Update or lack thereof on Live Traffic
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Member
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 143
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From: Worcester, MA
2020 E450 Cabrio
Update or lack thereof on Live Traffic
Thought I would start a clean thread on this. So to recap, my 3-year Live Traffic subscription expired in AUG, so I contacted Customer Service and was told that the provider, TomTom, no longer supported Live Traffic
and that there was no way to renew my subscription. finding this unacceptable, I reached out to the dealership, Smith Motors of Haverhill, MA, and over the span of a month and repeated emails, not one person responded.
I then emailed MBUSA VP of Customer Service, Christian Treiber, and the next received a phone call from Customer Service, who told me, again, that I'm basically **** out of luck! So my feeling is that I bought a car with a specific
component and that component has stopped working under warranty,
and that there was no way to renew my subscription. finding this unacceptable, I reached out to the dealership, Smith Motors of Haverhill, MA, and over the span of a month and repeated emails, not one person responded.
I then emailed MBUSA VP of Customer Service, Christian Treiber, and the next received a phone call from Customer Service, who told me, again, that I'm basically **** out of luck! So my feeling is that I bought a car with a specific
component and that component has stopped working under warranty,
Super Member
Joined: Jul 2019
Posts: 677
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From: South Carolina
2020 MB E450 Estate, 2019 Kia Niro Touring
I assume this is different than the currently advertised (with new 2019/2020 cars) Mercedes me connect services, which includes among other things, Live Traffic Information?
Super Member
Joined: Nov 2017
Posts: 669
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From: Hermosa Beach, California
2018 E400 Coupe
It's my understanding that traffic information is now provided by SiriusXM:
https://www.mbusa.com/mercedes/owner...007c184335RCRD
p.s. — It ain't very good.
https://www.mbusa.com/mercedes/owner...007c184335RCRD
p.s. — It ain't very good.
Member
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 180
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From: California
E300
Thought I would start a clean thread on this. So to recap, my 3-year Live Traffic subscription expired in AUG, so I contacted Customer Service and was told that the provider, TomTom, no longer supported Live Traffic
and that there was no way to renew my subscription. finding this unacceptable, I reached out to the dealership, Smith Motors of Haverhill, MA, and over the span of a month and repeated emails, not one person responded.
I then emailed MBUSA VP of Customer Service, Christian Treiber, and the next received a phone call from Customer Service, who told me, again, that I'm basically **** out of luck! So my feeling is that I bought a car with a specific
component and that component has stopped working under warranty,
and that there was no way to renew my subscription. finding this unacceptable, I reached out to the dealership, Smith Motors of Haverhill, MA, and over the span of a month and repeated emails, not one person responded.
I then emailed MBUSA VP of Customer Service, Christian Treiber, and the next received a phone call from Customer Service, who told me, again, that I'm basically **** out of luck! So my feeling is that I bought a car with a specific
component and that component has stopped working under warranty,
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Unfortunately electronic services provided by third parties often become outdated and can no longer be used. IMO Mercedes-Benz has no control over Tom Tom, so don't blame MB. The real issue is that the GPS system did a week number rollover in April. It happens every 19 years and can obsolete older GPS receivers. IMO Tom Tom made a business decision to not support older GPS receivers by limiting the backward compatibility of their new software. I have a MY18 vehicle and it has never used Tom Tom for live traffic. I know that the physical electronic hardware changed between MY17 and MY18 for the E class models.
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From: California
E300
I blame Mercedes for failing to communicate anything to customers about this issue. Even when I take the initiative and I call customer service, they seem clueless about it. They could at least explain the problem, apologize, tell us that we can’t renew Live Traffic (instead of making customers search all over to find renewal information which doesn’t exist) and explain what, if any, efforts they’re making to find an alternative solution. They have done nothing.
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You purchased the vehicle with the knowledge that there was a 3 year subscription for Tom Tom provided services. It is no different than when my mobile phone stopped working because new protocols were put in place that were not compatible with my phone. The alternative was to purchase new hardware. You have the same option.
Using Live Traffic you are/were a customer of Tom Tom, not MB. Did you contact Tom Tom customer service? What did they say? MB sold you a vehicle and warranted the hardware for a specific period of time. There is/was no warranty for non-MB provided services. For me, I've never paid a cent to MB for my Live Traffic service (or Mbrace or Mercedes me). If Live Traffic stops working it is an issue with SiriusXM, not MB.
Using Live Traffic you are/were a customer of Tom Tom, not MB. Did you contact Tom Tom customer service? What did they say? MB sold you a vehicle and warranted the hardware for a specific period of time. There is/was no warranty for non-MB provided services. For me, I've never paid a cent to MB for my Live Traffic service (or Mbrace or Mercedes me). If Live Traffic stops working it is an issue with SiriusXM, not MB.
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From: California
E300
No offense but you are wrong (and illogical) on many counts. When I purchased the vehicle, nothing was disclosed about Tomtom being the provider. I had no idea it was Tomtom. Regardless, the fact that Tomtom provided this service doesn’t stop me from being a Mercedes customer. Dozens if not hundreds of hardware and software services on my car are provided by Mercedes suppliers. Does that make me a customer of all those suppliers and relieve Mercedes of any responsibility? It was only disclosed (as an incentive) that I would get the first three years of Live Traffic for free, the implication being that I would have to pay after three years...not that it would stop working. As for purchasing new hardware, I think you know that this hardware is integrated into the car. As you presumably know, I can’t upgrade the current navigation system without buying a new car (unless Mercedes comes up with a fix which they’re not talking about). Mercedes, not me, chose Tomtom as a supplier and marketed the navigation system as a desirable Mercedes feature to help entice buyers. Would you say they’re not responsible for the brakes if they are made by an outside supplier and stop working? And there’s still the issue of no communication from Mercedes. Can’t help wondering...do you work for Mercedes?
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From: Dallas-Ft.Worth,TX
2016 E350 Sport
ua549 does not work for Mercedes, nor do I. Don't know why it is that anyone who disagrees with a (mistaken) sense of customer entitlement is suspected of working for the "enemy."
You question Mercedes-Benz responsibility for hardware and software provided by third party vendors. Just look through the booklet folio you received with your car and you will have your answer. In the folio, you will find a pamphlet from your tire manufacturer. It clearly states that any warranty for suitability of your tires defaults to the tire manufacturer, not Mercedes-Benz.
This is one of the more obvious examples, but not all. As stated, you received a 3-year commitment for the live traffic service. The provider of the service content is specified in the asterisked details at the bottom of MB brochures. Once this stated period expires, you could be on your own -- or not -- depending whether Tom Tom is still the service content provider. In this case, Tom Tom has disappeared, and MB is no more responsible for it than they are for your worn tires.
I agree that MBUSA should have a better procedure for explaining its policies on this. But that's about it.
You question Mercedes-Benz responsibility for hardware and software provided by third party vendors. Just look through the booklet folio you received with your car and you will have your answer. In the folio, you will find a pamphlet from your tire manufacturer. It clearly states that any warranty for suitability of your tires defaults to the tire manufacturer, not Mercedes-Benz.
This is one of the more obvious examples, but not all. As stated, you received a 3-year commitment for the live traffic service. The provider of the service content is specified in the asterisked details at the bottom of MB brochures. Once this stated period expires, you could be on your own -- or not -- depending whether Tom Tom is still the service content provider. In this case, Tom Tom has disappeared, and MB is no more responsible for it than they are for your worn tires.
I agree that MBUSA should have a better procedure for explaining its policies on this. But that's about it.
Last edited by DFWdude; Sep 29, 2019 at 09:16 PM.
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From: South Carolina
2020 MB E450 Estate, 2019 Kia Niro Touring
I don't know, I tend to agree with Tiburonsteeve. Mercedes selects and contracts with many different suppliers, in order to provide a safe, usable automobile with a plethora of features. We pay a lot for those features, many of them options. To say that once the car warranty is over that they have no further responsibility is silly. Cars are not intended to last only 4 years, and the features on those cars should not just "go away" because a contract was not renewed or longevity of same was not originally negotiated. As TS said, there are /many/ independent suppliers for parts and other products on these cars. How would we feel if after 4 years brake pads were not available? Or if COMAND quit working entirely, as it's certainly based on 3rd party software and connections?
It's kind of funny, and more than a little sad, that users of Hyundais and Fords would never stand for something like this, there'd be a class action lawsuit. But we accept it from our $50k-$150k+ cars because they're "special". A premium price and premium product should come with premium service, not sub-standard service. And not even replying to a customer is certainly sub-standard.
It's kind of funny, and more than a little sad, that users of Hyundais and Fords would never stand for something like this, there'd be a class action lawsuit. But we accept it from our $50k-$150k+ cars because they're "special". A premium price and premium product should come with premium service, not sub-standard service. And not even replying to a customer is certainly sub-standard.
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From: San Francisco, CA
2017 E300
correct, but only if radio broadcast ended for everyone in the world. The fact that they are ending it after three years, while still fulfilling their commitment to users that are still under the three year mark shows they can still provide support, they just choose not to. I blame both Mercedes and Tom Tom. Tom Tom because they can still provide the service technically, and Mercedes for not working out a deal to make sure owners aren’t left high and dry
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Unfortunately electronic services provided by third parties often become outdated and can no longer be used. IMO Mercedes-Benz has no control over Tom Tom, so don't blame MB. The real issue is that the GPS system did a week number rollover in April. It happens every 19 years and can obsolete older GPS receivers. IMO Tom Tom made a business decision to not support older GPS receivers by limiting the backward compatibility of their new software. I have a MY18 vehicle and it has never used Tom Tom for live traffic. I know that the physical electronic hardware changed between MY17 and MY18 for the E class models.
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Joined: Mar 2018
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From: Worcester, MA
2020 E450 Cabrio
I contacted XM twice, the first time they said that my model/year is not compatible, the second time they said the same thing but enabled it for me, it did not work.
And speaking of XM, cars all come with a trial, albeit not 3 years, but at least at the end said trial, you CAN renew it!
And speaking of XM, cars all come with a trial, albeit not 3 years, but at least at the end said trial, you CAN renew it!
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Sorry, but I must take a different view here. Who else would you blame? The car has a Mercedes badge. When "stuff" goes wrong you don't call the manufacturer of the component that failed. Tesla has introduced a phone app that will deliver your parked car to you within a certain range. Mercedes can't even deliver live traffic information? What happened to "best or nothing"? Their failure to keep up with technology that customers desire or have gotten used, and not just in their vehicles, can't help them in an increasingly competitive market.
MB has a passable cell phone parking app available on Play Store. It requires a paid Mercedes me account to use. I have it on my phone.
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From: South Carolina
2020 MB E450 Estate, 2019 Kia Niro Touring
Yeah, I would, if the only station my Mercedes received was that "Live Traffic" station, and it still worked for others, just not Mercedes. If there were alternate Live Traffic to use with the COMAND system, then we'd just use those. There aren't.
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Everyone with a TomTom Live Traffic implementation is in the same situation. The service is being phased out for everyone. There are alternatives. They all require alternative hardware and software. Changing hardware and software is a function of the user's willingness to spend time and money to do so.
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'19 E63S sedan
This is not about Tomtom becoming obsolete. MB is still selling cars with Tomtom live traffic that will work for three years. It's about MB and Tomtom not agreeing on a business model for renewals. I fully expect the Live Traffic in my '19 to work for another couple of years. Not being able to renew the license for business reasons, not technical reasons, is an embarrassment.
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I've never paid any type of fee to Sirius or anyone else for navigation related services.
Below is an excerpt from an announcement at the January 2019 CES in Las Vegas. It certainly makes on wonder exactly what is going on regarding Live Traffic.
Below is an excerpt from an announcement at the January 2019 CES in Las Vegas. It certainly makes on wonder exactly what is going on regarding Live Traffic.
At the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, Here Technologies has announced that it has been selected by Daimler to provide live traffic information to its entire range of Mercedes-Benz cars, with the company also selected by Audi as its traffic data provider for all new models sold across North America and Europe.
The agreement with Daimler marks the first time Here has provided its Real-Time Traffic service to Mercedes-Benz in North America. The service will be initially launched in the USA, Puerto Rico and Canada, and will be introduced in further countries in 2019, including Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Peru, Venezuela, Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Taiwan. Drivers will get up-to-the-minute information on real-time road conditions, including incidents and construction zones. Here’s Real-Time Traffic platform aggregates and analyzes data from a sophisticated mix of sources, which includes high-quality rich vehicle sensor data from competing automotive brands, an aspect of the company’s traffic service that is unique in the market.
The agreement with Daimler marks the first time Here has provided its Real-Time Traffic service to Mercedes-Benz in North America. The service will be initially launched in the USA, Puerto Rico and Canada, and will be introduced in further countries in 2019, including Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Peru, Venezuela, Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Taiwan. Drivers will get up-to-the-minute information on real-time road conditions, including incidents and construction zones. Here’s Real-Time Traffic platform aggregates and analyzes data from a sophisticated mix of sources, which includes high-quality rich vehicle sensor data from competing automotive brands, an aspect of the company’s traffic service that is unique in the market.
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No Here-based nav released in the US, at least, yet. And with the previous Sirius-based system. you got a free year of traffic and then had to pay for its renewal along with the Sirius radio renewal. If you had SIrius, you might not have realized that there was an extra traffic fee along with the satellite radio renewal fee.
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From: NorCal
2015 ML350+2025 E350
The MB slogan "The Best or Nothing" is a rather bold one. When it isn't met, customers notice. It's pretty hard to explain (rationalize) how TomTom still provides traffic service to some Mercedes cars, just not to yours, and there's nothing you can do about it. Unlike the radio station and tire analogies above, where you can choose a different station or replace the tire, here you seem to have no alternative. IMO customers are going to feel Mercedes is responsible. These small dissatisfactions influence future buying decisions.
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From: Dallas-Ft.Worth,TX
2016 E350 Sport
I live in the Dallas Fort Worth area, where traffic congestion is a daily/hourly concern, as it is in most large cities.
The W212 series -- at least my 2016 E-Class -- came with Mercedes "Standard Connect" services for FIVE years, to include weather and traffic alerts. I occasionnally get these alerts, as my car approaches its 4th year "in service" date. When this service expires after 5-years (another year from now), I will hardly notice, because I only realize I have it when I get an alert.
I have no idea what company provides the service, or how I receive the alerts, because the car is not subscribed to any "Premium Connect" services, including internet access. No SiriusXM, either.
In an era when your new smart phone is obsolete the week after you buy it, I'm not surprised that MBUSA shortened the commitment from 5-years to 3-years. Other than that, I don't know the reason, and really don't care. Among the top 30 reasons why I bought the car, live traffic did not rank on the list.
If it meant that much to me, I would trade in the MB for some other vehicle, period.
The W212 series -- at least my 2016 E-Class -- came with Mercedes "Standard Connect" services for FIVE years, to include weather and traffic alerts. I occasionnally get these alerts, as my car approaches its 4th year "in service" date. When this service expires after 5-years (another year from now), I will hardly notice, because I only realize I have it when I get an alert.
I have no idea what company provides the service, or how I receive the alerts, because the car is not subscribed to any "Premium Connect" services, including internet access. No SiriusXM, either.
In an era when your new smart phone is obsolete the week after you buy it, I'm not surprised that MBUSA shortened the commitment from 5-years to 3-years. Other than that, I don't know the reason, and really don't care. Among the top 30 reasons why I bought the car, live traffic did not rank on the list.
If it meant that much to me, I would trade in the MB for some other vehicle, period.
Last edited by DFWdude; Oct 1, 2019 at 04:08 PM.
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No Here-based nav released in the US, at least, yet. And with the previous Sirius-based system. you got a free year of traffic and then had to pay for its renewal along with the Sirius radio renewal. If you had SIrius, you might not have realized that there was an extra traffic fee along with the satellite radio renewal fee.
