///MB

We have the seat firmness setting and it only has 2 settings (1 and 2), which only makes the seats cushions harder.

///MB

I'll add my main issue. The annoying keyless go chime and dealers not being able to fix it!

04S430

At least you do have the feature, and the option of setting the seat firmness. I do not. Thanks anyway for letting me know that it only hardens the seat cushion, and not the opposite.
As far as the dealers; unless a fault shows on the screen of their diagnostic tool, there is nothing wrong with your car.

AMGTTV8

Where do you suggest that they put the gear shift levers then? On the floor?

Drive the thing in comfort instead of sport then...suspension settings are altered by switching between the two.

Push the button of the seat by the command and adjust the settings...there are several for drive dynamic..you can adjust EVERY part of the seat through the menu. Also, tow away alarm is under car settings in the COMMAND display.

How is Night Vision distracting? It's no more distracting than having a fourth mirror, that's the way it's supposed to be used, as a SUPPLEMENTAL aid..I could see it being distracting if you solely relied upon it but no one could possibly be that smart, right??

Those are my beefs with your shortcomings...sounds like you don't even know how to use your own car..

AMGTTV8

What chime, the sensors looking for the key?

Are you silent like a mouse when you are looking for something in the middle of the night???

Diesel Benz

I thought they were talking about the chime when you stop the car and the car reminds about the KG key in the car (to avoid forgetting the key in the car). Several owners consider this chime not needed.

04S430

-My car is equipped with shift knobs on the back of the steering wheel. ( Not levers as in higher end "S" models.) As far as I am concerned put the knobs anywhere you want except where they are now located. Put them where you can't inadvertedly switch gears. The shape, size of our hands are all different. We hold our steering wheel differently, and so on. In short one steering wheel for all.
-Though the car is equipped with "Sport" and Comfort" settings, I always drive in "C". Still have to try the "S" setting! My observation was comparing an S430 air suspension with the ABC of my S550. I would have hoped that the ride comfort of the expensive ABC option would have been superior to the airmatic. On the other hand the ABC ( in "S" mode,) corners better than the airmatic, which is not important to me, I don't race my car.
-As for the seat firmness issue.... Well prior to trading in, I researched the S550 pretty well by reading at least three times an S550 manual I downloaded from a web site. ( Could even have been this one?) I choose the optional dynamic contour front seats ( or whatever they call them,) because of the seat firmness settings available with this option. I can assure you, it does not exist on my car. I have read the manual that came with my car on the usage of the seats. Yes, I am disatisfied with respect to this issue.
-As for the tow away alarm... not there, at least not on my vehicle. The Comand does not show that line, and the manual of my car states that the feature " ..may not be available" Remember, I researched the available options of my car from an "S" manual.
Night vision is an SUPPLEMENTAL aid as you point out. I would prefer to see a " Heads Ups screen, as Cadillac had,) rather having to look at the instrument cluster. A lot can happen in the few seconds you take your eyes of the road.

And to conclude, I was responding to a thread originally posted by AustinGuy, which read:
"....... U.S. highways, but... when you've shelled out over $100k for a luxury performance automobile, expecting a little mor than being happy with "how far" MB has come is your right. And as someone said earlier, MB needs to visit forums like these to get a glimpse of what it's customers really want."
I agree with the contents of the thread. It is constructive to vent at times. NOT
Have a good day.

04S430

-My car is equipped with shift knobs on the back of the steering wheel. ( Not levers as in higher end "S" models.) As far as I am concerned put the knobs anywhere you want except where they are now located. Put them where you can't inadvertently switch gears. The shape, size of our hands are all different. We hold our steering wheel differently, and so on. In short one steering wheel for all.
-Though the car is equipped with "Sport" and Comfort" settings, I always drive in "C". Still have to try the "S" setting! My observation was comparing an S430 air suspension with the ABC of my S550. I would have hoped that the ride comfort of the expensive ABC option would have been superior to the airmatic. On the other hand the ABC ( in "S" mode,) corners better than the airmatic, which is not important to me, I don't race my car.
-As for the seat firmness issue.... Well prior to trading in, I researched the S550 pretty well by reading at least three times an S550 manual I downloaded from a web site. ( Could even have been this one?) I choose the optional dynamic contour front seats ( or whatever they call them,) because of the seat firmness settings available with this option. I can assure you, it does not exist on my car. I have read the manual that came with my car on the usage of the seats. Yes, I am disatisfied with respect to this issue.
-As for the tow away alarm... not there, at least not on my vehicle. The Comand does not show that line, and the manual of my car states that the feature " ..may not be available" Remember, I researched the available options of my car from an "S" manual.
Night vision is an SUPPLEMENTAL aid as you point out. I would prefer to see a " Heads Ups screen, as Cadillac had,) rather having to look at the instrument cluster. A lot can happen in the few seconds you take your eyes of the road.

And to conclude, I was responding to a thread originally posted by AustinGuy, which read:
"....... U.S. highways, but... when you've shelled out over $100k for a luxury performance automobile, expecting a little mor than being happy with "how far" MB has come is your right. And as someone said earlier, MB needs to visit forums like these to get a glimpse of what it's customers really want."
I agree with the contents of the thread. It is constructive to vent at times. NOT
Enjoy your day.

pop quiz

Awesome thread. The only things I find worth griping about is the location of the gear shifter and start/stop button and also the fact that the sunroof(s) don't have a one touch close as it does one touch opening. I wish the car still had the gear shifter at the center console area with a button on top of it for start/stop.

I find myself forgetting to either shut the car off or put the car into Park because both actions require moving your hand up to areas to close in proximity to each other. My overall problem is that when I put the car into park I subconsciously forget whether or not I killed the engine too (or vice versa). Of course within seconds of opening the door, I realize I forgot to do one or the other. I sure hope the next S class changes this back like BMW did for their next generation 7 series.

WSH

Well said, EinMD....

Would argue that, in a Net era, only efficient, relevant sources of feedback for MBUSA are warranty repair costs and forums like mbworld......

But know many guys who buy several new $150+K MB/yr (at same, predictable dealer in their region), but don't ever visit forums/fill out surveys....but they are clever enough to have chosen a competent go-to MB dealer/salesman....and seem to be treated well.....

04S430

Just noticed I duplicated my last thread. Must have happened while editing!
Waiting to be told I do not know how to use my computer. ( Which is probably true! )

trumpet1

Ah , don't worry about it

trumpet1

Ah, don't worry about it

04S430

I don't, I passed the age of worrying.
Except when I have to get a tooth pulled! ( Not really, though at my age it can be a problem. Especially when you have to remove those third molars that have rooted themselves for over 70 years! )

trumpet1

+1. I feel the same way about the gear shifter and start button.

trumpet1

LOL!

EinMD

Question: I have an annoying rattle when going over rough roads in what sounds like the right rear roof area. Is there an easy way to lower the roof panels to see what is there?

trumpet1

Do you have rear passenger window sunscreens???? I do and I had a rattle that turned out to be a trim piece that can easily come detached at the base of the window area. Make sure it's not loose.

EinMD

I do have the sunscreens. I will check that out today. It's hard to pinpoint these noises when you do not have anyone to drive allowing you can sit in the back and pinpoint them. Thanks for the suggestion!

trumpet1

The reason I brought this up is because this just happened to me this past month. I was noticing a lot of buzzing, rattling sounds when I drove over our rough surfaced main street in the town I live in and it bugged me to no end. I started a thread about this 2 or 3 weeks ago where I just happened to have discovered the trim piece that covers the window track on both sides of the car in the rear seat area were grossly loose. Upon removing them and then completely placing them snuggly back into place, the noises have totally subsided. Hopefully this is your problem as it is a quick remedy and hopefully doesn't occur often in the future.

Here is the thread where I mentioned it; https://mbworld.org/forums/s-class-w221/248943-trim-pieces-coming-loose.html

trumpet1

My only big complaint is how aggravating the bluetooth phone is to use when outside of the car. The range (distance away from the car) at which the bluetooth puck stays in connection with the handset is extremely too far. When I get out of my car every evening from work, many times I walk into my den/kitchen area which is the first room I come into after leaving the garage and is 30 feet away from the car. My gosh, after 5 feet it should disconnect from bluetooth.....my Ford even severs the connection at around 5 feet. Anyway, I sit down and watch TV for a while and countless times the phone in my pocket rings but I am not able to use the handset because the phone is still connected to the audio/phone system within the car


I either have to go run out to the car to complete the call , or, I have to hang up on the caller and call them back after going through a 5 step process on the handset of disconnecting the phone from the car.

Even if someone else goes out to the car and opens the door while I'm in the kitchen, it will reinitiate the connection while the phone is in my pocket. Very aggravating.

Please MB, shorten the connectivity range!!!

Diesel Benz

If the range was made shorter, you would lose connection in the car if your phone is deep in the pocket. Radio does not work accurately to some distance, you have to have reserve to "cover" the whole car. This again means that the phone keeps the connection far away from the car at normal conditions.

But I do agree with the issue. I would prefer it fixed by forcing the BT connection disconnect either once the engine is switched off or preferably once doors are locked. Another option would be to make the "run-on time " timer to work with BT too.

trumpet1

Absolutely great idea. That would satisfy all requirements on the issue.

whoover

On the 220, you can disconnect by pressing the TEL button. According to the puck documentation, the W221 equivalent is Telephone-->Telephone-->Off via COMAND. That sounds like a bit more work, but not too bad. Also, mine will disconnect in a few minutes anyway when the CAN goes to sleep. Doesn't the 221 do the same?

Diesel Benz

Trumpet1 might be able to answer from experience, I always lose BT connection when I leave the car in the garage and enter home, I should give it a specific test to figure out. Also I'm using the BT SAP device which may make it different (may be the same too).

But doesn't it take anyway some 6 minutes for CAN to go to sleep? If one is getting a lot of calls, some could get lost within that time already.

Considering manual BT connection release, if I had the problem, I would do it from the phone, I would program a short-cut for it to make it quick.