LovinMercedes

I am driving a 2004 SL55 and I swear if this Nav unit does this to me one more time I am going to smash it.

At times it works perfectly. Other times in certain areas it takes me on a wild goose chase. I know it is taking the the wrong way. It takes me off a highway and sends me through a city when I could have just stayed on the highway and gotten to the exact same place.

Is anyone else having this problem?

RU_MATRX

Hey LovinSL600:

That is rare even on other GPS DVD or CD NAVs. I've seen this occur on my 2003 FX45 with DVD-based NAV just last week while driving towards the city of Rosemeade off of the I10 freeway (for those that know the area). Also, the NAV has taken me on a turn after turn back-tracking like it's lost itself (an instance in Santa Ana) or told me that I had arrived at the destination though I was still ~1000 city addresses away.

In regards to MBs, I haven't experienced this at all on my SL55 although I don't use the NAV often. I do remember an instance in my 2002 ML55 when I used tele-aid and spoke to a customer service rep about this as sometimes the CD-based NAV was +- a block off or was off when (2) adjacent highways split to run parallel for awhile. They asked me if I wanted them to set-up an appointment with the MB dealer to calibrate my NAV and I declined. It didn't bother me too much or happen very often. At that time, I did learn that MB service can calibrate your NAV to sync up more accurately/properly with their satellites. Has anyone had this issue and followed through with this MB service task?

LovinMercedes

My dealer says that that is the way the disc is written. In certain areas it just sends you off the highway and into the city.

He says it can't be fixed.

I mean really, it is totally ridiculous. I am going on a highway. That highway connects to another highway and you can be there in a minute or less.

Instead this stupid unit, takes you off the first highway, sends you through a town with probably 10 turns and 15 minutes later puts you on the other highway when it you had never gotten off the first highway you would have been to that second highway 14 minutes ago.

So frustrating. Since it is the disc, I am not sure the DVD will solve the problem as the DVD disc is from the same company as the CD disc.

Anyone know if this is solved in 2005?

sillydriver

The last time I used the nav system on my 04 it did the same thing: it tried to avoid the Massachusetts Turnpike and take me out of the city on secondary roads that were slightly more direct. I assume that to minimize projected travel time all nav systems are programmed with assumptions about the speeds that can be achieved on different kinds of roads, and the assumptions for expressways in urban settings and secondary roads are too similar. I wonder if there is any way to have those assumptions changed, as there is for mapping programs for PC.

LovinMercedes

But if you check fastest why does it not keep you on the highway? I have found whether you mark fastest or shortest, it makes no difference.

To me, to take you off a highway, run you through a city and then put you back on a highway when you could have stayed on the original highway is just ridiculous.

I also have cars with other Nav units and NONE of them do that.

Do you think it is the unit software or the disc directions to the unit?

blueSL

I've had the navigation system in my 2003 SL55 suddenly start directing me back to where I've just come from.... weird.

LovinMercedes

Blue, every time I see your post and see the Silver with the Berry Red interior, I think of the SLR and then think of how gorgeous your car must be.

Got any pictures you can post?

blueSL

Yes, but it's not an SLR, just a humble SL55! Apparently (if you believe the postings on the SLR forum) the reason I've expressed doubts whether Mercedes will sell the 3500 SLRs they are planning to make is because I'm filled with envy at not having one. Err, no!

Anyway, here's a picture of the Berry Red interior. I love it, this is in the Exclusive Nappa Leather which is much softer than the normal leather which is quite grainy. It's not to everyone's taste though, I'm the first to admit that!

I like the contrast with the aluminium trim, not a great fan of Mercedes wood and with the dispatch of my SL600, my cars are wood-free zones. The red stitching is also attractive.

RU_MATRX

On MY2004 SL55s and earlier the NAV is CD-based. MY2005s use the DVD-based NAV (Finally!). You would have thought that the manufacturer would have updated any road information or writing on the discs on the latest DVD update. Obviously, the errors affect you often and repeatedly which isn't acceptable. I'm curious now, so I'll ask my S.A. about any particular fixes to resolve this NAV issue you're experiencing as I have another question for him anyways. If it's only a software issue relative to the current version of your CD/DVD (don't know which model year you have), you'd think that it's a quick and easy fix with an updated patch. Afterall, it's just data software.

There has to be a way to calibrate NAV signals to satellite and vice versa unless the highways/roads (my parallel highway split example) fall outside
of the tolerances/uncertainties of the NAV system for precisely locating your vehicle.

LovinMercedes

Blue,

I knew you had the SL55, but what I was saying is that I had seen the Berry Red in an SLR which was gorgeous and although I have never, until now, seen that interior on an SL, I'd would have imagined it would be gorgeous.

After seeing your pictures I thing the Berry Red with the Silver is absolutely gorgeous on your SL. Congratulations.

bollar

Are you using the 1/04 Nav CD? If not, an upgrade might help.

LovinMercedes

I do have the 1/04 CD. Is there a 7/04 upgrade and if so, do you know for sure that they have fixed these problems?

Someone with an 05 DVD said he was having the same problems.

ldye

I made comment about how bad the nav system is for this car on the survey MB sent to me. Got a follow up call to say they got it back and noted my concerns. However no topics were brought up, just that they read my comments.
On the survey I mentioned that I would pay part of the cost to upgrade my nav to DVD.

bollar

I don't think there is a 7/04 update. The data is provided by NavTech, and I notice that the flaws that exist in COMAND also exist in other NavTech problems I have -- but not exactly.

bollar

By the way, NavTeq has a Driver Feedback Form that accepts database error reports.

tiggerfink

I had the same problem on the Hertz Always Lost System when I was in Orlando, Dallas, Houston, and San Fransisco. It took me off the interstate on some streets in the city and back on the interstate. I had some choice words about the Hertz's system

The NAV on my 2004 SL500 has never done that above. Wife and I travel to Atlanta, St. Louis, Jackson, Nashville, Little Rock, and most of the Mid South. We think the 04' CD Mercedes NAV is great compared to the Hertz's system.

The SL500 is about 7 months old, and we put about 11,000 miles it. We love to take weekend trips.