Hi all thank you for letting me be part of the group .
I have a late 2017 E350d Amg with premiuim plus package and the infotainment system is COMAND APS NTG5/NTG5.5

i recently bought a quad lock wireless charger and holder suction mount for the windscreen and it’s wired into the door side fuse box to make it tidy . Works a treat

my idea was to get rid of cables and I wanted to do the same with my car play. I have tried all the following wireless CarPlay adapters for iphone

carlinkit 5.0
quadlock wireless car play adapter
ottocast play 2 video
ottocast mx adapter
mmb wireless CarPlay adapter

none of which have worked properly for me between boot up issues connection issues but the same problem the all have in common is a Siri issue . Obviously if you are driving you don’t want to be messing with the command system to find the person you want to call. So when you use Siri if the adapters don’t work first time you have to either reboot the command system or plug in and out the adapter.

the calls will work with Siri for a period but once you ask Siri to play next track or get directions the next phone call you ask it to make it will make it but there is no sound . Then when you hang up there is no music . You have to press the speech button on the steering wheel to get it back which doesn’t always work.

siri works through CarPlay through WiFi to the adapter as it cannot activate Bluetooth while CarPlay is live . It’s very frustrating.

i have tried absolutely everything I can and I have a good handle on tech .

when you plug in an iPhone wired direct to the usb port for the command the system works flawlessly with Siri and all other functions and never ever fails .

it took me 5 months to get my $269 back from Ottocast with paypals help so ill never buy from them again. carlinkit kit went back to amazon no problem the quad lock adapter they could not provide support and sent me my money back and just told me keep it! and im currently trying to get the mmb to work to no avail.

Mercedes have told me that my infotainment unit is up to date and any updates are done over the air by the vehicles SIM card

can anyone shed light on the issue recommend a decent quality product that will work reliably or help me please Tia ! I’m not afraid to spend a few pound on quality . But there is so much junk out there with empty promises and I don’t know what to do. I would even drive to the UK to get something fitted . I live in Ireland south

 

I'm not sure that updates occur over the air with the W213 (2017). I'm in the states and I had to get my 2018 W213 updated at the dealer. I used to have an Ottocast wireless adapter so that I could full screen Android Auto and it was flawless. I recently got an AA Wireless adapter and it boots up faster than the Ottocast but it also is flawless. Making calls is no issue.

 

Thanks for the reply I’m on iPhone and the OTTOCAST’s couldn’t keep up for some reason , what’s an AA adapter is it a brand? It’s just the voice activated calls that keep failing have you the same command system as me?

 

An adapter is just the device that let's your phone work wirelessly. You have an Iphone for CarPlay. I have an Android phone so I use Android Auto. Ottocast and AAWireless allow either type of phone to be used.

Yes, I have the same Comand system as yours. That's why I think you need a Comand update. I'm just not sure whether outside the US W213s are set up to update wirelessly or not.

 

The attached is the software version of my command system . Mercedes tell me it is up to date and it is over the air updates , I’m not so sure I believe them
mine shows 01.70.01.00, it is found by holding down the command wheel for 10 seconds while on the vehicle icon from the command home page

 

I'm on travel through the week or else I'd go and see what version of Comand I have. Hopefully some others on the site are close their cars and check for you.

 

I have not had luck with thees add on units. you have to take apart the dashboard which is a pain and the they do not work all the time. sometimes the system freezes other time the button does not work. If you want something that works all the time this may not be the answer.

 

agreed I’ve tried 5 now and all have issues I’m thinking more along the lines of a cradle now with the lightning cable connected direct to the usb port for the CarPlay that way it will be 100% reliable always be charged and have full functionality

 

COMAND system definitely does not update OTA. Only thing we get updates for OTA is the navigation maps and it is only for the home region that you set in your Mercedes Me account.

 

thank you for the info much appreciated

 

Comand version is now up to version 6.8 so there is no way your Comand is up-to-date. Sort of like iOS 13 vs. iOS 17. I had to show my dealer that 6.8 was available and they did the update. The update
does make CarPlay run a bit quicker.

I bought this unit from Amazon ( ) for about $50 about 9 months ago. I'd give it a 4 out of 5 in that it mostly does the wireless CarPlay ok. It is not flawless, though I don't think any are.