We just bought 2006 R Class.

Does anyone have experience with how flexible the options are using the Star Diagnosis computer (or otherwise)? I am completely new to the MBZ Command options available to the dealers, and do not find them to be particularly eager to educate me on possible customization. I think I have done a pretty complete search of the forum archives, and have tried not to include questions that seem to have been answered (like switching the alarm on and off notification from lights to sound, or turning off the sound associated with the seatbelt alarm). I am trying to get my thoughts and preferences sorted out and then have the changes made all at once.



So here it goes---There are a number of ways I would like to modify the operation of some of the features, options or menus in our R-350:

1) Move the Towing Alarm menu to a submenu position. That way we would not have to cycle past this top level menu everytime we scroll through the top level menus. Our dealer said they could hide the submenu, but the Towing Alarm would then be disabled. That is not a perfect solution.

2) Move the Settings top level menu to a submenu position. We use it rarely and don’t need it easily available while driving.

3) Move the Messages top level menu to a submenu position. I'll take the risk that we fail to notice important messages (although I may want to move the menu back up to a top level position when the car gets old and feeble!). For the time being, it is another delay when scrolling among functions I want to easily access when driving at speed

4) Hide the Air Suspension and Compass top level menu without disabling the air suspension features. The dash control button itself shows whether the car is elevated (solid red light) or going up or down (blinking red light). The navigation function shows compass course if I ask. Again, life would be simpler without having to scroll past this top level menu every time and I don't need to see the nice graphic of the car moving up or down.

5) Make voice directions "muted" the default setting for navigation using a route, with the option of unmuting the voice if needed. We am finding a vast majority of the time the test directions on the dashboard are all we need, and my family does not need their music interrupted by the voice. While we can mute the voice every time we set a route, we would prefer it start out muted, and only have the voice call out directions if we choose.

6) Turn the sound off on Parktronic, so only the light indicators are active. We are both alert drivers and know when we are getting near an object. The sounds only serve to annoy our passengers, or worse get them interested in how well we are parking the car. My wife and I get enough driving advice from the children as it is!

7) Set the seat memory buttons so they move all the way to the selected position automatically when you push the numbered button. As it is you have to keep your finger on the button the entire time until the seats get to the correct position. I am sure there is some safety rationale for this behavior, but other cars don’t behave this way, and it would be convenient to push and release, instead of having to push and hold.

8) Increase default volume on ipod and phone. In both cases, when we switch to these functions, we have to increase the volume compared to the radio, CD or Satellite volumes, and then drop the volume when we go back to the prior audio choice.

That is my list of things I am hoping some of you can tell me are possible, or not possible.

Thanks in advance for any help.

Doug Smith

 

1,2,3,4 = NO

5/ hold mute for 3 seconds as soon as the nav voice is heard and it will be nav voice mute. The music will still play.

6/ Possible but if you let someone else drive the car and the parking system does not work as expected and there is an accident then who is responsibe ?

7/ That would be unsafe. What if you made a small mistake like drop a pen and went to pick it up and the seat jammed your head into the steering wheel and crushed your neck. If your finger is so tired then have someone switch on key dependence so that when you unlock the car it does its moving before you get in.

8/ common problem. I take it that the music is so terrible that you spend some of your time listening to the radio.

You could install voice control and then your menu scrolling would decrease about 60%.

 

Thanks. If 1-4 are a no, I suspect we will go to voice control

Your suggestion of key dependence is very helpful. Thanks

Doug