Looks like your car was a former Car2Go rental. The bit by the windscreen is for the display that would indicate that the car is available/unavailable while the weird box is a card reader of some sort. Usually both of these get removed before the cars are sold, but not always.
Two pics of something on my dash,have no clue what they are...anyone know???????????
1 - 13 of 13 Posts
Thank you so much Miss Mercedes...just watched a clip on youtube and there were those items on the dash...so while she spent 4 years in Washington Dc she was a car to go...wonder what she saw LOLLooks like your car was a former Car2Go rental. The bit by the windscreen is for the display that would indicate that the car is available/unavailable while the weird box is a card reader of some sort. Usually both of these get removed before the cars are sold, but not always.
And also I wondered why when I bought her there was sticky stuff on the bumpers and side doors like stickers were removed.
I thought it was illegal to not disclose if vehicle was used for taxi,or car share...is that true?
I was never told that and it says nothing on the carfax and you would think Toyota would have known when they received the car.
It’s just a used vehicle, like the rental cars from Enterprise leasing, and Avis. They resale Lease vehicles too. Toyota, would have just bought up used cars, for there inventory. Wouldn’t even know what it’s previous use was.Thank you so much Miss Mercedes...just watched a clip on youtube and there were those items on the dash...so while she spent 4 years in Washington Dc she was a car to go...wonder what she saw LOL
And also I wondered why when I bought her there was sticky stuff on the bumpers and side doors like stickers were removed.
I thought it was illegal to not disclose if vehicle was used for taxi,or car share...is that true?
I was never told that and it says nothing on the carfax and you would think Toyota would have known when they received the car.
Did they properly re-flash your stereo? Any car to go branding on the stereo when you start up? That was an issue for somebody on one of he boards. Yours ICE or electric?
First off what is re-flash and my car is gas.Did they properly re-flash your stereo? Any car to go branding on the stereo when you start up? That was an issue for somebody on one of he boards. Yours ICE or electric?
My car is gas and has TomTom USB Media System ...I am not going to pay for Tom Tom as we use the phone maps...is that what you mean? Also it connects to a cell phone for call also.Did they properly re-flash your stereo? Any car to go branding on the stereo when you start up? That was an issue for somebody on one of he boards. Yours ICE or electric?
I was told that in the UK it is illegal not to let the purchaser know about it being a lease vehicle as it gives you a chance to decide if you want to buy or not...not sure about here in the US.It’s just a used vehicle, like the rental cars from Enterprise leasing, and Avis. They resale Lease vehicles too. Toyota, would have just bought up used cars, for there inventory. Wouldn’t even know what it’s previous use was.
And Toyota would know as it comes up on the CarFax.
You should have been advised it was in fleet service. Yes that would have come up on the carfax report.
While maybe not a legal obligation, sure would have been ethical and nice seeing as how they probably had the information from Carfax.
While maybe not a legal obligation, sure would have been ethical and nice seeing as how they probably had the information from Carfax.
I recently bought a used 453 from a dealer and it originally came from the same Car2Go rental company, after several frustrating weeks of trying to return the car back to factory specs I was successful and to save you the same frustration here it is. Read it all before you do anything. (I've been a auto mechanic for about 40 years now)The Toyota dealership had no clue so I have come here to ask the smartest people I know...any clues????
View attachment 66736 This faces me on the left side of dash...what is it?????????
Next pic.............
View attachment 66737 this one is up near my windshield..pic taken from exterior.
The top left vent and box is removed by one screw reached from behind the front dash cover, buy a replacement vent cover online from a Mercedes parts house for like $30 and it pops right into the same spot and returns the car back to normal. You only have to pop out the left side of the dash below the vent to reach the Philipps screw holding in the vent and its attached box.
The one at the base of the windshield (held the rental GPS) is held in by probably two phillips that face the driver, very easy to remove. Also, you buy a replacement cover for the hole once you remove it for about $30 from Mercedes and return the dash back to normal like nothing was ever there.
Removing both items should take you less that 5 mins. You can stuff any wires back into the dash, they went to GPS equipment removed and do absolutely nothing for you or the car now.
Replacing both covers and the car looks exactly as it should as if you bought it new.
For the radio, the rental company does leave in a very decent GPS system and a full set of detailed US maps, but the car's internal GPS antenna is disconnected. Everything you need to get it working properly is still installed in the car.. (If you are unable to set the clock on the radio it is because it only can receive a time change from GPS satellites, this confirms your car's GPS antenna is not connected)
This is how you return everything back to factory GPS functioning radio and enjoy a very useful voice controlled GPS and maps again.
1. If your clock time is wrong and the menu button on the radio for changing the clock time doesn't work it means you have no GPS antenna plugged into the back of your radio.
2. You will need to watch the video before you try to remove the radio so you don't break anything, watch it here:
4. Once you take out the radio you will probably notice there is a spot for a round plug on the back of the radio that has no plug there. If so, you will probably also need to take out the plastic mounting extender that the radio itself was screwed into, this will give you more room behind the dash. You do not have to remove the dash, only the radio and it's mounting box that are on top of the dash.
5. What you are now looking get your hands on is a Green or Blue plug stuffed off to the side somewhere back inside the dash among the other wires, this plug is not plugged into anything, it's just a free hanging wire that should be close to where the other radio wires are located. Your radio GPS plug was unplugged by the rental company to plug their GPS wire into your radio. Find the plug and snake it how you need it to get it to plug back into your radio. Once you plug the GPS cable back into your radio you are done. Put everything back together, your clock should now be working if you have a clear view of the sky for the satellites and are not parked in a garage or similar structure.
6. Now follow the radio upgrade instructions from the SmartUSA download site.
7. Several things you first need to know about the radio upgrade software.
a. It is impossible to mess your radio up, it is only an update to your radio, not the full-blown operating system.
b. All US 453 car radios use only a USB for updating, all non-US or UK and EU 453's update only from a flash card. There is no flash card installed in any US sold 453, only a USB port.
c. Find on the radio within the menus the option to reset your radio back to factory, you may probably need it.
d. Installing the update should not take more than 15 mins, but always let it finish successfully or let it error out with a message so you can try it again.
e. I had to reset my radio back to factory 6 times before I got the update sequence correct, resetting the radio back to factory after getting the failed-update message only removes your update attempt, the radio always works as it did before.
f. If you do everything correctly your clock works and now the GPS panel on the radio should show your current location. The GPS voice guidance and steering wheel voice button will also work.
g. If all else fails just repeat steps C and D until you figure it out.
h. Repeating steps C and D will return any 453 radio back to original settings, the upgrade software reactivates the preinstalled maps.
i. Resetting the 453 radio will display a message there is no maps installed, actually they are installed but the radio can't access them until you install the upgrade software, this error message is normal after all resets.
j. None of these steps interfere with the bluetooth to phone abilities.
k. You will naturally have to reset your radio station presets after any radio reset.
If you do it all correctly you will have a really nice radio and the US maps are great, we use them all the time now with the find-an-address by voice commands while driving.
My radio is fine and have no hassle at all with clock or it hooking to a phone....it has Tom Tom, but requires a monthly fee to access so we just use our phones like a GPS.I recently bought a used 453 from a dealer and it originally came from the same Car2Go rental company, after several frustrating weeks of trying to return the car back to factory specs I was successful and to save you the same frustration here it is. Read it all before you do anything. (I've been a auto mechanic for about 40 years now)
The top left vent and box is removed by one screw reached from behind the front dash cover, buy a replacement vent cover online from a Mercedes parts house for like $30 and it pops right into the same spot and returns the car back to normal. You only have to pop out the left side of the dash below the vent to reach the Philipps screw holding in the vent and its attached box.
The one at the base of the windshield (held the rental GPS) is held in by probably two phillips that face the driver, very easy to remove. Also, you buy a replacement cover for the hole once you remove it for about $30 from Mercedes and return the dash back to normal like nothing was ever there.
Removing both items should take you less that 5 mins. You can stuff any wires back into the dash, they went to GPS equipment removed and do absolutely nothing for you or the car now.
Replacing both covers and the car looks exactly as it should as if you bought it new.
For the radio, the rental company does leave in a very decent GPS system and a full set of detailed US maps, but the car's internal GPS antenna is disconnected. Everything you need to get it working properly is still installed in the car.. (If you are unable to set the clock on the radio it is because it only can receive a time change from GPS satellites, this confirms your car's GPS antenna is not connected)
This is how you return everything back to factory GPS functioning radio and enjoy a very useful voice controlled GPS and maps again.
1. If your clock time is wrong and the menu button on the radio for changing the clock time doesn't work it means you have no GPS antenna plugged into the back of your radio.
2. You will need to watch the video before you try to remove the radio so you don't break anything, watch it here:3. You will need to download a SmartUSA radio software update and have it ready for use on to a USB stick to update the radio, the USB stick should be blank except for the update, all 453 GPS radios required this update at some point after 2019. You can get the official software and update how-to instructions from SmartUSA here: https://www.smartusa.com/resources/downloads/maintenance/SMART-MEDIA-SYSTEM-SOFTWARE-UPDATE.pdf
4. Once you take out the radio you will probably notice there is a spot for a round plug on the back of the radio that has no plug there. If so, you will probably also need to take out the plastic mounting extender that the radio itself was screwed into, this will give you more room behind the dash. You do not have to remove the dash, only the radio and it's mounting box that are on top of the dash.
5. What you are now looking get your hands on is a Green or Blue plug stuffed off to the side somewhere back inside the dash among the other wires, this plug is not plugged into anything, it's just a free hanging wire that should be close to where the other radio wires are located. Your radio GPS plug was unplugged by the rental company to plug their GPS wire into your radio. Find the plug and snake it how you need it to get it to plug back into your radio. Once you plug the GPS cable back into your radio you are done. Put everything back together, your clock should now be working if you have a clear view of the sky for the satellites and are not parked in a garage or similar structure.
6. Now follow the radio upgrade instructions from the SmartUSA download site.
7. Several things you first need to know about the radio upgrade software.
a. It is impossible to mess your radio up, it is only an update to your radio, not the full-blown operating system.
b. All US 453 car radios use only a USB for updating, all non-US or UK and EU 453's update only from a flash card. There is no flash card installed in any US sold 453, only a USB port.
c. Find on the radio within the menus the option to reset your radio back to factory, you may probably need it.
d. Installing the update should not take more than 15 mins, but always let it finish successfully or let it error out with a message so you can try it again.
e. I had to reset my radio back to factory 6 times before I got the update sequence correct, resetting the radio back to factory after getting the failed-update message only removes your update attempt, the radio always works as it did before.
f. If you do everything correctly your clock works and now the GPS panel on the radio should show your current location. The GPS voice guidance and steering wheel voice button will also work.
g. If all else fails just repeat steps C and D until you figure it out.
h. Repeating steps C and D will return any 453 radio back to original settings, the upgrade software reactivates the preinstalled maps.
i. Resetting the 453 radio will display a message there is no maps installed, actually they are installed but the radio can't access them until you install the upgrade software, this error message is normal after all resets.
j. None of these steps interfere with the bluetooth to phone abilities.
k. You will naturally have to reset your radio station presets after any radio reset.
If you do it all correctly you will have a really nice radio and the US maps are great, we use them all the time now with the find-an-address by voice commands while driving.
As for the rest of the issues I would prefer the dealership to remove those items since they never told me about where the car came from. Just do not want to mess with wiring..otherwise dealership could say I negated my service plan if anything goes wrong by me messing with it....
EDIT - BTW, the installed maps are free to use, they belong to the vehicle. You do not need a Tom Tom subscription or have to pay to use the maps. If you want to upgrade to traffic notifications then you will need a Tom Tom subscription.I recently bought a used 453 from a dealer and it originally came from the same Car2Go rental company, after several frustrating weeks of trying to return the car back to factory specs I was successful and to save you the same frustration here it is. Read it all before you do anything. (I've been a auto mechanic for about 40 years now)
The top left vent and box is removed by one screw reached from behind the front dash cover, buy a replacement vent cover online from a Mercedes parts house for like $30 and it pops right into the same spot and returns the car back to normal. You only have to pop out the left side of the dash below the vent to reach the Philipps screw holding in the vent and its attached box.
The one at the base of the windshield (held the rental GPS) is held in by probably two phillips that face the driver, very easy to remove. Also, you buy a replacement cover for the hole once you remove it for about $30 from Mercedes and return the dash back to normal like nothing was ever there.
Removing both items should take you less that 5 mins. You can stuff any wires back into the dash, they went to GPS equipment removed and do absolutely nothing for you or the car now.
Replacing both covers and the car looks exactly as it should as if you bought it new.
For the radio, the rental company does leave in a very decent GPS system and a full set of detailed US maps, but the car's internal GPS antenna is disconnected. Everything you need to get it working properly is still installed in the car.. (If you are unable to set the clock on the radio it is because it only can receive a time change from GPS satellites, this confirms your car's GPS antenna is not connected)
This is how you return everything back to factory GPS functioning radio and enjoy a very useful voice controlled GPS and maps again.
1. If your clock time is wrong and the menu button on the radio for changing the clock time doesn't work it means you have no GPS antenna plugged into the back of your radio.
2. You will need to watch the video before you try to remove the radio so you don't break anything, watch it here:3. You will need to download a SmartUSA radio software update and have it ready for use on to a USB stick to update the radio, the USB stick should be blank except for the update, all 453 GPS radios required this update at some point after 2019. You can get the official software and update how-to instructions from SmartUSA here: https://www.smartusa.com/resources/downloads/maintenance/SMART-MEDIA-SYSTEM-SOFTWARE-UPDATE.pdf
4. Once you take out the radio you will probably notice there is a spot for a round plug on the back of the radio that has no plug there. If so, you will probably also need to take out the plastic mounting extender that the radio itself was screwed into, this will give you more room behind the dash. You do not have to remove the dash, only the radio and it's mounting box that are on top of the dash.
5. What you are now looking get your hands on is a Green or Blue plug stuffed off to the side somewhere back inside the dash among the other wires, this plug is not plugged into anything, it's just a free hanging wire that should be close to where the other radio wires are located. Your radio GPS plug was unplugged by the rental company to plug their GPS wire into your radio. Find the plug and snake it how you need it to get it to plug back into your radio. Once you plug the GPS cable back into your radio you are done. Put everything back together, your clock should now be working if you have a clear view of the sky for the satellites and are not parked in a garage or similar structure.
6. Now follow the radio upgrade instructions from the SmartUSA download site.
7. Several things you first need to know about the radio upgrade software.
a. It is impossible to mess your radio up, it is only an update to your radio, not the full-blown operating system.
b. All US 453 car radios use only a USB for updating, all non-US or UK and EU 453's update only from a flash card. There is no flash card installed in any US sold 453, only a USB port.
c. Find on the radio within the menus the option to reset your radio back to factory, you may probably need it.
d. Installing the update should not take more than 15 mins, but always let it finish successfully or let it error out with a message so you can try it again.
e. I had to reset my radio back to factory 6 times before I got the update sequence correct, resetting the radio back to factory after getting the failed-update message only removes your update attempt, the radio always works as it did before.
f. If you do everything correctly your clock works and now the GPS panel on the radio should show your current location. The GPS voice guidance and steering wheel voice button will also work.
g. If all else fails just repeat steps C and D until you figure it out.
h. Repeating steps C and D will return any 453 radio back to original settings, the upgrade software reactivates the preinstalled maps.
i. Resetting the 453 radio will display a message there is no maps installed, actually they are installed but the radio can't access them until you install the upgrade software, this error message is normal after all resets.
j. None of these steps interfere with the bluetooth to phone abilities.
k. You will naturally have to reset your radio station presets after any radio reset.
If you do it all correctly you will have a really nice radio and the US maps are great, we use them all the time now with the find-an-address by voice commands while driving.
Well, tried to use it like a GPS(you know like our phone or a Garmin that we have,but do not use) and it does not work, says we have no account.EDIT - BTW, the installed maps are free to use, they belong to the vehicle. You do not need a Tom Tom subscription or have to pay to use the maps. If you want to upgrade to traffic notifications then you will need a Tom Tom subscription.
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