HumblePie

My car isn't even 45 days out of warranty (with 4k since last A service) and guess what...
- SRS error
- TeleAid error
- rear tail light failure
- left turn signal failure
- NO powersteering fluid registers (I checked the reserve, nearly empty)
- Door pin erratic unlocking

All of this happened within the last week with the possible exception of the Power Steering fluid. This was probably missed at my last service appt (although it was marked as checked). Note there are no visible signs of leakage.

So I brought it in today for an estimate to fix this and here is what blew me away...

I was told that EACH separate computer error is a $300 hookup charge! Huh? So the above would be a minimun of $900 (SRS, TeleAid, and Door pins). The lights are free (gee thanks) and the Power Steering fluid would be $160 ($40 for the fluid and $120 for an hour's worth of labor even though it would take 2 minutes to fill). I canned that last one altogether as I can fill the stupid container. What is worse is if they can't solve it on the computer I have to pay for the parts which is still TBD price but I can assure you that it won't come cheap.

Sure hindsight is 20/20 and I should have paid for the extended warranty. But c'mon less than 45 days out of warranty and I am already paying well over $1000 for repairs?

Am I out of line for being upset? Anyone else here such ridiculous maintenance information?

CitronC230K_03

no i think you have every reason to be upset. talk with your SA and see if there is anything they can do, given the timing.

this is why i bought the extended warranty for 7yr/100k miles from MBUSA. i have a feeling it just might pay for itself.

respdoc

Sorry to hear about your problem...but it looks like it's time to take a slice of "humble pie", pay for the repairs then drive the car to the dealer you plan on trading it into..

HumblePie

Yeah. That's kind of what I am contemplating righ tnow. We did the safe thing and purchased the extended warranty on my wife's ML but I had neglected to do so 2 years earlier with my car.

If you think abut it, depending how much you drive, an "A" and "B" service and one or two minor repairs each year could pretty much pay for that extended warranty.

I guess it's time to start thinking about a new car... Not exactly what I had anticipated but I think it's probably a good idea (if nothing more than to know what's available and the prices).

mleskovar

I would be upset as well, especially about the "EACH separate computer error is a $300 hookup charge". That is just a crock of bs. Don't you have an independent MB shop or even another dealer to go to? Your dealer is scamming you.

mbny

wow, that's sucks. just to be on the safe side, i'd have your alternator checked out. similar situation happened with my cousins bmw last year. he was getting alot of warning lights and then slowly as time went on, certain things started shutting down. DSC would shut off occasionally, xenons would cut out, etc. wound up just being the alternator and bmw's are designed to conserve power by shutting down certain components or computers to help the car run. turned out to be contributed by all the aftermarket audio visual components he had installed. 3 alpine monitors, alpine navigation, speakers, 2 12" subs, and about 1200watts in amplifiers with the stock battery and alternator.

nukblazi

After tinkering with my own car, picking up spare parts, and talking to the techs by request, they tend to not know jack **** about our cars anyway. Luckily, I have a MB/BMW specialist shop 4 miles from my house. Hookup charge? Are you kidding me? That's a dealer scam, big time. When I don't time to do the work they do it, and they do a great job less a couple stupid things that've gone wrong. Nothing worse than what the dealers have ****ed up in the past.

Start by getting a OBD reader and an old palm pilot. Cheaper than one "hook up" at the dealer. Purchase a repair manual from the parts department. Get some tools from Sears (Lifetime warranty!), and get dirty. You also need to locate a reasonable repair shop. I had the same thing happen to me.

4k out of warranty I broke the input shaft on my transmission. Shortly before that my car would start Unlocking as I went around turns. I also had 3 random CELs out of nowhere.


EDIT; That power steering fluid price is amazing. Who would pay for such a thing. An HOUR LABOR! I'd be reporting them to the BBB. 15 minute increments for a 2 minute job, fine. An HOUR?

I bought a bottle of Febi bilstein 08972. Paid $7.50 I think... $40 bucks!!!

respdoc

I think contributed is an understatement....esp. if he wasn't running any type of farad caps...

So Humble,

Stop bassing with your high-powered Audio 10 and you should be set :p

mbny

well i used "contributed" because i figured the alternator would eventually crap out anyway, but having all that audio visual would cause to burn out sooner. i don't know

while on the subject, how long should an alternator last in a car assuming the electricals are kept stock?

respdoc

You will eat stock alternators like nothing if your running high-powered audio equip. and your electrical system is not up to the task...(optima-type battery, farad caps, high-output alt., etc)...

I guess the stock life would vary widely based on the type/power of the alternator, car/truck it is in and how many OEM electrical options that the vehicle in question has and how often these options are used.....

eddie269

this is amazing. I have been contemplating on purchasing a new 05 C230 SS and everytime I get worried about the reliability, I hesitate and have doubts. Then I go on for a few days and look at more pics, read more posts, and fall back in love with the car again and want to buy.

Then, I see a post like this pop up. This is crazy. I have been active on 5 or 6 different car forums in my life and I have never seen so many reliability problem posts in any of them. (i.e. Acura, Toyota, Audi, etc) Especially for cars that are a few years old.

I keep telling myself that all these car problems are an exception and not the rule. But damn, so many late model MB's having problems?!?! Makes me crazy. I sometimes wish the c230 isn't so damn sexy.

respdoc

C230 damn sexy ???

I'll burn it off if you come any where near my tailpipes... :p

CitronC230K_03

that's why people buy them, the cars are sexy with issues.

not everyone has problems with their cars.

respdoc

And if you look at the big picture...Buying a new car gives you a 4yr/50k warranty to take care of any problems...yes, sometimes it can be a pain to have to take it to the dealer but since, at least at my dealership in Tampa, they would trade the car out with a Mercedes loaner for me at work, it's not really a big deal.

Look on the bright side...you get to try out different models of cars while not having to put wear and tear on yours....

If you think the car is "damn sexy" just get it..if your worried about problems and you feel the cost is worth it, get an extended warranty...

It's really a no brainer...

trench

I don't think that the extended warranty includes any services, just repairs.

nukblazi

I should have mentioned in my post, I expected these failures and race and beat the crap out of my car... knowingly

HumblePie

So to give everyone a quick update. I "spoke" with the service department and we "discussed" the fees. I know all about hooking up the car to the computer and could probably search these boards to find which screen they need to navigate to to troubleshoot them. I think I caught them a little off gaurd with some of the items i was talking to them about. In any case they were trying to tell me that the $300 was a flat fee to investigate anything that involved the computer. I let them know that I would be willing to pay for any troubleshooting and the labor involved but I was not willing to pay for a flat fee if it did not warrant it. We went round and round a bit and finally agreed that I was only going to pay for the time spent on the car and a nominal service fee. I was cool with that.

The source of the problem:
One of the TeleAid sensors was faulty. This would mean that the airbags for the passenger would alway deploy at full speed since it could not tell if the seat was occupied or not. This threw off the SRS sensor and the TeleAid sensor. Without boring you with the details, I ended up asking them to disable my TeleAid system since I never use it. This basically saved me almost $2k in labor and parts. Not that I am happy about the results but I am not willing to spend that kind of money on a feature I don't use. The drawback is the fact that if I don't have a TeleAid subscription, should an accident happen where the airbags go off, the local medical and police will not be notified.

And the saga continues...

HumblePie

So to give everyone a quick update. I "spoke" with the service department and we "discussed" the fees. I know all about hooking up the car to the computer and could probably search these boards to find which screen they need to navigate to to troubleshoot them. I think I caught them a little off guard with some of the items i was talking to them about. In any case they were trying to tell me that the $300 was a flat fee to investigate anything that involved the computer. I let them know that I would be willing to pay for any troubleshooting and the labor involved but I was not willing to pay for a flat fee if it did not warrant it. We went round and round a bit and finally agreed that I was only going to pay for the time spent on the car and a nominal service fee. I was cool with that.

The source of the problem:
One of the TeleAid sensors was faulty. This would mean that the airbags for the passenger would always deploy at full speed since it could not tell if the seat was occupied or not. This threw off the SRS sensor and the TeleAid sensor. Without boring you with the details, I ended up asking them to disable my TeleAid system since I never use it. This basically saved me almost $2k in labor and parts. Not that I am happy about the results but I am not willing to spend that kind of money on a feature I don't use. The drawback is the fact that if I don't have a TeleAid subscription, should an accident happen where the airbags go off, the local medical and police will not be notified.

And the saga continues...

firstkill

where do you live?




fk

HumblePie

Oops. Sorry for the dupe post. I live in WA.

Funny thing. I checked my bill closer last night. They actually chaged me for the bulb replacement. $28 for the removal of the marker lens and $6 for the bulb. What's odd about that is the fact that if I just drive into their service bay, they have previously just changed it on the spot, free of charge. Whatever. I'll keep the car for a little bit until I can decide what to replace it with...

Jim Banville

Your car was probably still under warranty when they did it for free.

firstkill

They shouldnt even check of the car is under warrenty just for a bulb change...

3pointedSTAR

I think it all comes down to the dealer... in 1999 my w202's gearbox failed one month after the 3 years warranty (Mercedes Australia). I took it in and they said I would have to get the gear box replaced. However they they replaced it for free and they wrote it off as a courtesy extended warranty. The price of the parts and labour was over 10000 AUD but I didn't have to pay. This kind of service is terriffic and I guess I don;t have to mention that I have bought many more Mercedes from this dealer.

3point.

JDM

[QUOTE=HumblePie]My car isn't even 45 days out of warranty (with 4k since last A service) and guess what...
away...


..Dealership service managers have the ability to make repairs under "goodwill" warranty claims. He makes the decision based on service history, whether or not you bought the car from that dealer, if you have come in regularly, and if he wants to be a nice guy. he holds the key. 45 days out is very reasonable to be considered for "goodwill". Heck, even GM managers can goodwill up to 5yrs, 50k without calling a rep. Chrysler on the other hand has been notorius for customer brutality (I am a service advisor), and now that mercedes is in bed with them, I'm seeing some concerning signs....mercedes tech doesnt, or cannot assist, just like chrysler.hmmm, same call center? phone scripts? like talking to visa?..

JDM

.....Perfect example of an empthatic service manager, wants to support customers and keep them! Good for you! After all, the dealer has alot to do with how much people like their cars..