NTG2.5 has eaten my disk.

[davybull]

Hi all,
Retro fitted a NTG2.5 unit last week and all was rosy. Really easy job with the cables from Comand.com.

However, a couple of days after fitting and with everything working perfectly the dreaded anti-theft screen appeared. It says something about turn on ignition to reset not the usual visit a Merc workshop so I don't know what that is about.

So I've removed the unit for the time being but it has a CD in the drive that it wouldn't let me remove and I MUST get out.

Is there a way to bypass the screen just to get the cd out? Tried holding the "ON" button for 30 secs but no joy. Should I do this without the key being inserted or not?

On the plus side the guy that sold it says that he will refund everything if it proves to be a stolen unit.

In the meantime I'd prefer to try and get the PIN and get it re-coded. Does anyone know anyone in the NW that can do this?

Cheers in advance.

Dave.

 

[npuk]

No i dont think you will be able to get the disc out.

It doesnt mean the unit is stolen. It has recognised the unit is in a car other than the original vehicle the unit came installed in. Info on the anti theft here: COMAND APS NTG2.5 FAQ

 

[davybull]

There no way that I can get this disk out?

 

[richard]

Dave,

Email [email protected] - as you bought the cables from them they will tell you the steps a MB dealer needs to do to enable it again. The MB dealer wont know the steps ..

Richard

 

[Engineer1]

Any updates on this?

 

[richard]

I emailed davybull saying how to reconfigure the COMAND.

However, a potential issue in his case is it is in a Vito, and the Vito needs to have a Central Gateway (CGW) which quite often is not fitted (it is option dependant) on Vito/Sprinter/Viano. The CGW acts as the interface between the CANbus connected to the diagnostic socket and the interior CANbus (and thus the COMAND) amongst other things.

I keep one I can "patch" in for this situation, and WIS contains instructions/details how to retrofit one (under £100 of parts)

Richard

 

[davybull]

Called in at MB Tech in Warrington today and booked the Vito in on next Thursday for them to try and code it. The guy I spoke to said that he didn't know if my vehicle had a gateway or not but he is prepared to try.

He said they normally charge £45.00 for a session on Star but if he can't do it he'll just charge me £20.00.

So if all goes well next Thursday great, if not it look like I'll have to make time for a drive to Woking to see Richard or Alfie. Must admit Richard has been very helpful it's just a bloody long way to Woking from Wigan!!

I'll let you know how I go on.

Dave.

 

[davybull]

Popped the NTG2.5 back into the dash tonight ready to go to Warrington in the morning for MB Tech to try to code it for me.

According to Richard at Comand Online my Vito may not have a certain part which means Star may not be able to communicate with the head unit but we'll wait and see.

If this is the case I'll be winging my way to see Richard or Alfie soon as they apparantly have a jig to enable coding on a Vito.

Dave.

 

[richard]

According to Richard at Comand Online my Vito may not have a certain part which means Star may not be able to communicate with the head unit but we'll wait and see.

For those who want to know more, the 'Central Gateway' is used to communicate between the diagnostic socket CANbus and the vehicle's interior CANbus (to which COMAND is connected). It also has info about the vehicle (VIN, controllers in vehicle etc) which Star Diagnosis uses.

Not all Vito/Viano/Sprinter have them installed, and without it talking to COMAND with Star Diagnosis is not possible. As time goes by there are more and more control units in the Vito/Viano/Sprinter that are diagnosed via the CANbus only so the CGW may (may already) be standard.

There are official instructions as to how to retrofit the CGW to a Vito, and its not an very expensive device.

I have one on a "plug in harness" that connects to the CANBUS and sits between the diagnostic plug and the Star Diagnosis for configuring COMAND in vehicles without.

Richard

 

[davybull]

Still Trying......

Quick update......

Took the Vito to MB Tech in Warrington on Thursday morning and Shane had a go at the coding.

He managed to make Star communicate with the unit so the Vito obviously has the central gateway but he couldn't manage to get the head unit playing with the instrument cluster or steering wheel controls. He says that the unit is not recieving a CAN signal from the instrument cluster as it isn't compatible and so is going straight back into anti-theft mode because of this.

He did manage to eject my precious CD though.:bannana:
Guesses as to what the CD disk is are invited.

Shane has requested a password from Mercedes so that he can try something else but I've decided to go and visit Alfie in Woking instead. Alfie seems to do this all the time so I'll take it to someone who knows exactly what he is doing and has done the job before. It's just a bloody long way to Woking!!

Shane was very proffesional and I will have no hesitation in taking the Vito back to him when it needs any work doing. It had an SRS / seatbelt fault showing and he diagnosed that whilst he was at it!! Trouble is the van is still under warranty and needs a part so that is still a Merc job!

He spent over an hour trying and only charged me £25.00 which I thought was very fair.

So just wanted to say thanks to Shane for trying and I will be back.

Dave.

 

[davybull]

OK, so bit the bullet and went down to see Richard from Comand Online yesterday. 7 1/2 hour of driving in total!

He tried to get the unit coded but had much the same problem as MD Tech at warrington. It seems the instrument cluster or the ignition barrell are not communicating with the unit and so it just goes straight back into anti theft mode.

Richard said he has done loads of Vitos and he has never come across this problem before.

So he has suggested that I get the dealer to SCN code the options next week when it goes in for another job. He says that there is no guarantee that this will work.

I've just now been messing about with this for too long and I think that I'll go the aftermarket route with a Kenwood DNX7026BT with steering wheel controls adaptor instead. I've fitted a couple of this type of unit and they are really good. The only downside is that the phone buttons on the wheel will mute sound rather than answer the phone but that is just a minor irritation.

I do need to check however that the menu buttons will still work. Anyone know if this is the case?

I've packaged up the Mercedes unit and the eBay seller has agreed to take it back no problem and give me a full refund.

So, just wanted to say a quick thenk you to Richard for trying to sort me out he has been VERY helpful.

Dave.