Console Buttons Issue - 2011 E550
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Nov 2020
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2011 E550 Sedan
Console Buttons Issue - 2011 E550
Hi everyone,
I have a 2011 E550 Sedan that is having a curious problem. When I press the console button for mute it brings up the screen as if I had pressed the DISC button. Same thing goes for the telephone call button. ,he hang up button brings up the audio screen. The other function buttons, including the audio button, are not responsive.
This happened once before, where buttons were no longer assigned to the appropriate function or did not work. Without repair, the problem went away. I can still access the functions through other means so they work. This seems like a software problem to me. Is there a way to reset the functions on the console to get them to be assigned to their appropriate function again? Or do folks have experience with this being another problem?
Thanks.
Matt
I have a 2011 E550 Sedan that is having a curious problem. When I press the console button for mute it brings up the screen as if I had pressed the DISC button. Same thing goes for the telephone call button. ,he hang up button brings up the audio screen. The other function buttons, including the audio button, are not responsive.
This happened once before, where buttons were no longer assigned to the appropriate function or did not work. Without repair, the problem went away. I can still access the functions through other means so they work. This seems like a software problem to me. Is there a way to reset the functions on the console to get them to be assigned to their appropriate function again? Or do folks have experience with this being another problem?
Thanks.
Matt
Senior Member
Joined: Dec 2018
Posts: 284
Likes: 60
From: New York
2010 E350 4Matic sedan
Hi everyone,
I have a 2011 E550 Sedan that is having a curious problem. When I press the console button for mute it brings up the screen as if I had pressed the DISC button. Same thing goes for the telephone call button. ,he hang up button brings up the audio screen. The other function buttons, including the audio button, are not responsive.
This happened once before, where buttons were no longer assigned to the appropriate function or did not work. Without repair, the problem went away. I can still access the functions through other means so they work. This seems like a software problem to me. Is there a way to reset the functions on the console to get them to be assigned to their appropriate function again? Or do folks have experience with this being another problem?
Thanks.
Matt
I have a 2011 E550 Sedan that is having a curious problem. When I press the console button for mute it brings up the screen as if I had pressed the DISC button. Same thing goes for the telephone call button. ,he hang up button brings up the audio screen. The other function buttons, including the audio button, are not responsive.
This happened once before, where buttons were no longer assigned to the appropriate function or did not work. Without repair, the problem went away. I can still access the functions through other means so they work. This seems like a software problem to me. Is there a way to reset the functions on the console to get them to be assigned to their appropriate function again? Or do folks have experience with this being another problem?
Thanks.
Matt
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Nov 2020
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2011 E550 Sedan
I’ve never experienced this. But I think you can try a couple of things. First, disconnect the battery for a couple of minutes. Then reconnect. See if it fixed it. If not, then you can try long pressing the power button on the radio until it reboots. Maybe that will do the trick.
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'11 E350, '11 E550, '98 M3, '95 E320
Not the same issue, but on my drive home after buying a E550... none of the controls on command unit (left side) were responsive (Radio, Navi, Tel, Settings, etc.). Navigating with command wheel was fine (except scrolling, likely broken shaft). Later that night it worked fine, only possible difference might have been streaming BT using Bovee MMI adapter. Though, on our E350 it isn't an issue. I haven't had a chance to check if the issue persists with BT streaming.
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Nov 2020
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2011 E550 Sedan
Not the same issue, but on my drive home after buying a E550... none of the controls on command unit (left side) were responsive (Radio, Navi, Tel, Settings, etc.). Navigating with command wheel was fine (except scrolling, likely broken shaft). Later that night it worked fine, only possible difference might have been streaming BT using Bovee MMI adapter. Though, on our E350 it isn't an issue. I haven't had a chance to check if the issue persists with BT streaming.
I did power cycle the unit by holding in the unit's on/off button for an extended period of time. That did not resolve the problem, unfortunately. I have not yet tried disconnecting the battery.
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From: North Scottsdale, AZ
'71 Pinto
Before disconnecting battery try pulling f11 (COMAND display + control panel) & f26 (COMAND unit/radio) @ front fuse panel (engine compartment) for about 10 minutes or so.
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Nov 2020
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2011 E550 Sedan
Thanks for this suggestion. Is the location of the fuse panel located in the manual? Sounds like it is in the engine compartment somewhere. I have never played around with the fuses.
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2011 E550 Sedan
I removed the two fuses for a little more than 10 minutes then reinserted them. The function buttons still no longer work. As this "fixed" itself before and the buttons were reacting but wrongly before completely failing, I have to believe this is a software problem somewhere and not a hardware problem.
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2011 E550 Sedan
UPDATE:
Before I could get it to someone who could pull the diagnostics, the console "healed itself". Everything is now working again. I did nothing other than the above steps and have no clue as to what is going on, unfortunately. As noted this happened before and it fixed itself before. I will have to inquire about this the next time I take it in for service. Thanks for all the suggestions and help.
Matt
Before I could get it to someone who could pull the diagnostics, the console "healed itself". Everything is now working again. I did nothing other than the above steps and have no clue as to what is going on, unfortunately. As noted this happened before and it fixed itself before. I will have to inquire about this the next time I take it in for service. Thanks for all the suggestions and help.
Matt
Member
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 170
Likes: 13
From: Southern California
2020 E 350; 2022 E450 Coupe; 2005 Porsche Cayenne; 1975 Porsche 911 Carrera 3.0
More than an isolated incident
I’m having this problem with my 2012 C350.
First time it occurred I attributed it to my battery. I’ve had many weird things happen with old batteries. The problem recently came back. Press TEL Navigation comes up. Push NAV radio cycles, push preset radio button 2, preset radio 5 comes up, push preset radio 5, 8 comes up , etc, etc.
Next day, problem resolves. That afternoon, problem returns.
I’ve had weird things happen to the Command system after Sirius satellite updates.
Anyone have any ideas?
First time it occurred I attributed it to my battery. I’ve had many weird things happen with old batteries. The problem recently came back. Press TEL Navigation comes up. Push NAV radio cycles, push preset radio button 2, preset radio 5 comes up, push preset radio 5, 8 comes up , etc, etc.
Next day, problem resolves. That afternoon, problem returns.
I’ve had weird things happen to the Command system after Sirius satellite updates.
Anyone have any ideas?
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'11 E350, '11 E550, '98 M3, '95 E320
Only advice, would be to thoroughly check the state of health of the main battery (replace if necessary), disconnect main battery for 10 min, reconnect and scan for codes (make note of them), erase codes and see if it reoccurs. This is where having Star Diagnostics (Xentry for W212) may read/decipher codes a more generic scanner would not.
Depending on current software version, maybe update is available from dealer... no guarantee it'll resolve the "issue".
Depending on current software version, maybe update is available from dealer... no guarantee it'll resolve the "issue".
Member
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 170
Likes: 13
From: Southern California
2020 E 350; 2022 E450 Coupe; 2005 Porsche Cayenne; 1975 Porsche 911 Carrera 3.0
I should have mentioned battery is 1 year old. Yes I know they can go bad after one year. Navigation system maps/software was updated in Jan of 2020.
Car is a daily driver.
I wish I had a Star Diagnostic tool.
Car is a daily driver.
I wish I had a Star Diagnostic tool.
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From: 122W, 37N
2016 E350 4Matic wagon, 2019 Ford Expedition, 2019 Chevy Bolt EV
a simple volt meter test at the charging terminals under the hood when the car is parked should be around 12.6V for a fully charged battery when the car has NOT been running for a few hours. when the car is running, it should be 13.6-14.4V indicating that hte alternator is working.
Member
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 170
Likes: 13
From: Southern California
2020 E 350; 2022 E450 Coupe; 2005 Porsche Cayenne; 1975 Porsche 911 Carrera 3.0
a simple volt meter test at the charging terminals under the hood when the car is parked should be around 12.6V for a fully charged battery when the car has NOT been running for a few hours. when the car is running, it should be 13.6-14.4V indicating that hte alternator is working.
Running the battery reads 14.71
Battery was installed 51 weeks ago.
. . . and this morning everything is working as expected.
EDIT: 6 hours later I moved the car across the driveway and the damn radio is acting up again. I cannot believe this is an isolated problem.
EDIT Again: . . . and 4 hours.after thatall is working normally.
EDIT Once Again . . . 6 days later, all is well. Fingers crossed
Last edited by RNajarian; Mar 6, 2021 at 10:16 PM.
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'11 E350, '11 E550, '98 M3, '95 E320
This issue has been manifesting itself on my E550... now that I've been driving it more. Essentially all the "function" buttons on the left side of the command unit either bring up the wrong function or are not responsive. In addition the day/night mode (set to auto currently) will at times sporadically go between modes... especially when it just starting to get darker out. Once its dark, the screen stays on night mode.
I'll have to scan with Xentry, but I haven't seen anything prior that would raise concern.
I'll have to scan with Xentry, but I haven't seen anything prior that would raise concern.
Super Member
Joined: Feb 2019
Posts: 681
Likes: 405
From: FL
2012 E550 sedan 2019 E63 Wagon
This issue has been manifesting itself on my E550... now that I've been driving it more. Essentially all the "function" buttons on the left side of the command unit either bring up the wrong function or are not responsive. In addition the day/night mode (set to auto currently) will at times sporadically go between modes... especially when it just starting to get darker out. Once its dark, the screen stays on night mode.
I'll have to scan with Xentry, but I haven't seen anything prior that would raise concern.
I'll have to scan with Xentry, but I haven't seen anything prior that would raise concern.
I have the same issue with my E550, but it's because of a old USB I keep plugging in, the moment I unplug it the unit talk back with me.
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'11 E350, '11 E550, '98 M3, '95 E320
Did a Xentry sesh and the short of it is...
Depending on which function button (Radio, CD, Navi, Tel, Mute, Settings, End Call, Receive Call, Disc Ej, CLR) is depressed, the command module doesn't recognize the input (as if you didn't press anything), recognizes it as the wrong one (press Radio and it sees Telephone) and/or it switches between seeing two different inputs (press Settings and momentarily its Radio and then disc eject).
So far a command reboot (holding down ON), pulling fuses 11 & 26 and Xentry command self-test and MOST reboot haven't changed the behaviour. Next will be battery disconnect for 10 min, which actually will be overnight since I did it last night.
Depending on which function button (Radio, CD, Navi, Tel, Mute, Settings, End Call, Receive Call, Disc Ej, CLR) is depressed, the command module doesn't recognize the input (as if you didn't press anything), recognizes it as the wrong one (press Radio and it sees Telephone) and/or it switches between seeing two different inputs (press Settings and momentarily its Radio and then disc eject).
So far a command reboot (holding down ON), pulling fuses 11 & 26 and Xentry command self-test and MOST reboot haven't changed the behaviour. Next will be battery disconnect for 10 min, which actually will be overnight since I did it last night.
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From: 122W, 37N
2016 E350 4Matic wagon, 2019 Ford Expedition, 2019 Chevy Bolt EV
afaik, those buttons are part of the radio/stereo module, whatever they call it. hmm, catalog calls it "CONTROL PANEL, COMPLETE OPERATING UNIT"
and, oh great.... there looks to be like 50 different part numbers, depending on options. If you want, post your VIN and I'll figure out which one is correct. either way, once its installed it has to be flashed with updated flashware AND it has to be coded to the vehicle, and the anti-theft features mean you can't just buy one off fleabay and hope to make it work.
and, oh great.... there looks to be like 50 different part numbers, depending on options. If you want, post your VIN and I'll figure out which one is correct. either way, once its installed it has to be flashed with updated flashware AND it has to be coded to the vehicle, and the anti-theft features mean you can't just buy one off fleabay and hope to make it work.
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'11 E350, '11 E550, '98 M3, '95 E320
Pulling the fuses and disconnecting the battery did not correct the issue. Spoke with friend, he's seen this issue at the dealership... usually due to spills. Says they'd spray windex in/around the buttons and often did the trick. When I get a chance, I'll pull the faceplate and see if I can clean the button/contacts a little more "carefully".
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From: Fredonia, WI
2012 E550 v8-Biturbo
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'11 E350, '11 E550, '98 M3, '95 E320
