how did you get on, as there arent many kiwis around with knowledge.

Hi i too am bringing in a w204 from japan into NZ, its a c300 2007, and was interested in how you got on?

I have managed to get hold of a 2010 map disk for Aus/nz for the w204.

From what i have read so far you are only able to change the region to eu, so at least the radio will pick up Nz stations,

With regard to retrofiting another ntg4 unit in, it still requires the unit to be "paired" with the car via a merc dealer or specialist and activated with their star management software which registers it with mercedes germany.

I have thought about doing what a few other people have done and if i require navigation, is to use the aux out function, and run a small android tv device to the screen, these can be bought of ebay and are the size of a large usb key.and mounted in the glove box.
Then you have the power of android 4.3 at your finger tips, rather than relying on the old clunky windows ce that is mercedes command.

check here interesting reading
http://mbworld.org/forums/c-class-w204/470364-here-my-comand-online-ntg4-5-android-2.html

 

oohh.. Both of you are in the same boat with me...

Your models cannot be retrofit with NTG4.5

What your car can take is max. NTG 4 only

Japanese units basically goof up after ECE mode setting..The retrofit could cost a bomb according to some locally. I would advise to buy a Europen HU and replace the current HU, load Sat nav discs to make GPS working...

Take a look at my thread on other forum... for your info... let's keep in touch to solve this problem

Command Dont recognise iPod ? - MBClub UK - Bringing together Mercedes Enthusiasts

 

what to do????

Hi Bob, yes i saw your post and have been given some advice already from nav nz

"Sadly there is nothing that can be done on these units if they came from Japan.
I would advice you against changing the region to EU on the engineering menu, depending on the firmware of the unit, this could cause your unit to freeze and go into a restart loop every 30 seconds aprox, which does not give you enough time to return the region settings to Japan.

In this senario, you would be looking at a new unit which is very expensive and takes a lot of time to code a new or used unit to work on your car, Mercedes system is extremely complicated.
So in other words that's a road you wouldn't want to go down, do some more research ntg4 restart loop and you will find some more answers there.

Your only solution is band expander for the radio and navigation cannot be changed over, must replace antenna, wiring and head unit."


i might get a small android unit and fit it to the aux part of the unit and see how i go, these also have radio, gps etc all things android really.
It wont be foranother 2 months thou, so i will repost then when i give it a go!

Andy

 

Hi Bob, yes i saw your post and have been given some advice already from nav nz

"Sadly there is nothing that can be done on these units if they came from Japan.
I would advice you against changing the region to EU on the engineering menu, depending on the firmware of the unit, this could cause your unit to freeze and go into a restart loop every 30 seconds aprox, which does not give you enough time to return the region settings to Japan.

In this senario, you would be looking at a new unit which is very expensive and takes a lot of time to code a new or used unit to work on your car, Mercedes system is extremely complicated.
So in other words that's a road you wouldn't want to go down, do some more research ntg4 restart loop and you will find some more answers there.

Your only solution is band expander for the radio and navigation cannot be changed over, must replace antenna, wiring and head unit."


i might get a small android unit and fit it to the aux part of the unit and see how i go, these also have radio, gps etc all things android really.
It wont be foranother 2 months thou, so i will repost then when i give it a go!

Andy

Finally I am buying an European HU and retrofitting my comand. Its costing an arm and leg. But no choice...

 

Hi Bob , can you let me know where you bought your euro unit from and how you got on with getting it installed.

Thanks
Andy

 

My unit has been re-configured and coming from a MB specialist in Hong Kong. He has done many similar installations in Singapore already. good reviews.

I will post some on the job pictures tomorrow after installation..:thumbsup:

Here it is

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Mercedes-C-...271261051616?pt=UK_AudioTVElectronics_GPSSystems_GPSSystems&hash=item3f286b2ae0

 

Guys...from NZ or AUS, if you are interested, please PM me with your VIN no and I can quote you a price for re-configuration of your HU to work for your country needs and VIM module added.

Only retrofitting can be done and the unit can be shipped to you. Installation by you...

 

Hi I am interested and want to reconfigure my unit, its from Japan and i live in Dubai UAE.

email me your info please; kayedd@gmail.com

Thanks

 

Just sent you a pm, I have a Japanese 204 and managed to end up with the reboot loop. Any help in resolving this is greatly appreciated.

 

Just an update on this issue. The unit definitely has to be replaced, there are a couple of German companies that can totally reflash the unit but I didn't go that route as shipping out the unit from my country would've been cost prohibitive.

I bought an NTG4 off a very nice seller on ebay, who confirmed that the NTG4 equipped cars DO NOT have any anti theft code, NOR is there any coding required if you swap from one spec to another (in my case it was Japanese to Euro).

I ended spending about $550 for the euro unit which arrived in immaculate condition (literally new), installation took me 30 minutes and the unit worked instantly without any issues. If anyone faces a similar problem, you can find replacement units on ebay easily.

Just a final note, do not screw around with the region setting in the Japanese NTG4. It will definitely ruin the unit.

 

i am think to have a replaced one as mine just had the same restart loop:crybaby2:

 

I have a c300 and I reset the region to South America to get the fm band to work. Like the OP my command menu does not show a few things like fm am etc but it works. I found this thread by searching for comand keeps resetting which it is but randomly and I can stiLl access engineering menu. I guess I was lucky to choose South America not europe! We're you guys able to get the nav to work ? I am looking at doing this or retrofitting a garmin touchscreen which rapid radio in auckland can do but it's not cheap about $1500 I think

 

Which button are you referring to? If you're referring to the ETC, that's a module for electronic toll payment in Japan, it's not a button but a device installed in the glovebox, only useful in Japan.

I did the install myself, just took 15 minutes.

 

Typo - missed out the ( S ) button- for sport mode I presume as the engine rev's change.. or is it just a matter of changing the button over -
Did you buy one off ebay for 500eu or ? and did you have to get the Nav maps reinstalled etc?
Cheers

 

Had a re-read of the thread- and your price of 500eu.. re the install did you have to
go --get this done - ( it still requires the unit to be "paired" with the car via a merc dealer or specialist and activated with their star management software which registers it with mercedes germany.)... ??

 

No pairing or coding is required unless your car doesn't have NTG4 (Comand) to begin with.

Regarding maps: I didn't need maps as they're not available for my country. Your dealer should be able to set you up with maps.

 

I also installed the unit myself and the Japanese ETC cables just don't plug in anywhere. The job is very simple and there's a few YouTube clips that step you through in great detail. One that I remember was provided by a subscriber MrScott.
Once installed the only problem I had was there was no sound coming from my speakers ( unit was already supposed to be fully configured to my car) so I took it to a local instal place in Mt Eden Auckland today and they diagnosed the problem and configured correctly within about 10 minutes. Highly recommend talking to Auto Gravity Auckland if you need help and live in NZ. Link below.
About Us | Auto Gravity | Multimedia Navigation and Audio Specialists

 

Thanks - great info- couple questions



Who loaded the NZ Maps or did it come already preloaded ?
Was a reference to needing Benz Dealer to do a some config stuff and register it in German data base -?
Is that an issue that is best just ignored?
In Ch-Ch - so maybe a audio guy down this way in case of install issues..
Thanks again
Cheers
Kevin

 

Hi,
I had the config and maps installed from a workshop who I knew in Melbourne and then picked it up. I'd maybe try and contact these guys and see what they say, they may have a local dealer they could recommend or do work on their behalf. If I had my time again I would have sourced the unit and complete install from them as I haven't saved much if any.

Good luck,
Cheers
Marcus

 

Thanks for the heads up

Will keep shopping for the config issue - Cheers..

 

I previously had NTG4 in my C63 and still needed to get pairing done so it might be a case by case thing.

 

^ probably because you had the maps changed from Japan to New Zealand.

 

Could be but I had the maps converted on the European unit not the Japanese which was the whole reason for the new comand unit. The issue I had for repairing was the sound of the unit and the reverse camera. Could have been that the unit wasn't properly configured in Australia to my vin number but either way, all sorted now.

 

Now japanese head unit can be fully converted to European standard including map and radio. Don't need to buy another european head unit, conversion can be done via software

 

For the benefit of others, maybe you should mention how.

 

My unit is stuck in the loop.

I have seen units for sale on ebay but dont come with NZ map installed. Is it easy enough to load the maps on the unit?

 

Hi song I have pm you, regarding the software flash , wondering how you do this ?? Reformat of the hd and replace with the eu system ??
I have changed mine from jap to us so the radio works , but missing some letters in menus now , and cannot update the bluetooth to allow music streaming , so the latest version would be awesome !!

 

Dear Sir
I got a 1996 Mercedes W140 S600L from Japan with the early version of comand only made for the Japanese marked, is there any thing to do with this unit? Even to get the radio to from Japanese FM 79-90 over to European FM 88-108.
Is ther eany hope?
Roy Brude, Oslo Norway.

 

My ex Japan C200 W204 was reset to wider FM frequency to be able to work in Kenya. The radio has entered into a continuous restart loop every 5 seconds and DVD has ceased to function. The dash board language has gone into some spanish like language. How do I go about this? Do I need to replace the unit.

 

My W212 has alone gone into a 15 second continuous looping. I too was fooled into changing to the ECE setting

 

reboot loop ended

greetings, I had experienced exact the same with musicman. however I managed to recover manually without physical operation or reprogramming, I'm so happy to save myself USD 180+16%VAT for reprogramming which result is not guaranteed, I wish to share the same with everyone who having the same problem.
Only applies for the case:
1. Japanese model (Mine is W204, others maybe similar)
2. changed region from Japan to USA/EU in engineering mode.
3. then changed language to Japanese in comand setting.
4. falls into reboot loops within seconds after startup
way out:
1. change default screen to settings menu by continuously press setting button on the panel. after doing this, your comand still reboots, but after each rebooting, it should able to bring you to setting menu right after the warning message.
2. as soon as the setting menu appears after warning message,use your fastest fingers to do the following procedures:
a: push your scroll knob right to change the cursor to “language语言”
b: push your scroll knob in to change the language back to English
c: a pop-up menu shows up, you can see a two circle menu upper empty inside and lower dot inside, actually it's a two option menu letting you selet interface language but no text displayed. currently the second should has been selected, and our purpose is select back the first option (English, although not displayed). As the cursor is on the first option by default, you just select the first by press scroll knob, just in case the default is not the first, you need move the cursor to the first option.
All after those operations, your comand should have been brought back to you. The key is speed, you have to complete everything before it reboots,
if you cannot complete within one circle just try many times.

 

greetings, I had experienced exact the same with musicman. however I managed to recover manually without physical operation or reprogramming, I'm so happy to save myself USD 180+16%VAT for reprogramming which result is not guaranteed, I wish to share the same with everyone who having the same problem.
Only applies for the case:
1. Japanese model (Mine is W204, others maybe similar)
2. changed region from Japan to USA/EU in engineering mode.
3. then changed language to Japanese in comand setting.
4. falls into reboot loops within seconds after startup
way out:
1. change default screen to settings menu by continuously press setting button on the panel. after doing this, your comand still reboots, but after each rebooting, it should able to bring you to setting menu right after the warning message.
2. as soon as the setting menu appears after warning message,use your fastest fingers to do the following procedures:
a: push your scroll knob right to change the cursor to ?language语言?
b: push your scroll knob in to change the language back to English
c: a pop-up menu shows up, you can see a two circle menu upper empty inside and lower dot inside, actually it's a two option menu letting you selet interface language but no text displayed. currently the second should has been selected, and our purpose is select back the first option (English, although not displayed). As the cursor is on the first option by default, you just select the first by press scroll knob, just in case the default is not the first, you need move the cursor to the first option.
All after those operations, your comand should have been brought back to you. The key is speed, you have to complete everything before it reboots,
if you cannot complete within one circle just try many times.

Hello everyone!
Did you try this solution? Seems to be promising but I can't get it so fast as reboot loop is short and basically COMAND freezes within 5-10 seconds after warning message...
Thanks for advice in advance!

 

Hi guys,

Just faced same issue with my GLK x204 Comand Unit, changed region from Japan to ECE on Engineering Menu, after that changed Language, and its restarting loops forever every 10-20 seconds. Tried many things before i fix it by myself.
1. Done Xentry Diagnosis -> Initial Startup (Audio & Comand unit)
2. Went to official Benz dealer, they charged 200$ just for 2 hours checking problem with some computer diagnosis. They said change your Command Unit.

After all, I tried to fix it by myself today, and finally fixed it.

1st step. Remove your Comand unit from the panel.
2nd step. Remove Comand unit HDD from the Comand unit.
3st. Switch on Comand unit, and go to Engineering Mode press down buttons Hang-up+1+#
4nd. Change back region from ECE to Japan, also SYSTEM RESET and press END.
5th. Switch on Comand unit, and it should be work without any problem now.
6. Switch off Comand unit, and put HDD back to Comand unit.
7. DONE! CONGRATULATIONS! You did it man! No need to spend hundred of dollars for the new Comand unit.

Now you can change region from Japan to ECE. but it will work little bit buggy. Keep in mind, don't change Language after changed REGION from Japan to ECE.


GOOD LUCK guys!

 

Finally, I am able to manage update the region with less bug and no restarting loops.
In my case, I retrofit the comand NTG4 Japanese version from old audio 20. My car is not Japanese version. Here what I did.
1. Change the language to English in comand menu (previously was Japanese)
2. From Engineering menu, change the region to US (I found more bug if I change to EU)
After changing, I still found the following 'minor' bug:
1. FM/AM sub-menu did not appeared in Audio menu, but able to select
2. TEL menu appeared as '----' in cluster, but able to call from my phone using bluetooth

 

Facing the same issue, considering;
1. Japanese model (W204)
2. changed region from Japan to USA/EU in engineering mode.
3. then changed language to some unknown in comand setting.
4. falls into reboot loops within seconds after startup.

How to get out of this restart loop. Also where is HDD located exactly in Comand Unit?