Hello. I called MB today to discuss my concerns with the navigation/maps. If you are happy with the this part of the system, this email won't apply to you but if you have experienced any of the following issues (and maybe more that I haven't identified), please take the time to write an email (I'll provide where/how below). I'm told by the rep that the engineers do review these emails monthly and that he was recently loaned an E300 and had experienced some of the same issues I have identified including:

1. Slow or no prompts at very beginning of route and when back-to-back turns are necessary
2. Only 3/4 mile verbal notification for getting off freeways or changing freeways (too short
notice for busy traffic flow - dangerous)
3. No advance notification on screen of the following turn from an upcoming turn to be made
(if a second turn is near the upcoming turn, causes you to miss the turn and the voice
prompt is too slow to tell you)
4. Voice prompt stating to turn left, while maps show a right turn.
5. Tom Tom maps not the best map resource for US. Directions are sometimes misguided or
missing streets/freeways or incorrect information about them.

If you have experienced any of the issues noted (or others) please do the following to assist in correcting the issues (most are software issues, not all).

1. Go to: http://www.mbusa.com
2. Go to the bottom of the page and click the link "contact us"
3. Select "Email/Write" at the top of the page
4. Complete the fill in form (have your VIN ready)

I chose "Vehicle" under the "Inquiry" drop down menu and then "opens/features" under the "regarding" drop down menu.

Thanks for your help/consideration/time for doing this. The rep identified that the more the engineers hear from others about the specific issues, the more likely they will be addressed. Whether or not they ultimately do address the issues, it's better to try than to say nothing and probably better in writing (as outlined above) vs. calling.

Thank you!!

 

Thanks for providing this information. I sent the email as suggested. I have my E300 for 2 weeks and made my first trip: Long Island to Northern NJ and experienced all of this stuff and was wondering how this was possible. I went from a 2015 A6 that had a very good nav unit and expected so much more. Also, I recently had the Command software update to address display of overlapping confused images so I think I have latest.

Thanks again.

 

Thank you for taking the time to respond. I've seen that over 100 people have viewed my post but not sure how many have emailed Mercedes. All I can do is ask and hope that we get as many as possible who have had any or all of the issues to make it known so that when our group complains individually they don't continue to get the standard response that is being made by the dealers about the navigation, "We haven't heard anything about it.". I did receive a response from Mercedes from my email I sent today:

My Email to them:
May I recommend that a "feedback" option be added under the "Regarding" drop down? The maps and the associated features providing direction are substandard to any navigation I have used. There's a lot of conversation about the nav on mbword.com forum. Some examples I have experienced: the system saying to turn left while the maps show a right turn; lack of and sometimes no timely voice prompting when there are quick turns to make back to back; only 3/4 mile voice prep for getting off exits and switching freeways (very dangerous), no advance notification or visual screen reference of the following turn after the upcoming turn to prepare for (other systems have this feature) and finally, Tom Tom's maps are not the best choice for the US. I had a long-time freeway show improperly on the screen as the wrong freeway number and despite that I needed to get on that to get where I was going, the system didn't tell me to get on it. Apple's Car Play is an option, but takes over the entire screen so the native MB screen features become non visible. I strongly encourage the engineers to correct these deficiencies in the software and maps. Thank you. P.S. Otherwise, I've found this vehicle to be very enjoyable and I applaud the decision to upgrade the technology in the vehicle (track pads, system controls, etc.) Good job!!

Reply from them:
Dear David:

Thank you for your email to Mercedes-Benz USA and your feedback regarding the navigation system.

Mercedes-Benz realizes that rarely will a single design element suit the individual preferences of every person but we look for innovation every day to enhance our vehicles. There are numerous factors that must be carefully weighed when determining any new design element or modification.

Your insight is welcomed as it helps to keep us current in understanding the needs and preferences of our customers. To this end, we have documented your comments internally their review and future consideration.

We appreciate the opportunity to respond and wish you many miles of safe, pleasant driving in your E300.

Kind regards,

Olivia
Mercedes-Benz USA
(800) 367-6372

My response:


Thank you but I do feel the need to respond to your comment That "Mercedes-Benz realizes that rarely will a single design Element suit the individual preferences of every person..." this isn't really about preferences. It's about functionality and safety both items of which are key and core components of a navigation system.

 

Thanks. It is really so disappointing. I felt my disappointment would be the engine and have been pleasantly surprised with the power. The navigation is a big factor for me. Thanks for the update.

 

See below my conversation thread with MBUSA, which does not inspire a lot of confidence that they will actually do something. I do believe in the power of numbers. So if all E300 owners provide feedback to MBUSA, it will put a lot of pressure on them to take some kind of remedial action.

Dear Donovan:

Thank you for your email to Mercedes-Benz USA and your feedback regarding the navigation system.

Mercedes-Benz realizes that rarely will a single design element suit the individual preferences of every person but we look for innovation every day to enhance our vehicles. There are numerous factors that must be carefully weighed when determining any new design element or modification.

Your insight is welcomed as it helps to keep us current in understanding the needs and preferences of our customers. To this end, we have documented your comments internally their review and future consideration.

Should you have any outstanding concerns with your E300, we recommend having the vehicle diagnosed by an authorized Mercedes-Benz dealership who is in the best position to make any recommendations for repairs.

We appreciate the opportunity to respond and wish you a pleasant weekend ahead.

Kind regards,

Olivia
Mercedes-Benz USA
(800) 367-6372


Customer By CSS Web (DONOVAN PLUMMER) (07/13/2017 11:50 PM)
The 2017 E300 is my first Mercedes Benz. And while I revere the brand, my level of satisfaction has steadily deteriorated over time. This is attributed to the many issues experienced with only 6K+ miles on the odometer. The Comand interface control unit had to be replaced because of constant reboots while driving. The navigation has also been a sore point, one of the worst I have experienced in the industry. Other than the beautiful 12" screen, the navigation system is close to being dysfunctional. So much so that I hardly use it and depend almost exclusively on Google maps with Android Auto. In addition to the above mentioned major issues, here are some additional issues that truly diminishes consumer confidence and prestige in the Mercedes brand.

1. Slow or no prompts at very beginning of route and when back-to-back turns are necessary
2. Only 3/4 mile verbal notification for getting off freeways or changing freeways (too short
notice for busy traffic flow - dangerous)
3. No advance notification on screen of the following turn from an upcoming turn to be made
(if a second turn is near the upcoming turn, causes you to miss the turn and the voice
prompt is too slow to tell you)
4. Voice prompt stating to turn left, while maps show a right turn.
5. Tom Tom maps not the best map resource for US. Directions are sometimes misguided or
missing streets/freeways or incorrect information about them.

I implore Mercedes Benz to always live "The Best or Nothing" MS. Thx!
Question Reference # 170713-000095
Date Created: 07/13/2017 11:50 PM
Date Last Updated: 07/14/2017 12:22 PM














[---001:002301:37348---]

DONOVAN PLUMMER <stockoracle@gmail.com>
4:05 PM (5 minutes ago)

to MBUSA
Hi - Thanks for the prompt response. The navigation issues I described are related to functional deficiencies in the design of the navigation system.
So unless MBUSA is releasing a software update to address these issues, there is absolutely nothing a dealer can do to address them.
I would also implore MBUSA to review feedback in various MB forums for the E300, as these complaints about the navigation system are widespread and not isolated.

Once my concerns have been reviewed internally by MBUSA, can I expect a courtesy follow-up response on any planned action or inaction?

Regards,
Donovan

 

I doubt this will make anyone here feel better but I went to local dealer today to resolve some unrelated issue. I was able to meet with the product concierge to discuss some tech issues and I made the navigation a major part of the conversation. He acknowledged they are getting high volume of complaints on navigation related issues. He went as far as to say it has been discussed with MB engineering teams and they acknowledge they made some poor decisions. He offered no official remediation plan and his opinion was that there will be a software update at some point to improve the system. He could not say if our specific vehicles would receive that update or anything on timing. He also said the 2018 E Class coupes will have the same software build as the 2017 sedans so more unhappy owners to arrive shortly.

I do think its important that everyone voice their concerns by following instructions provided in this thread by acecert.

Thanks

 

Thanks Acecert for taking the time to advocate for this grassroots effort to provide feedback to MBUSA on the many functional issues with the E300. I feel like all these issues could seriously cause a bad accident and potentially expose MB to serious legal liability and reputational damage. If MB does not make a good faith effort to address these issues, this will be my first and last Mercedes. BMW 5 and Audi A6 will feature prominently on my shopping list in the next 3-4 years; if I can wait that long. My wife has a 2017 Audi A4 and its navigation system is light years ahead of the E300's.

 

Thanks, Acecert for keeping this topic alive and encouraging others to act. I got my E300 in late November and called the MB customer line in January after two long trips that were made longer by the issues of this nav system. I was told then, that if they received enough complaints, they would look into it. I wonder how many is "enough"?


I just sent them another email. I have had all the problems you listed, but also mentioned the poor routing. It's as if it always calculates the shortest route, even though quickest is selected in the menu system. It continually routes off the Interstate to take state highways. Even though this may be somewhat shorter route, it can add hours to the trip because of slower speed limits and stop and go traffic through towns.


I also can't believe how oblivious the dealership seems to be. I have addressed it both with the tech guy and the sales manager and both of their responses have been that "most people just use their phones". AAARRRGGGHHH!!!

 

I always get better responses to issues by contacting the service manager, not the sales manager.

 

Yeah, well in this case you're better off talking to the sales manager and let them know that this issue may cost them some sales. There is no magic wand that the service manager can wave to fix the issue.


I mentioned it to the service guys once and just got back a blank stare. If there is nothing throwing off an error code then all is right as far as they're concerned.

 

They've already made the sale. You no longer have any leverage with the sales department. Service people don't like to hear about safety issues and potential lemon law cases. Navigation errors, bad routing, conflicting driving directions, etc. are safety issues. They have a pipeline into MB engineering.

 

Done. I had issues with having it tell me to exit the highway and then re-enter at the same exit (documented with pictures that I also posted here). Deal acknowledged there were problems but had no fix. Then, this weekend, the "navigation" (should we really call it that) instructed me to turn in to a subdivision while traveling in an area I knew very little about. It didn't make sense, but I went ahead. From their, it effectively got caught in an infinite loop where it took me around the same block time and after time. I basically had to drive out of the loop for it to figure things out and get me back on the correct route. To me, these issues are becoming a safety issue, not just an inconvenience.

 

Future sales. If you're concerned with leverage, that's the only leverage we have at this point with our current vehicles. This is not something that is going to be fixed with a simple update. Anyone who expects this to be fixed with their current vehicle is going to be disappointed.

 

Hello,
I am a newbie here. Bought my E300 4matic Sedan about a month ago. To say that the Navigation system is a disappointment would be a big understatement. It is a piece of Junk!

I've experienced all the issues stated by Acecert. I've had the system give me directions through back roads when I was only a couple of miles from a highway! Had the voice say left when the onscreen display was showing a right turn and so forth. And there is no way to preview the route.

I sent online feedback to MB and got this response:

=== Response ===
Thank you for your email to Mercedes-Benz USA.

We are sorry to learn of the circumstances that prompted your email. We would recommend that you have the vehicle diagnosed at an authorized dealership to further investigate these occurrences. We rely on our dealer network to inspect the cars to confirm if the vehicle is operating normally or if some service is needed to correct a symptom. The Service Department of an authorized Mercedes-Benz dealership is staffed with specialized technicians that are supported by Mercedes-Benz engineers to deliver a service experience of the highest quality. The Service Manager of the dealership would be in the best position to discuss any service questions you may have once the vehicle is seen including if there are any available software updates for the navigation.

The opportunity to respond is appreciated.

Kind regards,

Ashley L.
Mercedes-Benz USA
(800) 367-6372

================= End of Response ====================

I also called and spoke to a person (Justin) in Customer service about the issues with the Navigation system. And I was told that I could connect my phone and use the Android Auto App! So I buy a car for over $60k and have to rely on my $200 phone for route directions! What good is a fancy 12.3" display when it can't serve it's primary function of providing directions accurately!

In addition when I brought to the attention of Customer Service that many E300 owners were posting online their dissatisfaction with the NAV system and complaining about the same issues, I was told that they didn't know about it and I was the first one to report!

So folks, if you haven't reached out to Customer service yet, please do so! We should bombard them with emails and calls until this issue is resolved. This is my first Mercedes Benz and had high expectations of it. Needless to say, I've had cars that cost half the price and didn't have these kind of issues.

 

Although I am not a big fan of class action lawsuits, I feel like MBUSA won't address this issue in a meaningful way until they have a bunch of lawyers hounding them. This is also my first Mercedes and I am doing my utmost best to love it, but the dysfunctional navigation system does not help. Just last night, it told me to turn left on a street when I could only make a right turn. There was not even a street on the left, just a cinder block wall. This is just crazy. Is there a way we can start an online petition and send the signatures to Mercedes? Also, seems like some bad PR would also spur them into action. Maybe we could get a news program like 60 minutes to do some investigative journalism on these issues.

 

They could probably do a little better, but I don't think it's even possible to come close to what google maps can do. First no matter how good the algorithm, it's still limited to the processing power in the car whereas with the phone, you've got route directions from the cloud and also up to date traffic info. Google is also way bigger than any of the car manufacturers and has lots more data. I really doubt any car manufacturer can beat them. Only advantage is having a built in 12.3" display. One of the first Garmin units I ever got had a tiny 3.5" display so 12.3" is a step up.

 

Can someone advise wether the GPS is supposed to read out loud the incidents/traffic jams on the planned route?

Mine doesnt't say anything. it only mentions on the screen how many minutes delay there are in total.
(all functions/warnings within the gps have been switched on)

I can't even find a list in the menu which would state all the incidents on route.
it only shows them on the card itself which is far from clear.

Am i missing sommething?

 

Mine does not read out the incidents/traffic jams either even though I have everything turned on. Next time I take it to the dealership I am going to see if they can update the system with any and all available software updates.

 

Strange...

last weekend i drove back from barcelona to marseille (500km) and it showed 30 mns delay.

but i could not figure out if it was one traffic jam or several different incidents.
(it did turn out to be just one at the border)

it's impossible to see on the map where the traffic jams are, especially on a itinerary of 500km AND when you are driving.

So Basically you should just trust the GPS to find the best route...???

 

I just noticed that seconds before I arrive at destination the GPS says it's still 5 minutes.....

 

If you want to see traffic jams on your route, the best way is to adjust the map scale by turning the input wheel on the console.

Same goes for people who keep missing their turn on the highway...

 

The best thing you can do is make friends with your dealership's shop foreman and have him file a tech support ticket with MB. If they see a problem and don't have a fix, they're supposed to kick it up to Merc's techs for further support/review.

 

thanks, but this is just a workaround.

when i'm driving in a car that can pretty much drive itself
I want it to tell me about incidents & traffic jams on the way.

you know; like any 50 euro GPS will do....

 

I kind of see what you mean but driving along a motorway with the scale set to 400m seems a bit silly to me!

 

here's another thing; impossible to search for gas stations basis their prices (even though prices are being shown on the map)