W213 E Class 2016 microphone super quiet

[Seanalf]

Hi all. Picked the car up yesterday, all good and loving the drive, so many things to work out! However, it does have one issue...

make an outboud call, either on normal BT or through Android Auto and the other person can't hear me? Volumes are up as far as i can tell in the menu's, they are coming through perfectly, but t's described as me sounding very muffled, with the occasional second or two of clarity, then back to muffled. if I turn my head slightly, they can't hear me at all. I'm assuming this is a microphone issue, but I saw a few notes around a software update on Command that people were saying had potentially caused an issue?

Has anyone got any fixes before I go back to the dealer? Anyone else had this and fixed it?

 

[W1ghty]

Hi all. Picked the car up yesterday, all good and loving the drive, so many things to work out! However, it does have one issue...

make an outboud call, either on normal BT or through Android Auto and the other person can't hear me? Volumes are up as far as i can tell in the menu's, they are coming through perfectly, but t's described as me sounding very muffled, with the occasional second or two of clarity, then back to muffled. if I turn my head slightly, they can't hear me at all. I'm assuming this is a microphone issue, but I saw a few notes around a software update on Command that people were saying had potentially caused an issue?

Has anyone got any fixes before I go back to the dealer? Anyone else had this and fixed it?

Try putting a hoover nozzle on it if it has holes . Might be blocked with fluff .

 

[Seanalf]

Try putting a hoover nozzle on it if it has holes . Might be blocked with fluff .

I shall try that, is it the one near the sun visor? Small round one or is nit in the central light dome?

 

[W1ghty]

I shall try that, is it the one near the sun visor? Small round one or is nit in the central light dome?

I’m not sure buddy , but when I hoovered both my cars last year I found by accident that a lot of blue fluff came out of a nearby aircon temp sensor . I know that might not be the same with a microphone hole but for 5 minutes work it’s worth a go .

 

[Seanalf]

I’m not sure buddy , but when I hoovered both my cars last year I found by accident that a lot of blue fluff came out of a nearby aircon temp sensor . I know that might not be the same with a microphone hole but for 5 minutes work it’s worth a go .

I've had a look at the dome, I think they are omn either side, both look very clear and clean, nothing coming out. Bum

I do have to use it too. I'll have to see if there's a removal vid

 

[Seanalf]

Ok, after a few pointers and chatting with Mark at Command Online, he confirmed that what I was looking at was indeed the microphones, in the headlining above the sun visors. gave me a few troubleshooting tips as well to help me on my way. brilliant service and advice where he could have just said, "unless you're preparred to visit, we can't help", but amazing he was happy to spend time replying to my ramblings!

Anyway, if you drop the vanity mirror light, you can get to the back of the mic, give it a squeeze from front and back and the small grill raised enough to get a fingernail behind. Work the grill loose, be gentle and slow as it can pop off never to be seen again, so make sure you have your door closed! Once off, look inside the grill, there's a rubber bung, remove using a pin and lever it out from both sides. Clean that then look inside the grill and there's a small, plastic filter, shake that out.

Put your finger inside to the back of the mic body, grill on the front with your thumb, snap back into position. Do the same for the passenger side. Test call, clear as a bell again. Clearly something has changed, but this sorts it and makes everything work as it should again. I had already tried turning up the Transmission volume in the menu, did that again on the test call and it was spot on.

Happy days.

 

[Seanalf]

Update, it seems it has made it better, but still not always clear, frustratingly.

Given that it's both sides, I'm thinking a change of microphone might not fix this...

Has no one else had this issue?

 

[Seanalf]

Right then, round two:

Got a second hand, enuine mic from Ebay, arrived yesterday, sun's out so I took the chance to go and change the mic, man there's not much room! Process:
Remove vanity light
Disconnect
Remove Mic cover carefully, squeeze from behind to lift the cover free of the headlining a bit, pop off cover
As I said before, it will pop off into the netherworld given half a chance, so cover it.
Mic is held in place with some very sticky backed cover.
I used a plastic trim remover to pus it in a bit, whilst putting two fingers into the hole left by the vanity mirror and rolling up from the bottom
Keep working the tape/cover until the mic becomes unstuck. It will take a while, but it frees up eventually.
Pull the mic through the hole gently, disconnect.

Make sure you've removed the cover and the bit of paper/filter thing from the replacement mic
Connect and pop it back in the hole
Line it up, use some of the sticky if you can (I managed to tuck some under.
Squeeze the cover back on, reconnect and refit the vanity light.

Bob's your aunty or something.

Apparently, that may have fixed my issue as I'm told by two people the call was "much better". Hope so!

Hope this guide helps others, it took about 25mins, £20 for the part, so it was worth a go