W204 Becker or COMAND confused?

[MBinz]

Bought a 2013 C220cdi BlueEff AMG Sport cdi 2door Coupe W204 before Christmas, and have had several small issues with it, the dealer is not being helpful at the moment, so posing a quick query here on one of them. Previously had several W123's but this is a bit more modern `¬)
When test driven, the map was displayed on the screen, but when delivered I asked to be shown how the Nav worked and the salesperson said he had used it to get to me for delivery. But when he tried to show me the functionality, the NAV screen seems to be 'locked' (as shown in the attached) and not able to navigate the menu. The menu screens seem to all work ok on everything else, but not on 'NAV'. (similar on steering wheel NAV access)
I'm also confused on what the NAV functionality is, as although there appears to be a unit in the glovebox (Becker? but no ejection key), it was advertised as having COMAND navigation and multimedia... I have no idea what the difference is. The handbook simple refers to COMAND as 'see additional booklet' which I do not have... how do I know if it has COMAND, and what is the diff between that and the Becker? ...and could it have both?

 

[markjay]

Your car is equipped with Audio20 NTG4.5 (not COMAND), and the optimal Becker Map Pilot navigation processor.

Push the Becker Map Pilot inwards and it will pop-pot.

 

[markjay]

You can also run the VIN in an online VIN decoder and it will show that the car has Audio20 with 'Navibox preinstallation' (that's the bracket for the Becker Map Pilot, the unit itself was a dealer-supplied option). Look for options 508 and 523 on the car's Datacard:

COMAND Online NTG4.5 (its official name) is the higher-end infotainment unit available on the W204 facelift. Compared to the basic Audio20 unit, COMAND has a bigger screen with hi-res display, it has built-in navigation with the maps on an internal Hard Disk Drive (HDD), it has much better audio output (though the original speakers are a limiting factor), it has an internal Music Register for storing your music in MP3 format, and an SD-Card slot that can also be used for storing additional MP3 files. And, it can connect to the Internet via tethering to your phone (though the 2013 models only supported this functionality via Android phones, not iPhones).

With regard compensation for 'not as described'... well, from where you are now, a proper COMAND NTG4.5 retrofit will cost around £2,000 parts and labour.... but a similar car that already has COMAND will probably only cost a couple hundred more. So anything in between....

 

[markjay]

If you're keeping the Becker Map Pilot, update the firmware, and the maps. The firmware update is free (requires online registration), the maps cost 90 euros and the speed cameras database another 20 euros. You'll need a USB-A (or USB-C) to Mini-USB (not Micro-USB) cable to connect the Becker Map Pilot to your PC and update the software.

 

[markjay]

Your car is equipped with Audio20 NTG4.5 (not COMAND), and the optimal Becker Map Pilot navigation processor.

Push the Becker Map Pilot inwards and it will pop-pot.

Meant to say 'Push the Becker Map Pilot inwards and it will pop-out.'

And no, sadly you do not have CONAND, it's either Audio20 with Becker Map Pilot, or COMAND...

 

[MBinz]

thanks for the info markjay, and the rapid response! I have already trie pushing and prodding the unit - just went out again to give it another push in, but to no avail. I think there should be a plastic key that fits in the slot you can see above the unit to operate the spring clips, as described here Removing Becker Map Pilot | Electronics and Audio
A bit loath to try sticking anything into the sides, as really the car has warranty and should be sorted by the dealer - I've just emailed them a list of things they are supposed to be sorting that were present when delivered 2nd Dec! last time I spoke to them on the phone, they said they would look at getting it booked in to look at issues after christmas, but they have been uncannily silent so far, even though I've emailed them every week since `¬( ...getting to the point of making a formal complaint.
So no COMAND, I guess no point trying a dvd in the player then lol `¬)
I still have no idea why the menu seems to be stuck on the 'information'; can't select anything at all... I know the control knob works in the other non NAV displays etc... any ideas on why it would be 'stuck'. I notice there is a 'reset' button on the front face (upside down), but as the sales guy who delivered it says it was working for him on the journey to me, and that the map was displaying when I looked at the car originally, I am somewhat mystified as to why it has given up!

 

[MBinz]

@markjay also checked the VIN, and has the 508 but with 510 Audio 20 Radio with cd changer, so guess that's like the 523 you mentioned?
no idea what the first three accessories are though...

 

[markjay]

@markjay also checked the VIN, and has the 508 but with 510 Audio 20 Radio with cd changer, so guess that's like the 523 you mentioned?
no idea what the first three accessories are though... View attachment 136417

Yes, there are two variants of each of the NTG4.5 units, one with single CD player, the other with an internal 6-disc CD changer (i.e. this is true for both Audio20 and COMAND, so there are 4 variants of NTG4.5 in total).

510 is Audio20 with CD-changer
523 is Audio20 with single CD player
512 is COMAND with CD-changer
527 is COMAND with single CD player

 

[markjay]

As for the satnav, it seems to me that the Becker Map Pilot unit is simply not working for some reason. It has an internal Li-ion rechargeable battery, so switching off the ignition won't fully reset it, instead you'll need to remove the unit from the car, then remove the battery from the unit, in order to properly power-cycle it (and, there's a pin hole with a reset button on the unit itself).

 

[markjay]

thanks for the info markjay, and the rapid response! I have already trie pushing and prodding the unit - just went out again to give it another push in, but to no avail. I think there should be a plastic key that fits in the slot you can see above the unit to operate the spring clips, as described here Removing Becker Map Pilot | Electronics and Audio

The thread you linked is regarding the A-Class W176. It's a different bracket.

On the C-Class W204, there's no key for the bracket. You push the unit in, and it should pop-out. It's the same as on the E-Class W212, watch how its done at 1:00:

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

Accept third party cookies

 

[markjay]

Also, the seller may have made an honest mistake when he said the car has COMAND (not your problem, though...).

Audio20 with the internal CD-changer is a rare option. The seller's techs probably spotted the CD-changer (by the small CD-stack symbol on the CD eject button, which only the changer models have - on the single CD units, there's a simple arrow symbol on the eject button), and mistook it for a COMAND unit. Maybe.

 

[MBinz]

The thread you linked is regarding the A-Class W176. It's a different bracket.

On the C-Class W204, there's no key for the bracket. You push the unit in, and it should pop-out. It's the same as on the E-Class W212, watch how its done at 1:00:

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

Accept third party cookies

Hi markjay, thanks for your continued support! but if you look he presses the eject key (taken grab from the vid) apparently this 'key' can be pulled out to prevent thief from pinching it... lol although I expect a thief would do more damge if the key was not there! If you look in my pic, I don't have the key... I may just get one off ebay... it slides into that top slot Original Unlocking Release Key Becker Map Pilot MERCEDES Navigation A1727550061 for sale online | eBay

 

[markjay]

Ah... you've got the Coupe... C204.

This is how it should work on your car:

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

Accept third party cookies

 

[MBinz]

Ah... you've got the Coupe... C204.

This is how it should work on your car:

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

Accept third party cookies

yes, and I suspect the previous owner removed the 'key' so i have nothing to press - I do suspect it might work if I use a something to poke down where it went, but... I may just try the reset button if I hear nothing from the mercedes dealer in the next few days... like I say, there are several silly things they should have sorted! ...thanks for your help though, appreciate it `¬)

 

[richard]

As it's a car dealer, I would tell them "car was advertised with COMAND hard disk navigation" and doesn't have it. Please retrofit it (or pay for the system to be retrofitted)
- COMAND is very significantly better that the Audio-20 in every way. (bigger screen, better nav, better sound, nav updates still available)

Also, check you actually have DAB radio ...

(email [email protected] for a price)

- or threaten to return the car as you;ve been short-changed....

R

 

[MBinz]

yes, its Inchcape/mercedes, and I have a list of other things that have become apparent, inc things they acknowledged when they delivered it... if I have no joy this week with any response from them I will be putting in a formal complaint. Think it has DAB, it comes up on the steering selection, ought to go through now and check various things that I have not checked yet. measured the screen yesterday at 5 1/2" diag, so no idea how they get 7" `¬)
I've heard nothing so far this year, and when I call it's 'he's busy with a customer' - really surprised at the lack of response `¬(
Unfortunatly I need the transport as my mother is not well, otherwise I'd have rejected the car at delivery - although I'm only slowly finding these other issues!
Before Christmas they said they would book it in for January, but that has not happened, so feel I'm being fobbed off!

 

[MBinz]

i'm still really confused on this COMAND thing though, as from Wikkipedia;-

COMAND-APS NTG4.5​

In late 2011, Mercedes starting fitting the new COMAND-APS NTG4.5 to its W204 cars for Model Year 2012, and then to other models[1] such as the W212, W207 and R172 SLK. It thus became the latest generation of COMAND for its non-flagship cars (i.e. cars other than the S-Class and CL-Class). It is also referred to as COMAND Online as it can use the mobile broadband connection on the telephone to connect to Mercedes-Benz Internet based services. It allows the running of various downloadable apps (such as Facebook) in the COMAND system. It uses a 7" colour display and has a SD-Card slot. The resolution, which is quite good at the time, is 800*480.

Initially, the graphics were brown and black, and this system became known as GEN1. The colour scheme of the display were then changed to Grey/Black/Red at the same time as the graphics in the instrument cluster changed and this is known as GEN2 and coincided with the MY2013 update. Initially different firmware was used in GEN1 and GEN2, but later on the firmware for GEN1 and GEN2 was merged into 1 firmware release and the colour scheme became a run-time configuration item.

Again, Media Interface is supported and maps are stored on a hard disk and restricted, as with NTG3.5, by a PIN based rights management protection feature. Like NTG3/3.5 it also has a separate rotary controller (although smaller than for NTG3/3.5 based vehicles).

AS the NAV module does not seem to be working in any case, it's hard to know; as yet I have not tried pairing to a mobile phone - just bought a new phone which is a whole nother story `¬)
There is a 'voice' button on the steering wheel, but guess that would only work if the NAV module was working! No idea if that's what they refer to as linguatronic?

 

[MBinz]

ok, just found this which makes it clearer (to me anyway `¬)
and this matches with what markjay said!
so now I have the info to at least seem as if I know what I'm talking about thanks to the help from you guys on this forum!

 

[markjay]

measured the screen yesterday at 5 1/2" diag, so no idea how they get 7"

This is because COMAND has a larger screen than Audio20.

The incorrect advert was showing COMAND with the large screen, but your car has Audio20 with the small screen - you've already established that...

If the dealer agrees to upgrade the Audio20 infotainment unit in your car to COMAND (which I doubt, due to the cost), then they'll also replace the small Audio20 screen with the larger COMAND screen as part of the process.

 

[MBinz]

yes, I've just been trying to get it all clear in my head! I also assume the 'linguatronic' thing is specific to the COMAND, and that the 'voice' button on the steering wheel is only applicable to entering info for the becker sat nav - if the nav box was working, it may have been more obvious to me... It was your initial info that helped me so much in finding out more - like I said, I'm pretty dumb with all this new stuff `¬)