W211 AMG Discuss the W211 AMG's such as the E55 and the E63

2008 W211 Command + Radio + Navigation

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Rate Thread
 
Old Feb 23, 2024 | 08:08 PM
  #1  
luoskywalker's Avatar
Thread Starter
Member
15 Year Member
Liked
 
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 87
Likes: 10
From: Florida
2021 AMG GT BS, 2018 E63S, 2008 E63, 2013 Gl550, 1986 2.3-16, 1987 Starion Turbo, 1986 Toyota Supra.
2008 W211 Command + Radio + Navigation

Hi all, I have done some search on the treads but I cant seem to find any solutions, I have a 2008 W211 E63 that the radio only turns manually and it is not communicating with the steering column, and after a while it says turn on the engine or the radio will shut off.

On the steering column I cant see the radio, navigation, or telephone, or control the radio up/down. The car has a brand new battery, alternator is good, all the fuses related to the command + radio are good, the CD changer does not open either. what else can I check. I don't want to by a new head unit when it could be something else that I could do.

Thank you in advance,

Last edited by luoskywalker; Feb 23, 2024 at 09:08 PM.
Reply
Old Feb 24, 2024 | 12:22 PM
  #2  
bobgodd's Avatar
MBWorld Fanatic!
15 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
 
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 1,793
Likes: 44
From: San Diego
2004 E55
Originally Posted by luoskywalker
Hi all, I have done some search on the treads but I cant seem to find any solutions, I have a 2008 W211 E63 that the radio only turns manually and it is not communicating with the steering column, and after a while it says turn on the engine or the radio will shut off.

On the steering column I cant see the radio, navigation, or telephone, or control the radio up/down. The car has a brand new battery, alternator is good, all the fuses related to the command + radio are good, the CD changer does not open either. what else can I check. I don't want to by a new head unit when it could be something else that I could do.

Thank you in advance,
Has anyone been doing work in your dash or was the radio pulled recently for any reason? Sounds like your connection to the canbus is broken somewhere.. If you're lucky it's just a broken wire.

If I remember correctly the head unit connection to canbus happens off to the lower right from the head unit: far upper left of the passenger footwell. You can check for continuity between that hub and the wiring going into the back of the head unit. I can't recall exactly how much voltage you should have on can+ and can-, but there are a couple head unit install threads here that have that information if you search.
Reply
Old Feb 24, 2024 | 01:14 PM
  #3  
luoskywalker's Avatar
Thread Starter
Member
15 Year Member
Liked
 
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 87
Likes: 10
From: Florida
2021 AMG GT BS, 2018 E63S, 2008 E63, 2013 Gl550, 1986 2.3-16, 1987 Starion Turbo, 1986 Toyota Supra.
nobody has work on the radio but they where working on the back of the car does this cable runs to the back?
Reply
Old Feb 25, 2024 | 11:00 AM
  #4  
bobgodd's Avatar
MBWorld Fanatic!
15 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
 
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 1,793
Likes: 44
From: San Diego
2004 E55
Originally Posted by luoskywalker
nobody has work on the radio but they where working on the back of the car does this cable runs to the back?
Back exterior or back in the trunk somewhere? The canbus network runs all over the car, but really hard to say without knowing details. There were a few different connections for the comand unit depending on where you are in the world, the most common US connection was a single plug in the back of the comand with power, canbus and fiber for the MOST fiber ring. If you have this connection then your canbus is made in the passenger footwell.

There is another part that could be affecting you: everything on the fiber ring needs to be alive and working or other things won't work correctly. If they were working in the lefthand side of the trunk where the audio gateway is or the GPS unit, and one of those fiber connections got damaged or didn't get reconnected that could cause some issues like this.
Reply
Old Feb 27, 2024 | 10:19 AM
  #5  
luoskywalker's Avatar
Thread Starter
Member
15 Year Member
Liked
 
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 87
Likes: 10
From: Florida
2021 AMG GT BS, 2018 E63S, 2008 E63, 2013 Gl550, 1986 2.3-16, 1987 Starion Turbo, 1986 Toyota Supra.
thank you, I will double check the back connections, thank you, for taking the time to respond,
Reply
Old Feb 28, 2024 | 04:35 AM
  #6  
nd-photo.nl's Avatar
MBWorld Fanatic!
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
 
Joined: May 2022
Posts: 1,917
Likes: 499
From: The Netherlands
2005 CLS55 AMG W219 C219
Absolutely correct, if a component is part of the MOST ring, it should be powered, else the ring fails. I also found out that behavior when the Comand refused to start after pulling a fuse for the Voice Control System (after disabling this in the computer).
Reply
Old Jun 4, 2024 | 06:45 PM
  #7  
luoskywalker's Avatar
Thread Starter
Member
15 Year Member
Liked
 
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 87
Likes: 10
From: Florida
2021 AMG GT BS, 2018 E63S, 2008 E63, 2013 Gl550, 1986 2.3-16, 1987 Starion Turbo, 1986 Toyota Supra.
So finally I had the time to open up the trunk, and I found the these two optical cables, in that module, only one of them shows the red light.



plug it only one has the red light the other show nothing,.
Reply
Old Jun 5, 2024 | 08:23 AM
  #8  
bobgodd's Avatar
MBWorld Fanatic!
15 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
 
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 1,793
Likes: 44
From: San Diego
2004 E55
Originally Posted by luoskywalker
So finally I had the time to open up the trunk, and I found the these two optical cables, in that module, only one of them shows the red light.



plug it only one has the red light the other show nothing,.
Buy this (https://a.co/d/9qW8Meq) and put it on that connector in your hand, it should carry the signal forward and bypass that module. If the radio functions normally you could leave it bypassed or replace that module, not sure exactly which one that is but maybe phone?
Reply
MB World Stories

The Best of Mercedes & AMG

story-0

6 Mercedes Models That Did NOT Age Well (But Are Somehow Still Cool)

 Verdad Gallardo
story-1

Manual Mercedes? 6 Times Sindelfingen Let Drivers Have All The Fun

 Verdad Gallardo
story-2

Mercedes SLR McLaren 722 S Is Extremely Rare Example Modified by McLaren

 Verdad Gallardo
story-3

8 Classic Boxy Mercedes Designs That Have Aged Like Fine Wine

 Verdad Gallardo
story-4

Flawlessly Restored Mercedes 190E Evo II Heads to Auction

 Verdad Gallardo
story-5

Electric Mercedes C-Class Unveiled: 11 Things You Need to Know

 Verdad Gallardo
story-6

Mercedes EQS Gets A Major Update: Everything You Need to Know

 Verdad Gallardo
story-7

5 Underrated Mercedes-Benz Models That Don't Get the Love They Deserve

 Verdad Gallardo
story-8

Mercedes 300D Has Pushed Well Past 1 Million Miles and It Ain't Stopping

 Verdad Gallardo
story-9

10 Most Reliable Mercedes-Benz Models You Can Buy Used

 Verdad Gallardo
Old Jun 5, 2024 | 01:18 PM
  #9  
luoskywalker's Avatar
Thread Starter
Member
15 Year Member
Liked
 
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 87
Likes: 10
From: Florida
2021 AMG GT BS, 2018 E63S, 2008 E63, 2013 Gl550, 1986 2.3-16, 1987 Starion Turbo, 1986 Toyota Supra.
Thank you, will try it,
Reply

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 


You have already rated this thread Rating: Thread Rating: 0 votes,  average.


All times are GMT -4. The time now is 06:39 AM.

story-0
6 Mercedes Models That Did NOT Age Well (But Are Somehow Still Cool)

Slideshow: Not every Mercedes design becomes timeless, some feel stuck in the era they came from.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-05-12 18:09:07


VIEW MORE
story-1
Manual Mercedes? 6 Times Sindelfingen Let Drivers Have All The Fun

Slideshow: Yes, Mercedes built manual cars, and some of them are far more interesting than you'd expect.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-05-02 12:36:58


VIEW MORE
story-2
Mercedes SLR McLaren 722 S Is Extremely Rare Example Modified by McLaren

Slideshow: A one-of-one U.S.-spec Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Roadster became even rarer after a factory-backed transformation at McLaren's headquarters.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-04-29 11:19:28


VIEW MORE
story-3
8 Classic Boxy Mercedes Designs That Have Aged Like Fine Wine

Slideshow: Before curves took over, Mercedes mastered the art of the straight line, and some of those shapes still look right today.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-04-25 12:05:49


VIEW MORE
story-4
Flawlessly Restored Mercedes 190E Evo II Heads to Auction

Slideshow: The 190E Evolution II shows how a homologation necessity became a six-figure collector icon.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-04-22 17:53:47


VIEW MORE
story-5
Electric Mercedes C-Class Unveiled: 11 Things You Need to Know

Slideshow: Mercedes is turning one of its core nameplates electric, and the details show just how serious this shift is.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-04-21 13:58:06


VIEW MORE
story-6
Mercedes EQS Gets A Major Update: Everything You Need to Know

Slideshow: Faster charging, longer range, and a controversial steer-by-wire system define the latest evolution of Mercedes-Benz EQS.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-04-15 10:35:34


VIEW MORE
story-7
5 Underrated Mercedes-Benz Models That Don't Get the Love They Deserve

Slideshow: These overlooked Mercedes-Benz models never got the spotlight, but they quietly delivered more than most remember.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-04-13 19:35:45


VIEW MORE
story-8
Mercedes 300D Has Pushed Well Past 1 Million Miles and It Ain't Stopping

Slideshow: A well-used 1991 Mercedes-Benz 300D with more than one million miles is now looking for a new owner, and it still appears ready for more.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-04-10 10:05:15


VIEW MORE
story-9
10 Most Reliable Mercedes-Benz Models You Can Buy Used

Slideshow: From bulletproof sedans to surprisingly tough SUVs, these Mercedes models proved that the three-pointed star can go the distance.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-04-08 09:55:49


VIEW MORE