RickyEarl

I didn't want to dig my earlier thread, but here's a link to it if you want to see it.
https://mbworld.org/forums/e-class-w211/181574-my-nav-keeps-dying-any-ideas-problem.html

Basically, every few months or so, my NAV system dies. It always happens when I first start my car, but it usually was working earlier in the day. For example, this time, I drove to a store, NAV working fine. Came out 20 minutes later, and I get this:



The display on the dash says "N" (for north) with no street name.

The dealer says all he has to do to fix this is "unplug the Nav and plug it back in," but I tried removing and reinserting the 2 plugs from the back of the DVD drive, and no luck. I also tried the SERV-->System Reset, but that didn't help either.

Any help is appreciated. This has happened so many times I may just sell the car and move on.

cyclerider

That looks like a European Nav unit. Who installed it, and when? Is it still covered under your car's warranty?

Miguk_Saram

I notice you have a EURO COMAND.. not sure if this might be a cause, but have you tried removing the COMAND and checking the cable connections? It could be a loose or sporadically pinched cable.

At the very least, take a quick look. Removing the COMAND takes like 15 minutes.. if that long.

GL.

Barry45RPM

In my '04, I went through a period (in the Summer of 06) when my NAV would die every few days or weeks. They replaced the NAV drive several times & it would be ok for a period of time that didnt exceed 10 days. The problem was found to be the CD changer. The nav failures stopped after they replaced the Changer once & then installed the latest AGW software.

Diesel Benz

I understand the above covering three possible improvements, the CD changer device, the AGW and the cables. Perhaps the old cables were reused but I would still see it possible that the issue was on the cables or on the AGW SW (early AGWs are acknowledge to have a number of issues that get fixed with the SW update. Are you sure the changer was the real issue?

Barry45RPM

The AGW was reflashed each time they replaced the NAV drive with a new one. I don't know the how or the why, but they were sure after the last fix, when they replaced the CD Changer that the NAV unit wouldnt fail again. I had the car untill Oct 29 06 & never had another NAV problem. I can only report by what was on the RO & what the SA told me. Since I had been in the shop so many times over the life of this car, I was on a 1st name basis with the Shop Foreman, The "Back End "Service & Parts Department Manager, and always see the same SA because he listens, and writes down every nuance of my problem as tolt to him by me, and is a "car guy", not a clerk. But like you say, it could be anything. I just want to give a heads up to the guy with the NAV Failures so he can point to a direction for his service guys.

Kimber

About two weeks ago my nav died as well, the screen just hung up after starting, it was working earlier in the day.

One member suggested to remove a fuse in the trunk near the Nav DVD and than re insert it but I had the car at the dealer.

The SA said they replaced the MOST cable(??).

The unit works fine now but is about 100" feet off on my actual position v the Nav screen. Even with 7 sats.

I certainly hope this does not re occur. If it does I will try the fuse removal first as it is a lot more time effective if it works.

Vik888

5th time?? Heck, I'd just file a lemon law suit and/or get an attorney and get MB to buy the car back.

100% unacceptable.

amdeutsch

Not every state has lemon laws like the one you live in.

carpersn

Unacceptable IF the COMAND was original US spec...a lemon law case for an altered Euro Spec COMAND would be laughed at by MB, i think.

Diesel Benz

Is this "100 feet off" at one place or always? It could easily be 100 feet off in city, specifically if there are high buildings. Have you tried at an open sky place?

I cannot think of a fault in the system that would make it show a fixed offset to the car position, unless no satellites were seen at all and the system was working with gyros and wheel sensors.

Kimber

it is all the time . It can be I notice it when I am looking for a house or I am physically thru an intersection and the car still back.

When in navigation mode the instructions are correct as far as the names go but my position lags

Vik888

Ah Ok. I didnt read his orig thread. That definitely is going to put a wrench in the works

Diesel Benz

Sorry, can you clarify further, is it "just" lag or is the shown position incorrect also on a stationary car? I have no experience on a W211 Comand, perhaps the device is just slow updating the display? I haven't noticed significant lag on the W221 but to some extent a very accurate position information without any lag is impossible. The system may try to compensate for the lag though, easy when driving straight, perhaps the system only compensates the lag for voice guidance but not for the display.

Kimber

The nav position is approximatly 100" behind when I am stopped and lags behind as I move.

I did not notice this untill after my Comand screen hung up and the dealer fixed that problem.

I also noticed that when I had my screen displaying the radio tuning only the FM station would appear not the AM. Today AM & FM display. Now my ESP light doesn't work.

I have set an appointment to return to the dealer.

RickyEarl

First, a clarification. That's actually not my dash in the pic. I borrowed it from another website, and should have paid more attention to the NAV. My NAV is the US model installed at the dealer.

I bought the car used from the dealer, so in Texas, no Lemon Law.

Now an update -

I'm kind of pissed about the service. The last time it went in, they said "well, we fixed your Nav by just unplugging it and plugging it back in. If it breaks again, however, the shop foreman has a bunch of stuff he'd like to try - including a list of stuff he got from Germany." So I left it with the dealer on the Thursday before Labor Day, and they kept it until the following Thursday.

When I got it back, the rep told me the shop foreman was on vacation the whole time, and the guy who fixed it had never seen my car before, so he just replaced the DVD drive. He had no good answer for why it took a week to replace the DVD drive. Now I know that they were closed that Sunday and Monday, but that's still five working days that they had the car.

It worked again when I got it, but then stopped working again Monday (Sept. 10) so we're back where we started.

I did notice that they had to replace my NAV disc because, according to the service ticket, the old disc wouldn't come out of the drive even using the emergency eject.

I think I'll buy something a little more trouble-free, like a Maserati or a Porsche. Maybe a Land Rover.

konigstiger

To date, any escalation to MBUSA or strictly dealership interaction?

RickyEarl

As far as I know, just the dealer, except for the "stuff from Germany" thing. Is that something I can make happen? If so, how?

konigstiger

Check your PM

Heejin

I hope you have this issue resolved ASAP. BTW, I think that Mercedes has much less trouble than Porsche or Land Rover(I guess you were joking aoubt the Land Rover, right? ) I don't know about the Maserati though

The clock on my 997 runs a couple of minutes late every week and Porsche doesn't have any solution for this yet. I just have keep adjusting time whenever it happens.

RickyEarl

Actually, I was joking about all three of them. Those brands (right or wrong) are right up there when I think "cars that allow the mechanic to buy himself a new boat."

thegamemodo9

Which dealership do you visit here in Dallas? I'm assuming Park Place?

georgedaman

Did you try to contact one of our smarties? (MB doctor or Steve) I am sure they could tell you something usefull and you can maybe guide the dealer to fix it .This might be more practical rather then have the dealer playing with it....on your time.
Good luck!
(My uneducated guess is overvoltage or overheating within the unit itself)

RickyEarl

thegamemodo9:
Yes, it's Park Place. The others are a long way from my house and office.

georgedaman:
No contact with those guys. What's the best way to contact them? PM?

georgedaman

SteveNL ..probably email to the Dutch email address.It takes a few days for a respons usually..if you get one
MBdoctor is 212.660.2905 or 213.291.0192 and the man to ask is Salamon..