lilly_jung1
Mercedes ML Software Malfunction
4 comment(s)
lilly_jung1 (Author)
Interesting, thanks. When you say 'corrupted software,' what does that mean? Is it like a virus? When the mechanic re-flashed the ECU, did that wipe out all your settings? I'm worried about losing my radio presets and navigation history.
peter_lange1
Think of it more like a file got scrambled, not necessarily a virus. Data gets written and rewritten, and sometimes it gets corrupted. As for the re-flashing, it's wiping the memory and installing a fresh copy of the software. Most workshops should be able to back up your settings before they do the re-flash and then restore them afterward. It's always worth asking them to do that. If it's the control unit causing issues I would recommend taking it to a reputable mechanic to get it fixed.
lilly_jung1 (Author)
You were spot on. The shop hooked it up to their computer. The control unit's software was corrupted. They performed a software reset and restored the factory settings. Thankfully, they backed up most of my preferences. It cost me 240€, but everything is working now. Navigation is back online, and no more electrical weirdness. Thanks for the advice, it helped me understand what was going on.
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peter_lange1
That sounds frustrating. I had a similar issue with my older BMW 3 Series, different brand but same headache. The symptoms were a bit different, but it also stemmed from a glitch in the car's computer. I think it was the ECU, basically the brain of the engine. The car would randomly stall. The mechanic ran diagnostics, and it pointed to corrupted software. Have you tried checking all the fuses related to the affected systems? Sometimes a voltage spike can corrupt the data in the control unit. Also, is your battery in good condition? A weak battery can cause all sorts of weird electrical problems in modern cars.