Zenec Radio/Sta Nav

[Detnor]

The unit I have has been tempremental since it was installed. Zenec themselves have never been over helpful and Navi extras have tried but all just refer queries to each other and Hymer themselves have thrown it back at Zenec.
But, I had an email from Zenec to advise Marquis now repair and can help with software.
I ended up talking to someone at Marquis Poole who at least told me how to get the radio working on the latest software, it worked and the radio is now stable, and is looking into moving the maps from the supplied 8gb card to a larger one, they can it seems sell you a new card, but all maps would have to be re-purchased, so a clone would seem better. There may be light.

 

[Guigsy]

I used my Zenec for a couple of months. Drove me nuts. Replaced it with a Sony with Android Auto.

 

[Old Gibber]

The unit I have has been tempremental since it was installed. Zenec themselves have never been over helpful and Navi extras have tried but all just refer queries to each other and Hymer themselves have thrown it back at Zenec.
But, I had an email from Zenec to advise Marquis now repair and can help with software.
I ended up talking to someone at Marquis Poole who at least told me how to get the radio working on the latest software, it worked and the radio is now stable, and is looking into moving the maps from the supplied 8gb card to a larger one, they can it seems sell you a new card, but all maps would have to be re-purchased, so a clone would seem better. There may be light.

Check the number of satellites you can receive, its in the Info section of the menu. It should be 8-12. If not then try moving the GPS aerial, possibly on top of the dash, and/or make sure you have no electronic equipment anywhere near the aerial. That will reduce the number of satellites it can see.

 

[Steve and Denise]

Norman we had a Zenec in our new Hymer trouble from day one even the dealers could not get it to work 18 months later a new one fitted warranty but still not the best, I was going to replace it with a Kenwood but after having all the problems with Hymer/ Lowdhams gave up and sold the van, after fixing all the faults

 

[Detnor]

Steve and Denise , I've always basically ignored it, it came with the van and sat there. Got annoyed with it and decided to get it working. Lad from Marquis gave me help and now it all works....amazing. Probably still won't use it, but at least it is operational now. More than the civic centre, now gone and plans to redevelop the Tramcar as flats.

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[taffiosi]

The unit I have has been tempremental since it was installed. Zenec themselves have never been over helpful and Navi extras have tried but all just refer queries to each other and Hymer themselves have thrown it back at Zenec.
But, I had an email from Zenec to advise Marquis now repair and can help with software.
I ended up talking to someone at Marquis Poole who at least told me how to get the radio working on the latest software, it worked and the radio is now stable, and is looking into moving the maps from the supplied 8gb card to a larger one, they can it seems sell you a new card, but all maps would have to be re-purchased, so a clone would seem better. There may be light.

HI, Just had my new motorhome and it came with a Zenec Z-E3766 and straight away it played up when on DAB radio, it now goes from display to display randomly, turn it off and only select FM radio and it seems ok. What was the problem with yours and how did you resolve it please? Thanks.

 

[LostInSpace]

I could ask you all - what do you think of it so far?

We have one in our 2022 Hymer. The Nav display just goes off - with a black screen and the message "No Signal".

It is not the satellite signal it is talking about, because it carries on givng good voice guidance.

It is one half of the Zenec can not communicate with the other half. - Back to the original question!

 

[Brains]

HI, Just had my new motorhome and it came with a Zenec Z-E3766 and straight away it played up when on DAB radio, it now goes from display to display randomly, turn it off and only select FM radio and it seems ok. What was the problem with yours and how did you resolve it please? Thanks.

The Zenec units (Fitted to Mercedes Hymers 2017-2019) are a pile of
You have two options.

Replace it:
With a decent Kenwood system, the cost including fitting may well have a comma in the price!
You also have to ensure it will fit in the Zenec 'hole', as most newer head units are slightly larger, and can interfere with gear changing.
There is a limit to the number of doorstops required in house, the resale value of the Zenec unit is zero.

Buy a 'stick on the screen' SatNav.
Which we did, after discussion with an auto electrician who had already replaced a couple of Zenec units, and had no desire to do it again.
We bought the Avtex Camper Three Plus (Also sold as the Garmin RV3+) unit, it's a far better SatNav than the Zenec, and it has accurate updates and is designed for motorhomes, so also has campsites.
Plus it has a built in dashcam.

We now only use the Zenec unit as an occasional FM radio and CD player and as a reversing camera.
I also sometimes leave the rear camera on, as it makes quite a good rear mirror in heavy traffic.

I have switched off all the other features such as the automatic warning of speeding, which drove me nuts in Scotland, as I got fed up with it telling me at every intersection the speed limit was 30mph on a main road.

There are no solutions to the known problems with the Zenec units which include (but not limited to):

• Random stopping of the unit.
• Occasional freezes (for us about every 200 miles, solution is to switch off the engine for 2 mins, or, if driving, press the button for 30+ secs, leave it a couple of mins, and then switch it back on again.)
• Reverting to DAB radio
• Losing all the FM stations (Solution, leave it for a few mins, it will rebuild the library)
• A limit of 8mb of maps at any one time, which means you have to remove say France to add say Spain
• You can not upgrade the memory card. You can not replace the the memory card.
• Lack of support.
• Annoying speed warnings which are not correct, worse in some countries (Scotland) and don't work in other countries at all.
• Trying to take you to the loading bay of every supermarket, and keep you out of the public car parks!
• Going into panic mode at width barriers (we have 3 in our road!)
• Losing all the satellites. (The solution we got from a German with the same problem is to find a place to park with a clear view from the front of the van to the south, switching on the radio and leaving it also for at least 30-40 mins, it then re-finds the satellites eventually!)

 

[Brains]

I could ask you all - what do you think of it so far?

We have one in our 2022 Hymer. The Nav display just goes off - with a black screen and the message "No Signal".

It is not the satellite signal it is talking about, because it carries on givng good voice guidance.

It is one half of the Zenec can not communicate with the other half. - Back to the original question!

Find a parking place with a good view of the southern horizon
The top of a hill or overlooking the sea would be best.

Park the van with the front facing south.

Switch on the radio (and the sat nav.)

Go to the pub (Other entertainment is possible, as long as it's at least 30 mins).

When you come back the satnav will work (until the next time)

 

[Brains]

I could ask you all - what do you think of it so far?

We have one in our 2022 Hymer. The Nav display just goes off - with a black screen and the message "No Signal".

It is not the satellite signal it is talking about, because it carries on givng good voice guidance.

It is one half of the Zenec can not communicate with the other half. - Back to the original question!

I am slightly surprised a 2022 Fiat based Hymer has a Zenec unit.

I was under the impression that they were only ever fitted to the Mercedes based Hymers (and Sprinter delivery vans)
And due their abysmal reputation had been dropped by Hymer and Mercedes by 2019

I'm afraid you will not find anyone with a good word to say about Zenec.
And they only have one listed UK supplier, who when I them phoned up a couple of years ago said they no longer dealt with the company.

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[Guigsy]

I am slightly surprised a 2022 Fiat based Hymer has a Zenec unit.

I was under the impression that they were only ever fitted to the Mercedes based Hymers (and Sprinter delivery vans)
And due their abysmal reputation had been dropped by Hymer and Mercedes by 2019

I'm afraid you will not find anyone with a good word to say about Zenec.
And they only have one listed UK supplier, who when I them phoned up a couple of years ago said they no longer dealt with the company.

My 2020 Geist on a Fiat chassis had a Zenec. Geist is a sub-sub-brand of the Hymer group.

 

[Brains]

My 2020 Geist on a Fiat chassis had a Zenec. Geist is a sub-sub-brand of the Hymer group.

Now we know where Hymer got rid of the thousands of Zenec units they had in stock.
My guess is they could not sell them to any other suppliers, so forced them on their own sub-sub companies.

 

[Lenny HB]

I am slightly surprised a 2022 Fiat based Hymer has a Zenec unit.

Been avalible on every Hymer Fiat or Merc based from around 2012, excluding the ones with the new Merc dash.
Pleased we never opted for the option, fitted a Clarion to the last two Hymers.