Strange command problem (map not visible)

[mjbarnard]

07 E320 CDI - although running 5.1 command software.
Very strange map problem. Recreated it last four days.
Map and sat nav work fine. On returning home from work (along A40 in London) when I reach the exact same place the map goes blank. Only grey background. However the central icon carries on working and changes direction with the car. The instrument console continues to show the correct location and direction.
The instrument console continues to work wherever I go - even places that subsequently show the map fine. If the nav function is used (even when the map appears greay/blank) it also functions correctly with the right hand side showing appropriate directions, instrument console working, and correct audible directions.
So the map is being read, but simply doesnt show.
The wierd thing is that I noticed the map blanked out at the same point on my route. So today I watched the map as I approached that point - and I actually saw the map on right of screen approaching blank/grey area on left of screen until I reached the blank bit - then nothing seen.
If I turn the car off, lock from outside, wait two minutes - all returns to normal! Can see the map once again, wherever I am.
Realise will have to take to dealer - but any ideas/similar problems?

[television]

07 E320 CDI - although running 5.1 command software.
Very strange map problem. Recreated it last four days.
Map and sat nav work fine. On returning home from work (along A40 in London) when I reach the exact same place the map goes blank. Only grey background. However the central icon carries on working and changes direction with the car. The instrument console continues to show the correct location and direction.
The instrument console continues to work wherever I go - even places that subsequently show the map fine. If the nav function is used (even when the map appears greay/blank) it also functions correctly with the right hand side showing appropriate directions, instrument console working, and correct audible directions.
So the map is being read, but simply doesnt show.
The wierd thing is that I noticed the map blanked out at the same point on my route. So today I watched the map as I approached that point - and I actually saw the map on right of screen approaching blank/grey area on left of screen until I reached the blank bit - then nothing seen.
If I turn the car off, lock from outside, wait two minutes - all returns to normal! Can see the map once again, wherever I am.
Realise will have to take to dealer - but any ideas/similar problems?


Ouch thats a hard one, short of moving up North or further South, I have no idea on this one

Alfie Help

[Ian C]

Ouch thats a hard one, short of moving up North or further South, I have no idea on this one

Alfie Help

Is it near Hendon?

[mjbarnard]

No - on Westway A40 heading west out of London from Marylebone Road. Even stranger - doesnt happen on opposite side of road heading into town in the morning
Surely this must be a problem with the individual DVD?

[whitenemesis]

I noticed my COMAND map blanks to grey intermitently throughout the journey. Just very briefly, I thought it might be the system flushing old data reading in fresh data from the DVD into the flash memory?

Could you have a fault in this area? You describe this happens at the same place each day. Could it be it happens at the same time in the journey (probably not thinking more about it) but could be the same amount of data has been read?

[television]

well if it can direct you, then it is as you say reading the info, could it be soft ware issue or display driver, what ever its back to MB on this one

[mjbarnard]

Interesting similar happens to whitenemesis albeit briefly. I wonder if that reflects problems on individual discs?

Dont think it can be the time/data read - since equally strangely it does not happen when I travel into work in the morning on the same road -but on the other side of the carriageway!

[television]

Its odd as whether you are going East or West its showing the same map

Maybe some answers in the morning

[mjbarnard]

Yes odd - since once the map blanks out it doesnt show anywhere subsequently on the journey - including all the places it does show once the car is switched off/on again.

[television]

Yes odd - since once the map blanks out it doesnt show anywhere subsequently on the journey - including all the places it does show once the car is switched off/on again.

I have a feeling that they replace the whole unit, it cant be the disc, and I cant see any other way

[DansSlk]

I expect they will first try a different disk just to rule it out and then like Malcolm says most likely replace the navi processor unit.

At least its under warranty and they wont have to rip your dash apart to remove the processor and the headunit basically just displays the image generated by the processor and fired across the MOST so i doubt its that but you never know.

[MBManInKen]

The fact that it happens at the same spot suggest that it could be an issue with reading map data from the disk. Cleaning the drive and trying it with another disk seems reasonable as a first step.

[mjbarnard]

Thank you everyone for input.

Happened today again. Very strange. Was watching the screen and when reaching blank point moved the cursor with the arrow keys backwards. Could move it backwards until fully viewable map appeared. So thought I could pinpoint the exact location where the map goes blank. However on zooming out I realised it wasnt that single point. Simply that there was only a viewable area of central London, and everything surrounding it in all directions was blank.

The strange thing is that once into blank territory the map stays completely blank wherever you are and whatever you do - unless I turn off the ignition and remove the key. On restarting the entire map reappears instantly wherever you are.

Only bought the car last week, and had already contacted the dealer to point out that they supplied it with older software. They were a bit sheepish and have sent me a later version. When I receive it I will see if that makes a difference as suggested, but I do understand the comments that this is likely a processor replacement. Trying the disk change might not be easy however as I have noted that the current disk will not eject - so may have to go to dealer for that too.

[DansSlk]

If your going to get a new map DVD first before having them look at it then make sure they also send you both the headunit and the navi processor upgrade disks (navi processor should be upto date but you wont do any harm running the update CD past it to verify)

To try and force the navi into ejecting the disk remove its fuse or electrical connection for a minute or two then reconnect and hit the button that normally does the trick.

With the problems your having i am thinking the navi DVD possibly may not be genuine or could be in poor condition the fake DVD's have been known to deviate from standard disk thickness and that does cause difficulty ejecting it can also create read errors, if your navi processor is also on it's way out then a bad disk could be making the problem worse.

The salesmen are supposed to check the DVD is present and correct during the sale but as you can see they don't always do it.

[mjbarnard]

There was no disc in the unit!

Sorry for everyones time - I really dont normally make mistakes like this. I promise you my colleages see me as a pretty tech savvy person.

(What I think is) the explanation is quite surprising though.

My problems started a few days after receiving the car, when I read on these forums that an 07 car should not have 5.1 software. I went out and ejected and checked my disc. It was 5.1. The explanation on the forums was that dealers swap out the later discs for earlier ones - and then sell the later ones for a profit. Whatever the reason, one polite phone call the next day and a new disc was on its way to me. However it was also that same day that I started experiencing these problems.

I received the latest 2007/2008 disc today. As mentioned above I couldnt eject the "old" disc. I have tried daily since last checking it, including all the fuse changes etc. Later today when I picked up the original disc box, I finally remembered I had put it in there when I removed it to check the version. No wonder I couldnt eject it - there was no disc! So there was no disc in the unit - but I was getting map readings to and from work (to a limit).

I can only conclude that a limited amount of map area information is loaded into some kind of flash memory - and the unit is able to work off that even in the absence of a disc! However once I got out of that map area - the unit stopped working.

Sorry again for everyones trouble. I made a fundamental mistake and I apologise. I didnt check for a disc - but would never have expected to see the map without one! I was also mislead by the fact that the car had so far only driven the identical 7 mile route daily and back. I will confirm my theory on Monday when I drive into work and back again. However unless this is already known - I believe I have discovered that the unit can function without a disc if it is travelling the same route last used when the disc was present - whatever that is worth.....

[MBManInKen]

As I said:

"a problem reading map data from the disk"

No disk = no data to be read ;)

:D

[oldcro]

Been there... got the T-shirt.

It happens to the worst and best of us.

[glojo]

:bannana: It takes a good man to own up to an 'Operator Error'

Well done

Regards
John

[DansSlk]

It happens mate

[jaymanek]

im very intrigued though... it must load some of the maps onto the memory then?

[television]

Do remember that she goes on talking, and that this is a display problem, so the info is being read off the disc

[whitenemesis]

im very intrigued though... it must load some of the maps onto the memory then?

IIRC it's something like 8mb flash memory, used as data buffer and for storing user POIs

I'm sure Alfie will correct me

[mjbarnard]

Yes interestingly without the disc I was not only able to see the map, but also able to navigate within the retained information. As you say a certain amount of data must be stored within the unit.

Also the clue that prompted me was that after pressing and pressing (and pressing and pressing) the eject button, the command finally said no disc.

Whatever. Thanks again to those offering help and for everyones tolerance. And again - I dont feel so embarrassed given that one does not expect data without a source. I suspect that even the experts wouldnt expect to navigate around without a dvd!

[television]

I put this up somewhere else, when its says no disc it cant read it.


All laser pick ups move up and down 3 times after inserting the disc, the first time it receives the reflection from the disc,if the disc is dull,then it all stops and the no disc message comes up.

The second time it sets the focus, the third time it read the TOC and is then ready for playing.
If there is a bad part on the disc, then the pick up will hunt around looking for info, they all have the ability to cover up for certain lost info and faults, but often when it cant read it, it just stops with message no disc

[DansSlk]

I put this up somewhere else, when its says no disc it cant read it.


All laser pick ups move up and down 3 times after inserting the disc, the first time it receives the reflection from the disc,if the disc is dull,then it all stops and the no disc message comes up.

The second time it sets the focus, the third time it read the TOC and is then ready for playing.
If there is a bad part on the disc, then the pick up will hunt around looking for info, they all have the ability to cover up for certain lost info and faults, but often when it cant read it, it just stops with message no disc
Are you sure your talking about the COMAND APS?

It has a few error messages relating to the disk so it displays one for no disk and another for a read error.

[television]

Are you sure your talking about the COMAND APS?

It has a few error messages relating to the disk so it displays one for no disk and another for a read error.

My answer there was for how laser pickups work and no more than that.

No disc is as above, read error could be many reasons from missing information to not knowing what to do with the info it has read

[DansSlk]

My answer there was for how laser pickups work and no more than that.

No disc is as above, read error could be many reasons from missing information to not knowing what to do with the info it has read
Sorry i was tricked by the wording of the post in the few places it mentions a no disk message.

I see what you where trying to say

[whitenemesis]

I leave my dvd in the COMAND permanently. It constantly accesses the data even when the NAV or MAP are not used. One can hear the laser reading the disc every few minutes.

I hope this doesn't reduce the life of the unit?

[evdok]

my dad has a 05 cls which he bought new and that has a 4.1 disc:mad: i think the dealer has swaped the disc at some point as the eclass have the same disc's and mines a 5.1 53 plate. am i right??