mick1

i have only 300 miles on my new c320wz. no problems so far

the uncool thing is slower cars on the road keep on wanting to race with me and I could not teach them a lesson because the manual says keep it cool until the car has had at least 1,000 miles.

Saprissa

let me know what they do with your hatch...
Is it the entire hatch door w/ window and everything or what ?

I'm in the process of receiving a new Euro plate rear bezel that is glued on to the hatch, but it's going to be a royal pain in the @$$ to remove the existing one and installing this replacement.

Carlos

Saprissa@aol.com

BabyBenz6spd

2k5 C230K Sedan:

"Check Engine Light" came on this afternoon.....won't know what it is until tomorrow.......I'll keep you guys posted.

Car drives fine btw...

tyro

Ran over something at 3000 miles and had to replace rear driver's side tire for $300.

tonyC230

Well I guess this isn't as bad as some but only two visits to dealer, one for BAS/ESP- new cable resolved that and shifting problems with the 6 speed. Dealer lubricated the linkage but the problem is deeper then that. Wrote MB about changing tranny fluid and they sent reply that this would NOT change the shifting smoothness and that they are NOT aware of any shifting problems whith the manual transmission. They also suggest that I try another manual at the dealer to see if there is a problem with mine. Funny thing is that the 2005 model linkage now has been improved with only one linkage rod doing the work of two plus a cable. Just wish I Leased the car so that I could give it back. I do love this car but it will be my last MB and will keep this one as long as I can keep it on the road. (repair cost).

BabyBenz6spd

Hey Tony, what kind of problem are you having with the 6spd? Are you having a hard time shifting or something?

shorthair

I have a 2002 C320 w/23k miles. This is what I have had fixed:

Keys (4 times), floormats (the attachment buttons broke off), shifter trim plate, purge valve, pushbutton a/c control module, central locking pump and relay (for drivers seat), voice command module, rear seatbelt, command system, pse, microphone, driver seat frame, turn signal stalk (3 times), washer pump (4 times), rear sunscreen, seat controller for easy entry/exit, A/C smell (3 times), turn signal combi switch (2 times), washer nozzles, turn signal inop (harness update), instrument cluster, washer fluid container, spark plugs, spark plug wires.

The above is a list of the things fixed and doesn't include all the little intermittent things that don't happen at the dealer (like the down window express mode on one door, or a whining noise from the command system when I get in the car, or the radio cutting out, etc...)

Sigh, I wonder what suprises the next few months will bring...

dmatre

Now 38k miles on the 2003 C230SS.

Will do a ServiceB next Monday, and have them replace the cd changer (skipping).

Other than that, the dash rattle & parking brake (done at 1st service), this thing's been bullet-proof. No rattles inside after the dealer fixed the dash rattle.

ernster

c320 ss 2005 with 5200 miles

top of center console came off. - fixed.

I don't count that as a problem, could have been my fault. Basicaly 0 problems with in three months.

I love my car it is great!!!!

c4791p

Took delivery end of July 2004, nearly 4K miles now.

One warranty issue at about 1300 miles and car was out of service one week waiting for Transmission Control Module and dealer reprogramming. Since then engine and transmission have been faultless.

One other warranty issue, first time used the cargo cover unit fastened on the backs of the rear seats, when I retracted it I noticed a piece of plastic lying on the rear cargo area floor. Found it to be a section of the right end of the unit, the bottom little piece that guides the right end of the shade back into place. It had broken it half and fell off.

Dealer replaced entire unit (at retail nearly $600) because the plastic ends are pop riveted in place and apparently replacement parts are not sold. Considering the rest of the unit is built like a tank, the design sucks. My 93 toyota wagon has a better designed cover unit.

Other than that, the driver's door memory keeps forgetting me and my smart key.

Chuck

AMGS32

I am really glad I read this post. It saved me from making a serious mistake in considering a Mercedes as my potential next car. The level and number of problems that many of you are experiencing from a 'primo' car is ridiculous!
Those of you that think the number of problems you are having are reasonable are in denial!
You might expect this number of problems from a Lada or Yugo, but not a Mercedes!
I have not had as many problems in my last 5 or 6 domestic cars over a total of 500,000 kilometers or more than you have had in low mileage current cars.
This was a very disappointing thread to read!

c4791p

Now lets not go overboard here.

Left Lexus to go Mercedes, a 2004 C320 Wagon, which my wife uses in real estate. So we have a shade of 4K miles on the car since we took delivery 7/27.

Why did I pick a 2004 instead of the 2005 (and forego options that just weren't available since I bought so late in the year?) Because I wanted the 320 engine.

Why did I leave Lexus? And not buy out of our lease the 2001 Lexus IS300 that my wife loved for only $14,700 and instead put an additional $24K in to buy the MBZ?

1. Car less than 1 month old, complained of hard shifting, dealer said was the way car was designed. I complained, was told no problem, you're just not uset to the car. Three months later, Lexus releases a maintenance fix, including a new transmission control module and reprogramming. (Sounds just like the MBZ, doesn't it, but the MBZ dealer accepted the problem up front, didn't make me feel like a stupid ***, and fixed the problem.
2. Right after the transmission module was fixed the panel at the bottom of the engine compartment came loose and dragged along the ground. The dealer accused my wife of driving over a high rising driveway and it was my fault. I *****ed, dealer refunded charges as customer good will. Two months later postcard comes in mail announcing maintenance fix by Lexus including a new shield and screws with wider washers. To get even, I let them install a new engine compartment shield even though the one replaced before was 30 days old.
3. CD Changer kept jamming, eating and refusing to eject CDs. Once changed via warranty, once my cost at $700.
4. Air conditioner compressor failed in Lexus less than four years old, but just out of warranty. Dealer split repair cost "halvsies" My cost $960 (and the car had put in a rebuilt compressor with no remaining warranty -- not even the magic 12 months that supposedly comes with every installed component, because the manufacturer warranty on the car had expired.)
5. Lexus warranteed out the tires after about 2 1/2 years of use, due to complaints about bubbles forming on the sides of the tires.
6. Pissi-assed attitude of the service writer and dealer maintenance manager. Captive audience -- only one Lexus dealer in Las Vegas.

So now I have another Mercedes. A couple of things have gone wrong, but the Service Manager cares, the service writer seems really to love working at the dealership, I'm treated like a real person. The salesman who sold me the car wasn't high pressure. This is the same level of Mercedes service and support as I first received when I bought my '67 250SL, my '76 240D, my '86 190D and my '92 SL.

We've taken a couple of trips to Arizona and Utah in the car and zip along all day long at 85. This car is a great road car. Just like all my other's. In all I trust the car. My wife is all over Las Vegas in and out of traffic full of people who think there are no traffic laws here. I feel a lot better with her in the Benz than in the Lexus IS.

Everything has problems and the more electronic, the more there are. It's the way things get fixed that count.

You need to ask my brother in law to tell you why he got rid of his 2003 BMW M5 and went to the Taureg from VW. He can tell you some horror stories.

Chuck

nlpamg

Wow, that's drastic... I want to hear what happened, and what caused it!

c4791p

I'll ask him the next chance I get. Know it was electrical, over and over again.

pickupjason

2004 C230K SS
1. Noise from handling wheel - 1000 miles - dealer can't duplicated
2. Transmission fluild leaking - 3547 miles - car got towed in dealer and repaired under warranty!
There are a lot of fluid on the floor of my garage!!!
The service consultant said he saw "some" for C class have same problem for those pre-2004 models..

kind of upset since it's 4 month old and less than 4k miles..anyway, **** happens and good part is the dealer took good care of me.

outie

It was the ESP module failure. Took them one week to get the part from Germany. I was told they had to bleed the brake for hours after they replaced it.

It's running fine now.

elchinocache

my car had the same exact problem. can you do me a favor and let me know exactly what part they changed on your car. I need to fix my car but dont want to take it to the dealer since my warranty is up.

thanks

Bennie

outie

The ESP Module. It's the module attached to the the ABS unit. That's all they replaced. Remember you need to bleed the system afterwards (I think they use computer to bleed the ABS, it's been discussed before)

Oil Change

1)Check Engine light, car vibrates and feels like riding a horse! Told it’s a fuel quality problem and I should use fuel liquefier if I couldn’t find “ultra super” type (which ppl driving in Ferraris and Gallardos use!!!

2)steering fluid leaking. The fluid metallic hose was touching the engine! which damaged the hose and oil started leaking.

3)because the coupe is too small and the engine is stuffed in its place, they had to remove a lot of things to change the steering hose. When they put the things back together, they didn’t screw some transmission hose correctly. Which made it get loose while driving! Had to get fixed and add transmission oil.

4)passenger side window sometimes act weird. When pressing the one touch up, it sometimes try to close, but half way then opens again! Similar thing happened to driver’s side window once.

5)pano roof lubricated maybe 6 times!! Finally it gives only little squeaking now

6)water pump broke.

7)fuel pump broke.

8)some rubber sealings, I’m not sure whats their name… but they’re used in some box in the transmission area. The were ruined for some reason. Transmission oil started leaking a little bit. They had to drain the whole transmission fluid. And I had to pay for the new one. And its expensive.

9)speed sensing volume is not working. I had the car connected to DAC several times. They couldn’t find whats wrong.

10) this is a new thing, been happening lately… the radio turns off by itself !!

11)This is old, sometimes the radio/cd turns up or down. Without even touching it! Sometimes it searches the channels! My friend got mad at me once cuz whenever he tune the radio to one station it get changed by it self. He thought I’m playing from the steering wheel! (and no, it was not on autoscan or SC whatever)

12)rain sensor is not working. I’ve never seen the wipers move any faster when it rains harder. I have to increase the wipers speed my self.

13)pracktronic is f’ed up. Sometimes when I’m waiting at a red signal, I look at it. I see it moving just like that! Goes to the red zone sometimes. Then comes out again. Sometimes I wonder if there are ghosts walking in front of my car. it always happen by the way. One weird thing happened and almost made my heart stop was while I driving (going over 45) the front sensor turn on and in the red zone directly. Gave me that loud beep and scared the hell outta me.

14)I’ve been getting some weird metal sounds whenever I take turns. A garage told me it’s the sound of the metal parts which the engine rests on. He said he couldn’t believe his eyes that a new car having that problem. He said only old cars (over 10 years) get that problem!!!

15)lights problems. I think I mentioned this one before. Turning signals, brake lights, reverse lights… every once in a while one of them will stop working for no reason. And once of those lights is working again the other light dies right away!
Now they’re giving me timeout I guess… they’re all working! hurray!

16)what else? Hmm, I’m sure there is something else :p
Oh well, MB dealer wouldn’t give me the seatbelt and panoroof new parts. Because they claim they don’t have those parts and MB germany didn’t tell them anything about it!

17)the car spins!! A lot!! I don’t drive it when it rains anymore!


I’m sure there are some other stuff, but I don’t remember them right now.

edit: I was just reading some of the posts and remembered more of the problems I have:

18)floormats (the attachment buttons broke off).
19)gear stick trim plate
20)a/c sometimes doesn't work correctly. wont cool and gives weird smell.

Narcissus

The car you bought has propably been flooded or totaled, did you buy it from the dealer? did you do a search? can you get your REAL vin form the dealer so we can check it out?

kokketiel

Show me an enthusiast's site that does NOT have these stories. For every post here, there are thousands of people that do not post about their trouble-free experiences. Your personal experience with cars has been great, but that does not mean that there are people that did not have major problems with the same makes & models as you were driving. MB drivers also seem to be way more particular than a lot of other brand's drivers. Just look at the brake dust complaints .

Our dealer give out Camry's for loaners, and my wife commented on how solid our 4 year old ML felt after driving the 3 month old Camry for a day or two.

dmatre

I almost believed your long list of problems, until you got to this one. With ESP on, it's damn near impossible to spin the car. It'll plow, nose first, into an obstruction rather than spin into it. With ESP off, the car is more neutral, but if you've got problems spinning, then turn the damn ESP back on.

After playing with the car in a snow covered parking lot, and then blasting around on rain-slick roads (and I've hydroplaned a time or two . . . and the car goes straight), I can definitively say that unless you nail the parking brake, the car isn't going to spin.

Dude, best thing for you to do is to trade your Benz on a '72 Sedan de Ville.

Oil Change

The ESP IS ON. In fact, There is no difference when putting it ON or OFF at all. It will always be active and no matter what I do it will always work. (when taking fast U turns or hard corners). But thats it. It work on dry roads!! But when it rains? it feels like skating when going into roundabouts!!!
I dont know it may be the tires? I think I had michline mxm or something. Now I got the dunlop sport 9000 or something. i have to wait for the rain!

but the car did spin on me TWICE. And i'm not the only one. I remember a lady over here I think talking about it. I even contacted MB-Germany about this cuz I really freaked out when it happened. And they called me and made the local stealer contact me and offer car check for free (my waranty was over at the time).

Oil Change

No it hasn't been in a flood nor totaled. I dont think we have those totaling cars in here anyway, never seen one in years!
anyways, yes i have the vin and i did check the car. it was clean !

Saprissa

Oil Change,
if my Coupé had 1/2 of the problems that you have had, I would of pushed it off a cliff !!!

here's my list of problems:

- initial bad water pump (before car was even purchased). Fixed under warranty when car was delivered to me. Been perfect ever since.
- the center console sliding door (hiding the cup holder) gets stuck every once in a while (just a dirty track, that a good suction vacuum cleaner cleaned up).

that's it.

Carlos

Saprissa@aol.com