is, "Cease dependence on inspection to achieve quality. Eliminate the need for massive inspection by building quality into the product in the first place." Inspection is done at all points in the process, not just end-of-line. However, the purpose is not for "quality control". Quality is not "controlled", it happens as as integral part of the process. Inspection is only to gain knowledge of the process. An army of inspectors cannot produce good quality if the process is defective.

 

This philosophy may work in a perfect world, but in the real world when you are dealing with a product comprised of thousands of parts made at a number of different manufacturers, and which has the computing power equivalent of something from NASA, I think the majority of us would feel more comfortable with a least some sort of basic quality check...together with a simple diagnostic check of the electronics prior to leaving the assembly plant.

 

This wouldn't have any relationship to the MB-Tex issues that were resolved at the factory by 1/5/15. The issue before that date was cosmetic, and I can't recall complaints of any strong odors being reported.

Since only one seat is affected, maybe something was spilled on the seat when it was in for service. In any case, this is something your dealer should be able to resolve very quickly.

 

Sorry, but every time I read this I just laughing!



Face it (no pun intended), someone at your dealership shat themselves on your car seat.

 

So basically one of the service techs spilled coffee or milk or something in the back seat and it got on the carpet. It still has stained the interior over a week later, so it's time for a detailing. As far as the locking, we couldn't figure it out, but it hasn't happened again. Interesting note: when you press the lock key and then press it again on these new keys, it disables the keyless access and push button start system, and to reactivate it, you have to actually turn the key in the car. We also found that you had to change the transmission and reception signals to get optimal phone performance in the car, but the calls are still dropping off the system annoyingly. The dealer offered to reimburse us for the purchase of a Galaxy S6 or other Android phone of our choosing, though, as a result of this issue.

 

My wife has had iphone connection issues in her Acura after upgrading to the 6. Could be a phone issue.