Thread: COMAND Not Working SL350 2005 Model Cannot Remove COMAND Unit!

I have an SL350 R230 2005 Model with COMAND APS NTG1. Mercedes states it is faulty and needs a new unit (quel surprise!). I have found a place for repair and downloaded your instructions for removal so i can send it off. Ive followed all these however my COMAND Unit is not the type given in the document in that i can't see the four blue screws needed for it to be removed. All i can see is two screws which hold in the cupholders which I have removed. The Unit still appears to be held in place after doing this.

It states that '2009' cars onwards also have 2 screws above the COMAND unit which are accessed by removing the air vents above COMAND. I assumed that my unit is of this type I have followed the instructions in that i have removed the speaker grille and loosened the two screws found in there to free the air vent by pulling on the tabs inside the base of the air vents. I am unable to pull out the air vent as it still feels like it still anchored in there. I do not want to pull to hard as it appears that it might break. Any suggestions?

PS Reason why removing: COMAND Gives Blue Screen Stating it is formatting the flash memory and that it will take 5 mins do not power off; then after 5 mins goes to black logo screen and then cycles back to same blue screen again!

Your car is not a 2009 car, so pretty sure it doesnt have screws from above.

Did the cupholder screws go through the two metal lugs at the bottom of the COMAND ?

You may wish to try re-installing the firmware before sending it away ..

Comand Online Ltd :: Mercedes SatNav/COMAND :: Service Update Disks :: Firmware update for S/CL/SL with DVD based COMAND

Cheers

Richard

Thanks for the quick response!

1) Yes, the cupholder screws did go through the two metal lugs at the bottom of COMAND. I have removed these and the cupholder assembly comes out but the COMAND Unit remains firmly anchored in the console. The difference in my car is that the wood centre facia finishes square below the cupholders assembly with two tabs which lay over the 'red' screws. It does not continue up to border around and above the COMAND unit as per the picture in the instructions. Lifting it out only exposed these two screws. My COMAND Unit fascia itself extends to the edges of the console to the side and top leather trims and covers the area where the 4 'blue' screws should be as shown in your instructions.

Because no other screws (ie the required 4 'blue' screws) are made visible, there must be no other place the COMAND unit is anchored other than above it. Loosening the screws under the speaker grille above the heater vents does not allow me to pull out the vents as described! Are there any other places the the Unit might be anchored/screwed? If needed how do i remove the heater vents? I have tried pulling at the tabs but the vent fascia definately does not move and applying any force may break it.

2) I am happy to try anything that may negate the need to take the unit out! - FYI the blue screen that appears states:

'Flash file system will be
formatted. All user data lost.
It could take up to 5 minutes.
Please do not switch off!'

After 5 mins the unit goes to a black screen with the merc logo and then cycles back to the blue screen and the cycle repeats.

I am happy to try the firmware update. Merc informs me they have tried already. Would i need to insert the Service Update Disk into the cd player or in the nav unit in the rear? At the moment i have no functionality in the head unit ie none of the buttons work and there is already a cd in the unit which I can't eject. If I need to place the update disc into the head unit, how do i remove the cd already in it?

Again thanks for your help

Richard, do have any further info as to how to remove the COMAND Unit?

There definately are 4 screws that hold it in but they are not exposed having followed the steps in the article. Ive taken it to merc and they state for this model they will have to take out the whole dash...

Richard

Any tips for removing the cd from the head unit so i can at least try to flash it?

Also still baffled as to how to remove the unit. I'm beginning to think my car was built in the twighlight zone as there is absolutely NO info any where with regards to the specific model COMAND and tips to remove it or fix the problem.....

This isn't a question but as I'm not a guru I'm not allowed to post the answer on the appropriate thread...

COMAND Not Working SL350 2005 Model Cannot Remove COMAND Unit!

On the 2005 to 2008 models you follow the normal instructions up to removing the cup holder screws. Once these are removed and the cup holders extracted look in the recess where the cup holders were and towards the back you'll see two odd shaped lumps on a plastic rail just below the rear of the comand unit. These are 'hooked' into the back of the comand. Push them with a screw driver and they'll unhook from the rear of the comand allowing the back to drop down. Once down, the front can also fall down unlatching it from the two fairly hefty metal lugs holding it in place.

Hope that helps.

Regards,

Dave.

Dave, Thanks for answer, I have merged your answer into the main thread (and updated my article, thanks)
Richard