New A Class - Disappointed

[SPILLING77]

Hi; just picked up the new 16' A Class 220d AMG Premium Plus with Night Pack.
Can anyone tell me how I can make a phone call please iPhone is pair to the car and receives fine. I press the voice button on the steering wheel and it opens SAT Nav "I agree" then sat nav. I can press telephone on the dash/favs button and it can search my phone and make and receive calls to the iphone. Any ideas? If I am lucky sometimes I press it and say phone it flashes on to the phone for about 5 seconds and then loads the sat nav.

Other things noticed; very slow is the computer; is there a short cut way to get to the usb drive to play music off it? i.e. Fav's put 40 albums on a fast usb3 drive and the car is not clever...example is I load a folder and it still loads 600 songs; so when I click next song is 2 of 600 not the actual album loaded up i.e. 1 of 20; changing album is just so complicated. so much so I think CD's might come back in to fashion.

MPG is it because I have only 100miles on the clock but only getting 36mpg; last car I had was Audi Q5 3ltr engine and was getting 32mpg so am I expecting to much so soon? what are other 220d people getting round town driving mainly and its in Eco mode in dynamic select and comfort. I know the same engine is in loads of other cars GLA/GLC/C-class etc. The book is in the 60-70's right?

This is my first of niggles, waiting on a response from Merc in writing before I explain the other issues. But with luck and your help you guys might swing me back round to liking the car for more than just how it looks so far.

A-Class 2016 220d AMG Line Premium Plus Night Pack

 

[Delayed Steve]

I would go back to the dealership and get them to show you how to do these things.
My dealer went through everything in detail , I had a similar problem on my last car with the usb ,it would put everything in alphabetical order!

 

[def90cars]

As above, go demand some service

 

[Bonecho]

I thought the speaker symbol on the steering wheel is just for the sat nav while the phone is controlled by the green and red phone buttons

 

[PobodY]

I thought the speaker symbol on the steering wheel is just for the sat nav while the phone is controlled by the green and red phone buttons

That sounds familiar. - Either mute what it's saying, or get it to repeat the last thing it said?

 

[JMitch84]

If you haven't got it already I would recommend downloading the MB Guides app. It includes a full digital manual for the A Class and has helped me out quite a few times. The iPhone version is here.

Regarding making calls, I was also surprised to find that you can't simply press the green dial/voice control buttons and make a voice activated call. Instead, I eventually discovered that holding the voice control button for more than a second will activate voice recognition for your phone, rather than the sat nav. Assuming your phone settings are correct you should then be able to instruct Siri to make the call, as you would outside the car. I hope this works for you.

The music interface is far from intuitive, and it took me a while to get it working in a way that I could live with. I eventually organised everything into album folders and made sure that the artist/album/song/genre tag was correct (on a windows PC right click, properties, details). By ensuring each album has an individual folder I can listen to an individual album in the correct track order, or if I'd rather I can select individual artists, genres etc. by clicking the control wheel 'in' whilst in the media screen. To access the media screen I usually press the favourites button (the star above the control wheel). It should return to your preferred source (usb in my case) and continue the last played track.

Mine is an A180 petrol so I can't really offer any guidance on MPG for an A220d. The only thing I would say is that my MPG didn't really come into line until i'd done a good 2000 miles (45ish on a run, 25-30 in heavy city traffic, average 35 so far, for anyone interested).

I hope this helps a bit, let me know if I can answer any other questions.

 

[theogeor]

If you haven't got it already I would recommend downloading the MB Guides app. It includes a full digital manual for the A Class and has helped me out quite a few times. The iPhone version is here.

. Instead, I eventually discovered that holding the voice control button for more than a second will activate voice recognition for your phone, rather than the sat nav.



Mine is an A180 petrol so I can't really offer any guidance on MPG for an A220d. The only thing I would say is that my MPG didn't really come into line until i'd done a good 2000 miles (45ish on a run, 25-30 in heavy city traffic, average 35 so far, for anyone interested).

We have a w246 B class so systems should be identical. I tried holding the voice control as per your note but ended up in a loop with sat navigation. Any more tips
As for fuel economy our b180 manual petrol after the 10k miles started giving us great fuel economy. Light traffic in city you get 38-40 and motorway cruising with all family we have seen 53mpg on a round trip from NW London to Brighton..I expect the a220 to give even better figures over time

TG

 

[JBD]

Unless you have COMAND, the voice activation button only works the satnav. If you have Apple Carplay activated, you can use Siri though. You can't expect mercedes to do anything about that if it isn't actually a function of your car.

Regarding your fuel consumption, you really haven't done many miles yet, so can't really be getting the most out of it anyway. It'll improve with time, or at least your driving will

 

[JMitch84]

Hi JBD.

I definitely don't have COMAND - it's Audio 20 and Garmin Sat Nav - and my A180 was built before Carplay/Android Auto were included. However, the voice activation button definitely works with my mobile. It took a while to get the settings right on my (Android) phone and until then the button did just activate Sat Nav, but now when I hold the button for more than a second I get the "beep" that indicates that Google Now is activated, and I have been making calls and using all the other functionality. It plays the voice messages over the speakers and picks up my commands, i assume over the cars mic.

This is also referred to (in passing) in the user manual for Audio 20.

Hope this helps!

 

[theogeor]

Hi JBD.

I definitely don't have COMAND - it's Audio 20 and Garmin Sat Nav - and my A180 was built before Carplay/Android Auto were included. However, the voice activation button definitely works with my mobile. It took a while to get the settings right on my (Android) phone and until then the button did just activate Sat Nav, but now when I hold the button for more than a second I get the "beep" that indicates that Google Now is activated, and I have been making calls and using all the other functionality. It plays the voice messages over the speakers and picks up my commands, i assume over the cars mic.

This is also referred to (in passing) in the user manual for Audio 20.

Hope this helps!

Hi

Can you give me some clues on where I need to look to configure my android phone to work as you described . I have a galaxy s7 so would be nice to make it work with voice recognition

Regards

Theo

 

[JMitch84]

Hi

Can you give me some clues on where I need to look to configure my android phone to work as you described . I have a galaxy s7 so would be nice to make it work with voice recognition

Regards

Theo

Hi Theo,

I have a HTC 10 but I imagine the settings will be the same?

- Bluetooth on
- Google Now on
- In Google Now settings (activate Google Now, click the three lines top left of the screen, click settings) go into 'Voice' and in the 'Hands Free' section enable "for bluetooth devices"
- In Voice settings enable "Bluetooth Headset".
- In 'OK Google detection' I have all options enabled.

Once this is setup and the phone is connected to the Audio 20, I tested it by locking the phone (screen off) and holding the voice recognition button on the steering wheel for more than 1 second. You should then hear the 'beep' and the phone screen goes to the white "listening screen", which in normal usage you would activate by saying "OK Google".

The first time i did this the phone asked me if I wanted to launch Google Now, or HTC's own voice solution (i assume Samsung have one too). I chose Google Now 'always', and it hasn't prompted me since.

I hope this helps, let me know how you get on.

 

[theogeor]

Hi Theo,

I have a HTC 10 but I imagine the settings will be the same?

- Bluetooth on
- Google Now on
- In Google Now settings (activate Google Now, click the three lines top left of the screen, click settings) go into 'Voice' and in the 'Hands Free' section enable "for bluetooth devices"
- In Voice settings enable "Bluetooth Headset".
- In 'OK Google detection' I have all options enabled.

Once this is setup and the phone is connected to the Audio 20, I tested it by locking the phone (screen off) and holding the voice recognition button on the steering wheel for more than 1 second. You should then hear the 'beep' and the phone screen goes to the white "listening screen", which in normal usage you would activate by saying "OK Google".

The first time i did this the phone asked me if I wanted to launch Google Now, or HTC's own voice solution (i assume Samsung have one too). I chose Google Now 'always', and it hasn't prompted me since.

I hope this helps, let me know how you get on.

Thanks

Settings on the Galaxy S7 when I installed Google Now were spot on. Now I need to check it tomorrow with the car

Thanks again

TG

 

[SPILLING77]

Right Feed back time; Thanks for all the positive feed back, complained to MB they have given me a £100 of a service, complained also to stratstone and got a free service out of them after a very lengthy process of a complaint and being ignored lots - by far the worst dealership (hudds) I have ever dealt with. MB didn't care about the service they didn't deliver as a dealer - so that's not good. As time has gone on I do like the car and it drives great, bit too much road noise but it does have elastic bands on for tyres. Performance is good, no more catching on fire incidents so that's a good thing. Going to have to live with the car not being able to make a phone call. To the person who said its not MB fault sorry it is; pick any vw/audi and it does it; I have just purchased 4 new Peugeot partner vans/crewcab minimal spec but with Bluetooth and guess what push a button and it loads by saying "call xyz" and it does. they are a 10K car not a like a 35K car for comparison.

I am in IT and also believe it would not be hard at all to actually ditch the MB tablet on the dash and fit another who knows how to use android/make a tablet like Samsung or Google and load their own MB apps on it after and lock down, that would have been a huge saving on production and developments - could have got touch screen then too and done away with half the buttons over the car.

final note is the colour led's I have set them to a single colour that I like; looks great however getting and out of the car is a bloody disco the Leds change colour every few seconds blending from one colour to another until you start the engine and then they stay the colour you wanted - would be ok if I was 18 but being nearly 40 its not that classy...PS anyone thinking I don't like the car and I should have bought something else - yep your right; going back to Audi looking at the TTRS when I can get the right deal as we've only just bought this bugger.

 

[Deleted member 6183]

Right Feed back time

No, really...

 

[flat6buster]

Well I would not be surprised if you preferred an audi titty @rse to a diesel hatchback.

My mates got a c class diesel 2 litre an he says he hates it so when he swaps it out he's gonna get a McLaren cos he says it's better.

 

[trapperjohn]

God I love my 124. That is all.

Edit.

Got a Satnav I stick on the window and a Parrot to chirp through - who needs all this uber new fangled inbuilt stuff.

 

[GLK]

Going to have to live with the car not being able to make a phone call.

Well, it's either that, or RTFM. Tough choice.

 

[grober]

Mercedes have never really got to grips with the sat nav/ telephony/ ICE thing somehow. Rather than offer an intuitive /user friendly all singing all dancing system from the "get go" they would rather offer the owner increasing layers of functionality by charging exorbitant amounts of money for extra digital circuitry which cost pence to manufacture. Due the integrated nature of these systems this often means certain basic functionality is disabled in their low cost systems in order to induce buyers to spend more money. I'm not sure how this will play with todays's "must be connected" generation in the longer term and frankly I don't blame them.

 

[renault12ts]

The OP is right. If it doesn't work easily...then it doesn't work.

I am amazed it's not touch screen.

 

[JMitch84]

Right Feed back time; Thanks for all the positive feed back, complained to MB they have given me a £100 of a service, complained also to stratstone and got a free service out of them after a very lengthy process of a complaint and being ignored lots - by far the worst dealership (hudds) I have ever dealt with. MB didn't care about the service they didn't deliver as a dealer - so that's not good. As time has gone on I do like the car and it drives great, bit too much road noise but it does have elastic bands on for tyres. Performance is good, no more catching on fire incidents so that's a good thing. Going to have to live with the car not being able to make a phone call. To the person who said its not MB fault sorry it is; pick any vw/audi and it does it; I have just purchased 4 new Peugeot partner vans/crewcab minimal spec but with Bluetooth and guess what push a button and it loads by saying "call xyz" and it does. they are a 10K car not a like a 35K car for comparison.

I am in IT and also believe it would not be hard at all to actually ditch the MB tablet on the dash and fit another who knows how to use android/make a tablet like Samsung or Google and load their own MB apps on it after and lock down, that would have been a huge saving on production and developments - could have got touch screen then too and done away with half the buttons over the car.

final note is the colour led's I have set them to a single colour that I like; looks great however getting and out of the car is a bloody disco the Leds change colour every few seconds blending from one colour to another until you start the engine and then they stay the colour you wanted - would be ok if I was 18 but being nearly 40 its not that classy...PS anyone thinking I don't like the car and I should have bought something else - yep your right; going back to Audi looking at the TTRS when I can get the right deal as we've only just bought this bugger.

Hi SPILLING.

Sorry you haven't been able to get the voice control for calls working. Did you try the steps outlined in my previous post (#6)?

Mine DEFINITELY works and I have a 2015 Premium Plus A180 so I see no reason why it wouldn't for you. The manual only refers to it in passing and in an obscure section, and there seems to be a lot of confusion about it.

As long as the phone is paired and setup to accept Siri / Google Now activation via a Bluetooth connection (no idea how this works on iPhone) then holding the voice control button for more than a second should bring Siri to life, rather than the Nav.

Let me know how you get on?

EDIT: on the MB guides app go into Audio20-->Telephone-->Mobile phone voice recognition for the relevant section: