I've had my 05' C240 for only a couple months. I leased it brand new and had it orderd in since the dealer didn't carry any with nav + BLK OPAL. Recently, my passenger mirror light stoped turning on. My right license plate light also stoped turning on. I get messages on my info center thing in my dash saying the passenger air bag has been deployed, several times. I haven't even came close to crashing my car, haven't been anywhere near under the hood, and I've treated it like my baby.

How could this happen?! Well, I guess it's my fault. I've made a horrible mistake. Never meet your childhood hero, or in my case car brand.


ppsh what a letdown

any ideas guys?

 

Cars today are very complex, and have a lot of computers... MB is a bit weak in the computer engineering.. but make up for it with their superior chassis, and workmanship.. if you want the electrics to always work flawlessly, get a Honda.. but forget about Rear Wheel Drive, 5-arm multi-link, and real wood inside your car... but to name a few items.

Take it to the dealer, and they can fix all of that in 2 hours..

 

Just like you said, it's a mercedes. MB service has been going down the drain lately. Stupid malfunctions and problems that shouldn't happen to such a car. It's pretty dissapointing... luckily I've had mine for nearly 3 years now and haven't had any serious malfunctions

 

You thought a C was a Mercedes??

 

Don't start that crap again...its been done hundred of times before.

 

Why don't you take a look at the other threads, like in the CLS / CL section. Both 50g+ Mercedes, still crap service and always stuff breaking. Doesn't matter how much the car costs, the service / reliability this company offers hasn't been that great lately

 

That sucks... I had the same "problem" with the license plate light. Apparently there is a TSB about it, I wonder what's up with that. But, the other problems sound pretty ****ty, I hope they get it taken care of! Good luck!

 

Well, beyond some of the wise-*** responses, let me offer this:

The likely culprit in the case of the mirror light is that the sunshade is not positioned properly to make contact with the electrical source built into the clip. Because the shade can move up and down the track when it's deployed to the side, if you don't retract it completely when stowing it back in front, the two electrical contacts may not make a good connection. This is hard to explain without pix, but pull the shade out, push it ALL the way back on the slider, and then put it back in the clip - look for the two shiny areas, one on the clip, and one on the shade - they have to match when the shade is stowed for the lamp to work.

As noted above, there is a TSB on the lic light.

 

I had the same problem, dealer said they replaced the blub, but maybe they just fixed the visor as "jrct9454" said,.
Good Luck w/ the repair
Jkw

 

that's correct... I've driven my $57,000 CDI in for service, and gotten bad service.. and In New Jersey, while out visiting my family.. I took my sisters CL65 in for a couple of warranty issues and was given the run around and rude treatment (or is that just how everyone sounds in NJ?)

 

If you have been on this board, you should have been able to determine before your purchase that MB cars of today, particularly the C-Class, are not built well from a fit/finish and electronics standpoint. If these types of issues were going to be a problem for you, you really should have bought a Lexus. This round is likely not the end your problems in this area (wish I could tell you differently and that "this is an anomoly -- all will be well, but that just isn't reality).

MB still does many things well. The cars still feel solid, the engines are bulletproof, they are very safe, and are very pretty to look at.
For your own peace of mind, it may be best to focus on these positives and forget about the wonderful MB from your childhood (I remember those wonderful MBs of my childhood also -- they were amamzing machines at one time). That company, unfortunately, has not existed in quite a while now Perhaps in several years they will be back, but it won't be with this generation's C-class.

Good luck with getting your problems fixed. MB service is still some of the best in the businsess, and they will make the effort to fix your problem. Just keep your expectations relatively low as far as having to go back for more issues in the future, and try to enjoy the good stuff MB still can offer.
Otherwise you may be a very unhappy camper for the life of your lease.

 

That is how everyone sounds in Jersey,

 

I'm from Jersey too -- that kind of treatment seems about right :-).... we have a pseudo new yorker attitude around here. I especially love the under rear-view mirror light -- very handy for illuminating your hand flipping someone off at night! I assume thats what its there for... :-)....lol, thought you'd all get a kick out of that perspective of that feature.

 

so that's what that light is for !!!!

that's the best functional explanation I've heard so far on these boards !

Thank you very much !


__________________
Carlos

Saprissa@aol.com
Sign up to attend the:
Orange County MB & AMG Meet in Irvine, CA - October 15th !
and see the:
Complete Attendee List

 

Sorry guys I'm new to all this. Maybe because I'm 16 and this being my first car. What does TSB stand for?

 

Technical Service Bulletin.

For a list of them, by W203 model type, see the Sticky up top that Ricky posted. You will get a list, but not the actual TSB itself.

Go to the dealer and ask to have them print it out for you, or let you see what it's about. Otherwise, Mercedes-Benz has an online service that you can subscribe to, and see all TSBs.

Carlos

Saprissa@aol.com

 

too bad cause once you leave the arm pit Newark, it's actually an incredible state.. beauty wise.

 

Well, thats the reason I stay here. I'm about 30-45 mins from New York City, and in the nice area up north...great woods, and relatively quiet....and somehow we handle all of our excessive traffic well.

As for this thread - I know what Mercedes-Benz vehicles used to be like, and I do have to mention that things change for every company (some good, some bad), but overall I prefer my C-class over any American vehicle (GM, Ford, etc) - I think they have a nice package with regard to handling and engines, etc. You are really getting a nice Mercedes-Benz feeling driving one of their vehicles. Were they better in the past? I'm not going to dwell on things like that - but I do feel that they have been getting better lately. Comparing my 2006 to a friend's 2004, I see very subtle quality differences that make my model better. Surfaces you touch seem nicer, the seats feel a little different - more comfortable, bigger softer headrests, etc.

Oh heck, I even noticed when washing my car that the outside metal/paint curves underneath the vehicle smoothly a little all around. On my last car (GM) the metal on the car stopped abruptly the second you couldn't see it - but this feels nice on every curve when doing a wash by hand! I'm content :-).

 

thanks Carlos, I thought I was gunna get hung for that question.

 

I had that problem too and the service guy showed me how to fix just like what jrct9454 has said: just pull out the sun visor a little bit and then push it all the way in and voila, the light is working again.

 

The pull the visor out trick actually worked. Thanks everyone.

 

now all of the audio (radio, cd, aux, nav) won't get any louder then a soft whisper!!!! I didn't touch anything and I didn't blow put the speakers because this has happend b4 and only lasted a couple minutes...it's been two days now.

 

whoa. i have never had that problem before. I had the sound distortion problem two or three times but that was easy to fix.

 

How did u do that?

 

How did u do that?