barbilazarow

My husband's car died on him - had it towed to our MB mechanic - the MB dealership said it was the starter (though they knew the car was running and on the highway when it died) so had it transferred to them as they said it needed to be done with other documentation for security issues - who knew?? Now the MB dealership says it is sludge and they will not cover under warranty. The car was just serviced 4 weeks ago ( B service) - they have the documentation from the certified MB mechanic (who they know well and have a constant working relationship with) and yet they say they won't cover.

I have to say it all seems rather odd to me - first the starter, so they removed it from our mechanic - then they come up with sludge on a vehicle that just had a major service completed.... our mechanic wants to bring the car back and get another opinion... but this is a leased vehicle so I don't want to have issues when we return it.

For clarity - no lights came on, no warnings - the car just died on the highway. At the time of service there was 20K on the car (which is the same amount they want for a new engine!! give or take).

I am just starting to gather information on this but it seems others have had similar situations and I would love to have the knowledge from all of you before I get back to MB.
Thank you!!

N_Jay

How many limes are on the car?
Where all services done on time and documented?
If so, what is MB saying the reason for the sludge? (Has to be "Wrong Oil", "Lack of Maintenance", or maybe "excessive Bio-Diesel")
Anything else, I would think would be a warranty issue.

barbilazarow

Thank you N_J - what is a lime? not sure what that means. The dealership is saying that the filter was not changed - saying our mechanic is lying - our mechanic has been working with this dealership for 25 plus years - he is beside himself. He will replace the motor on his insurance but I am very angry with MB to suggest that a car that has had all needed service etc - and that they said first was the starter - now they say the filter was the original to the car - we have all the documents showing when the car was serviced etc. - they have had the car for over a week - and frankly I don't believe them - why on earth would a MB mechanic never change the filter ... ridiculous.

Plutoe

I guess we can beat this leased dog to death not having all repeat all the facts, however the good news in your case is that your independent mechanic is stepping up and will supply a new engine at his expense.

All rest of the shoulda, coulda or woulda is now distant history and moot, therefore at this stage who cares what "who said what" and what bearing on your issue does history have except that you mechanic is supplying a new motor.

In retrospect, if I was leasing an MB I sure as hell would not use an independent to service my MB regardless of his employment history----I would get service from the company from where I leased the car an assuming in this case it was MB!!

N_Jay

Miles (Wow I was tired)

Glad to hear you are getting the engine replaced.
I would buy the Mechanic a nice dinner out and bottle of wine.

The your filter might have been changed, but if there is a way to know it was the factory installed filter, then it was eth mechanics fault.

The starter seems to a weird point.

Remember, dealers see a lot of poorly maintained cars so they are probably suspicious all the time.

skromfols

I guess it's just my nature, but like Barb, this rubs me the wrong way. If it were me I would check with the Better Business Bureau to see if there were previous issues with this dealer. Then I would call the MB District Rep, or whoever the next level of review is. Just because your mechanic is honest enough to back up his work, I would hate to have him replace the engine at his expense. Yes, his insurance would pay for it, but he probably has a deductible and his rates would most likely go up. I would hate to punish a good mechanic without doing what I could to have someone do a better job of looking into this situation.

barbilazarow

Thanks everyone for your replies - N_J the car has 20,000 miles on it. And yes - I certainly am grateful that we have an honest mechanic who stands behind his work - but the fact that MB dealership is saying he is lying really, really rubs me the wrong way - I will be discussing this with MB - because, as skromfols says in his post, it is just not right. We have been using this mechanic for 15 years - he only services MB - I have not had a car serviced at the dealership in all that time. And now they have a had the car for over a week.... so really I don't believe them. I wil be pursuing this but my mechanic is worried because he does so much business with this dealership... he doesn't want to make waves.

As far as having a leased vehicle serviced by MB - if they won't cover work unless it is done at the dealership then that is what the warranty should state.

I will keep you all posted on what happens... thanks again and if you hear of other situations like this please let me know!

Barbi

N_Jay

20 K? So it had one oil change since new and "slugged" after only 7 K miles on a bad filter?

Something is amiss. What state are you in? Are they forcing biodiesel on you like Illinois?

I would think MB would want to do a full study of any engine that failed from sludge at only 20K miles.

barbilazarow

N_Jay - It has had 2 services - the A service and then the major B service - which just was done mid-march. We live in California. Thank you!! for your reply. I also feel that something is not quite right here... will keep you posted and please let me know if anything else come to mind.

skromfols

Barbi, I would very much appreciate knowing the outcome of this situation. I also live in Calif (northern) and with about 15,000 miles on my E350 Blutec I'll be taking it in for the 20,000 mile service fairly soon. Like you, I have an independent auto mechanic that I've been going to for many years (and going to his father before that). I trust him to do everything right, however, if there's some kind of problem that these Blutec engines are having and Mercedes is using the excuse of not honoring their warranty if an independent auto mechanic services the vehicle then I'll need to rethink my plans.

Stan

skromfols

Barbi, has your problem been resolved yet ?

barbilazarow

The update to the situations is this:

I contacted MBUSA and had an 'advocate' look into the situation - today he called me back and told me that even though we have documented proof that the service was completed at the appropriate intervals they are not covering under warranty because the vehicle was not maintained properly - even though we did everything the warranty demands - I am not a mechanic - so how do I know when I pay a bill if the service was or was not done?

I am absolutely disheartened by this turn of affairs - and am shocked the MB is treating us this way - granted we have only had 3 MBs in the last 10 years so we are not such important clients.

Not sure what next steps are - I have been in touch with an agent at the Bureau of Automotive Repairs (who counseled me to continue paying the lease as that would create other issues) and will be filing a complaint - I am also working with our leasing agent to figure out how we can move forward. The BAR told me that removing the car from the dealership would not impact the outcome of the case - and told me that now that the dealership has had the car for over three weeks we really don't know what they have and have not done with it.

So this is a very upsetting situation - I am really terribly saddened by the whole sordid mess.

N_Jay

What dealership was it?

barbilazarow

N_Jay - I don't want to say currently - When all is resolved one way or another and I am told that I can say - I will. But the folks at MBUSA are now saying they won't cover based on the information about the oil / oil filter they got from the dealership - even though - as I have mentioned they have the paperwork showing the service (namely that the oil and filter have never been changed - are original to the vehicle). My leasing agents are helping me now - thank goodness - because really - I don't know what else to do. The mechanic returns on the 14th - so if he is as good as his word he will fix through his insurance - or if the leasing folks can help we will walk away from the car.

N_Jay

Any chance your mechanic had a screw up of an employee "helping" him?

barbilazarow

Who knows? Could be - but regardless I find the MB interaction so demoralizing - talk about customer service - OY!! no mention of working with us / the mechanic - nothing - it is a CYA scenario. I am 'over' middle age - and in all of my years and through all my cars I have never been treated so shabbily and with such disrespect. I was telling a friend of mine who was thinking about switching from her BMW750LI to a smaller MB - bye bye MB.... Pity really. Such a big company and I am such a little no-one. I get better service and more consideration with each of my kids Prius and Tacoma. Even though MB has the service paperwork this i what I got today from 'customer service' @MBUSA (BTW - the service doc shows MB materials specifically were used) :

As requested, below you will find the excerpt of the 2011 Mercedes-Benz Service and Warranty booklet, and can be found on page 14 of said document.

DAMAGE DUE TO LACK OF MAINTENANCE:

Lack of proper maintenance as
described in the Maintenance Booklet.
Use of service parts or fluids, such as
paper oil filters or improper engine oil,
which are non-approved by MBUSA, will
cause engine damage not covered by the
warranty.

NORMAL MAINTENANCE IS OWNER’S
RESPONSIBILITY:

Cleaning and polishing,
lubrication and filters, engine tune-up, replacing
worn wiper blades, wiper rubber inserts,
brake pads and discs, and clutch
discs and pressure plates are some of the
normal maintenance services required and
are not covered by this warranty.
See Maintenance Booklet for details.

Damage caused by the use of improper
filters (including oil filters), engine oils, fluids,
cleaners, polishes, or waxes is not covered.
Original equipment remote control
key batteries are covered for the first 90
days from the vehicle warranty start date.

We hope you find this information helpful.

Sincerely,

skromfols

Barbi, just a thought, but have you checked with the Better Business Bureau to see if others have had problems with this dealer? I've dealt with 3 M-B dealers in Northern California and all three have gone above and beyond my expectations on customer service. When shopping for this vehicle I visited another M-B dealership and got the impression that their customer service was no more sincere than the smile on the face of the salesman. I knew immediately that I wouldn't want to do business with them. So hopefully at least part of this is the dealer, and MBUSA is just backing up their dealership (and no telling what the dealership has presented as "evidence" to justify their position.

I would be reluctant to scratch M-B off my list of potential vehicles based on this one incident, but I would certainly cross this dealer off my list of possible places to do business.

barbilazarow

Thanks Skromfols - MB is of course counting on the dealer for the information. But what really has me steamed is that they see the service was performed at the appropriate intervals - the paperwork shows that the correct materials were used - so even if it is true that the mechanic did not do what he said - that he after 25 or more years servicing MBs he is flat out lying - MB has told me that even under these circumstances they won't cover under warranty - What on earth does that say?? I am not a mechanic - who crawls under a car and checks if their service, additives, oils were the correct ones? that is completely ludicrous of course - but all I get is that the filter/oil are original to the vehicle - that even with my documentation MB won't cover. So yes, the dealership is playing an ugly role here, however that does not excuse MBUSA's behavior in this matter.

N_Jay

I would ask the dealer exactly how they determined that the oil and filter were original to the vehicle.

barbilazarow

N_J - I did ask - they said that the filter was produced 'around the time of the car manufacture'. (They told me that the filters are numbered.... my question - if the filters are numbered and sold in lots wouldn't they be able to see who bought the lot?). I have asked for this in writing - surprise! didn't get it. Another surprise is that the car is only a year and a half old.... so what does "around the time of the car manufacture" mean in reality? So if the mechanic has purchased a bulk order of filter kits etc a year ago and uses these....? I am not a MB filter manufacturing / dating expert but I see that in my future.....

skromfols

Barbi,

I just went back to your original post where you said "My husband's car died on him - had it towed to our MB mechanic - the MB dealership said it was the starter (though they knew the car was running and on the highway when it died) so had it transferred to them as they said it needed to be done with other documentation for security issues". Has that ever been brought up in conversation with Mercedes ? You also mentioned that no lights came on or there were no other indications of engine problems. If sludge were a problem keeping oil from getting to critical areas then one would think that there would be either an overheating indication or a low oil pressure indication. If it were me I would at least pursue these issues with Mercedes, and perhaps invest in an initial conversation with an attorney. As you stated previously, something is very fishy about all of this.

Stan

barbilazarow

Thank you Stan - you are correct on all counts - and yes I did bring up all these points with MB. The MB attitude is so unacceptable. I just finished filling out their Customer Assistance questionnaire that they emailed me - hmmm who wants to bet I don't hear back from them. My husband is a lawyer. Stay tuned.

jkaetz

All I can say is good luck. I'd also seriously consider getting the vehicle taken to a different dealer for a 2nd opinion. I believe another member had luck with their insurance company as you have done nothing wrong, yet your vehicle now needs a major repair. The truly scary thing is that MB holds all the cards. A consumer has no way to test the oils put in by their mechanic and no way to check that the oil filter has been changed. We have to trust that things were done as expected. Even those of us who do our own maintenance, do we have to keep the oil bottles/filter boxes as proof that the proper components were used in the maintenance? MB can always claim that even though we have a receipt the materials were never used. Sad that the only real way to avoid this situation is to use dealerships for service or DIY and video the maintenance as proof.

barbilazarow

jkaetz - thank you. You are so right on all your points. And yes - the car will be taken to another dealership for a second opinion also for the work since I don't want to put even a penny in the pocket of the current dealership, nor do I trust them or have any confidence in them. Sadly that is where the lease originated as have all our MB car purchases - even though - thank goodness! - we use a leasing agent who can now perhaps help us. I will let you all know what happens next.

barbilazarow

I have a question about oil filters - can anyone tell me if the filter itself has a date stamp - or a code of some sort - I have been searching to see how the dealership can say they know date of manufacture but can't find anything. Thank you!!