Radio Presets
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Joined: Jul 2004
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From: Sacramento, CA
2015 E350
Radio Presets
I've had my car a week and took a nice little road trip to Lake Tahoe yesterday. That gave me a chance to drive the car under a number of conditions including freeway, mountain passes at 9300 ft, and some winding one lane roads. I couldn't have been more pleased. I have only one complaint about the car so far: I could not figure out a way to jump from one radio preset station to another using steering wheel button, so I did a search on this forum and found an old discussion about this issue. I was very much accustomed to this feature on my C320 and find it very frustrating not to have it. The last post in that thread was in April....just wondering if anyone has heard anything about this in the mean time?
SL
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2005 E320, Brilliant Silver/charcoal with premium and appearance packages, keyless go, trunk closer, rear seat package.
SL
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2005 E320, Brilliant Silver/charcoal with premium and appearance packages, keyless go, trunk closer, rear seat package.
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From: Sacramento
'08 AM Vantage V8 - '03 E500
No change, so far as I know. Other M-B models have the ability to search presets, and I'm told that the W210 (previous E-class) also had that option. It's something that M-B could undoubtedly fix with a software patch, but they either don't know or don't care about the issue.
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From: Las Vegas, NV USA / London, UK
GL320CDI / C63 Edition 507 Coupe (EDP) / E63 S (on order) / G500 / Smart Brabus
Yes, there is new news about this "feature". In the meantime, the feature has been removed from the C-, CLK- and SLK-classes, thus hopefully eliminating complaints (or at least their validity) about "it works on other Mercedes models!".
-s-
-s-
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From: Sacramento
'08 AM Vantage V8 - '03 E500
So, M-B is extending the "no-presets-selection" malfeature through its product line? This isn't like the cheapening of the center console or the deletion of puddle lights (etc, etc) because there are no cost savings involved. Obviously, somebody at M-B, in New Jersey and/or Germany, decided, incredibly, that customers wanted it that way. How M-B reached that conclusion is a mystery to me, but since they would have to spend some money to fix their mistake, they surely won't. They know that this malfeature won't affect M-B sales for the simple reason that nobody is aware of it before they buy. Take sl561 as an example; she perused this forum for some time before buying but even she missed the "presets" issue until after she purchased.
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From: Northern NJ
2014 BMW 550i
I have a feeling that it relates to the COMAND system, since MB is moving to have a unified interface among all of their COMAND equipped cars (and as can be seen partially with the 537 trick). This doesn't excuse why it can't be fixed, since it is only a software issue, and what should be a minor one at that.
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From: global traveller
some slow@$$diesels
Originally Posted by alewifebp
This doesn't excuse why it can't be fixed, since it is only a software issue, and what should be a minor one at that.
One of these days (or...months) the updated AGW flashware will solve this major problem...
greetingz,
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From: Sacramento
'08 AM Vantage V8 - '03 E500
Now you've got me confused, Steve. Are you saying that the inability to select presets from the steering wheel is a software error introduced 2.5 years ago by the current maker of M-B head units, that still hasn't been corrected? Or is the inability to select presets a result of a choice by M-B to turn off the option? Logically, the inability could be either a software error, or a choice by M-B, but not both.
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From: Ft. Lauderdale Area, USA
2015 ML 350
Its my understanding that MB turned off the settable option in the cluster because the software written inside the head unit is missing the code to respond to that request.
...and you know that very often when a software engineer goes back to the code written by someone else to write in a patch, very often the patch corrects the original error, but introduces some other unexpected performance which will require another patch... Given the fact that MB had all the problems with the original design of the head unit, I'll bet that they are saying "leave it alone, for the most part it works, the next generation head unit will do it."
The radio in my '02 Caddy Deville had a similar software bug that GM said was working properly untill I proved to a senior engineer at both Delphi and at Rennaisance Center in Michigan, that the performance of the radio did not work as the previous year's radio did, and did not work as the manual said it would... Their response was to change the programming in the radio mid year so that when you pressed that sequence of buttons, the radio would display "Not Available".
...and you know that very often when a software engineer goes back to the code written by someone else to write in a patch, very often the patch corrects the original error, but introduces some other unexpected performance which will require another patch... Given the fact that MB had all the problems with the original design of the head unit, I'll bet that they are saying "leave it alone, for the most part it works, the next generation head unit will do it."
The radio in my '02 Caddy Deville had a similar software bug that GM said was working properly untill I proved to a senior engineer at both Delphi and at Rennaisance Center in Michigan, that the performance of the radio did not work as the previous year's radio did, and did not work as the manual said it would... Their response was to change the programming in the radio mid year so that when you pressed that sequence of buttons, the radio would display "Not Available".
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From: Christchurch, New Zealand
17 E220D, 11 E350 CDI(sold), 06 CLS320 CDI (sold), 05 Cadillac DeVille (gone), 04 E320 CDI (sold)
I can't understand why this is such a problem??? The presets work fine off the radio unit, how often do you guys switch stations anyway?
Get over it, up until a few years ago no-one had thought of steering wheel controls and we all managed to change stations and adjust the volume ok.
We even used to eject cassettes and load new ones, all while driving at the same time.
Get over it, up until a few years ago no-one had thought of steering wheel controls and we all managed to change stations and adjust the volume ok.
We even used to eject cassettes and load new ones, all while driving at the same time.
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From: Sacramento, CA
2015 E350
Originally Posted by johna1
I can't understand why this is such a problem??? The presets work fine off the radio unit, how often do you guys switch stations anyway?
Get over it, up until a few years ago no-one had thought of steering wheel controls and we all managed to change stations and adjust the volume ok.
We even used to eject cassettes and load new ones, all while driving at the same time.
Get over it, up until a few years ago no-one had thought of steering wheel controls and we all managed to change stations and adjust the volume ok.
We even used to eject cassettes and load new ones, all while driving at the same time.
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From: Las Vegas, NV USA / London, UK
GL320CDI / C63 Edition 507 Coupe (EDP) / E63 S (on order) / G500 / Smart Brabus
Originally Posted by sl561
Given that the controls are actually there on the steering will now, I don't think it's too much to expect that they would also be functional. The radio station control is useless in it's present form.
Plus, leaving this setting for all stations makes the TV tuner up/down seek more useful, as the station availability changes quite a bit more with location than the radio. Also satellite radio has a lot of channels to listen to and the 10 presets are not nearly enough for "channel surfing."
-s-
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From: In the shadow of D.C. (No.Va.)
'05 E320CDI, 1987 300E, Vanagon Syncro, Turbo Arrow III
Originally Posted by scorchie
Plus, leaving this setting for all stations makes the TV tuner up/down seek more useful, as the station availability changes quite a bit more with location than the radio. Also satellite radio has a lot of channels to listen to and the 10 presets are not nearly enough for "channel surfing."
-s-
-s-
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From: Sacramento
'08 AM Vantage V8 - '03 E500
Originally Posted by johna1
I can't understand why this is such a problem??? The presets work fine off the radio unit, how often do you guys switch stations anyway?
No, this isn't an issue comparable to global warming or nuclear proliferation. Our cars tend to create high expectations, though, both because of their price and because of their generally high quality and feature set. Without steering wheel preset selection, changing stations means eyes off the road to search out the right button on a small keypad designed for telephone, not radio, use. In North America it's also on the far side of the console from the driver.
And as for those lucky folks who prefer the sequential station selection because it works better with their voice control, TV tuner and satellite radio - well, what can I say? I've got a cassette player in my car.
Last edited by DWP; Oct 14, 2004 at 09:54 PM.
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From: NW Ohio
2008 335 vert, 2004 MDX
Originally Posted by johna1
I can't understand why this is such a problem??? The presets work fine off the radio unit, how often do you guys switch stations anyway?
Get over it, up until a few years ago no-one had thought of steering wheel controls and we all managed to change stations and adjust the volume ok.
We even used to eject cassettes and load new ones, all while driving at the same time.
Get over it, up until a few years ago no-one had thought of steering wheel controls and we all managed to change stations and adjust the volume ok.
We even used to eject cassettes and load new ones, all while driving at the same time.
These days, with the endless commercials, (sorry, no Sirius in my car yet Barry) I find myself surfing the presets constantly. Hearing my officially ordered MB won't be able to handle this is disappointing. My 2002 540 does it. My wife's 2000 Odyssey does it. My long since deceased '87 Pontiac Bonneville didn't surf presets, but it had preset buttons on the steering wheel. And now I read that the W210 could do it? Talk about a step backwards.
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From: Las Vegas, NV USA / London, UK
GL320CDI / C63 Edition 507 Coupe (EDP) / E63 S (on order) / G500 / Smart Brabus
Originally Posted by pa28pilot
In light of the above, does the MB Sirius radio have any presets? I find that they become very useful when you have a hundred channels to choose from.
-s-
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From: Christchurch, New Zealand
17 E220D, 11 E350 CDI(sold), 06 CLS320 CDI (sold), 05 Cadillac DeVille (gone), 04 E320 CDI (sold)
I just checked and we have 25 FM stations that come up through the steering wheel buttons. But I only listen to one or two of them, so I just use the controls on the radio to change. It isn't a problem, but I note the point about the number selector being on the far side of the radio for LHD.
I still can't see it as an issue, but I guess if you have a very low tolerance for rubbish and want to keep flicking around the stations it might get tedious. Tha would drive me more nuts than listening to the odd dopey song or stupid ad.
All said, I can;t understand why Mb don't just make it an option... then everyone would be happy.
I still can't see it as an issue, but I guess if you have a very low tolerance for rubbish and want to keep flicking around the stations it might get tedious. Tha would drive me more nuts than listening to the odd dopey song or stupid ad.
All said, I can;t understand why Mb don't just make it an option... then everyone would be happy.
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Oddly when my 2004 E320 battery died (accidentially left the lights on) and after I got a recharge from mb road service the tech advised me to leave the car running for an hour so I drove around for an hour and the buttons on my stering wheel did go to my presets exactly as I had set it from 1 through 0. I couldn't believe it so I keep trying it the whole hour. But once I turned my car off and turned it back on as I feared it went back to the search mode. Not sure why or how that happened.
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From: In the shadow of D.C. (No.Va.)
'05 E320CDI, 1987 300E, Vanagon Syncro, Turbo Arrow III
Originally Posted by scorchie
Yes, 10 presets, just like the 10 you get for FM/AM/MW/LW/SW, weather (well only 7 right?), and TV tuner.
-s-
-s-
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From: Las Vegas, NV USA / London, UK
GL320CDI / C63 Edition 507 Coupe (EDP) / E63 S (on order) / G500 / Smart Brabus
Originally Posted by pa28pilot
Thanks. So is there an LW and SW tuner in the US COMANDs?! I'll be thrilled if I can actually tune shortwave on that thing.
It's getting difficult to keep it all straight.
-s-
