I bought an '03 E500 in March. Been very pleased with the car so far except for a couple annoyances. First the in-dash CD player doesn't always resume where it left off. Meaning if you were in the middle of track 4 when you turned the car off, sometimes it resumes playing at that same point in track 4 and sometimes it just starts off at the beginning of the CD. I also have the 6 disc changer and it never seems to have an issue resuming. The first time I took it to the dealer they said they couldn't recreate the issue and that I had all the updates for the audio system. The second time they recreated the issue and replaced the in-dash CD player. However, I'm still having the issue inconsistently.

The second issue is a lot more annoying and also seemed to be related to the in-dash CD, but now I'm not so sure. What happens is that sometimes when I open the door this vibrating and almost grinding noise starts coming from the dash. It almost sounds like the in-dash is struggling to load and spin up a CD. The sound starts before I even put the key in the ignition and lasts several seconds after the car is started. It can also occur without a CD in the in-dash, and replacing the in-dash CD player made no difference. So I'm sure this is sounding like it's just the SBC system. However I can't imagine this is normal, because it happens maybe 1 out of 4 times. Plus the sound is so loud when it happens, that it just shouldn't be typical.

Any insights would be greatly appreciated. My E has the Harmon Kardon without nav or phone.

 

Others have mentioned the problem with the CD player not always resuming from the last point played, as I recall, but I don't recall any resolution to the issue. Others have reported that the display doesn't always indicate the correct track on the CD, but that particular problem is cured when the car is restarted. I don't use the CD player myself so I can't speak from personal experience.

The buzzing noise that you sometimes hear when you open the door is, as you surmise, the SBC pump. It has nothing to do with the CD player. It's loud enough to be startling if you don't expect it, but is entirely normal. The loud SBC pump is right up there as one of the top "WTF??" surprises of the W211, along with the lack of a dipstick, the inability to select radio presets from the steering wheel and the unearthly roar of the auxiliary fan when the A/C first kicks in on a very hot day.

 

Got to agree with DWP.... As far as the SBC brake pump goes, There is a damper your dealer can install if you complain about the noise. This was installed on my car for free and it really does work well.
Good luck and enjoy your ride.

 

Thanks for the replies. I'm definitely going to pursue getting the SBC damper. Is there by chance a TSB that recommends the damper?

 

Addendum: I don't want to leave you with the impression that your new ride is going to present you with a lot of dubious little "surprises." Every car has its own quirks, but with the W211 the pleasures far outweigh the little "surprises." Welcome aboard.

 

When opening the door of the car, my CD player spins for a few seconds. Probably getting ready for you to start the car. It is normal. If it is really loud, then your cd may be out of balance (the actual disc).

 

Not only does the CD player not resume play where I left off, it does some other quirky things too. If I am listening to a CD when I turn the car off, even if I shut the radio, when I start the car up again the CD will begin playing. To clarify- with the radio OFF, the CD spins. When I turn the radio on, the CD will begin playing as a work in progress (if the car has been on for 3 minutes, that's where the CD will be when I turn on the radio). This is my 3rd CD player. All software updates have been installed. At least this CD player doesn't skip constantly (like my last one), or make loud scratching noises when I play CD's that I have burned myself (like my first one). As a whole, I think MB could have (SHOULD have) done a much better job on the sound system. My wife drives a Lexus RX330 and the sound is much better. And that isn't even with the Levinson system, which, from what I understand, is amazing.

 

Bulletin P-B-42.46/27A – Install pulsation damper for SBC Noisy brake pump

See this thread...

https://mbworld.org/forums/e-class-w211/115849-odd-noise.html

 

Hi, this is my first post. I have an 03 E500 since new, and I had the SBC updated and the soleniod pulse dampener replaced, along with a transmission - long story for another time. My CD player still spins about 90% of the time when I open the door. The CD player still skips, even after cleaning. And the CD player plays where I left off sometimes. I've seen several dealers and each TRIED to fix the problem. I can say that the radio doesn't lose connection anymore, so they did fix something. I heard that Chrysler is incharge of warranty, and they're cheap about repairs. My warranty is almost up, any sugestions? Thanks for reading my first rant - I mean post

 

Maybe the problem with the cd player is limited to the early W211's. I have a '05 E500 with the HK/Nav/comand system, (the single in-dash, 6 in dash changer) and have never experienced the problem with the cd not starting where it was left off. I have tried both the single slot as well with the changer. I remember hearing that the early W211's had alot of problems, e.g. electrical problems, etc. I would take it back to the dealer and ask them to replace the head unit. Hopefully your car is still under warranty.

With the SBC sometimes when I unlock the doors there is a loud rumbling noise and other times its a soft quieter rumble. Its annoying, when you pay upwards of 65 grand for a car and there is a loud noise coming from it.

What annoys me the most is the D*mn brake squeals as slow speeds.

 

Yes, limited to early 211. The radio unit is different in later 211's and won't fit in earlier non-navi ones unless whole center dash is changed.

 

Took my car in for service today and mentioned the CD not start where left off and spinning noise when first open the door again , they are replacing the whole center command unit for me.

 

There is a software flash update available to fix the CD resume function, so ask your dealer about it. I just got it applied to mine, along with transmission and battery control module updates that I didn't know about.

 

They replaced the command center because they said there was a loose connection/wire in the cd player. The day after I got my car back, the damn sun visor broke They did all the updates, including ones you mentioned, last time I went in for service.

 

Unfortunately I didn't see MadMan's post about newer sw being available until just a couple weeks ago. I took my E to the dealer last week to get the update. So far both the in-dash CD and the 6-disc changer have been resuming properly.

Thanks for the heads up