I am unable to access many features that are listed in my COMMAND manual. For instance, I cannot search a point of interest (POI) by entering a telephone number or the name of a POI.

I took the car to a dealer near me (not where I bought it). Their navigation expert told me that he had never heard of anyone asking how to search a POI by name or telephone number, and at first implied I had read the manual wrong. Then when I showed him the relevant pages in my manual, he pointed out that the COMMAND unit in the pictures were different from the one in my car. He said that these extra features may have been deleted from the current NAV models.

I really doubt that MB would delete features, and it is more likley that I have a unit that is less advanced than that depicted in my model. My manual is dated 2007, as is my car (2007 E550). The DVD for my navigation, however, is dated for E500 2006 models. The salesman at the dealership I bought the car from insists there is no difference between the 2006 and 2007 model NAV DVDs.

Do I have the wrong manual? Or do I have the wrong DVD? Has anyone heard of upcoming upgrades to the COMMAND-DVD module? It has occurred to me that the manual may be for an upgraded unit that did not come on my vehicle. If this is the case, it is possible for me to have my unit switched out to the more advanced one?

 

You doubt that MB would delete features???!?

You can't enter phone numbers and search for a location or do the other things you are trying to do. The 211's USA Nav system never had those features. You probably have a non North American manual.

Maybe the former owner retrofitted the NAV unit to the car, and that's the manual that was given to him by the guy who sold him the unit. Somewhere on the first or last few pages or the back cover it should list MBUSA's N.J. name & address if it is an American W211 manual.

 

The car does not have a former owner (I bought it new, and it is a 2007 model), and yes, the unit is factory installed MB COMMAND NAV unit. The manual is also a MB publication.

 

Try contacting MBUSA. However, rather than simply calling the Customer Assistance Center (CAC) fax your inquiry. Include your VIN and relative literature numbers (i.e.: back of manual, or booklet, etc.) and send to:

Paul Juron
General Manager, Customer Assistance Center
Mercedes-Benz USA LLC
Fax: 201-476-6213

Let us know how he (they) respond.

 

The manual that came with my 2007 E550 says "USA Edition A 2007" on the back cover. The DVD disk in the nav unit in the trunk is version 2006.1 and I have heard that a newer version is to be released any day now. Does your manual say "USA Edition A 2007" on the back? By the way, I read the Navigation section of the COMAND operator's manual and saw no mention of searching for a POI by entering a telephone number.

 

Your manual would have to be an MB publication. Check to see if it is an MBUSA of NJ book. The MBUSA specific books will have the correct info for the units configured for use in the USA. Other authorized MB importers/distributors for a given part of the world configure their cars to different specs & have manuals printed by MB specifically for THEIR market. You may have inadvertantly been shipped a book for a different English speaking country, or the manual you have reflects what the units will be capable of once the current inventory of old configured units have been installed into cars & they move on to the newer units.

So just be sure the book says MBUSA on it with a NJ address (Not just MB, or MB with any other address) and you'll know which way to proceed.