aztecsd

I just purchased my first MB, an E55, two weeks ago. At the 200 mile mark the COMAND froze up on me. It says Audio Please Wait and never "boots" up. I took it to the dealer and it seemed to stump them. They put in a call to national MB. National states that it is a 2006 software issue and they won't have a fix until mid December. There is not a previous 2006 version of the software they can install instead and the 2005 software is not compatible. The dealer was able to reset it by pulling out and plugging back in the 40amp fuse. Well, it froze up again this weekend and the 40 amp fuse trick has not worked this time. Has anybody else had this problem? Does anybody have a better solution than "you'll have to wait a month"?

Based on a forum search it looks like COMAND has had it share of critics over the years but it is really disappointing on a 90K car that is in its fourth model year to have its COMAND center crap out at the 200 mile mark and the best MB can say it talk to us in December. Very frustrating!

wiz357

Welcome to MB ownership. Get used to it. Seriously, hope you can get your car problems straightened out.

What dealer was working on your car? If it is MB of SD, take it somewhere else.

benzmodz

Its pretty simple. The head unit freezes and refuses to boot if one device is faulty in the optical ring.

Dealer suggestions
------------------
- wakeup test
- scan optical ring
- clean optical connections
- software issues inside modules

Something as simple as a damaged optical cable can do this. Or a device with a loose connection. The primary cause of this is the way in which wiring harnesses are pulled through the car. The workers put one leg on the car and pull the wiring through like it was a 10 pound Bass fighting a line.

All it takes is one mistreated cable to do this.

Needless to say that Mercedes has resolved to stop making 4 billion a year and will now make something like 1.5 billion a year in an effort to improve quality and construction.

Change is coming .... although that doesnt help your car.

Another note .... who trains these technicians.

WayneE

I have a 2006 and also encountered some early COMAND problems. Taking a friend to the airport, suddenly my nav went haywire and told me I was about 50 miles from my present location. Dealer fixed it. That was around the 1k mile mark or so (can't remember exactly). Not long after that, my satelite radio just died. COMAND said that no sat radio was installed. Drove by dealer so they could see it, they noted the problem and I scheduled an appt. About an hr later, it was fine, so I cancelled the appt and told them I'd bring it in if it happened again.

I'm at 4800 miles and no issues right now.

cte430

It's amazing some of the same problems from '03

aztecsd

Wiz-I took it to MB of Esc.

Benzmodz-Thanks for the input. I will discuss each of those items with them tomorrow when I talk to the head service advisor.

wiz357

I have not tried MB of Esc, so I comment on them. However, if they still don't fix your car, try Hoehn in Carlsbad. I've had positive experience with them in both my ex-S55 and now my current E55. Don't waste your time with Heinz Geitz or MB of SD.

FfejRetso

Just bought an E350 2006 - 400 miles, and today the Audio and Nav did the Please Wait, then ------ thing.

Amazingly, I did the "pull the fuse trick", and IT WORKED!

What can this be about???? There'll be a fix in Dec 2006????

Anyone else having this issue??

tommaey

Conspiracy this is also happening on 2005s!

The fuse trick has worked 3 or 4 times now...

ThemisN

Happened on my 2005 very early on in my ownership, and they had to swap out the nav unit.

jangy

Holy Cow, what a way to start your ownership. My '05 has not had any command issues, and I don't know what changes the '06 has. Now that dec came and went, has anyone gotten a true fix? I don't want to get it, but i am hoping MB gives an A$$.

wiz357: can you elaborate about MB of SD? I have used MB Escondido and Hoehn. They are OK at best. Hoehn is extremely cooperative, but not exactly up to date with all technical issues or pretending not to know. Either way, I was going to try MB of SD for my wife's ML500, but now I may reconsider.

aztecsd

The 2006 COMAND software update is still not available. It was supposed to be ready mid December 05. MB Escondido did talk to National and figured out that another fuse tends to work better that the one I originally posted. It is in the fuse box on the driver's dashboard side. Look at your manual if you do not know where it is. There are two vertical rows of fuses. You need to pull the 5 amp fuse on the left side that is the fourth from the bottom. It is location #28. Make sure to do this with the car off. This should reset it for you.

My SA will give me a call as soon as the software update is out. You need to make sure to ask your SA to give you a call when the software update is available. Otherwise they will just wait to update it when you come in for a service visit down the road. They will not seek you out if you do not ask them to.

Also, it was recommended by the SA that if you are in California, you should have MB reset the fuse for you the first 4 times so that you qualify for the lemon law requirements. If you tell them the issue and how to solve it they should be able to do it while you wait. After that you can do it yourself and decide how much time you want to give MB to come up with the software patch before you hand them back the keys for a replacement or refund.

Hope this helps!

55fanatic

can someone tell me where this fuse is? I just picked up my E and have no sound, want to try this pull the fuse trick