a157796798

I have a 2016 GLE COUPE 450. I found a situation recently. When I drive forward, even though I am not using the 360 camera function or set to reverse, the rear camera cover will open when I stop. Is it normal? Hope your reply. Thank you.

GLE43_Sube

Based on your description, no, that is not normal. If you're in "Drive" and you manually turn on the cameras, the rear camera pops out too. But the rear camera door shouldn't open in Drive whenever you stop.

a157796798

So you mean that the camera door only open when I use the function or set to reverse, otherwise it won't open?
I went to the dealer to ask this situation, but they told me it is normal. As I didn't follow other same model car before, so I didn't know if it is normal.

GLE43_Sube

Yes, that's correct. The camera door should only open when you manually activate the camera feature, when you shift to reverse or when you use the below cleaning mode. This is taken from page 49 of the COMAND Manual, which is a supplement to the Operator's Manual.


Opening the camera cover for cleaning

To select Open Camera Cover in the 360°
camera menu: turn the controller and press to
confirm.
The Please Wait... message appears for
approximately three seconds.
The camera cover opens.

The camera cover closes automatically if:
the ignition is switched off
the vehicle exceeds a moderate speed

BACnMercedes

From what you are describing I've had the same problem before. When I slow down enough I've heard the rear camera door pop open. The camera doesn't come on, on the screen either. Then if I put it in reverse I never hear the door open because it is already opened. When this event happened it usually goes on for about a day and then the system will "reset itself" and go back to normal operation. I've had this happen 3-4 times over the course of time while owning the car. It's just annoying because you hear the camera door open and close even though your not wanting it to while driving through out that day. I've never took it to the dealership because of course it will probably never do it when I get there and usually within a day or two it stops.

a157796798

Yap, The rear camera door open when I drive slower than 30km/h. When I drive in the case of slow traffic, the camera open and close frequently that the sound make me feel annoying. This situation lasts several days already, and it doesn't "reset itself" and I can't find any system setting for it. I had taken the car to dealer, but they told me it is normal. I have no idea how to solve it. I am not sure if this situation just happen recently, or it worked like this but I didn't know before.

GLE43_Sube

This behavior with the camera system IS NOT NORMAL. Don't accept that. If they're saying it's normal, then test drive a 2017 with a service tech in the passenger seat. Let them explain why it's NOT doing the same thing.

BACnMercedes

Yeap, it is NOT normal but it is annoying as heck! Especially when driving in stop and to traffic. Again, mine corrects itself so I never took it in and it very rarely happens.
Good luck

GLE43_Sube

If this happens rarely, it might not be worth a separate trip to the dealer. That's something each owner will have to decide. However, the next time you're in for service ask them to re-flash the software. Or, there may even be a newer version of that software available. It doesn't cost them anything and it can be done simultaneously while they're changing the oil. I've dealt with several of these types of electronic anomalies in the past with other vehicles. All it usually takes is a reflashing of the firmware that controls a specific feature. Think of it like this. Instead of ONE big brain (computer) that controls everything in your car. There are several little brains (computer modules) for the various systems. Sometimes one of those little brains fails to correctly communicate with the hardware.

jorgetav

Mine doesn't do it, only when I select reverse. Saying it is normal is bs.

YazAMG

This also happened with me 3-4 times and it seems to get reseted in 24 hours.. I took it to the dealership and they couldn't duplicate it.. lol

GLE43_Sube

So that makes 3 people so far, and they are all 2016 models. Maybe someone can check with their dealer and see if both the 2016 and 2017 models have the exact same firmware version that controls this.

gconcepts

Same thing happened to me yesterday. Wife was driving behind me and said camera door keeps opening when I slow down and closes once I start driving. Will make and appointment with my dealer to get it checked out.

GLE43_Sube

While this is happening, when the camera door opens, does it show a rear-view image on the display screen?

BACnMercedes

Not on mine. The screen stays the same (radio, map, whatever it is displaying at the time).

gconcepts

The camera actually doesn't come on the screen. It stays on the radio/navigation or whatever I was listening to/viewing.

GLE43_Sube

OK, that definitely sounds like a software issue. Ask them to re-flash the firmware that controls the camera.

djstardust

I have 2016 c couple with 360 camera, I noticed that when I slow down rear camera opens alone, so I visit the service in Cyprus, they tell me it's normal and they didn't find any error code,
but I think it's not normal, and also when I change gear from reverse to drive the camera image on screen stays on till I get higher speed, I will visit the dealer again and ask them to reload the firmware

GLE43_Sube

You mean when you slow down in "Drive"?

If I remember correctly, that part is normal. Once the rear camera comes on, if you switch to "Drive", the front camera comes on too until you reach 11 mph. The system assumes you're parking or navigating tight spaces, so it turns on the front camera as well.

djstardust

Yes, I mean gear lever in d, today I fold down rear seats to hear camera opening and closing, it doesn't open when I slow down but yesterday it was.so it's OK for now, I called the service and ask them to write mercedes about this issue.

GLE43_Sube

Have you ever heard the rear camera door open and the camera NOT turn on and display images on the LCD?

It's been my past experience that automakers simply ignore individual complaints like this.....until they get BOMBARDED with them. So everyone with this problem should contact MB Customer Service. Don't waste your time dealing with the dealer. Go over their heads. Dealers only act in response to orders from corporate HQ.

djstardust

Yes it happened last week . A friend on me was driving behind me and he told me that the camera was opened when I stopped at the lights but not any image on the screen

GLE43_Sube

OK, I'm starting to rethink this. Now, I believe this "IS" normal. Watch the first video below. Notice at the 15 sec mark the camera door pops open. Notice the brake lights. The driver starts out in "Park". He then applies the brakes (brake lights come on). At the 15 sec mark the camera door opens. He's actually depressing the accelerator while simultaneously depressing the brake pedal. It's called a "race start". Don't try this yourself, unless you want to destroy your torque converter.




You'll see the same phenomenon at the beginning of these two videos.




When you're in "Park" and then apply the brakes to shift into "Drive", at that moment the door pops open. My theory is that MB intentionally designed it this way to eliminate any delay between switching the camera on and having the image displayed on the screen. When you go from "Park" to "Drive", you're initially at slows speeds. MB assumes you may possibly be maneuvering through a parking lot, garage, etc., so it opens the camera door as a precursor to activating the camera. That's why the door pops open, but you get no image on the screen.

Mystery solved!

gle450sc

You make sense!!! True! Thanks.

shadownddust

I have a GLC coupe, but have had the same problem on at least two occasions. I sent a note to my SA and he provided the attached printout. The summary of it is that when the camera needs to re-calibrate, it goes through this process until it has been successful, which is why it resolves itself eventually in most cases. Unfortunately, it needs very specific conditions that you may not see in your regular driving, and there's no indication or message to tell you that this is what it's doing. The first time this came up on my vehicle, it lasted for about a week and was quite annoying. My SA thought it might have been an ice build up since it was the middle of a cold New England winter. This time, it went away after 2 days, which is when I received this info from the dealer. In the future, I'll try the steps outlined here on my own, or keep this sheet handy and have the dealer do it if it's quicker.

I'm not sure why the camera would need to calibrate from time to time though...