[MercNut]

On January 17th, I took delivery of my 2018 GLC 43 Coupe. Shortly thereafter, I discovered a problem with the hands-free calling functionality of the Comand system:

Incoming calls ring on the car’s speakers and the caller ID shows on the Comand screen. However, when I answer the call using the steering wheel button or the Comand controller, the audio terminates on the phone, not Comand. I.e., the audio plays on the phone speaker and does not play over the vehicle speakers.

Outgoing calls exhibit the same behaviour.

In both scenarios, when my phone is idle (i.e. no active calls) both Comand and the phone show that a Bluetooth connection between each other is active. Comand is able to access the phone book on the phone and retrieve both text messages and emails. Everything works as expected, with the exception of phone call audio.

I took it to the dealer and they did a bunch of testing with my phone (BlackBerry Passport) and several employee phones (a mix of iPhone and Android) and got the same results. They also tested with a 2018 C Class in the showroom and the behaviour was exactly the same as with my GLC.

The Comand software on my car is up to date. At this point, there is nothing the dealer can do other than open a ticket with Mercedes-Benz Engineering in Germany.

Since the problem occurs with BlackBerrys, iPhones, and Android phones on multiple 2018 (Canadian) vehicles, I shouldn’t be the only one out there experiencing this problem. However, I am the first customer the dealer has had complain about this.

I’m curious If anyone reading this has had this problem (and found a resolution).

 

[gb93616]

I have an iphone 7 and connect via bluetooth (UK based). I don't use the phone in the car a lot, I think maybe only once (?) but the audio came from the car speakers and not the phone.

What I did notice though, with my previous car (Audi A6) when the phone was connected via bluetooth, all the phone sounds come through the car audio, so if I was playing a game, or watching some weird youtube video (whilst parked of course) the audio also come through the car, but it doesn't do this on the GLC. Music will if I'm using say iTunes.
Just a different implementation I guess..

 

[ometofu]

no issue with my 2018 GLC 43 AMG at all... it has to be your phone my man

 

[MercNut]

Just heard back from the dealer. The engineers in Germany analyzed the logs taken from my car and are saying that my phone is "corrupting" (that is the actual word they used) the Bluetooth connection between Comand and the phone. They're saying this corruption is why phones paired after my BlackBerry Passport don't work with Comand either. They said that my BlackBerry must be un-paired with Comand in order for other phones to work.

What I find odd about this is that I had no issues with the same phone and my 2017 GLC 300. That same phone works fine with Bluetooth headphones and hands-free calling systems in other vehicles.

Since it worked in the version of Comand in my 2017 GLC, my thinking is they've broken something in the updated, 2018 version of Comand.

 

[zackzack280578]

Hi MercNut

was the problem somehow finally resolved?

We are facing the same problem you are having.
GLC350 delivered in Nov 2017.
Sometimes the sound of the calls comes through the car speakers and sometimes only the phone even it tells it is connected through bluetooth.
What we see is that it happens less if you do first a regular phone to a landline phone and then after a whatsapp call.
If we do first whatsapp it usually doesn’t work.
Also we found that connecting the wire (for charging) parallel to bluetooth often causes trouble.
I also have a Volkswagen Tiguan from work and it doesn’t have problems at all ... bluetooth parallel to wire connection just works fine etc etc etc.

 

[MercNut]

Hi MercNut

was the problem somehow finally resolved?

We are facing the same problem you are having.
GLC350 delivered in Nov 2017.
Sometimes the sound of the calls comes through the car speakers and sometimes only the phone even it tells it is connected through bluetooth.
What we see is that it happens less if you do first a regular phone to a landline phone and then after a whatsapp call.
If we do first whatsapp it usually doesn’t work.
Also we found that connecting the wire (for charging) parallel to bluetooth often causes trouble.
I also have a Volkswagen Tiguan from work and it doesn’t have problems at all ... bluetooth parallel to wire connection just works fine etc etc etc.

The issue has not been resolved. I gave up trying when the engineers in Germany suggested I replace my BlackBerry Passport with an iPhone...



My car is a 2018 GLC 43 and has Comand 2018. I tried with a 2018 C 300 loaner vehicle that had Comand 2018 and had the same issue as my GLC. Based on that, I know the issue is not specific to my vehicle.


The sales rep I dealt with at Mercedes drives a 2017 C43 with Comand 2017. He let me test with his car and there were no issues. I also tried with a friend's 2017 Mazda CX-5, my sister's 2016 Nissan Rogue, and a 2018 Volvo XC60 that I test drove. No issues. Based on that, I know it's not my BlackBerry.



When the engineers reviewed the logs from my car, they could see the Bluetooth communication "break". They of course blamed it on my phone.


Since my BlackBerry works fine with Comand 2017, and with other vehicle brands, I am convinced Mercedes has changed something in Comand 2018 that has "broken" part of the Bluetooth functionality. I therefore call BS on the Mercedes' engineers claims that my BlackBerry is responsible...


If I receive an incoming call, it works fine. I only have issues with outgoing calls (to land lines or mobile lines).



What make/model of phone are you using? What software version? Mine is a BlackBerry Passport (model SQW100-4) running Software Release 10.3.3.2137.


Is your GLC 350 running Comand 2018?



Ryan

 

[ajmtbm]

my phone seems to be working ok, but i do have a Bluetooth issue with google assistant
long press voice button and google sound comes through car. i speak, it listens
most of the time it responds through phone speaker
sometimes, it responds through car speaker like it should
seems it goes through car speaker more often than not, especially after upgrading to android oreo a couple weeks ago
before the update it seemed to usually go though car speaker (bur did sometimes miss)
text messages seems to work most of the time
i did try to pair then pair again, doesn't seem to do much

 

[smchadwick]

I am having the same issue. I have a 2016 GLC 300 and I had an mbrace software update last week. Now my phone wont connect, both wired or through blue tooth. The call shows on the screen, I can answer on the screen, but the sound plays only through my phone. The same for the media connect to the phone. I can start and stop music but it only plays through the phone. Before the upgrade, it worked fine. I tried "forgetting" the device and reconnecting, but the same result occurred. Super frustrating!