GLA 200 Reverse Camera calibration every time you start

[ALFAitalia]

Has anyone got an update on this camera problem, or even new owners who are experiencing the problem?
My Dealer seems to be doing everything to delay our rejection of the vehicle.
Mercedes CS reply quickly to my emails but each time assure me of their continued support, heartfelt apologies, etc etc but actually achieve nothing.

On what grounds are you planning rejection? I think you would need to use something other than the camera as you reason.....in Mercedes eyes its not a fault....and I doubt it would be in the eyes of the court either (if it went that far....hopefully not....I've rejected two cars....never went further than the dealer). They see its as feature or characteristic. They designed it to be like that....so annoying as it it can it be classified as faulty?....I have my doubts. Find something else wrong!!! Assuming you started rejection proceeding within 30 days of collection of course....if no then you have next to no chance legally.

 

[Hollington]

I bought my GLA at Brooklands which is now called Hedin Automotive ?? but my order form and final invoice are headed Mercedes-Benz UK Limited, Delaware Drive, Milton Keynes. There is just a brief mention further down under Showroom details, Brooklands Drive, Weybridge and the name of the salesman.
My bank transfer was also made direct to MB Milton Keynes.

 

[fourwheels]

I bought mine from Marshall’s Mercedes Benz of Chichester.
The order form is headed Mercedes Benz, Milton Keynes.
Final invoice headed Mercedes Benz, Milton Keynes.
Purchase receipt, Milton Keynes.

So whilst I am sure you are correct they are at least all addressed in the UK.

As far as rejection is concerned, it was the General Manager at Chichester who suggested to us that we reject it.
He accepted the rejection confirmation and he notified MB belatedly in writing on the 12th May.
. I’m hanging on to that. If they accept the rejection fine, but if it adds just one more customer complaint and persuades them to revise the software I will be happy. I just know it can’t stay like this.

As for other faults. Quite strangely the nearside Isofix socket won’t accept a child seat (tried three now).
Small problem booked in for next week.

 

[fourwheels]

Ditto from me I'm afraid, we can only hope that somebody in America will stir it up enough for MB to take notice.

Worth noting, I paid 35.5 k for my car at the end of March, we buy any car.com have offered 27k.

Trouble is when we buy any car do their we find any fault inspection you will be trying to justify the noise at the back and the 27k may drop further.

 

[Hollington]

Yes indeed, I had thought of that.
The only alternative would be to flog it back to a Mercedes dealership, surely they wouldn’t have the temerity to complain about the clanking noise at the back of the vehicle, if they did I think that would be the point at which I would explode.

 

[fourwheels]

Yes indeed, I had thought of that.
The only alternative would be to flog it back to a Mercedes dealership, surely they wouldn’t have the temerity to complain about the clanking noise at the back of the vehicle, if they did I think that would be the point at which I would explode.

I wouldn’t know about temerity.

I’m learning fast about this, and in particular the new Mercedes ‘Model’.

We have purchased so many new cars from the same local dealer over 30+ years without mishap.

Now I read, as above, they are an Agent not a Franchise. How would we have known?

That has given them reason to now say ‘Not my problem, you purchased from Mercedes’.

Yet a similar car was demonstrated by them, we sat in their showroom, talked to them and signed papers with them.

Admittedly I realise now those papers carry the Milton Keynes address, but they are also headed with the local dealer name.

Something is amiss here.

 

[markjay]

I wouldn’t know about temerity.

I’m learning fast about this, and in particular the new Mercedes ‘Model’.

We have purchased so many new cars from the same local dealer over 30+ years without mishap.

Now I read, as above, they are an Agent not a Franchise. How would we have known?

That has given them reason to now say ‘Not my problem, you purchased from Mercedes’.

Yet a similar car was demonstrated by them, we sat in their showroom, talked to them and signed papers with them.

Admittedly I realise now those papers carry the Milton Keynes address, but they are also headed with the local dealer name.

Something is amiss here.

This can indeed become a factor in a situation whem there's a cost to be incurred and there's a disagreement as to who should be incurring it.

In these circumstances, buying from the dealer puts you in a better position than whem buying directly from MB, mainly because you can actually talk face-to-face to someone who appreciates your custom (and wants you to keep servicing the car with them etc).

But to be fair to the dealer, in this particular case, there's nothing they could have done themselves (other than allowing you to reject the car, perhaps). If they are not supported by MB, and clearly they are not, then there's no much they can do to keep you happy.

 

[fourwheels]

This can indeed become a factor in a situation whem there's a cost to be incurred and there's a disagreement as to who should be incurring it.

In these circumstances, buying from the dealer puts you in a better position than whem buying directly from MB, mainly because you can actually talk face-to-face to someone who appreciates your custom (and wants you to keep servicing the car with them etc).

But to be fair to the dealer, in this particular case, there's nothing they could have done themselves (other than allowing you to reject the car, perhaps). If they are not supported by MB, and clearly they are not, then there's no much they can do to keep you happy

This can indeed become a factor in a situation whem there's a cost to be incurred and there's a disagreement as to who should be incurring it.

In these circumstances, buying from the dealer puts you in a better position than whem buying directly from MB, mainly because you can actually talk face-to-face to someone who appreciates your custom (and wants you to keep servicing the car with them etc).

But to be fair to the dealer, in this particular case, there's nothing they could have done themselves (other than allowing you to reject the car, perhaps). If they are not supported by MB, and clearly they are not, then there's no much they can do to keep you happy.

I know what you mean but we purchased from a main line dealer.

We sat in their showroom, signed papers with them. Now they say ‘you bought from Mercedes, we can’t help you further’.

What value a dealer? We could have bought Chinese on line and just waited for delivery.

I’m coming to the conclusion this camera recalibration only applies to certain options which is why we don’t hear anything from the hundreds of GLA owners, and Mercedes keep pushing the issue aside.

Unfortunately it does spoil a very nice car.

Meanwhile I’m helping deliver election letters. Stopping and starting the car every few hundred metres will probably destroy the camera before 4th July anyway

 

[Hollington]

There is a discussion on Facebook now, but no solution I'm afraid.

Mercedes GLA Owners Club | Facebook

For Mercedes GLA/GLA45 Owners/Enthusiasts. Please pm the admin if you wish to promote or sell items. Failing to do so will result in a permanent ban.

www.facebook.com

 

[fourwheels]

There is a discussion on Facebook now, but no solution I'm afraid.

Mercedes GLA Owners Club | Facebook

For Mercedes GLA/GLA45 Owners/Enthusiasts. Please pm the admin if you wish to promote or sell items. Failing to do so will result in a permanent ban.

www.facebook.com

Thanks although I couldn’t find that chat on FB.
There are however chats on a number of sites but no solutions.

Mercedes as a whole are proving exceptionally unhelpful and I certainly wouldn’t buy MB again.
Customer Services reply to my frequent emails with a ‘thank you for your patience’ ‘we are investigating and will get back to you’ but nothing happens.
The local MB dealer has walked away saying I didn’t buy from them, my order was with MB Milton Keynes although I placed it with them. Seems the new MB purchase ‘model’ means dealers can hide behind a smokescreen and as already said, I wouldn’t buy from one again.

I think the camera calibration is linked to one or all of the following options:

1/ Rear cross traffic detection
2/ Blind spot detection
3/ 360deg camera

I would like to turn them off one at a time but I don’t think I can.
Some USA online chats say you can but options/requirements/settings seem different in the UK.

I have been very busy recently but have more time now and I also understand the GLA settings menu a little better, so will have another crack at it.

 

[Hollington]

A lady in America has joined in the discussion on Facebook and had this to say.

"what year? Mine is 2024 have taken it in twice, they say it’s normal.
Thinking it’s going to take a class action suit for MB to do something"

Mercedes GLA owners club on Facebook. The chat is after a video of a lady uncovering her new GLA in a showroom.

 

[markjay]

"We know best, the customers are idiots"

 

[fourwheels]

Unless I missed something there are various things you can turn off in Settings but when you restart the car they come back on again.
As @markjay says ‘Mercedes know best’
Frustrating

 

[Hollington]

Very interesting posting in MBWorld today by Shanabenz. Not a software update but nevertheless worth looking into as it is an indication that MB be are accepting that it is a problem.

Rear camera opens at speed below 25km/h - MBWorld.org Forums

GLE Class (V167) - Rear camera opens at speed below 25km/h - Hi there, thanks letting me join this family. I have an issue found at my 2024 GLE Rear Camera opens when speed below 25km/h. I knew it is doing calibration; thus I ran a straight road at speed less than 15km/h, then camera did...

mbworld.org

 

[fourwheels]

Thanks for posting that information. It will be great if MB do come up with a ‘foam’ kit as I think we are all agreed insulation could have a positive effect.

Somebody in that thread seemed surprised that not all owners have been troubled by calibration.

I still think it’s related to the three options I have previously mentioned which might be a minority of overall sales.

I’m always surprised that owners don’t comment on the options their cars have but I suppose the initial MB purchase options are quickly forgotten once you take delivery.

 

[Hollington]

Please see latest posting in MBWorld today by Shanabenz. This person is in the USA and appears to be quite pleased with the work carried out by the dealership. I would be most interested in any comments by folks on this forum, and ideas on the best way to pursue this in the UK.

 

[Hollington]

Here is the message that has just been posted by Shanabenz. I cannot locate these part numbers on line.
***************
This is my follow up for the remediation of rear camera assembly noise, note this is USA for a GLE450. The following parts were installed, per instructions in June tech topics-

Insulation Load Comp A01-1PV659
Flap Insulation. A01-1PW660
Insulation A01-1PV623

The *SOFTWARE* was also updated.

Results- The camera is quieter when it operates, HOWEVER, it is no longer deploying constantly.. so far it seems that it always deploys a few times at beginning of a drive, then mostly does not. It has been a few days and the improved behavior has persisted; this is by far the most important change as it is still audible when it deploys. The behavior seems more rational at this point, more in line with what people report for prior models. Hopefully this remains the case.

 

[Hollington]

There are a number of 2024 GLAs for sale on Autotrader, all offered as one owner by main dealers and with quite low mileage.
I now wonder if a fair few people have had to bite the bullet and sold these faulty vehicles back to the dealerships.
I would be interested if anyone on here has gone down that path.

 

[fourwheels]

@Hollington Thanks for monitoring the situation. I’ve been emailing a complaint to Mercedes Customer Services at roughly monthly intervals to keep the complaint alive. I usually get an acknowledgment by return expressing regret that I have had to contact them and promising investigation. That’s all, never received any follow-up.
I’ve still got mine, too afraid of losing a bucket load of money if I change.
I would think that if people have sold they would go a long way away from Mercedes, so you may never hear.

 

[fourwheels]

Received updated Mercedes t&c via email today. I thought at first New Features provided a means of attacking the camera problem until I read through and found you can’t provide feedback on ‘safety’ features. Why not? and they have already stated camera calibration is a safety function.
Copy -
New In-Car App.
With the Feedback App,
customers can now give
their feedback on
selected apps & services
via the MBUX
infotainment system
directly from their
vehicle. There is an
option for taking part in
Mercedes-Benz surveys.
The Feedback service
allows you to provide
feedback on various
vehicle and software
functions. It is also
possible to take part in
surveys to which you will
be invited via
notification. Please note
that we only process
feedback that is not
safety-relevant. For
safety-relevant feedback,
please only contact the
service hotline.