When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Here are results from speed test...11.9 kB/s, 80% less than dial-up.
I took my car to dealership and they said I was THE ONLY ONE complaining. I called mbrace and they had no other complaints on file. I think we have another VW incident here!
PS My garage door opener does not work, anyone else have this problem?
MB is probably right that nobody else has that problem...
Nobody in their right mind would actually use that service and pay for it
Here are results from speed test...11.9 kB/s, 80% less than dial-up.
I took my car to dealership and they said I was THE ONLY ONE complaining. I called mbrace and they had no other complaints on file. I think we have another VW incident here!
PS My garage door opener does not work, anyone else have this problem?
Sadly I must chuckle (with much madness/sadness) that MB technology on the internet issues and MB Apps is only getting worse and not better.
I look back in this thread to about a year and a half ago and I was discussing the same things.
Since then I have much more experience with dealing with the technology and am on a first name basis with MB Tier 2 Tech support trying to deal with these issues.
First on my 2014 S550 4matic, it took me a year of talking to MBrace Tech folks to finally get all of my MB Apps, including the Driving Journal, to work properly. With that said, I never used the internet connection for connecting devices since, as just again pointed out, it is 1995 technology and is absolutely horrible.
Unfortunately in June of 2015 I was involved in a high speed traffic accident plowing into a tree at between 50 to 65mph totaling my 2014 S class.
So after ordering a replacement for the 2014 S Class, I picked up my 2016 S550 4matic about three weeks ago.
You would think the tech folks and the car would have advanced the technology from the 2014 model to the 2016 S Class model. However, you would be wrong. I am again on a first name basis with MBrace trying to find out why some of the Apps and the Internet Radio disappeared from my car after working just after the car was delivered. They also can't get the Driving Journal to work just like over a year ago. In fact they told me yesterday I was the first one to complain about this. WHAT? I spent six months trying to get tech support to get the driving journal to work on my '14 S Class.
If you purchase/purchased a late model W222 S Class for the technology you will be VERY VERY disappointed. If you purchase the W222 for it's mechanical abilities, you will be very happy.
I am happy and sad at the same time since the S Class is such a great car but MB better step up their game on the technology side or they will suffer loss of customers over this issue.
I've never been able to get web radio to work either...
I have a love/hate relationship with the internet radio. When it works, it is absolutely awesome--the key is when it works. Since I got used to using it in my '14 S550 I used it all the time. Then when my '14 was totaled by my insurance company, I missed it. Then just over three weeks ago I picked up my '16 S550. The internet radio worked for about 4 days and then died. I was on a first name basis with tech support to get it working again. Since Friday (about 4 days now) it is now working almost as good as SiriusXM. They even added IHeart radio as an option. My '16 now has TuneIn, IHeart, and Mercedes Radio as internet radio options. As of this moment, it is working flawlessly (crossing my fingers).
My experience has been that if you want to use the technology, you must be very firm and be willing to keep calling MB to get the "stuff" to work.
My '16 also has the rear entertainment system. One can listen to the internet radio in the car while the two backseat passengers can listen to a different internet radio station, Sirius, or another media option. It really is a cool option when it works.
I have a love/hate relationship with the internet radio. When it works, it is absolutely awesome--the key is when it works. Since I got used to using it in my '14 S550 I used it all the time. Then when my '14 was totaled by my insurance company, I missed it. Then just over three weeks ago I picked up my '16 S550. The internet radio worked for about 4 days and then died. I was on a first name basis with tech support to get it working again. Since Friday (about 4 days now) it is now working almost as good as SiriusXM. They even added IHeart radio as an option. My '16 now has TuneIn, IHeart, and Mercedes Radio as internet radio options. As of this moment, it is working flawlessly (crossing my fingers).
My '16 also has the rear entertainment system. One can listen to the internet radio in the car while the two backseat passengers can listen to a different internet radio station, Sirius, or another media option. It really is a cool option when it works.
My experience has been that if you want to use the technology, you must be very firm and be willing to keep calling MB to get the "stuff" to work.
Trauman, thanks for this news. So, what did they do to make the Interner Radio work almost as good as Sirius/XM? I would love for it to work that well.
My experience has been that if you want to use the technology, you must be very firm and be willing to keep calling MB to get the "stuff" to work.
Trauman, thanks for this news. So, what did they do to make the Interner Radio work almost as good as Sirius/XM? I would love for it to work that well.
I wished I knew what they did--but frankly I do not care what they did as long as it works. I have spent too much time trying to get the MB tech. stuff to work in the '14 and '16 S class. We as customers should not have to call them every day to check on the status. I think they are glad it works for me now since I will not be their pain in the --- any more on this issue.
I do believe they keep doing software updates through the airwaves. They can do much on our cars remotely to the software and I have been noticing changes in the software layout over the past couple of weeks since I have been talking to tech support. I want the MB technology to work in my car so I constantly follow-up to the point they make it work on my car. I will not accept anything less.
With all of this said, I still have a problem with the travel journal on my '16. I used the travel journal in my '14 to help keep track of my business trips/miles. I want to use this feature in my '16 but they cannot get it to work. I called them daily for a 1.5 weeks and they finally told me they cannot figure out the problem. Essentially they told me to stop calling them on this issue since they do not have a fix for this problem (even though it is the same problem I had 1.5 years ago on my '14 S Class and they told me I was the first to complain about this--ya right). So I will have to circle back to this issue since my internet radio is now working.
I am sure they "love" me in the tech support area.
What channels do you get with Internet radio? I only get "internet radio not available "
I am guessing thousands and thousands of stations are available. TuneIn Radio provides tons of stations from all over the world. I listen to stations from Germany a lot (I am in the US). I also listen to my local police scanners through TuneIn radio once in awhile (really kind of cool). The stations can be any stations that the stations allow to be listened to on the internet. MB also just added IHeart Radio within the past week. Mercedes Benz Radio is also one of the selections.
I don't know the number of stations but I can only guess tens of thousands of stations--more then I could listen to in a lifetime.
If you get "radio not available" this means you are either not in a free trial period with a new car or you are not paying the MBrace fee that allows internet radio. It is also possible that you should have access but that there is a technology issue-which is what happened to me over the past couple of weeks.
Bottom line--if you want this service to work you will need to call MBrace to see why you get "radio not available". Good luck since this is one of the best options in the S Class in my opinion. I love the internet radio feature.
This is all due to the lousy internet connection MB offers in the US. What is more bothersome that they can do better as they support 4G service in Germany and other countries.
Here is what you need to do: Call Mbrace customer service and have them pull up your account. I have MBbrace, with apps. Tell them to turn on internet radio option. They will then send a signal to your car (took about an hour)...and I finally got the magic window seen below!!
Here is what you need to do: Call Mbrace customer service and have them pull up your account. I have MBbrace, with apps. Tell them to turn on internet radio option. They will then send a signal to your car (took about an hour)...and I finally got the magic window seen below!!
I had not tried Internet Radio in my 2014 S550 for weeks since I got tired of it not working properly due to very slow internet speed in the car. I just called MBrace. The agent first verified my location and it was accurate. She sent some updates and she told me that it should help the situation but I was suppose to give it 24 hours for it to take effect.
So, I will inform you guys with an update in the next couple days after I try it out. This has been so frustrating ever since I bought the car new. My Apple Music doesn't even work that well in the car with the bluetooth connection. It buffers on and off quite a lot.
I had not tried Internet Radio in my 2014 S550 for weeks since I got tired of it not working properly due to very slow internet speed in the car. I just called MBrace. The agent first verified my location and it was accurate. She sent some updates and she told me that it should help the situation but I was suppose to give it 24 hours for it to take effect.
So, I will inform you guys with an update in the next couple days after I try it out. This has been so frustrating ever since I bought the car new. My Apple Music doesn't even work that well in the car with the bluetooth connection. It buffers on and off quite a lot.
Well the verdict is in. I tried the Internet Radio after the updates were sent a couple days ago. I did get that new screen showing Tunein Radio and iHeart Radio. I honestly don't see much difference at all on reception. My favorite station from Greece buffers every 10 seconds or so and it is unlistenable. I tried to listen to iHear Radio once and it just froze. It didn't even come up.
I think from what others have stated, it works better in some parts of the country than other parts. I guess I'm SOL at this point. This is SO frustrating. I don't know what good it will do to call MBrace again. Any other ideas?
I had not tried Internet Radio in my 2014 S550 for weeks since I got tired of it not working properly due to very slow internet speed in the car. I just called MBrace. The agent first verified my location and it was accurate. She sent some updates and she told me that it should help the situation but I was suppose to give it 24 hours for it to take effect.
So, I will inform you guys with an update in the next couple days after I try it out. This has been so frustrating ever since I bought the car new. My Apple Music doesn't even work that well in the car with the bluetooth connection. It buffers on and off quite a lot.
I had the car in for Bluetooth issues (BT audio wouldn't activate). They did three software updates. Bluetooth, Sirius and Sound System.
Now everything is sweet.
Don't bother with the built-in Internet. It's crap and not worth a penny.
Apple music works great via BT with excellent sound quality. Just use TuneIn on your iPhone (even though I stopped using the app a while back because every time I opened it it would default back to a low quality stream no matter my preferences).
Apple music itself did have some issues with cut-outs early on but now is solid.
There is a Bluetooth software update
I had the car in for Bluetooth issues (BT audio wouldn't activate). They did three software updates. Bluetooth, Sirius and Sound System.
Now everything is sweet.
Don't bother with the built-in Internet. It's crap and not worth a penny.
Apple music works great via BT with excellent sound quality. Just use TuneIn on your iPhone (even though I stopped using the app a while back because every time I opened it it would default back to a low quality stream no matter my preferences).
Apple music itself did have some issues with cut-outs early on but now is solid.
There is a Bluetooth software update
Thanks Wolfman for this info. Let me make sure I understand. So, you are saying that I should turn the built-in Internet (Wi-Fi) off, right? If so, doesn't that use a ton of data on your phone?
The Bluetooth works between my iPhone and car, but it skips an awful lot when I play Apple Music due to lousy internet speed in the car, I'm sure. Should I still bring it in for a Bluetooth update?
I did not realize there is a TuneIn radio app for the iPhone. I will have to check that out. But again, the plan I have with my provider only allows 1 Gig of data usage per month. That's not much at all. This is why I was hoping that the car's Wi-Fi would do the job. But it fails horribly. I'm going to have to talk to my provider to see what it would cost me to upgrade to get much more data capability.
Thanks Wolfman for this info. Let me make sure I understand. So, you are saying that I should turn the built-in Internet (Wi-Fi) off, right? If so, doesn't that use a ton of data on your phone?
The Bluetooth works between my iPhone and car, but it skips an awful lot when I play Apple Music due to lousy internet speed in the car, I'm sure. Should I still bring it in for a Bluetooth update?
I did not realize there is a TuneIn radio app for the iPhone. I will have to check that out. But again, the plan I have with my provider only allows 1 Gig of data usage per month. That's not much at all. This is why I was hoping that the car's Wi-Fi would do the job. But it fails horribly. I'm going to have to talk to my provider to see what it would cost me to upgrade to get much more data capability.
Using the phone for tunein (I was using the tunein pro app) is a no brainer.
Just make sure you pick the highest quality stream for the radio station.
Re. data usage, any stream will consume for data, but instead of spending money on MB Internet (was it $28 plus tax a month?) just up your data plan for your phone. This is money better spent
Btw, the software updates were for a 2015 model. Just call in to make sure they also apply to your car.
I think it is time to trade in my 2016 S550 4matic with 1100 miles (MSRP of $136,715) for a Tesla--never thought I would say that but I am so mad at MBrace that it is making me crazy.
Now MBrace tells me that its possible they will not offer IHeart Radio anymore---WHAT? I just got it to work flawlessly on my car and now the IHeart Radio disappeared from my options. MBrace is CLUELESS. They also said they may remove all internet radio as an option--or maybe they said that just for me so I will not call them daily--ha!ha!
For five weeks I have been talking to MBrace almost daily to get my apps/internet radio/driving journal,etc to work. Mercedes Benz is losing the technology race to Tesla and I don't think they have a clue.
I am a huge MB fan (I have purchased many MBs over the past 25 years) with purchasing a '14 and '16 S Class in the past two years. So far from the '14 to the '16 the technology issues have gotten worse.
At lunch my internet radio is working by the time it is time to commute home none of the technology apps/internet radio work (or should I say they magically disappeared as an option on the screen). I am so pissed. Sorry for the ranting but Mercedes Benz MBrace is a joke. Never thought I would say that either since I am the guy that pays for all the MBrace technology and have ever since you could pay extra for this crap.
They can't get anything to work in my '16 S Class. I need to see if I can buy my totaled '14 S550 4matic back from the insurance company to atleast have it sit in my driveway all smashed up to atleast get the tech to work since the '16 so far is a piece of crap technology wise.
Oh and by the way, Mercedes Benz offers on their website 5 years of SiriusXM Weather and Traffic as part of the purchase of a 2016 S class. It also says this on the MSRP Window sticker. I come to find out that SiriusXM and MB apparently have not ironed out details of the SiriusXM contract and I will only get 3 years of this service even though MB sold me the '16 S550 with 5 years. I have talked to MB customer care and they see the discrepancy but Sirius tells me they will only honor 3 years.--WHAT!!! This appears to be false advertising to me.
I think MB is trying to sell to many lower priced cars and those of us on the upper price range with S class cars are taking it in the "shorts".
Bottom line is that MB is trying to be all things to all people and it is not as exclusive as it used to be and us S Class owners are treated like we paid $29,999 for our cars.
MBrace has always been crap, apart from the accident detection/emergency services. That has always been worth it for me. Would never pay for their worthless add-on services.
Tesla's Internet connection is central to everything the car does (so much that it may be it's achilles heel if systems and services are too dependent on a live connection), but most car manufacturers have looked at connectivity as an afterthought.
For me, my iPhone does everything better and as long as I can use BT & USB connection, I am all set.
All I want from MB is to integrate Apple's CarPlay and then leave services/apps to people that know how to do it better and at a lower cost.
I think it is time to trade in my 2016 S550 4matic with 1100 miles (MSRP of $136,715) for a Tesla--never thought I would say that but I am so mad at MBrace that it is making me crazy.
Now MBrace tells me that its possible they will not offer IHeart Radio anymore---WHAT? I just got it to work flawlessly on my car and now the IHeart Radio disappeared from my options. MBrace is CLUELESS. They also said they may remove all internet radio as an option--or maybe they said that just for me so I will not call them daily--ha!ha!
For five weeks I have been talking to MBrace almost daily to get my apps/internet radio/driving journal,etc to work. Mercedes Benz is losing the technology race to Tesla and I don't think they have a clue.
I am a huge MB fan (I have purchased many MBs over the past 25 years) with purchasing a '14 and '16 S Class in the past two years. So far from the '14 to the '16 the technology issues have gotten worse.
At lunch my internet radio is working by the time it is time to commute home none of the technology apps/internet radio work (or should I say they magically disappeared as an option on the screen). I am so pissed. Sorry for the ranting but Mercedes Benz MBrace is a joke. Never thought I would say that either since I am the guy that pays for all the MBrace technology and have ever since you could pay extra for this crap.
They can't get anything to work in my '16 S Class. I need to see if I can buy my totaled '14 S550 4matic back from the insurance company to atleast have it sit in my driveway all smashed up to atleast get the tech to work since the '16 so far is a piece of crap technology wise.
Holy cow! Sorry to hear this Trauman. It's hard to believe that MB is allowing this crap to go on with a rotten in-car internet. When are they going to wake up? There is no doubt that they will lose a significant number of customers over this fiasco. To me, it's beyond stupid to use 1998 technology in 2015. These days, one can purchase a car for $25K that has much better internet connectivity than does MB.
MBrace has always been crap, apart from the accident detection/emergency services. That has always been worth it for me. Would never pay for their worthless add-on services.
Tesla's Internet connection is central to everything the car does (so much that it may be it's achilles heel if systems and services are too dependent on a live connection), but most car manufacturers have looked at connectivity as an afterthought.
For me, my iPhone does everything better and as long as I can use BT & USB connection, I am all set.
All I want from MB is to integrate Apple's CarPlay and then leave services/apps to people that know how to do it better and at a lower cost.
Agreed on all.
I experienced the need for MBrace emergency services when my car & I were literally forced off an interstate highway at 65 mph slamming into a tree at about 50-60 mph in June with my '14 S550 4matic. Mbrace was talking to me instantly checking if I was ok and dispatching emergency services immediately--just a wonderful experience with that side of MBrace. I walked away without a scratch but my S Class did not look so good but did it's job--saved my life (don't know how Tesla would have protected me in this situation but I feel confident MB structure did better then most in protecting me).
The other MBrace apps, etc need to follow the lead of Apple, Google, Tesla, etc as the cars of the future will become even more electronic/tech focus and less on the mechanical side which MB has really done very well.
My downfall is I like the techy stuff and probably am asking too much of MB since that is not their strong suit. But they better start moving on the tech side or they will lose business since us old guys (I am only 50) will eventual die off and those youngsters will demand the tech stuff must work or they will buy the Tesla type cars.
10-01-2015, 03:01 AM
