mikefili

I have a 03 SL, the two knobs on the command have turned to soft Jelly, the parts guy @ dealership said they see it all the time, along with the buttons on the steering wheel, he told me to take off the knobs and he would try to match them up. I have tried to pull them off without any luck, don't want to break anything. Is there a set screw or clip that I do not see? Can anyone please help?

lovemysl

I have an 03 SL, no problems w/ the knobs. What has softented them? I would have the dealer deal with it. Comand units are expensive to replace if you break something.

mikefili

Nothing, the car is always kept inside, never even in the sun,
dealer told me that they see it often on many cars, and more so
the radio buttons on the steering wheel also do the same thing,
but on my car it is just the knobs on the command.
Can anyone help? anyone ever take out a command? Do the
knobs need to come off to remove the command, or to take out the
\cover plate?

ROBS SL ROCKS

I'm interested in this too. I have the same problem with my 2004 SL. I also have tried to pull off the knobs without any luck.

rajah996

I have seen this problem many a time, and had
the problem on my CLK. Its mostly from the oils
on your finger, along with heat. It causes the
rubber buttons to break down and feel like a gum
drop.

five337

http://www.mercupgrades.com/Comand+2...rticle-20.html

SSS

My 04 SL has the same problem with the knobs. At first I thought it's just some goo on the knob but actually the rubber on the knob is melting down. Factory warranty doesn't cover this as it's considered a wear and tear problem. I thought it would be a simple pull and replace operation, too......





Guess not. Damn it.

lovemysl

What is this gigantic picture of?

ROBS SL ROCKS

It looks like you removed the knobs. Based on the picture they should pull off. Are they glued on? Did it take much effort? Did they get damaged when you removed them?

lovemysl

OOPS, I guess I should have scrolled to the right. Had I done that I would have seen the knobs. Looks like you pulled off the whole front of the Comand off.

mikefili

Don't let the dealer b.s. you. The same thing has, and still is happening to very many cars, has nothing to do with cleaner, heat, cold, sunlight, or any other excuse they might come up with. The dealer said that the knobs can't be changed. (did they grow there? Were they not installed on the nav when it was put together?) Well, they called in a leather, seat repair guy, and after keeping the car for 3 days It was done, seems he coated the knobs with something, and then re-blacked them, minus the white dot. I bet the the story is not over yet, and that the gum drop condition has just been covered up, and not cured. Spoke to the repair subcontractor, anad he said that it is very common, even more so with the radio buttons on the wheel, mine are perfect. Dealer said that the only other fix is replaceing the $4,000. nav unit, that M.B. would never approve. Oh, car has to go back next week, while in the shop for this repair they broke the spring on the ash tray door takeing it apart, and worse of all someone sat in the passanger seat with a ball point pen in their back pocket while working on the car, and the pass seat now looks like a drawing done by a 1 year old with pen, at first the service manager said how could they cause it on the pass seat, but of course you cannot remove the console cover, or nav from the driver seat, but only from the passanger, I want to see how they remove the ink from the seat back,
Anyone know a safe way to do it. Seems everytime my SL goes to the dealer, it comes back with more problems then it went i with.
Just bought my wire a white C300 last night, hope it is not as problematic as the 230. Sorry for the long rant.

J Tinsby

Hi,

Tried to PM you but I get no reply.

Did you take the COMAND unit and knobs apart yourself or are you showing what the dealer did in the photo? Is it possible to take all the stuff out from the FRONT of the unit without taking it all out of the car?

I see the knob is on a splined shaft, that in itself is a help to say the least. I'm betting it has some sort of glue on it too to help hold it on. But really why would it since you are pushing on it all the time!

I see that you also have the potentiometers that the knobs fit onto, were you able to buy them from overseas and if so where? Did the knob come with the "pot" ?

Right now all my knobs are fine, but it would be nice to know how to get replacements if the trouble occurs.

This is the sort of nonsensical thing that pisses MB owners off is all I can say.

Thank you,

J T

coupe1

hi guys...I am over in Singapore and my 2003 SL500 has the same problems too. Knobs feel like gumdrops and I can literally scrap off the rubber coating from the knobs with my finger nails..