GLA 200 Reverse Camera calibration every time you start

[ALFAitalia]

Sorry, I don't have any knowledge about electric cars nor do I have any desire to buy one. Whenever I stop at Motorway service stations I always feel quite sorry for these poor buggers standing there for god knows how long charging their cars while I have filled up in 2 minutes and gone.

Lol.....I have mates with EVs......20 minutes max....most never charge at public points.....over 80 percent of all charging takes place at home at night anyway.....and 2 minutes is BS to pull off the road, fill and pay and rejoin....but even if it was true thats two more minutes wasted compared to most EV drivers zero time ever refueling! You got one bit right.... you do have zero knowledgeable about electric cars! Anyway there is a separate thread for all the anti EV nonsense.

 

[SpikyMikey]

You're gonna need more popcorn Mark

 

[fourwheels]

Sorry, I don't have any knowledge about electric cars nor do I have any desire to buy one. Whenever I stop at Motorway service stations I always feel quite sorry for these poor buggers standing there for god knows how long charging their cars while I have filled up in 2 minutes and gone.

No, no I’m not looking to buy an EQA.
I don’t think I’ve read of anyone with an EQA complaining about this reverse camera issue.
Might have missed that though.
Begs the question have MB seen the error of their ways and designed the thing differently?
If they have it could give us a little leverage.

By the way nothing wrong with an EV, in the right hands and for the right reasons.

 

[fourwheels]

I googled tonight and stumbled over this (attached I hope).
Basically a recall in 2021
There is a statement in there - . The MBUX multimedia system software may cause the display to remain black, or reboot after startup. This could result in the rearview camera image not displaying properly. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, "Rear Visibility."
Not exactly our calibration problem but I have already said it may be a Mercedes risk issue, this also suggests it might be and why Mercedes are so reluctant to address our problems. Perhaps America is the real problem

 

[DonaldS]

I googled tonight and stumbled over this (attached I hope).
Basically a recall in 2021
There is a statement in there - . The MBUX multimedia system software may cause the display to remain black, or reboot after startup. This could result in the rearview camera image not displaying properly. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, "Rear Visibility."
Not exactly our calibration problem but I have already said it may be a Mercedes risk issue, this also suggests it might be and why Mercedes are so reluctant to address our problems. Perhaps America is the real problem

I don’t think there is any link between this and the constant camera calibration issue we are having. This just seems to be a fault with the MBUX system not displaying the rear camera view. Although I am interested, out of curiosity, in understanding why the constant calibration has been designed in (MB have advised why although I’m not sure what to believe) at the end of the day I just want them to make it stop or at least do it quietly.

 

[fourwheels]

I look at it from a ‘Risk’ point of view (Mercedes Risk).

It might well have been a different problem to the one we are experiencing but somebody at MB decided at the time of that recall to play safe and that the camera should be tested on every start up to avoid any risk of litigation. Recalibration is almost a side issue but necessary.

Our problem is the camera mechanism was never designed to be trundled out so frequently, or against such strict conditions.

I dare say that on GLA and A’s they have also spent a little less on insulation than they do on C’s and E’s.

There’s a link somewhere on this because what we are experiencing is just plain ridiculous.

 

[Sparkee]

Just dropped my car off for an mot and have been given a eqa with 200miles on it. The whole way home at every junction click clat and then pulling away more click clat.
It would drive me mental living with that on every trip. I wonder if the camera can be forced to stay open, if it was my car that's exactly what I'd end up doing.

 

[rf065]

I wonder if the camera can be forced to stay open, if it was my car that's exactly what I'd end up doing.

The wifes Nissan has the camera exposed at all times, it just gets dirty and the image on the screen is not very clear.

 

[markjay]

A retractable reverse camera isn't a bad idea, the two issues in this case however are (a) the non-stop 'calibration', and (b) the fact that "The Best or Nothing" engineers can't design a mechanism that operates quietly.

 

[DonaldS]

A retractable reverse camera isn't a bad idea, the two issues in this case however are (a) the non-stop 'calibration', and (b) the fact that "The Best or Nothing" engineers can't design a mechanism that operates quietly.

Just dropped my car off for an mot and have been given a eqa with 200miles on it. The whole way home at every junction click clat and then pulling away more click clat.
It would drive me mental living with that on every trip. I wonder if the camera can be forced to stay open, if it was my car that's exactly what I'd end up doing.

I asked my dealer if the camera could be deactivated so that it stays open all of the time but he said no. I then asked if the wiring could be disconnected but he said MB couldn’t do that for safety reasons and also that would just register a fault in the MBUX system.

 

[markjay]

... I then asked if the wiring could be disconnected but he said MB couldn’t do that for safety reasons and also that would just register a fault in the MBUX system.

This will also cause issues with the insurance cover (modification AND disabling a safety feature), and also raise a potential issue regarding the car's roadworthiness because the reverse camera was made mandatory in 2021 (though I'm not sure if it's actually an MOT fail).

 

[ALFAitalia]

I think that only parking sensors where made mandatory......not cameras as far as I know.....happy to be proven wrong though. I can find plenty of google pages saying that it was due to become law.....but no actual law???

 

[markjay]

I think that only parking sensors where made mandatory......not cameras as far as I know.....happy to be proven wrong though. I can find plenty of google pages saying that it was due to become law.....but no actual law???

According to Halfords:

"As of 2021, reversing cameras will need to be fitted to all new cars by manufacturers as standard"

Reversing Camera Buyers Guide | Halfords UK

null

www.halfords.com

 

[ALFAitalia]

I found that but no actual legislation and lots of cars still show them as an option. Like for instance its only std on GS spec and up Corsa models......but parking sensors are std on the cars without a camera.

 

[fourwheels]

The reverse camera is obviously mandatory in America ref the note I put up earlier. It wouldn’t surprise me if it were mandatory in Europe and here, hence Mercedes taking the action they have.

The real issue is that as far as I can see the camera unit is inserted directly into the metal frame of the tailgate. Noise is bound to be amplified by the hollow tailgate.

I would love to take the inner tailgate panel off to see if there is any noise insulation fitted (I doubt there is) and perhaps fit some, but that’s the one thing I cannot do on a very new car.

Secondly, having an instrumentation background I can understand why they want to calibrate it frequently, but their belt and braces approach of calibrating on every start and under such rigid control conditions is ridiculous.

 

[fourwheels]

Thinking about it.
It might not be mandatory, there might just be a legal point that if it’s fitted it must work accurately.

 

[markjay]

Thinking about it.
It might not be mandatory, there might just be a legal point that if it’s fitted it must work accurately.

I'm not sure what's the accuracy issue with a simple reverse camera, as other quoted from MB's replies it's probably due to rear cross traffic warning, or the 360⁰ camera, or the guidelines, or the parking assist etc - but not simply for the rear view image, I don't think.

 

[Hollington]

I asked my dealer if the camera could be deactivated so that it stays open all of the time but he said no. I then asked if the wiring could be disconnected but he said MB couldn’t do that for safety reasons and also that would just register a fault in the MBUX system.

I asked the same question at Brooklands and was given exactly the same answer.

I have, yet again, been on to MB customer services in Maastricht on Wednesday and told them that the technical people at Brooklands Mercedes are fully aware of this software fault but say they cannot alter it, but will let me know if MB come up with a software upgrade. I got an acknowledgement but nothing further.

 

[DonaldS]

I have just watched a YouTube video by the Black Belt Barrister titled “An overly noisy ‘safety’ feature @ Mercedes Benz?”. Go and have a watch. He raises the problem with the noisy camera but unfortunately he hasn’t read through this post thread nor does he seem to understand what the problem is. He seems to believe that a noise has been added into the car as some sort of safety feature. He just goes on and on about the laws around rejecting a car so not really that helpful. Lots of comments from people but none from anyone who knows what this is really about or who owns a new MB car that has this issue. I have added a comment to set him straight but not sure if he will pick it up.

 

[Hollington]

After several exchanges of Emails with the Customer Services folks, I have now received what they deem to be their final communication on the subject in which they trot out all the same old twaddle, you need to drive the car in a straight line at less than 18mph and at the same time avoid moving the steering wheel more than 10 deg etc, etc, etc. They then had the audacity to send a separate Email asking me to take part in a satisfaction survey.

I have pasted below the final part of their Email in which they refer me to the Ombudsman if I am not happy. I feel this now constitutes Le Grande Brush Off and I have to decide whether to waste any more time on it.
I have certainly made one decision, and that is, that after many, many years of loyalty to the brand, I will never buy another Mercedes and will try to dissuade anybody from buying one.

If you are unhappy with this final decision or feel this matter is unresolved, you can seek advice with a CTSI Certified Alternative Dispute Resolution provider, including The Motor Ombudsman who may be able to resolve your complaint in appropriate circumstances. Details can be found at www.themotorombudsman.org, or alternatively their telephone number is 0345 241 3008 selecting option 1.

Customer Service UK