Comand causing battery drain?

[trainer]

Hi,

On Sunday night I went out to the car and it wouldn't turn over. I thought the battery was flat so I jump leads charged it up and left it running for 15 minutes. A couple of hours later I tried to turn it over again and it was flat. I jump started it again in the morning and my wife dropped it off at the local garage.

The garage identified that something was draining the battery. They checked for the source of the current draw and narrowed it down to the command unit. Has anyone experienced the same problems?

Do Comand UK repair units?

thanks

Clive

 

[lynall]

I think i would find the comand fuse remove it and try that for a couple of days first.
Be careful jump starting a 203.

Search for SAM fuses


Lynall

 

[Alfie]

Hi,

On Sunday night I went out to the car and it wouldn't turn over. I thought the battery was flat so I jump leads charged it up and left it running for 15 minutes. A couple of hours later I tried to turn it over again and it was flat. I jump started it again in the morning and my wife dropped it off at the local garage.

The garage identified that something was draining the battery. They checked for the source of the current draw and narrowed it down to the command unit. Has anyone experienced the same problems?

Do Comand UK repair units?

thanks
Clive

Hi,

There are two possible causes that I have seen do this.

One is the known current drain problem with early comand units, the other was a faulty TV tuner. TO test if its the TV tuner, simply disconnect the tuner in the boot. If the problem goes away it was that. If not then try applying the MY01 update to the comand. This fixes an known current drain issue.

NB when you disconnect the TV tuner all the other D2B devices like Phone, bose and CD changer may well stop working temporarily.

 

[horsesuitedfool]

Hi,

There are two possible causes that I have seen do this.

One is the known current drain problem with early comand units, the other was a faulty TV tuner. TO test if its the TV tuner, simply disconnect the tuner in the boot. If the problem goes away it was that. If not then try applying the MY01 update to the comand. This fixes an known current drain issue.

NB when you disconnect the TV tuner all the other D2B devices like Phone, bose and CD changer may well stop working temporarily.

Do C32 AMG W203 have TV tuners?? I didnt think any W203 had it......Could it be the electric memory seat switch causing it???

 

[trainer]

Hi Alfie,

Unlike my friends C32 I don't have the TV function activated on my car so I suppose it must be the known current drain problem. Is the only solution replacement or can it be repaired?

 

[npuk]

If not then try applying the MY01 update to the comand. This fixes an known current drain issue.

See above

 

[trainer]

Oops Sorry I missed that. Can you tell me how to go about applying the the MY01 update as although I love my cars I don't know how to fix them.

The car is a 02 plate if that makes any difference.

 

[npuk]

http://www.mbclub.co.uk/forums/electronics/44141-help-needed-my01-firmware-upgrade.html

 

[Alfie]

Do C32 AMG W203 have TV tuners?? I didnt think any W203 had it......Could it be the electric memory seat switch causing it???

Yes. TV was an option on the C32AMG as its the earlier D2B car. It wasnt an official option on the w203 facelifted C. BUT I have seen it on a C55 which had every possible option box ticked. TV was an option on the w209 which is basically the same as the w203 so its not impossible to have it added. This is how Steve was able to retrofit distronic to a w203, he used W209 parts

 

[Alfie]

To apply MY01;

Turn comand off. Press and hold the * and # keys together. Keeping them pressed, turn comand on. Insert the service update disk. It will then tell you the current S/W version the comand has and also the latest one that can be applied. Select START to start the process. It runs in two stages and the comand unit must not be turned off whilst it is running. Takes about 40 minutes all told.

Disk part number to order is; W230 589 00 22 00

 

[Chas]

Oops Sorry I missed that. Can you tell me how to go about applying the the MY01 update as although I love my cars I don't know how to fix them.

The car is a 02 plate if that makes any difference.

MB comand update CD

 

[trainer]

Thanks Chas. I will try the download and see if it works. I have PM'd Alfie so may be a trip to Woking in the offing.

 

[trainer]

I downloaded the update and burned it to a DVD. However the Comand unit didn't recognise there was even a disc in it.

 

[npuk]

Why did you burn on dvd and not cd? Re-burn to a cd and burn at a slow speed.

 

[trainer]

To be honest I didn't know there would be a difference thanks for pointing it out. I will burn a CD and try again over the next few days.

 

[Chas]

Yes, its on a CD not DVD. There are 13 files, but you might only see 12 twelve on the CD........ depending on your PC

 

[trainer]

Thanks Chas,

I will try burning it to a CD tonight and hope for the best. I don't know whether it makes a difference but my unit already had the mercedes star on start up, the Divx logo and intelligent spelling.

Have to excuse if I seem dumb I am in the throws of man flu so as you know I am hanging on by a thread!

 

[Chas]

Go into COMAND diagnostics and see what version it says. I would think you have the latest if you have the MB logo

Some times on older cars the battery will drain in cold weather very quickly if they dont get a lot of use. I had to charge mine last week. My car needs at least 13 volts to turn the starter, 12 volts =no start, 14.2 volts =fully charged.
Perhaps a new battery might help ?

 

[trainer]

Hi Chas,

The car is driven daily for 1-2 hours. The garage identified the Comand system as the current draw when the engine was off.

 

[Chas]

As lynall says above.... "pull the COMAND fuse for a few days", ( number 64) and if the battery still drains I would suggest you need a new battery