DAB Radio E Class

[E280wilson]

I have 3 DAB radios. One in the new W212, one at home and a small personal one I wear at work and my conclusion is that I prefere FM as they all cut out at some point. So annoying. The personal one is the worse as it squalks when it looses signal.
The Merc hasn't done it much to be fare. It doesn't find all local DAB stations either.

 

[Lightman]

So where we are is my dealer is to report back to MB. In meantime they will refit my old amp with Satnav traffic disconnected so choice is either DAB with no traffic and therefore no re routing on satnav or full satnav but unlistenable to DAB. I am opting for former as I have found mAny routing flaws on MB satnav and use Tom tom on my iPhone with live traffic. Not at ask acceptable from a top car mAker and an expensive new car what compensation should I seek car will have been back 7 times and still not rectified.

 

[ras8963]

Disappointing to read this situation still prevails. I can only update my own situation to say that since the "fix" I have very little if any drop out and signal strength is good.

Today I drove one side of surrey over toward the Hampshire border and back and from memory only one very minor drop, I would not have ever complained if it operated as it is presently.

What seems incredible is that some are able to be "fixed" and some not. As for some form of compensation I fear you may be at the mercy of the main dealer as frustrating as it is .

ATB

 

[Spin_bowler]

I have 3 DAB radios. One in the new W212, one at home and a small personal one I wear at work and my conclusion is that I prefere FM as they all cut out at some point. So annoying. The personal one is the worse as it squalks when it looses signal.
The Merc hasn't done it much to be fare. It doesn't find all local DAB stations either.

Mine works perfectly as far as I can tell but then again I don't do many miles these days and they tend to be done around London and I only listen to R4 and R5SX, so presumably are pretty well provided for in terms of broadcast quality.

I'll have to try it in the wilds of Norfolk when I go to the outlaw's at Christmas to see if it's any worse.

 

[chufski]

Hi all
Just thought id jump on this thread as ive just had an e220 estate 64 plate and I am also getting the dab cutting out to be truthful its that bad ive gone back to fm radio.
mine also has the satnav fitted.
Just in two minds if I can do with the hassel if they cant fix it still......

 

[richard]

I've just installed the DAB in my wife's A class that has the live traffic. Its absolutely perfect - no dropouts.
(Note being NTG4.5 it would switch to FM if the signal bad, but she listens to R5L so there is no FM equivalent).

I am still interested that an earlier poster managed to solve his issue by unkinking cables.

Richard

 

[richard]

Could anyone having this 'constant dropout' issue please post the following info

a) Type of car, i.e E class Coupe, E class saloon, CLS etc
b) Model year
c) Do you have the TomTom live traffic function instead of TMC

Lets try and do MB's job for them.

Richard

 

[richard]

Ok, i've done some more research.

TIPS document GI82.62-P-059101 (which has strangely disappeared from the index) says this problem occurs on 204 saloon/coupe, 207 coupe, 218 coupe (218.3) and 212 saloon and is caused by the comms nodule (for live traffic) irradiating interference into the antenna amplifier. Disconnecting fuse for comms module fixes the issue thus proving this. A new antenna amp is being created

TIPS document GI82.62-P-058307 is a document for 212 and 218 and sound system, and says that the comms module can interfer with the sound amp and cause that GSM noise that we are all familiar with. The fix for this is to relocate the antenna - on W212 in the middle of the rear shelf, and on 218 on the left of load compartment.

My suspicion is that relocating the antenna on the 212 and the 218 will move it away from the antenna amplifier (and the DAB tuner which is near the sound amplifier) and may well help.

So, anyone with a W212/W218 with this problem and with Harmon Kardon could point out tips document GI82.62-P-058307 to their dealer and say 'please do this under warranty and see if this fixes the DAB issue also"

I'd love to know if anyone does this and it helps

Richard

 

[chufski]

a) Type of car, i.e E class Coupe, E class saloon, CLS etc
E220 Estate CDI
b) Model year
64 Reg
c) Do you have the TomTom live traffic function instead of TMC
TT Live Traffic function

FYI
Just been into Merc Solihull Cranmore Ind est, and was told it was a normal problem like losing your mobile phone signal?
But we could put it onto the Star system and check for errors........
Not the answer I was looking for.......
I did mention about the TT traffic update issue may be the problem but they had not heard of it?
Great!!!!!
Perhaps I need to go to Worcester Merc instead......

 

[Handydave]

Could anyone having this 'constant dropout' issue please post the following info a) Type of car, i.e E class Coupe, E class saloon, CLS etc b) Model year c) Do you have the TomTom live traffic function instead of TMC Lets try and do MB's job for them. Richard

a) E Class Coupe b) February 2014 c) TMC

 

[Lightman]

a) E Class Coupe b) February 2014 c) TMC

a) E Class Coupe b) May 2014 c) Tom Tom live traffic

 

[Red C220]

Could anyone having this 'constant dropout' issue please post the following info

a) Type of car, i.e E class Coupe, E class saloon, CLS etc
b) Model year
c) Do you have the TomTom live traffic function instead of TMC

Lets try and do MB's job for them.

Richard

E Class Estate
2014
Whatever comes with COMAND

Like previous posters my car was in this week to get the stop/start system looked at and I also mentioned DAB dropping out.

"It's nothing Mercedes are aware of" according to lookers Gatwick, "there are no bulletins in Mercedes with any reference to DAB issues"

 

[jfhuk]

Ok, i've done some more research. TIPS document GI82.62-P-059101 (which has strangely disappeared from the index) says this problem occurs on 204 saloon/coupe, 207 coupe, 218 coupe (218.3) and 212 saloon and is caused by the comms nodule (for live traffic) irradiating interference into the antenna amplifier. Disconnecting fuse for comms module fixes the issue thus proving this. A new antenna amp is being created TIPS document GI82.62-P-058307 is a document for 212 and 218 and sound system, and says that the comms module can interfer with the sound amp and cause that GSM noise that we are all familiar with. The fix for this is to relocate the antenna - on W212 in the middle of the rear shelf, and on 218 on the left of load compartment. My suspicion is that relocating the antenna on the 212 and the 218 will move it away from the antenna amplifier (and the DAB tuner which is near the sound amplifier) and may well help. So, anyone with a W212/W218 with this problem and with Harmon Kardon could point out tips document GI82.62-P-058307 to their dealer and say 'please do this under warranty and see if this fixes the DAB issue also" I'd love to know if anyone does this and it helps Richard

Removing the slight kink improved it, but didn't solve it completely, I'm still getting dropouts on regular trips on M25 and even though it's an 2012 W212 estate with Command NTG4.5 TMC Harmon Kardon and the version10 map and firmware updates it never switches to FM if the DAB signal goes, it just mutes until the signal returns.

 

[chufski]

Mine don't switch either when the dab signal goes. ...
Should it do this automatically or is it a setting on the radio?

 

[richard]

NTG4.5 DAB tuner will/should switch *when* the DAB station being transmitted actually sends the info as to what FM station is the same. (I think this is called service linking).

Capital certainly switches - i don't know if others do.

Richard

 

[jfhuk]

NTG4.5 DAB tuner will/should switch *when* the DAB station being transmitted actually sends the info as to what FM station is the same. (I think this is called service linking). Capital certainly switches - i don't know if others do. Richard

Decided to have another read of the command manual and found an interesting little setting. If you look on page 199 of the Command Online manual under Switching RDS on/off you'll see there's an option called select frequency fix for FM and select station fix for DAB.

Basically if it's set on for any radio preset or for the frequency you've tuned to (tick in box on screen next to the words station or frequency fix); command won't switch to an alternate station frequency for that station or switch from DAB to FM.

When my dealer delivered the car he'd very helpful stored all the main national and local stations as presets, but he'd also set every preset that he'd stored with station fix selected! I wonder how many others have been setup like this?

 

[B16grf]

2014/64 e220 coupe amg line command etc, dab drop outs every where c class I had 63plate c220 amg sport edition no issues, been in to merc eastbourne this morning showing them this thread they did a softaware update on dab and command but now I've had issues where it's come up device not available any more ideas?

 

[B16grf]

Any ideas anyone?

 

[automaniaman]

It doesn't matter what MB you drive, the DAB reception is just crap...

 

[ras8963]

Any ideas anyone?

As much as it won't help there does seem to be a bit of the "luck of the draw" about this.
Wifeys new C class no problems, great reception, my CLS suffered very frequent drop outs until it was seemingly fixed by MBGuildford, (see earlier thread reference). The E class loaner I had whilst mine was being fixed was superb also so whilst I have 3 14 Regs Mercs one of which had the problem initially all 3 ended good, if you know what I mean.......

Dispels the latest post suggesting all MB's/ DAB are crap but then you know that from your other recent experience.

I believe the techs will have to check the routing of all cables and connections for conductivity etc and possible even replace the head or amp unit....but somewhere in that lot I'm convinced there will be a fix for the problem.....but remember you must compel dealer to investigate, all to often the easy response will be to suggest its a non repairable issue.
ATB