Command Unit After (stupidly) Jump Starting

[orangeboy]

Well I´ve had a host of problems recently.....after biting the bullet and taking it to Mercedes, they say my problems were caused by two faulty batteries.....not an alternator, or control module as I was led to believe.

My problem now, seems to be the command. It was working (although coming on intermittently) before I Jump started, then went completely dead.

Does anyone have any experience of a Command not working after Jump starting?

Could it be the fuse at the back of the Command? Or is it likely the whole unit is kaput, and not worth repairing?

How easy / Difficult is it to replace a Command unit?

Where is the best place to pick up one?


Many thanks.

 

[techcareuk]

not heard of a comand completley dieing, i'd check fuses etc,

have a look at -
http://www.mercupgrades.com/W211+E-class-15.html
lots of usefull info there

Lots of comand related goodies -
E (W211) 2002-2008 | E Class | Mercedes By Model | Comand Online Ltd


SDS will access the command if its live, did mercedes say if they could see the command on the bus when they had the car?

worse case - comand units are available from salvaged cars etc, have a search online

 

[orangeboy]

Thanks.

They seem reluctant to go near it; and are Spanish, which always makes things trickier!!

Is there a fuse that is accessable at the back of the Command?

I think it is a fuse. Nothing works at all. The main unit, CD changer, nothing.

Worse case scenario, and I had to buy a used Command, are they easy to fit like for like? Would I have to take it to Mercedes to re-code it?

 

[SL300-24]

Speak to Alfie on here or call

Mercedes Comand Navigation and Audio Specialists

 

[richard]

I'm assuming you have a W211 E class, pre model year 2009.

There are a number of components in a fibre optic loop. If a component breaks COMAND will come on, display the MB Star, and turn off. If it is not doing that then the issue is at least with the COMAND display unit.

The units are
AGW (amp / diagnostic gateway / radio, in boot between inner and outer wings on left)
Navigation Processor (in the boot on left behind flap in carpet)
COMAND display unit (the bit with the buttons)
Phone controller (optional)
Microphone controller or VCS controller
CD changer
and a few others

The COMAND display has a fuse in the fusebox, but not on the back of the unit. Check the fuse first, it is 7.5Amps and I think its in the fusebox at end of dashboard, but if not the fuse map should be in there which should tell you where it is ! On RHD vehicles, the fusebox at end of dash is upside down compared to the fuse map as it goes the other way up on LHD cars.

The COMAND display is easy to change, no coding needed, see my website www.mercupgrades.com theres info there how to do it.

If you need to remove it, use a multimeter to check the power to it just in case you didn't find the correct fuse. Brown is ground, red or similar is +12v.
You need a TORX TX20 driver (short and stubby rather than long) and a small flat screwdriver (to remove the ashtray)

Richard

 

[orangeboy]

Very informative- thank you very much Richard!

There is absolutely zilch happening when I press the power button- no display, no sound, nothing. Can´t even remove my CDs from the changer.

I spoke to Mark from Comand.co.uk, and he seems to think I´ve blown the CPU in the main unit, so I think my best bet is to look for a reasonably priced replacement.

The error code Mercedes came up with was D001 which translated from Spanish is something like ´Because of an internal error, it is necessary to reset the control Unit´ They say they have done that, and checked the fuses.

In a way, I´m happy, because my problems seemed to be less (touch wood) than I had been advised. Someone tried to stitch me up for a new alternator, then a battery control module, and possibly a SAMs unit. I´m glad I nipped him in the bud as he was reeling off the list!! In the end, it was simply both batteries that needed replacing. Some people really abuse their professional knowledge in a big way!

Just annoyed that I jump started the car in the first place.....ah well.

 

[trapperjohn]

Great to see the forum in action sifting through fog and helping each other out.

 

[chrisaaaaa]

I am a little concerned, are MB cars not to be jump started?

Did you reverse the cables or something?

 

[RST1979]

My command unit appears to work -radio and nav is fine but since having a flat battery the CD changer is playing JIP. It worked perfect before, then the battery went flat (jump started once exactly according to the manual), garage replaced battery since as it was too small, now I only get CD player once every 10 times -it just says error or no magazine loaded now. Am annoyed as it worked perfect before the flat battery!

 

[techcareuk]

chrisaaaaa
NO! MB cars should never be jumpstarted!! big scary things can happen (as we have seen here!)

 

[Dieselman]

chrisaaaaa
NO! MB cars should never be jumpstarted!! big scary things can happen (as we have seen here!)

Interesting that the dealer had a large Booster pack this morning, then...?

 

[Howard]

Put some consumers on , lights or something before connecting the leads to soften the spike.

I've jumped all sorts of MBs with no problems

 

[orangeboy]

This happened to me when the battery was completely dead....took several minutes connected even get it to turn over. Don´t know if that makes any difference. I also made the error of removing the positive connection before the neutral.

 

[Dieselman]

Ideally you should use anti-surge jump leads, alternatively switch on a heavy consumer, like headlights.

 

[trapperjohn]

Goes a searching for anti-surge jump leads.

Just never heard of them is all. Always a font DM.

Edit.

OK So from 25 squids up to 45 squids depending on engine CC.

 

[orangeboy]

Does anyone know if it would be possible to use an American market E class equivalent COMAND HEAD UNIT in a European model?

 

[GP801]

Don't think so. Pretty sure the radio frequencies are different over there.

 

[mct_cars]

The AGW does the Radio not the Comand head unit.

The US units do have different part numbers though, so guessing they have different coding of some type - the US units are used in USA, Australia and SA.

Edited as IIRC the US Comand has a CD player and no DVD capability. Might not remember that right though - it's been a while!

 

[rf065]

Don't think so. Pretty sure the radio frequencies are different over there.

I bought a radio in the US and use it at home. It picks up all the FM stations in the UK, just not the US ones as they are too far away to pick up. So, I reckon the frequencies are the same.

Russ

 

[V12]

I bought a radio in the US and use it at home. It picks up all the FM stations in the UK, just not the US ones as they are too far away to pick up. So, I reckon the frequencies are the same.

Russ

The radio in my old Jeep Grand Cherokee seemed to work fine but back in the day I had a Japanese spec Nakamichi deck that didn't play nicely with our frequencies.