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Hi guys
I have a 2007 S550 ex japan and I am trying to change the clock to NZ time.
I have followed all of the instructions carefully but it seems like I cannot get into the engineering mode no matter what I do.
* right hold seat button mute
right hold seat button mute.
Car both on or off.
Also pressing each and holding
Or all at the same time.
the only thing that appears different on my display as it does not have a "display off" to the right of the car settings. I stead it is in the actual car settings menu.
Had any one else run into this problem before?
Perhaps the car had had an update that has changed how you access it now?
I have the same problem. I have a Japan spec S500 / S550 and I also can not get into engineering mode.
I have tried every method that has been on this forum and on YouTube and the system just won't let me in.
It is very frustrating, as I have PolarBear's fix and wanted to try and fix the mistake that MB made with their software.
Your system and mine, do NOT have the time / date setting visible, so we can not change the dashboard clock.
I don't know if we have any members on the forum from Japan ?? Do any of them know how to get into engineering mode
on their Japan spec vehicles?
It has also been suggested to me, that because the Japanese COMMAND system is so different, that the PolarBear fix will NOT
work and that it may brick the system. I am willing to risk that, as there is a thriving market here in Abu Dhabi for second hand command units.
In any case, I joined up to the BenzNinja club tonight. Hopefully, once my equipment arrives, he may be able to work some of his
magic, update my modules and firmware and even fix the clock ???
My fingers are crossed.
Good luck with your searches. If I get a result, I will let you know.
it took 16 years before anyone even knew there was an ENG menu on the Euro / USA W221 NTG3.0 head units
The method isn't going to be the same the Japanese cars have a unique domestic Japanese market thing made there and likely if you ever get there it will all be in Japanese just like it is in all other mercs
Same here W216 Japanese specs and the three buttons trick do not work to get the engineering menu, I've tried everything, I even tried searching Google in Japanese but no lock
I also have strange menu under Comtel (telephone) called FM multiplex and I have no idea what it does
Mine is built Dec 2012 and registered in May 2013.
A FM multiplexer allows for the signal from a radio station to be received in ‘true’ stereo. Meaning there are definite
left and right channels, which are very important for music. But given yours is inside the ComTel or phone menu,
perhaps it is an older system that would allow telephone calls to be heard in true stereo rather than one channel being
sent to both the front speakers?
That is a guess on my part, as my car does NOT have the multiplexer menu?? This is why I ask what year it was produced in.
I have added a couple of pictures of my FM radio screen, so you can see the differences.
The FM radios in the Japanese units are also set to receive on different FM frequencies to this that we use in the Emirates, so
the FM radio is not able to receive any of the local radio stations and is of no use. This is why I added a third party ‘black box’
to the car and now have Apple Play and Android options. All fully integrated into the car and controlled by the command knob and buttons.
As per previous posts, it appears that the Japanese market command unit, is not the same as the rest of the world. So all of the posted methods of getting into “Engineering Mode”, don’t work.
One of the local MB dealerships has tried valiantly to help with little things, like fixing my dashboard clock, but they have given up.
BenzNinja, who is a sponsor on this forum, did some wonderful work for me last night re my newly installed replacement Central Command Module and some other adjustments I needed fixed.
He has also given me a file to transfer onto a CD-r. He thinks it may be self installing and so I won’t need to be in Engineering mode.
He also included some documents which show a different way to enter Engineering mode.
I will be trying those button pushes later today and if i am successful will let you know that it worked.
the back of a Japanese headunit on the w221 is totally covered in multiplugs - it even has a quad lock connector alongside at least 5 other connectors the Euro / USA ones don't have
Mine is built Dec 2012 and registered in May 2013.
A FM multiplexer allows for the signal from a radio station to be received in ‘true’ stereo. Meaning there are definite
left and right channels, which are very important for music. But given yours is inside the ComTel or phone menu,
perhaps it is an older system that would allow telephone calls to be heard in true stereo rather than one channel being
sent to both the front speakers?
That is a guess on my part, as my car does NOT have the multiplexer menu?? This is why I ask what year it was produced in.
I have added a couple of pictures of my FM radio screen, so you can see the differences.
The FM radios in the Japanese units are also set to receive on different FM frequencies to this that we use in the Emirates, so
the FM radio is not able to receive any of the local radio stations and is of no use. This is why I added a third party ‘black box’
to the car and now have Apple Play and Android options. All fully integrated into the car and controlled by the command knob and buttons.
As per previous posts, it appears that the Japanese market command unit, is not the same as the rest of the world. So all of the posted methods of getting into “Engineering Mode”, don’t work.
One of the local MB dealerships has tried valiantly to help with little things, like fixing my dashboard clock, but they have given up.
BenzNinja, who is a sponsor on this forum, did some wonderful work for me last night re my newly installed replacement Central Command Module and some other adjustments I needed fixed.
He has also given me a file to transfer onto a CD-r. He thinks it may be self installing and so I won’t need to be in Engineering mode.
He also included some documents which show a different way to enter Engineering mode.
I will be trying those button pushes later today and if i am successful will let you know that it worked.
Regards,
J.
Hey Jmirgy,
Thanks for the detailed reply, mine is W216 2008 Japanese specs.
I doubt it has anything to do with telephone stereo is it search for FM frequencies if you click on it
One thing I didn't mention the car cam fitted with aftermarket video interface modules connected to the command and I'm still figuring out what it do exactly, maybe it's related but I'm not sure if such module was able to add a full menu to the command.
Now, on BenzNinja update CD specifically for the clock, I would love to see how that worked for you and what you were able to achieve, If can share your experience with command replacement it would be awesome.
Hello Gents, despite my best efforts, I have not been able to find an engineering mode for my Jap spec S500.
Benz Ninja even spent a LOT of time with me one night, trying to get the Polar Bear and another CD full of software to work, but no joy.
Perhaps the Jap systems don’t even have an engineering mode ?? Surely, after all this time, someone must have worked out how to do it…..
I found two work arounds however, that have made me happy.
Re the dashboard clock:
I removed the command unit and simply unplugged the Blue coloured GPS antenna plug from the rear. This stops the command unit from sending the ‘Japanese’ GPS time to the dashboard clock. At 1159 hours, I unplugged the battery and then at 11:59:55 I connected the battery again. The system defaults the clock to 12:00 and the clock is now accurate for my time zone. It will of course fail, if / when I ever disconnect the battery again, but that is easily fixed again, when the next lunch time comes around.
Since my Command also has Japanese maps, that are absolutely useless in Abu Dhabi, I have not ‘lost’ anything and have gained a ‘working’ dashboard clock.
In terms of Apple / Car Play / Android Auto”
I had a LIMCET box installed behind the command unit by an audio store.
The whole thing, including installation took about 45 min while I waited and cost me about $400.
I now do a long press on the Tele/Navi button to toggle between the Command and CarPlay systems.
When I want to listen to Apple Play product, I select “Video” from the Command menu, BEFORE, I toggle into the Car Play mode. This routes my audio via my unused VIDEO channel to my Command / Car Speakers. If I want to use my Command system audio options, I choose whichever option I want via Command and then go back to Apple for navigation and maps.
Most days I select MP3 on command and listen to my own DJ free list of music via the Flash Card slot with an SD card inserted.
Simultaneously, I have Apple Play and Waze running so I can navigate to where I am going. It is a hybrid effect and both systems work well next to each other.
Hello Gents, despite my best efforts, I have not been able to find an engineering mode for my Jap spec S500.
Benz Ninja even spent a LOT of time with me one night, trying to get the Polar Bear and another CD full of software to work, but no joy.
Perhaps the Jap systems don’t even have an engineering mode ?? Surely, after all this time, someone must have worked out how to do it…..
I found two work arounds however, that have made me happy.
Re the dashboard clock:
I removed the command unit and simply unplugged the Blue coloured GPS antenna plug from the rear. This stops the command unit from sending the ‘Japanese’ GPS time to the dashboard clock. At 1159 hours, I unplugged the battery and then at 11:59:55 I connected the battery again. The system defaults the clock to 12:00 and the clock is now accurate for my time zone. It will of course fail, if / when I ever disconnect the battery again, but that is easily fixed again, when the next lunch time comes around.
Since my Command also has Japanese maps, that are absolutely useless in Abu Dhabi, I have not ‘lost’ anything and have gained a ‘working’ dashboard clock.
In terms of Apple / Car Play / Android Auto”
I had a LIMCET box installed behind the command unit by an audio store.
The whole thing, including installation took about 45 min while I waited and cost me about $400.
I now do a long press on the Tele/Navi button to toggle between the Command and CarPlay systems.
When I want to listen to Apple Play product, I select “Video” from the Command menu, BEFORE, I toggle into the Car Play mode. This routes my audio via my unused VIDEO channel to my Command / Car Speakers. If I want to use my Command system audio options, I choose whichever option I want via Command and then go back to Apple for navigation and maps.
Most days I select MP3 on command and listen to my own DJ free list of music via the Flash Card slot with an SD card inserted.
Simultaneously, I have Apple Play and Waze running so I can navigate to where I am going. It is a hybrid effect and both systems work well next to each other.
Hi Jmirgy ,
Thanks for sharing the clock hack, its much easier then opening the clock assembly .
How's the Carplay box ? How's the sound and response ?
I am no audiophile, but am very happy with the quality of the audio I am getting from the CarPlay box.
Other posts on this and other forums suggest the quality is not as good, but I am too old and deaf to be able to discriminate anyway….
Most of my driving is at high speed on open freeways anywhere between 80 and 100mph. It is not conducive to high quality audio, despite the excellent noise suppression built into S class sedans.
My music is either from the ‘Simple Radio’ app and various internet radio stations, or, when I get sick of the DJs, I play my own ripped music via the music app or the onboard Flash Card / SD card converter.
I have noticed that you don’t have the Treble / Bass controls available to you when using CarPlay. You can go in and set them by toggling between the two systems, but you lose the setting once you turn the car off. When you start again, you have to set them to your liking again.
Obviously, when you are using the built in MP3 player, it is easier to get to the audio settings and they seem to ‘remember’ where they were last left.
Not really enough to bother me. I mostly use the command mp3 player and the CarPlay maps to navigate around with Waze audio turned off.
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