Last weekend I drove about 400 miles using the satellite navigation and everything was flawless. Once I got home and parked the car for about 4 hours and drove somewhere again, the Navigation screen stayed in the spot where the car was parked even though I had driven about 3 miles. If I was playing a CD, was listening to the SAT radio or if the radio was on, there would be static and it would cut out every 30 seconds. After about 6 minutes of turning the whole system on and off and stopping the engine taking out the key and then starting it everything came back to normal. Last Sunday the car worked fine all day. I parked the car in my garage and just got into it yesterday evening to go to the dealer to pick up some parts (glove box shelf, trunk cargo liner and mud flaps).

When I unlocked the car, the driver’s door lock unlocked but bounced up and down about 3 times. I thought to myself: is this an ML?? When I started the car and put on the SAT radio I noticed that it was cutting out every 30 seconds (like it did this weekend). I hit the MAP button and it was stuck on my driveway even though I had driven off and was over one mile away. This time, I pulled over and ejected the DVD from the trunk and inserted it again. Everything went right back to normal.

When I got to the dealer they said that they had a software update for that car and that the lock actuator must be bad on the driver’s door. My service writer said that he had not seen a w211 have this problem yet; he said that the MLs have the most problems with this. I though that was ironic since I thought of our old ML when the lock did that. I will be bringing the car in next week when I call in sick to work. They said that they would have everything done in about 1 hour once they have the car in the work bay.

I hope that when I get the software update I get the command to at least play CD mp3s. Scorchie is that right? Also, I sure hope I don’t loose all my navigation addresses. When I had the phone installed, I lost them all and reprogrammed them all in again!

Have any of you had door lock issues? At least every time I do go to the dealer it is for a couple of things that happen at the same time.

Steve A

 

My vehicle is a January 04 build and we have never experienced anything like you have described. (and certainly do not want to)

I hope everything is sorted out and I would be grateful to hear more about this 'upgrade'

Good luck,
John

 

Once whan my car was very new, my Nav froze. It never happened since & I have had the audio flash done last winter. Ocaisionally my doors will lock or unlock, but I think thats because I have many keys in my pocket & the MB smartkey is also in my pocket since I have keyless go. I think the Smartkey gets squished & pressed in my pocket though.

 

I almost have 4000 miles on the car and the Nav. just locked two times: yesterday and Saturday. I wonder how come it was working so well before and now it did it twice in a row.

Barry, can your CD player now read MP3s on a CD rom? I think that you have the US head unit right?

Steve

 

US Head unit '04 Built 1D 11/03. No MP3 capability.
...OEM Sirius is good enough for me. I can't see ever listening to regular radio in the car again, but I do have CDs in the changer for those rare times.

 

My head unit is from March of 2004, so maybe it will work. I know what you mean about the SAT radio. I find myself listening only to weather band on the radio now. That is only if there are storms, I am not that boring! I do think that 7 CDs is quite a bit of cd capacity (my 300E had 10, but I never changed them since the changer was in the trunk).

I am wondering if I should also have the SBC recall done too.

Thank you for the 411,

Steve

 

I got my car back and the following happened:

The driver's door lock never acted up again, but the technician (who in this case is the head mechanic) did some research and decided to still order a new actuator. As it turns out, there is either an updated part or there are a lot of these problems. The part is on "intergalactic backorder" techs words here. He says that they have no idea when the part will be in! This is not a big deal since the lock only acted up for one day, but I at least know that it will be fixed when the part comes in.

SBC recall was done. My brakes work as they always did. However, I had a ML 350 as a loaner car and those brakes (the pedal feel) were the worst feel of any car I have ever driven!!!! The pedal sinks to half way and then it starts to brake. You can actually sink the pedal almost to the floor if you have to stop in a hurry (I tested it). All the loaners (two MLs that I drove) have been like that. I find it unbecoming of a MB. I used to drive an older ML 320 and a ML 430 on occasions, I never noticed this issue on those. So needless to say, after getting back into the E, I thought the brakes were FANTASTIC!

They did a complete software update on the command unit. This should take care of the locking up of the Navigation system. Also, now the single slot plays MP3s. It was worth taking the car in just for this upgrade.

I also mentioned when I dropped off the car that sometimes the person that I am talking to on the phone hears themselves in an echo. They checked what hardware I had and said that there is one newer update, so they will put that part in when the door lock comes in.

O, the dealer also put the mud flaps on FREE, just because I am a nice guy!

Luckily, going to my dealer is only a 22-mile trip. Also, they are next to the Costco I like to shop at. So it is not a real inconvenience to go to my dealer. The dealer is by far the best MB dealership that I have ever used! Plug time: Glauser Mercedes in Westminster CO.

I have two weeks of Christmas brake coming up and I will be driving at least 1000 miles. This will make me hit the 5,000-mile mark, which means I will pay $99.00 for an oil and filter change. I will send out a sample of the oil to a lab and I will see if it is ok to use the FSS. I suspect I will be proven wrong. I should not question the FSS, but I just want to be sure. Also, by then, I hope to have the door lock and phone unit changed too.

Steve A.

 

I'm sure your "synthetic" oil will be just fine after ONLY 5000 miles... Changing it any sooner is just a waste of $$$$$. My dealer changes mine at 10,000 regardless what the FSS says at no charge (naturally).
Just my .02

 

I endorse entirely what Harley has stated. European vehicles go four times the distance between services and the oil is certainly not a worry.

Regards,
John

A wet, damp morning in Torquay

 

Yup. Mobil 1 is designed to go 15,000 miles & still be in good shape. Thats why MB now specifies it. Save your money on the testing.

 

I know and agree with what all of you are saying. But being the stubborn SOB that I am , I have to see this for myself. Plus, this little oil change will be the so-called old-fashioned break-in oil change. To get all those alleged metal particles (that I am sure don't exist in this engine since the filter should of caught them).

I am sure that I will then simply change it every 10K like mentioned. Also, I am going to ship a sample of my 262,000-mile inline 5 cyl Audi's oil. I am very curious to see what metal they will find in it!

Steve

 

Hi Steve,
Having read your post it would be very interesting for a sample of oil to be tested prior to a European vehicle going in for its first service and comparing the results to a US vehicle. The mileage difference is considerable and the durability of the diesel 320 is certainly being tested by our Emergency Services.

I have absolutely no idea if any are using petrol 211 vehicles. The only Police Force in the West Country that I know is using the 211 is Avon and Somerset and they have the S211 320CDI which they will keep for 300,000miles!! or three years. All vehicles are serviced in accordance with Plus ASYYST so will have the oil changed at approximately 20,000 mile intervals.

Good luck with the tests,
John

The 316CDI Sprinters are acheiving 300,000 miles before being replaced.

Regards,
John