So it looks like the dealer installed a Genuine but REMANUFACTURED radio Parts SKU: 164-900-73-01-80
Other Names: Control Assembly, Radio, Remanufactured NTG2.5 High Ve Dvdc 10M US W164 E5, Operating Unit
Description:
Gl450. All. Fm 4/16/09. Gl550. To 4/16/09. Gl350 bluetec. Ml450. Without navigation. Gl320 bluetec. Gl320cdi.

Condition: Remanufactured
Replaces: 164-870-44-94, 164-870-52-94, 164-870-71-94, 164-870-91-94, 164-900-26-01, 164-900-26-01-60, 164-900-26-01-80, 164-900-26-01-88, 164-900-73-01, 164-900-73-01-60, 164-900-73-01-88, 164-906-22-00, 164-906-37-00

It started going crazy a year after install and they pretty much said if you want us to check it pay a re-diagnostic fee of 300$ to which I said I have a recording of it turning off between 40 and 50 minutes of operation and simply want a working radio installed... it was never resolved. and we simply got used to the radio turning off after 45 minutes of driving... after about 2 years it would get stuck on the Mercedes logo booting up.... then 3 years after replacement it stopped booting and or even turning on. I basically got used to the peaceful silence.... if i pressed and held the power button for like 10 seconds i could hear the CDs still inside start shuffling so i knew it was getting power....

one day my battery went dead and then the clock on the dashboard was wrong... THAT I COULD NOT TOLERATE, so i pulled the radio out and noticed that even though the car had not been driven for days the bottom of the unit (where the hard drive was) was noticeably warm. all i know if i used to have to keep my car on a battery tender if I did not drive it for a few weeks, but without this display unit in the car the battery is always charged... looks like my display unit was parasitically draining my battery as well...

anyways back to my clock... looks like i could only adjust it through my command so I have to repair this piece of junk (I was going to say German overcomplicated garbage, but the display is actually manufactured in Japan). has anyone torn down the display past this point? I cannot find any documentation of information. but have a feeling something will become obvious... I do see excessive dust on the cooling fan blowing towards the ignition switch.... Did I also mention my GL refused to start in the past when it was cold, I replaced the $14 starter relay the same day I pulled the radio out so im not sure if one or both are the reason, but I do know it starts without issue now....

https://mbparts.mbusa.com/oem-parts/...m-164900730180