COMAND s/w versions

[u brain]

We've a '05 SLK350 and a '04 SL65
Each could do with bringing the COMAND unit up to date.

All that I've read suggests that it will be the same version of the unit in both cars but they seem to be responding differently to my efforts.

The SLK has a NAV dvd APS vers 4.0 ( A211 827 67 59 B6782 3369 )
This wont load up in the SL at all.
The SL came with a home made map disk that seems a bit useless.

I grabbed the Service disk from here: Daimler AG - Service & Parts net
The last one, ( W211 ) seemed to be the correct choice.

The SLK, will go into Service Mode by pressing 1,3,8 as instructed but rejects the update disk as the wrong version.
I've not been able to find the key commands to even put the SL into service mode.

I don't mind paying for legit maps etc. but I'm loathe to pay for something that isn't going to work and the whole versions maze seems rather unfathomable.

Any clues/hints/suggestions would be gratefully received

 

[richard]

The SL (and S and CL) head-unit are made by Siemens, the SLK (and E, CLS) are made by Becker so they are very different. The navigation drive is same on both, but once you have a newer disk in, you can't go back far, so this is why you can't go back to V4.0 which desperately needs replacing as its about V15.0 now. V4.0 doesn't even have TMC...

There is a S/SL/CL head unit firmware disk. There is a SLK head-unit update disk. You're lucky it didn't let you load E class firmware onto the SLK as that would be the end of it. Don;t use copied disks in the nav drive, when the new disk is inserted firmware is loaded into the drive from the disk. If this fails you have a brick instead of a nav drive. £3k from Mercedes, £1k from us new.

I hate doing SL firmware updates, once one went wrong and took out the head unit and they are stupidly expensive. Of course, if the flash in the head unit has any issues, this is the time it will show up (as it is re-written)

You need the newest nav disk. Talk to [email protected] - if you are near Lightwater we can do the firmware updates for you, but if your unit fails on the firmware update it will be your risk (and we put the car on a voltage stable supply etc etc and use proper Star Diagnosis and genuine update disks etc, so of course take every precaution).

Cheers

Richard

 

[u brain]

Thanks for the advice richard.

Am I good to just drop in? - could possibly even come by today.

 

[richard]

Call up and book in. 01276 474900. Alfie etc quite busy so excuse if it takes a while to get through. R