2011 E350 CDI Bluetooth pooed the bed
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Dec 2022
Posts: 87
Likes: 34
From: Slovakia
2011 E350 CDI 4Matic, Rover 75, Chevy K2500, 2 motorcycles
2011 E350 CDI Bluetooth pooed the bed
I confess I am cross-posting. The quote below is from January. It was (and still is) in the Electronics section, but garnered no replies. Maybe more people - knowledgeable ones - will see it here. How can such an incredible car have such s&%tty Bluetooth?
Hi folks,
Got my first MB last Tuesday. E350 CDI 4Matic. Fantastic car! Not so fantastic Bluetooth.
I tried to get it functioning without an owner's manual, but failed. Then I downloaded the USA/Canada manual (I'm in Slovakia and it came with Czech or Slovak books). Anyway, following the book I unauthorized the 8 or 10 phones in its memory including my own. I unpaired my phone and changed the name of my phone. Then I followed the manual and got my phone authorised and paired. imported my contacts and successfully made one phone call. ONE.
Now it connects to my phone automatically every time (or MOST every time), however when I go to the contacts in Comand and select Name with the joystick/mouse, find the name and click down the mouse to make the call, it looks like it will (says connecting or something), but after a while it just gives up. Then there is a message saying Bluetooth telephony is ready or something. Then it reconnects my phone to the car again.
What is going on??? My 20 year old Garmin Nuvi's are super reliable for handsfree. Oh, my phone is a few years old but way newer than the car - Xiaomi Mi 8. Android 10, MIUI version 11.
Is there any help out there?
Thanks,
Glenn
Well, here it is 4 months or so after the initial problems with Bluetooth. By some miracle I did manage to get it working and it was fantastic, well, great, until a week ago. Then it started taking longer to connect after starting the car, sometimes 10 minutes or more. But, when connected it was fine. So, yesterday it didn't connect, so instead of doing what is obvious for most and rebooting my phone, I started messing with the car's phone setup. With no luck I decided to start over and unauthorised the phone after unpairing the MB Bluetooth on my phone. Then I set about authorising the phone from scratch. I must have spent 2 hours on that yesterday without progress. Today I finally broke down and RTFM. I saw that to re-authorise a phone I had to use a different pairing code. Did that, but no help. After disconnecting/reconnecting and unauthorising/re-authorising again with another pairing code I got it to work. ONCE. In 3 hours.
I'm not an idiot. Something just isn't right. So, what's my next step? Firmware update? Can authorised MB service places do that or is it strictly dealer only?
Hi folks,
Got my first MB last Tuesday. E350 CDI 4Matic. Fantastic car! Not so fantastic Bluetooth.
I tried to get it functioning without an owner's manual, but failed. Then I downloaded the USA/Canada manual (I'm in Slovakia and it came with Czech or Slovak books). Anyway, following the book I unauthorized the 8 or 10 phones in its memory including my own. I unpaired my phone and changed the name of my phone. Then I followed the manual and got my phone authorised and paired. imported my contacts and successfully made one phone call. ONE.
Now it connects to my phone automatically every time (or MOST every time), however when I go to the contacts in Comand and select Name with the joystick/mouse, find the name and click down the mouse to make the call, it looks like it will (says connecting or something), but after a while it just gives up. Then there is a message saying Bluetooth telephony is ready or something. Then it reconnects my phone to the car again.
What is going on??? My 20 year old Garmin Nuvi's are super reliable for handsfree. Oh, my phone is a few years old but way newer than the car - Xiaomi Mi 8. Android 10, MIUI version 11.
Is there any help out there?
Thanks,
Glenn
Well, here it is 4 months or so after the initial problems with Bluetooth. By some miracle I did manage to get it working and it was fantastic, well, great, until a week ago. Then it started taking longer to connect after starting the car, sometimes 10 minutes or more. But, when connected it was fine. So, yesterday it didn't connect, so instead of doing what is obvious for most and rebooting my phone, I started messing with the car's phone setup. With no luck I decided to start over and unauthorised the phone after unpairing the MB Bluetooth on my phone. Then I set about authorising the phone from scratch. I must have spent 2 hours on that yesterday without progress. Today I finally broke down and RTFM. I saw that to re-authorise a phone I had to use a different pairing code. Did that, but no help. After disconnecting/reconnecting and unauthorising/re-authorising again with another pairing code I got it to work. ONCE. In 3 hours.
I'm not an idiot. Something just isn't right. So, what's my next step? Firmware update? Can authorised MB service places do that or is it strictly dealer only?
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 6,190
Likes: 1,550
From: MA
2008 E350 4Matic, 2011 E350 4matic
The 2011 does need a firmware update to fix issues with bluetooth/Sirius. My issues with that was that it would keep dropping the connection randomly while playing music through bluetooth. I never used the menu for the contacts, just the phone.
But you could try and start from scratch, delete all the contacts in the car. Kill the car, start with a fresh boot of comand. Also clear old connections on your phone and restart it. Then pair it again from scratch. But there is a dealer firmware out there. I don't know if you can find a 3rd party indy if they have the software to do the update. I had mine done at the dealer years ago and it's been fine ever since.
But you could try and start from scratch, delete all the contacts in the car. Kill the car, start with a fresh boot of comand. Also clear old connections on your phone and restart it. Then pair it again from scratch. But there is a dealer firmware out there. I don't know if you can find a 3rd party indy if they have the software to do the update. I had mine done at the dealer years ago and it's been fine ever since.
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Dec 2022
Posts: 87
Likes: 34
From: Slovakia
2011 E350 CDI 4Matic, Rover 75, Chevy K2500, 2 motorcycles
The 2011 does need a firmware update to fix issues with bluetooth/Sirius. My issues with that was that it would keep dropping the connection randomly while playing music through bluetooth. I never used the menu for the contacts, just the phone.
But you could try and start from scratch, delete all the contacts in the car. Kill the car, start with a fresh boot of comand. Also clear old connections on your phone and restart it. Then pair it again from scratch. But there is a dealer firmware out there. I don't know if you can find a 3rd party indy if they have the software to do the update. I had mine done at the dealer years ago and it's been fine ever since.
But you could try and start from scratch, delete all the contacts in the car. Kill the car, start with a fresh boot of comand. Also clear old connections on your phone and restart it. Then pair it again from scratch. But there is a dealer firmware out there. I don't know if you can find a 3rd party indy if they have the software to do the update. I had mine done at the dealer years ago and it's been fine ever since.
I had imported my Contacts to Comand and always used the voice command to "Dial" my calls by contact name.
The interesting thing is that Comand will show the phone connected along with signal strength, but no mobile service provider name. The phone will show MB Bluetooth greyed out as if not connected. Occasionally I could get the provider name to appear on Comand and voice dial a contact but the call wouldn't connect or even activate on the phone as it normally did.
Sometimes the phone would indicate MB Bluetooth was connected, but in grey said in parenthesis Phone Connected and No Media - or something like that.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 6,190
Likes: 1,550
From: MA
2008 E350 4Matic, 2011 E350 4matic
Who knows where the flaws in Comand might be before a firmware update. I never used comand to dial by contact name. It basically worked fine but skipped here and there so was annoying, same with music. The real fix is to get comand updated.
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Dec 2022
Posts: 87
Likes: 34
From: Slovakia
2011 E350 CDI 4Matic, Rover 75, Chevy K2500, 2 motorcycles
Solved
I can tell you how we solved it, but I can't tell you WHY we got into the situation to start with. It seems to have been my phone's fault. BUT, that means it is also my friend's phone's fault because trying to connect his to Comand failed just like mine. I don't believe in coincidences, but we both have Xiaomi phones (Android) - mine a Mi 8 and his a Redmi Note 10. I don't allow updates on my phone, but maybe one was sneakily pushed through by Xiaomi on both mine and my friend's.
The fix? Go to the Bluetooth Pairing page that shows your paired devices. Open MB Bluetooth. Turn off "Media Audio". The car computer guy said it is battling with "Phone Calls" and "Contact Sharing" for supremacy.
Something has obviously changed since January. There was never a problem before. I never did use the Media Audio function because I have my music on an SD card and also copied to the Music Register.
The fix? Go to the Bluetooth Pairing page that shows your paired devices. Open MB Bluetooth. Turn off "Media Audio". The car computer guy said it is battling with "Phone Calls" and "Contact Sharing" for supremacy.
Something has obviously changed since January. There was never a problem before. I never did use the Media Audio function because I have my music on an SD card and also copied to the Music Register.
Out Of Control!!
Joined: Apr 2019
Posts: 12,274
Likes: 6,919
From: Silicon Valley
W212 MY'14 M276-3.5NA @75kMi
limitations
I can tell you how we solved it, but I can't tell you WHY we got into the situation to start with. It seems to have been my phone's fault. BUT, that means it is also my friend's phone's fault because trying to connect his to Comand failed just like mine. I don't believe in coincidences, but we both have Xiaomi phones (Android) - mine a Mi 8 and his a Redmi Note 10. I don't allow updates on my phone, but maybe one was sneakily pushed through by Xiaomi on both mine and my friend's.
The fix? Go to the Bluetooth Pairing page that shows your paired devices. Open MB Bluetooth. Turn off "Media Audio". The car computer guy said it is battling with "Phone Calls" and "Contact Sharing" for supremacy.
Something has obviously changed since January. There was never a problem before. I never did use the Media Audio function because I have my music on an SD card and also copied to the Music Register.
The fix? Go to the Bluetooth Pairing page that shows your paired devices. Open MB Bluetooth. Turn off "Media Audio". The car computer guy said it is battling with "Phone Calls" and "Contact Sharing" for supremacy.
Something has obviously changed since January. There was never a problem before. I never did use the Media Audio function because I have my music on an SD card and also copied to the Music Register.
There's an incompatibility (BUG!) in the software stack. Don't feel bad about it, new software is loaded with half-baked features. That's what updates are for... fix old bugs introduce new ones - Its called "AGILE DEVELOPMENT" ie. cheap, untested and very unstable.
This shortcut is "best efforts" to maximize profits: prices go up with busy work around circles, quality goes down... you pay more for less!
Once you know about an active bug, you try to learn how to work around its limitations.
Last edited by CaliBenzDriver; May 27, 2023 at 11:38 PM.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 9,225
Likes: 1,798
From: V E G A S
1922 Ford Model T / no OBD
On my 2014 E250 I have the Bluetooth connection failing occasionally, so I just consider that normal, just like Internet service at my home goes down occasionally.
Side question, how Czech and Slovakian language compare? In the past, visiting Czechoslovakia from Poland, I could pretty fast make communication as about 20% of words and language logics were similar to Polish.
Would I go there now, would I still be able to communicate?
Side question, how Czech and Slovakian language compare? In the past, visiting Czechoslovakia from Poland, I could pretty fast make communication as about 20% of words and language logics were similar to Polish.
Would I go there now, would I still be able to communicate?
Trending Topics
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Dec 2022
Posts: 87
Likes: 34
From: Slovakia
2011 E350 CDI 4Matic, Rover 75, Chevy K2500, 2 motorcycles
On my 2014 E250 I have the Bluetooth connection failing occasionally, so I just consider that normal, just like Internet service at my home goes down occasionally.
Side question, how Czech and Slovakian language compare? In the past, visiting Czechoslovakia from Poland, I could pretty fast make communication as about 20% of words and language logics were similar to Polish.
Would I go there now, would I still be able to communicate?
Side question, how Czech and Slovakian language compare? In the past, visiting Czechoslovakia from Poland, I could pretty fast make communication as about 20% of words and language logics were similar to Polish.
Would I go there now, would I still be able to communicate?
Czech and Slovak are very, very similar. Some letters have a slightly different pronunciation and a few "accent" marks on top of some letters are different. For talking everyone understands everyone. Subtitles in movies are almost always in Czech, not Slovak. Depending on where you visited before would determine which language you were communicating in because the people tended to mostly live closer to home. Some Czechs transferred to the Slovak half for work, but that would be the minority.
If I had to guess which one is closer to Polish, I'd say Slovak, but just a guess. The big bonus now is that if you had difficulty for some reason, way more people speak English now.
Cheers,
Glenn
MB World Stories
The Best of Mercedes & AMG
New Mercedes-AMG SUVs Arrive With NEW V8 Engine: 12 Things You Need to Know
Verdad Gallardo
8 Oddball Mercedes Ideas That Actually Made it to Production
Verdad Gallardo
Dubai Tuner Gives the Mercedes G-Class An Entirely New Look
Verdad Gallardo
Six Gift Ideas Your AMG Loving Dad or Grad Will Cherish
7 Craziest Things AMG Gas Ever Built
Verdad Gallardo
New Electric Mercedes-AMG GT 4-Door Coupe Unveiled: 10 Things You Need to Know
Verdad Gallardo
6 Mercedes Models That Did NOT Age Well (But Are Somehow Still Cool)
Verdad Gallardo
Manual Mercedes? 6 Times Sindelfingen Let Drivers Have All The Fun
Verdad Gallardo
Mercedes SLR McLaren 722 S Is Extremely Rare Example Modified by McLaren
Verdad Gallardo
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 9,225
Likes: 1,798
From: V E G A S
1922 Ford Model T / no OBD
Thanks for explanation.
So you are saying that Slovakian speaking English will be better than me speaking Slovakian?
You write pretty good in English, so do you use it in your work, or is it games-related?
So you are saying that Slovakian speaking English will be better than me speaking Slovakian?
You write pretty good in English, so do you use it in your work, or is it games-related?
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Dec 2022
Posts: 87
Likes: 34
From: Slovakia
2011 E350 CDI 4Matic, Rover 75, Chevy K2500, 2 motorcycles
You will probably be fine speaking Polish. Both are Slavic languages with enough similarities to get by, like you sort of remember. But, if it gets tricky for something you want to say, most people under 30 years old speak English. They may not be practiced and fluent, but can understand you and will try to communicate with you in English. I remember many years ago my wife helping Polish people with driving directions to wherever they were going if they asked. They managed with the basics of both languages.
Last edited by slovcan; May 28, 2023 at 02:02 AM.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 9,225
Likes: 1,798
From: V E G A S
1922 Ford Model T / no OBD
You must be having beautiful wife.
I do consider "Slovenian" race, what is common in Ukraine, Poland and Slovakia, probably Bulgaria as having the most beautiful women in the World. That combined with most ugly men in the World
Still remember when generation ago we spend a month in Greece on scuba camp. On our way back we stop at Sofia and almost twisted our heads off seeing all those blondies there.
Similar way I am danger driver in Chicago. Coming from West Coast, when I see all those blondies crossing the streets, paying attention to stop lights become secondary. Chicago is having 1.3 million Polish.
I do consider "Slovenian" race, what is common in Ukraine, Poland and Slovakia, probably Bulgaria as having the most beautiful women in the World. That combined with most ugly men in the World
Still remember when generation ago we spend a month in Greece on scuba camp. On our way back we stop at Sofia and almost twisted our heads off seeing all those blondies there.
Similar way I am danger driver in Chicago. Coming from West Coast, when I see all those blondies crossing the streets, paying attention to stop lights become secondary. Chicago is having 1.3 million Polish.
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: Dec 2022
Posts: 87
Likes: 34
From: Slovakia
2011 E350 CDI 4Matic, Rover 75, Chevy K2500, 2 motorcycles
You must be having beautiful wife.
I do consider "Slovenian" race, what is common in Ukraine, Poland and Slovakia, probably Bulgaria as having the most beautiful women in the World. That combined with most ugly men in the World
Still remember when generation ago we spend a month in Greece on scuba camp. On our way back we stop at Sofia and almost twisted our heads off seeing all those blondies there.
Similar way I am danger driver in Chicago. Coming from West Coast, when I see all those blondies crossing the streets, paying attention to stop lights become secondary. Chicago is having 1.3 million Polish.
I do consider "Slovenian" race, what is common in Ukraine, Poland and Slovakia, probably Bulgaria as having the most beautiful women in the World. That combined with most ugly men in the World
Still remember when generation ago we spend a month in Greece on scuba camp. On our way back we stop at Sofia and almost twisted our heads off seeing all those blondies there.
Similar way I am danger driver in Chicago. Coming from West Coast, when I see all those blondies crossing the streets, paying attention to stop lights become secondary. Chicago is having 1.3 million Polish.
I must agree! Men will be men and women are irresistible!
