Rear View Camera Guide Lines?
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Yep.
Thanks GML, that's 3 gripes now on the new Metris...Light switch doesn't illuminate, missing a plastic cover plate at the back base of driver's seat and no guide lines on back up camera. That ought to keep the Service Dept. busy for a little while tomorrow.
There is no cover there on purpose. A good place for paper towels and umbrellas.
Post MB Service Center trip review; (1) Base of back pax seat has cover due to battery, driver's seat is left open...I can live with that explanation. (2) Headlight switch position icons not illuminated...only rotor knob is lit on all models (Sprinter's too)...until I find otherwise...I can live with that explanation. (3) No guidance lines on rear view camera image. Now here's where I have an issue. Bought the Metris 2 days ago. My salesman was off today. They send me another. He says the Metris is a work vehicle so it doesn't have them...only their more expensive cars. I said nope...my Owner's Manual says and shows I have them. He then says some "older" nav. heads didn't have them so this must be one of them. I says, nope...I know 2016 have them and my manual says I have them. He argues...I point to the vanilla, bottom end 2016 Cargo loaner that they have (I drove it) and said, how come that one has it? It's a year older. Now he punts me to the Service Manager. SM says basically the same thing...some have them...some don't. Work vehicle you know...just a basic rear view. My Metris has every option but the "Cold Weather" package. I said follow me. I take him over to the MB brochure display. I ask him to pull the sheet named, "Metris Quick Facts" (2017). I ask him to flip it over (it says "Standard Features) and look at the upper right corner. Says, "Rearview Camera" with a picture showing guidance lines and says, "...as well as providing overlays with which to guide you". I don't give him a chance to respond. I ask, do you have a computer with internet handy? Yep. I have him tap in www.mbvans.com and configure a 2017 Metris Pax van, go to "Packages" and click on "Driver Comfort Package"...I think you see where I'm going. They take my phone number and say they have to "research" my vehicle yada, yada, yada. As I'm driving out, a Service Tech flags me down and wants to check the rearview camera out. Long story short (about time eh?) he says I am correct, I should have guidance/overlay lines and after 30 minutes of going through the menu's and driving around says he will find out what is up and give me a call. Now waiting for phase 2.
Styles, not ready to escalate the issue just yet...only day 3 with the Metris. Dependent on what the dealer says or does next.
Pounce, not sure how to determine if it is a OEM camera. Window invoice shows "rearview camera"...and it "looks" like a factory job. I have the 180 barn doors with the camera in the license plate trim. Does not look scabbed in. My Window invoice also lists, "trailer pre-wiring" and I read in the Owner's Manual where if you have the trailer option (I don't) you can switch the camera view from wide angle to bird's eye to see the ball/hitch alignment. It then goes on to state that when finished hooking up, if you put the transmission in"N" or"D" (and remain stationary) "The dynamic guide lines are hidden and after about 15 seconds the rear view camera switches itself off". This is the only place in the OM where it mentions NOT having guide/overlay lines. I am wondering if having the "trailer pre-wiring" has buggered something up causing the guide/overlay lines to turn off. If all Metris's come "pre-wired" for the trailer hitch...then probably not.
No phone call back from the dealer so far. Tomorrow is another day!
Pounce, not sure how to determine if it is a OEM camera. Window invoice shows "rearview camera"...and it "looks" like a factory job. I have the 180 barn doors with the camera in the license plate trim. Does not look scabbed in. My Window invoice also lists, "trailer pre-wiring" and I read in the Owner's Manual where if you have the trailer option (I don't) you can switch the camera view from wide angle to bird's eye to see the ball/hitch alignment. It then goes on to state that when finished hooking up, if you put the transmission in"N" or"D" (and remain stationary) "The dynamic guide lines are hidden and after about 15 seconds the rear view camera switches itself off". This is the only place in the OM where it mentions NOT having guide/overlay lines. I am wondering if having the "trailer pre-wiring" has buggered something up causing the guide/overlay lines to turn off. If all Metris's come "pre-wired" for the trailer hitch...then probably not.
No phone call back from the dealer so far. Tomorrow is another day!
they all have the "trailer pre-wire" although it doesn't really mean all that much in the end. The call to MB is for MB USA to track issues. The dealer wont do that, they'll just fix your vehicle. But it's also obvious the dealer doesn't know the vehicle, a common theme around here. Good luck. Nothing more frustrating than an issue day one with an expensive machine, but you'll enjoy it once it's sorted.
Yeah, I got around to reading Campbellservice's journey on installing the OEM trailer hitch and saw where they all come pre-wire. Seems every time I post a question, 30 seconds later I find a thread with my answer. Search is your friend right?
I asked my original sales guy to demonstrate the "Active Parking Assist" (I have the Premium Safety PKG W/Parktronic Package) and he said the Metris didn't have that installed. I didn't argue the point...just read the OM and tested it out on a slow side street. Then he told me about the "Hold Assist" feature...which it doesn't have. I've already lamented about the rearview guide lines...I realize the Metris is probably not a big seller on a MB lot...but you'd think they'd bone up on them. Kinda like when I was test driving a Mazda 6 stick shift last year and the sales guy along for the ride couldn't drive a stick...pathetic.
As far as having an "issue", I'm just thankful it's not a drivability issue. Just annoyed that the first 3 people I discussed the issue with tried to blow me off with basically a "they're all like that" excuse. I show them with their own literature and the OM that it should have the guide-lines and they still say I have some odd ball unit. Frustrating. And I have a feeling that it won't be as simple as a software reboot.
I asked my original sales guy to demonstrate the "Active Parking Assist" (I have the Premium Safety PKG W/Parktronic Package) and he said the Metris didn't have that installed. I didn't argue the point...just read the OM and tested it out on a slow side street. Then he told me about the "Hold Assist" feature...which it doesn't have. I've already lamented about the rearview guide lines...I realize the Metris is probably not a big seller on a MB lot...but you'd think they'd bone up on them. Kinda like when I was test driving a Mazda 6 stick shift last year and the sales guy along for the ride couldn't drive a stick...pathetic.
As far as having an "issue", I'm just thankful it's not a drivability issue. Just annoyed that the first 3 people I discussed the issue with tried to blow me off with basically a "they're all like that" excuse. I show them with their own literature and the OM that it should have the guide-lines and they still say I have some odd ball unit. Frustrating. And I have a feeling that it won't be as simple as a software reboot.
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2,692 Posts
The Metris is not a gigantic seller, partially because of things like this- but it’s both a blue ocean (largely new to the brand/expanded sales) venture, and an introduction to the brand as a whole.
While some of you have had quality control issues, and more than that have had major dealer issues, almost all of you seem to love your vans. If the QC issues went away, and the some of the dealerships got their heads out of their butts and started offering loaner vans (if not cars), the sale of a Metris could:
1) Make you a Mercedes van customer for life,
2) make you into an advocate for Mercedes vans (I.e. convince your friends to buy them)
3) most of all, make additional sales of other vehicles. A ford van guy who has never owned a Mercedes would never be thinking MB sedan for their wife. If he replaces his Ford with a Metris, the dealership is good, and the QC issues weren’t there, next time they buy a family car, I would guess Mercedes would be on the list.
Sporadic QC issues and life time maintenance costs aside, besides a few years in the late 90s- mid2000s, I have held it indisputable that Mercedes-Benz products are always the best in their categories- if sometimes expensive.
Thus I hold that exposure to their products leads to long standing loyalty and repeat business. I consider myself alive because of my choice of vehicle.
The dealers that treat van customers poorly are idiots. The guy who buys a $28k Metris cargo today could very easily be the guy whose wife drives out in a leased $35k GLA250 or $45k GLC300 next year. And once that road is turned down, very rarely is it turned back- as any serial Mercedes owner on here would probably testify.
While some of you have had quality control issues, and more than that have had major dealer issues, almost all of you seem to love your vans. If the QC issues went away, and the some of the dealerships got their heads out of their butts and started offering loaner vans (if not cars), the sale of a Metris could:
1) Make you a Mercedes van customer for life,
2) make you into an advocate for Mercedes vans (I.e. convince your friends to buy them)
3) most of all, make additional sales of other vehicles. A ford van guy who has never owned a Mercedes would never be thinking MB sedan for their wife. If he replaces his Ford with a Metris, the dealership is good, and the QC issues weren’t there, next time they buy a family car, I would guess Mercedes would be on the list.
Sporadic QC issues and life time maintenance costs aside, besides a few years in the late 90s- mid2000s, I have held it indisputable that Mercedes-Benz products are always the best in their categories- if sometimes expensive.
Thus I hold that exposure to their products leads to long standing loyalty and repeat business. I consider myself alive because of my choice of vehicle.
The dealers that treat van customers poorly are idiots. The guy who buys a $28k Metris cargo today could very easily be the guy whose wife drives out in a leased $35k GLA250 or $45k GLC300 next year. And once that road is turned down, very rarely is it turned back- as any serial Mercedes owner on here would probably testify.
Well GML, you described me to a "T". We traded the wife's 2006 E350 XLT van in for this Metris. She love's vans. She's always had a van. She's an avid bicyclist and race walker. She uses the back of the van like a tent...sleeps and stored her race crap back there. Mini vans were too small and it's getting difficult to find full size Ford or Chevy passenger vans with a V8. Plus the Transit van's are having a problem with the guido (rubber coupler) failing which allows the drive shaft to flail about under the van tearing up brake and fuel lines, busting transmission and motor mounts. Still has a open recall...anyway, the Metris fits the bill perfectly; plenty of room for and aft, over twice the mpg of the E350, peppy, drives and parks more like a car than a truck and has more safety features than the full size behemoths. And being in our 60's we will be looking for a nice "cush" car in the near future. Mercedes Benz might be in the running depending on how things pan out with the Metris. A leap of faith for a Ford guy ;-)
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147 Posts
As a former Ford Van buyer, when the Sprinter came to the US, I bought one of the first. It worked like a charm for 14 years, and now I bought a new one to replace it.
The Metris replaces my '03 Eurovan, which was very comfortable. I, too, agree that if MB wants to garner more of the market, they have to offer a quality product.
B
The Metris replaces my '03 Eurovan, which was very comfortable. I, too, agree that if MB wants to garner more of the market, they have to offer a quality product.
B
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248 Posts
I totally agree, some idiotic manager ust have said this is a low-volume van and decided not to invest in it in all the norma marketing expenses, publiity, trades shows, trade partnes incentives, etc. etc. becuase it was not "worth it". the poor numbers might have "justified" his decision without thinking that if even with MB's auto sabotage some are selling and most owners love them, what would have happened if they did a good job.?
I have always been an European car guy, my wife didn't care much what car she drove, for her a car was just a way to get from A to B, meh. Till she drove a Mercedes...
Here's the resolution to my original problem of not having rearview camera guidelines. I've only owned the van for maybe 3 weeks now, to re-cap the van is a 2017 with all options but heated seats and trailer package. Rearview camera did not have "overlays" or guidelines. I questioned the salesman about this as the Owner's Manual said if you have Parktronic with Active Parking Assist you will have the overlays along with a birds-eye view of the van with yellow and red obstruction lines in the bottom right corner of the screen. Also, every pamphlet, on-line configurator and OM since 2016 says the rearview camera is "Standard" (I believe 2015 it was an option) and has the overlays. I heard every possible excuse as to why "my" van didn't have the overlays...early production model, dropped them, different camera manufacturer, **** I lost count. I even called MB Van home office in ATL and heard the same shinola. Now, I'm smart enough to know that MB doesn't have it own rearview camera factory pumping out camera's with and without overlays...that they just purchase some cheap Chinese camera that can be programmed to be viewed with or without the overlays. It's accomplished during install (on aftermarket cameras) by software or a couple of wires tied together or opened up. It ain't rocket science.
After 3 weeks of friendly pushing and prodding, my dealer finally agreed to take a look at the problem. Six hours later...yep...I got those **** dynamic overlays. Official verbiage: "Customer states backup camera does not show the guided lines. Incorrect VIN in rear view camera. Perform Short Test-Code B220600 for incorrect VIN in Rear view camera. Program and SCN code camera. Lines Function."
ALL rearview camera's should show the overlays aka guidelines. If you ain't got'em...it's a simple coding fix...if you can get your dealer to look at it.
Thanks for listening....
After 3 weeks of friendly pushing and prodding, my dealer finally agreed to take a look at the problem. Six hours later...yep...I got those **** dynamic overlays. Official verbiage: "Customer states backup camera does not show the guided lines. Incorrect VIN in rear view camera. Perform Short Test-Code B220600 for incorrect VIN in Rear view camera. Program and SCN code camera. Lines Function."
ALL rearview camera's should show the overlays aka guidelines. If you ain't got'em...it's a simple coding fix...if you can get your dealer to look at it.
Thanks for listening....
Attachments
My loaner was a 2016 two seat cargo van with the divider in it. Entry level vehicle with only "Standard" equip. Service Manager was standing there talking to me whilst I was sitting inside before leaving my vehicle for service. As he was talking to me...I put the key to position #2, stepped on the brake, bumped the tranny into "R"....and there was them pesky overlays...envision my eye-balls moving from the screen to his eyes....back and forth...back and forth.
While a had the loaner, since it was stripped bare in the back, I popped the rear door panels off and traced the camera cable to the front and popped the radio head and looked at the back to see how it was wired up. Figured if they didn't fix the problem I would at least know how everything was scabbed in.
I even vacuumed and washed the loaner before I turned it in...they were mortified.
While a had the loaner, since it was stripped bare in the back, I popped the rear door panels off and traced the camera cable to the front and popped the radio head and looked at the back to see how it was wired up. Figured if they didn't fix the problem I would at least know how everything was scabbed in.
I even vacuumed and washed the loaner before I turned it in...they were mortified.
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