Remote Start
 

Just picked up my 2016 C 4matic Sedan this week. I have been trying to do a remote start through mbrace and it keeps failing stating that it can't communicate with my car yet all of the other remote functions work (lock, unlock, locate, etc.). Has anyone been able to get this remote start feature to work?

Yep, it works for me (C450). If the doors aren't locked when you attempt to start it, you will get an "Unable to Complete Remote Start" dialog with a "Lock Doors & Retry" button. Once you hit that button, the doors will lock and the car will start. If you attempt to open the door while it is running, the car will shutoff.

Doors are locked. Mbrace can lock and unlock them. Guess I may have a problem.

Brand new C300 as well...remote start is very very very inconsistent. Nearly useless. The door locking/unlocking works more regularly, but that's not my intended purpose of using the app anyhow. I've not gotten the locate to work even once.

I texted my sales rep, who told me that the "registration process" takes 48 hours. Not only did I not believe that to be true, it has not made a difference and we are 5 days in now.

I've read the reviews of the iPhone app on the Apple site, and they are horrendous. I suppose that this is likely an app issue and will eventually get corrected, but it is very disappointing.

Dealership told me that Mbrace isn't available for 2015? Do any of you know how true that is I could really take advantage of the remote start!

True, no remote start through mbrace for the 2015 W205...as of yet at least.

Number one reason why I will not be renewing my subscription to mbrace past the free trial period...especially since the MY2016 gets mbrace free for 5 years.

:mad:

I will say, my remote start via the MBrace app does seem to be working more consistently over the past couple of days.

Press the I in the car and let it connect to the mbrace system. Just talk to the nice lady on the other side for a sec then hang up. It's sounds stupid but hitting that button transfers something that speeds up the process. At least that's what the salesman said and after I did it it worked like a charm.

Mine not working either on C63S AMG....very disappointing. Will try the old fashioned way and make a phone call through the mbrace system. Remote start in my C7 worked everytime through the GM apps.

I think you're on to something there. I just got my car on Saturday and Locate Me wasn't working on the MBrace app. I needed to ask a question yesterday via the i button. Immediately after my call, I was able to locate my car via the MBrace app.

It may not just be limited to the 2015. I just purcahsed a 2016 C450 (last Thursday), and I'm having the same problem with remote start and with the companion app. I called MB today, and was told it was because my car was built BEFORE October 1, 2015 (my car has a 9/22/2015 build date). I'm taking it into my dealership tomorrow, if I missed mBrace2 upgrade by 8 days I'm going ot be pissed -- espicially since the sales rep told me it had it!

My C450 was built on 9/24/2015, and I can confirm that remote start works without any issue.

Thanks, that gives me hope! Have you tried the MB Companion app? If so, could you get it to connect?

My remote start now works. I called mbrace and spoke with technical support. They seemed familiar with issue and were able to correct it. My C300 4matic was a September build.

Do you know how to lock the car from the outside while its idling?

Using the mbrace remote start shouldn't cause the car to unlock but if you're manually starting the car and want to lock it while it idles just press the lock button inside the drivers door before you close it. This is how I warm mine up in the morning. You can't lock it with the fob once it's started. Silly omission of a safety feature imho.

I'm sure I can find this somewhere in the manual, but maybe someone knows.

I tried remote start yesterday, just to see if it works and it did. When I got to my car, she was running and locked. I used the fob to unlock the trunk and the car immediately turned off and I got a notice on the MBrace app that my car was turned off because a door was opened.

So, my question is what value is remote start, if opening a door or the trunk, shuts the car off?

To pre heat or cool the cabin interior is one thing that comes to mind. A momentary shut down won't negate that. Come spend a winter up in Canada and you will appreciate that. Wait a minute... we don't have MBrace - never mind.

Thanks for gracious invitation, but I think I'll keep the palm trees and sunshine in Tampa, FL., this winter.

You are correct that a shutdown won't negate permitting the engine to heat up, but I was curious why using the fob or maybe even app would cause the engine to shut down.

What if I was somehow without my key and needed to start the car remotely and then get in it to drive it? I'm sure there's a safety or theft concept in this, but I'm missing it, clearly.

I think from a theft perspective it's a simple no key - no drive. Anything more convenient than that is also making convenient for others to steal your car.


Answer this since I can't use MBrace - does all the app need is just your VIN?

I set up the app at the dealer during the delivery process, so the concierge walk through guy set it up and all I had to do was create a 4 digit pin to access it.

In the App, it has an account page that includes:

My Name
Account #
VIN
My email address, phone and an emergency contact

mbrace Remote Start is a Complete Bust
 

12/2015 manufactured 2016 C300 remote start is sketchy at best, but I've just observed that when it's really cold here in the NE the app doesn't work from around 6:45AM to ~9:30 AM EST. Hmmmm, how coincidental is it that this time frame seems to sync with the morning drive time. I submit this is a bandwidth issue but of course mbrace comes up with all kinds of BS that has no relevance to why the app fails to communicate with the vehicle (the error message says that). "Our engineers are aware of the problem and are working toward a solution." How much of a solution can there be when the whole thing runs on 3G wireless network technology? Which mbrace, of course, blames on MB itself as the decision maker for using 9 year old technology. Even Chevrolet uses 4G LTE.

I also live in the NE and have received the "communications failure message" when I try to start remotely in the morning. I usually just try again and it works so no big problem. The other morning my car's interior temperature was 16 degrees. When I tried to remote start at about 7:00 I received the message, tried again and it worked. The minor inconvenience of trying 2 or 3 times doesn't take away from getting into a warm car.

I am seriously considering trading in my 2015 C300 in the fall when the all new E class is available but if its still on 3G then MB has lost my business.

My remote start rarely works on first try, but almost always will work second try. I'm starting at about 6:55am, likely when the system is being overwhelmed.