GLTSRY1905

First of all this is going to be my first post so hi to all

I just picked up a GLE 400 at my local delaer. It is pretty much loaded except the upgraded speakers. Just noticed last night that i didn't have the ambient lighting in the settings. By the way this is my first Mercedes so i thought i didn't know how to turn them on at first but it turns out i somehow don't have it even though it is a standard item. Didn't get a chance to talk to my dealer yet...

When i looked up the options before purchasing it never crossed my mind to check for the ambient lighting because it was supposed to be a standard item but unfortunately i was wrong.

Even though it really isn't a deal breaker but i would really appreciate it lol

Just wanted to get the opinion of the experienced people here. Is there anything i can do about this? Picked the the GLE just 2 days ago. Is it too late to do anything at this point?

davezaristo

My GLE400 is in the same boat and if you look at the sticker, you will notice a deduction of $250 for the deletion of the ambient light option. My dealer said they are low on parts for the ambient light and instead putting them in the GLE400, they rather put them on the GLE450 coupe instead. There is no way to retrofit this either so that's pretty much it. Anyhow, given a 40k toyota highlander has the ambient light standard, this is pretty lame on MB to pull a fast trick like that. Don't even get me started on the lack of Apple carplay and that stupid Eco start and stop button...

BACnMercedes

Does it not have ANY ambient lighting or just not the multi color lighting? Just curious because I figured it would at least have the normal adjustable orange ambient lighting.

And no I don't think there is anything you can do because like Dave said, there was a shortage for awhile and MB did give credits towards that being missing.

GLTSRY1905

İt doesn't have any ambient lighting at all. My dealer should've mentioned it. Still going to give them a talk.

This really is disappointing on Mercedes part.

GLTSRY1905

Exactly...

Terrible service from my dealer to. Not once was it even mentioned. Pretty lame...

Buying a 70k suv but doesn't have a $275 item included. One of those things that is always going to be in my head lol...

BACnMercedes

Wow. That really stinks. I figured MB would at least add something. I specifically looked to make sure I had it when it came in. Even my 2008 E350 had regular amber/yellow lighting. And I think every MB I've ever owned since 2004 has had it. Good luck figuring something out.

GLTSRY1905

Thanks

Yea it really stinks but l there isn't anything i can do it isn't a deal breaker either. İ'm going to talk to the dealer lets see what they have to say about this but i really doubt anything will come our of it

mango14

the gle is one of my frontrunners for a new car --- can you elaborate on these items? Thanks!

johnnyderm

Hey Mango - the GLE's now have Carplay. People who ordered a build before Jan 2016 did not get it. You will have Carplay or at least get it with a build. Just check the Build Spec and itll be listed as a code.

The stupid start/stop button is something that is Auto On when you turn the car on. You have to press a button if you want it off. Or just put the car into "sport mode" and it is off. This is something that I dont mind, but I usually drive a while vs alot of start stops, so pressin it once to turn it Off doesn't bother me. I can see it being annoying to some if you never want it to operate.

To me - these are VERY minor things to consider in the macro picture.

William Kayen

The ambient lighting was not put into early GLE400's due to supply issues. I believe the current build GLE400's have it.

The eco start stop is standard on the GLE300d and GLE400. THE GLE350 doesn't have this feature. I have it on my GLE and feel it's environmentally correct to have it. Why burn fuel when you are at a stop? I enjoy maximizing my MPG even though fuel pricing has dropped. It's just a matter of time before fuel prices creep up again.

I ordered my car without ambient lighting because the interior is lit up enough without it. There are lights at the door handles, footwells, and console without having ambient lighting.

davezaristo

It all depends on your standards and what you have to compare to but you are right, it now finally has carplay but the eco start and stop thing is super annoying imho. For comparison sake, my M3/328i allows you to permanently shut off eco on and off and my eGolf came with standard apple carplay and android auto without extra charge. Another annoying thing that I forgot to mention is the indvidiual key settings, in which again in my BMW, the key will store the individual settings to seats, climate controls, etc. so that everything is automatically set for you when you enter the car. I read a post on the W166 ML side that this was something that MB used to offer years ago but decided to take it away for whatever stupid reason..

Anyhow, not trying to keep ranting here but I think MB should offer their customers more choices and options..like the eco thing, just give your customer a way to shut it off permanently, for those of us that doesn't care for saving that extra drop of fuel. This is a $70k car but it just seems like some of the lack of features or options just don't quite match up to the $ MB charges...

johnnyderm

I agree with you Dave :-) They should be ahead of the game. I wonder if you can code the S/S to be auto-off.

davezaristo

There is a thread on the W166 ML section where a guy did it for his ML63, but that requires adding some sort of hardware and there's some wire splicing that needs to be done. It's not particularly hard to do but I just don't want to waste the time to do it since it's not an enhancement by any means.

I used to get into the engineering mode for my W212 and I am sure it's similar to the W166, in which I have poked around and there isn't much you can do in there or re-configured. Maybe someone that knows MB star can chime in and see if the eco on/off can be recoded within the tool?

Count Laszlo

Ambient lighting, especially at how well it's done in Mercedes Benz's, is a critical interior user experience item that just about everyone wants - period. To short change a customer over a $250 item, just baffles me to no end. What companies will do these days to make their sales numbers with zero regard for the customer and impact. Mercedes should have shipped these units to emerging markets where the expectation would be lessened than the US.

GLTSRY1905

Couldn't agree more...

Called my dealer about this issue. His response was "weird , it definitely should be there". Even the the people over there never heard this. Pretty lame of Mercedes. He told me he is going to call back with "solutions". İf it can't be retrofitted i don't see how they are going to find a "solution" without exchanging the vehicle and i doubt that is even possible lol

BACnMercedes

The auto stop does not go off when in sports mode (or any other mode). As a matter of fact, if you turn it off while in comfort mode and then turn to sport mode, the auto on/off feature turns it's self BACK ON. Now that's freaking annoying!!!! I turned it off once, now leave it the heck off!!!!!!

davezaristo

That is exactly correct. Everytime you switch the setting, the stupid eco auto stop mode kicks in automatically again. If Mercedes wants to do it right, they can come up with a firmware update (similar to my 13 328i) that gives the owner a choice to shut it off permanently and the ECU will remember this setting. Looking at how things go with Mercedes pulling all kinds of shortcuts, I am not anticipating this anytime soon but let's hope I am wrong.

gle400

I have a GLE 400 that has ambient lighting (including the 3 color setting). It is supposed to be there standard on the 400 (you can see this on the MB website).

davezaristo

you are right, it is supposed to be standard but few of us with the earlier built were the victims of Mercedes shortchanging their customers by knocking off $250 from the sticker price of of $70k. This is the first time I've seen a manufacturer removing standard equipment and giving a refund

skw

When is the last time you had your 328 in for service and had the software updated? I have a '14 320 and the '14's came programmed as you describe, you turn the auto s/s off, it stayed off, unless you went into eco-pro. Then it would come on again and even if you then went to comfort or sport, it would stay on until you turned it off again. On my last visit I think in December, it was updated again where it just stays off now. Go into eco-pro, it comes on, but go back to sport, it turns back off. So essentially, you never have to touch it again. MB, you listening?

Back to the topic at hand, we had the ambient lighting on the '12 ML but not the '16 GLE. It is an option that we sorely miss. Some lighting is there but the cabin looks dark compared to before.

davezaristo

My 328 is a MY13 so it required a firmware update to get that feature but at least, BMW listened to their customer and decided to make that change for the better. My MY15 M3 didn't require a firmware update and that eco thing stays off at all times since who gives a crap about eco when you drive a M3..haha..

gee1224

I have a GLE450 coupe, when i put it in sport or sport+ the eco dose shut off on mine. that's wired if it still comes on for you in sport. maybe this is only with the coupe?

gee1224

I dont think Ambient lighting is standard guys, i got the more expensive GLE450 coupe AMG fully loaded and that was about 83k and i still had to pay $300 for the ambient lighting package so there is no way this can be standard on a GLE350 or 400.

eric1972

The GLE400s that were built late last year and early this year did not include the ambient lighting due a parts shortage. That has since changed and the ones built in the last month onwards have them.

gee1224

Standard or as a paid option? It did come with my 450 build date was March,order date was in January.