COMMAND error after ferry crossing

[kierankilmartin]

E320 CDI 2002. Each time I take my car to France on the feryy the COMMAND system fails to work straight away. I load in a new CD in and although I can see all the French info the COMMAND system it still thinks it is in the Kent or the middle of the Channel. If I stop the car for about 30 minutes on the French side it resets itself and all is fine. It is not due to the CD change as I have done this between countries in Europe and it works fine. Does anyone know if there is something I can do prior to the ferry journey or after to prevent this. Thanks KK

 

[amwebby]

Sounds like it is taking the car a while to find satellite signals and re-orient itself. Not sure what the 'cure' is.

 

[Alfie]

Sounds like it is taking the car a while to find satellite signals and re-orient itself. Not sure what the 'cure' is.

I noticed the same thing some time ago when I had the CLK. I think it has something to do with the car being stuck in a metal box for a couple of hours and then having to find its satellites again. Hence why its okay going from border to border when on a road as opposed to a ferry.

 

[MBManInKen]

Bizar, as I originally am from the continent, I travel there fairly often and never had any problems of this nature. The COMAND pretty much picks up its position straight away as soon as I'm out of the ferry's Farraday cage...

One of the resident experts ought to be along shortly to advise .

 

[verytalldave]

E320 CDI 2002. Each time I take my car to France on the feryy the COMMAND system fails to work straight away. I load in a new CD in and although I can see all the French info the COMMAND system it still thinks it is in the Kent or the middle of the Channel. If I stop the car for about 30 minutes on the French side it resets itself and all is fine. It is not due to the CD change as I have done this between countries in Europe and it works fine. Does anyone know if there is something I can do prior to the ferry journey or after to prevent this. Thanks KK

What version disk are you using?
This error COULD be cured by updating your software.
I am no expert, so thats a pure guess.
Alfie?

 

[Benzowner]

This is interesting, I was on a ferry in Cornwall this summer, only about 300 yards across the river Fal I think, kept my Comand on when crossing the river, but according to Comand I had not left the bank on the other side and it took a couple of minutes to sort itself out. Maybe engine and wheels not turning, it can't pick up that it is moving.Maybe something to do with the speed pulse?

 

[verytalldave]

Anybody used the channel tunnel and experienced the same problem?
Just trying a process of elimination..........

 

[BTB 500]

Earlier Tom Toms used to do this if they were switched on some distance away from where they'd last been used (or had no signal for a long distance). Basically they have to start a search for satellites from scratch rather than knowing roughly where to look.

Newer ones pick up a weekly download file that contains the satellite positions based on date & time. So when you switch on they know where to look. It's noticeable if you haven't picked up the download for a while, drive somewhere without using the satnav, then turn it on for the return journey. It can take 10-15 mins to get a fix.

 

[MBManInKen]

Anybody used the channel tunnel and experienced the same problem?.

Yes, and just as for the ferry scenario, it takes my COMAND less than a minute to pick up the signal again and figure out where it is.

The OP mentions 30 minutes for the system to sort itself out, which sounds like an unworkable long time, and not normal behaviour.

 

[television]

I think that one problem is that if you start searching for your destination or swapping disc while still in the hull of the ferry that could cause the system to search for new satellites, this being the case it would cause a delay

 

[MBManInKen]

Well, I always swap the disc when still on board, while waiting to be disembarked.

 

[BTB 500]

GPS chipsets and firmware have been improved steadily over the last few years, and speed/reliability of satellite acquistion is supposed to be one of the major benefits. So it's possible that newer units will perform much better than older ones in this respect.

 

[BTB 500]

Some useful info here:

http://www.whatgps.net/

 

[television]

Well there is no other explanation then other than As BTB 500 says, my car is in a shielded garage and can stay there for a couple of weeks and the retention is always there.

If there is another reason only by changing it will you know, there is nothing else

 

[MBManInKen]

I still think half an hour is too long, even on an older system or in less than optimal conditions.


Might be useful to get the system diagnosed.

 

[amwebby]

It sounds like loading the European satnav disc before you get on the ferry, when the car still 'knows' where it is, might be more beneficial. Certainly swapping discs en route would seem to place you in a 'cold start' scenario.

 

[robertjary]

Anybody used the channel tunnel and experienced the same problem?
Just trying a process of elimination..........

Every time I've traveled through the tunnel, although I've found that if I leave the radio on, my APS30 finds its position quicker.

Traveling to and from Ireland (can't leave the radio on), my APS 30 can take up to an hour to find its position.