Get the update at the dealer first. Made a massive difference on my GL.

 

I recently had a 2020 GL as a service loaner and I have to say the 360 camera integration is horrendous. I rent vehicles a lot for work and had a 2020 Escalade (premium luxury) for about 1.5 months and it's 360 camera is fantastic! I don't know if the 360 feature is standard on the newer GLs, but I definitely wouldn't pay for it.

I didn't notice a problem with the rear camera at night though. Maybe this was fixed in the 2020s?

 

Greetings all.
Part 1: I recently took my 2014 ML350 to MB of The Woodlands with a copy of the Night Camera Software Update Bulletin in hand and asked to speak with a Service Advisor about my worthless camera system. The warranty has expired so I didn’t expect much.
Mark, the shop manager came out on the drive to speak with me. I showed him the bulletin and asked if he had the SW update (dated June 2014) still in their system some 6+ years after it came out. I also told him that I’d didn’t feel like gambling $195 diagnostic fee to see if he might have it. He explained that with their system now, he has to plug the car in before they can tell what SW updates my be available. He also said, he would do this for no charge.
15 Minutes after giving them the car, a service attendant came to report that they found the SW update and where in the process of running it. After that they would need to calibrate all the cameras. 45 Minutes after I arrived, the attendant came back and informed me that the car was being washed and detailed. 5 min later I was driving home. That night when I tested the system, there was a remarkable difference. The SW update was successful. MB of The Woodlands (Texas) has a awesome customer service attitude. If you are in this area or traveling through, I highly recommend them.

Part 2: In an effort to fix the problem by replacing the OEM bulbs with LEDs, I had been minimally successful. The LED bulbs were brighter but always issued the Bulb Failure warning and they would flash on and off intermittently. The SW upgrade did not fix that. I did however discover an extremely efficient 921 Bulb that works completely. Diode Dynamics sells and XPR921 smart bulb that they claim is error free and measures 720 Lumens after the heat up. When they are cold they claim that they measure over 1000 lumens. I’d have to say I agree. They are like a set of headlights on the back of the car.
https://www.diodedynamics.com/backup...cent-pair.html Don’t try and match them by searching their system for Mercedes Benz replacements. These work and fit great.





921XPR Bulb in ML350

Here is the result after the SW update and new bulbs. I’ve never been able to see 10’ behind the car at night, now I can see the entire driveway.

 

Is it standard practice for MB to honor service bulletins on older cars? I have a 450GL and the dim backup light has been bothering me for years.

 

The amount of light that the bulbs put out will require you to make a small investment. The dealers won’t touch aftermarket bulbs. As for the SW update, I would hope that what happened in my case is the rule and not the exception. Give it a shot.

 

Will the that bulb work without the software update?

 

The 921XPR, is very bright and will work in most applications without creating the Bulb Failure warnings that most other LED bulbs do. If it fits in my ML350 tailgate application, I’m fairly certain that it will fit in your GL450.