I wouldn’t let in put you off MB completely. I also have a C class cabriolet (which I’ve had no problems with in 2 years) and it is the best car I’ve ever owned although that might be down to the fact that it is a convertible, which I really like.
If you do get an answer from them I would be really grateful if you could post that here please. Thanks.
Same. Just bought new C class estate and love it. But for the first few days I kept checking the boot because it sounded like something was sliding about. Then I discovered that the noise was only when the gears were changing 2-3-4 or 4-3-2. So I took it to the dealer and we went for a drive and sure enough clunk clunk clunk right on cue. They kept the car for 2 days, gave it a wash and told me it was ready to collect. When I arrived at service, they said it was normal and nothing wrong. They said the car was looking for a parking space at low speeds which is why the camera kept flying in and out. So an argument ensued whereby I respectfully suggested that was a fault not normal. So I'm driving along and slow down for a speed hump. Car thinks oh you're parking and shoots the camera out. Then I speed up and car thinks OK false alarm and shuts camera. Then I slow down for lights etc etc etc. It is also quite a loud noise and more than mildly irritating. My last car was a 7 series with fixed camera so it's not credible that this "development" of a retracting camera should operate 1) so noisily 2) so erratically. My garage has said it will contact MB to seek a software solution which, to my mind is absolutely essential to solve this problem.
Did you return the car?
Not sure the camera has anything to do with the self parking system, I've got the same car and I've never heard my camera come out when slowing down. I thought it used the parking sensors.
You are likely to get the same response that I have had which is that this is the normal operation of the camera and that it goes through a recalibration sequence of opening and closing the camera a number of times each and every time the car is started up. I have responded again to MB asking them to explain in detail why it is now deemed necessary for the camera to operate in this way as I can see no logic to it and want to understand MBs logic. The previous generation of A class does not do this, nor does my 2021 C class and it is very annoying. It must be a software issue so I can’t see why they can’t fix it. It normally does the opening and closing thing 3-4 times then stops. If you can drive at around 10mph for about 100m after starting up the camera will complete the calibration exercise and close and will not do it again until you stop and switch the car off then start up again but who could be bothered doing that every time you start up even if the traffic allowed you to do it. I think the advice you have been given that the car is going into looking for a parking space mode is rubbish as, on my car at least, it only does it 3-4 times so why wouldn’t it do it every time you slowed down?
It's really annoying. It's a similar sound to the central locking system click. Imagine that happening every time you slow down and speed up...until you hit the requirements for calibration.
Couple of times but it's very difficult when you live in town. I regard that as a workaround but I think MB should offer a fix.
Yeah, it's a daft situation where the camera flap has to be open, then drive along for along for a few hundred metres in a completely straight line just under 15mph. Absolutely ridiculous!
Thanks
I would also chip in to a bulk letter to car mags
I suggested it so happy to draft something and share. These are not cheap cars and in my case, I love the car except for this, not particularly minor, irritation. We're all Mercedes customers on this thread and we're not happy with this "feature" but yet we're being deaf-eared by Mercedes. So going public might be our next option and hopefully build momentum.
