tmak26b

Hi, I have a 02 C230 with 25K miles on it. Can someone tell me if a brake fluid change and coolant change is cover under the free maintenance program?

amdeutsch

IAW with my SA it is covered every 2 years at the time your service A or B is performed within a certain time limit; +/- 3 mo or so. HTH

Kenzmbz

tmak26b

The #$%^& were probably too lazy and didnt do it consider the car is almost 3 years old. I guess i need to address it to them when i go in for sch. A next month. What else is covered? W hat about air filter?

jrct9454

Get your maintenance booklet out and do some homework.

Coolant is every three years; brake fluid is every two years. Cabin air filter is at least at the B service. All of this is included in the maintenance program as long as you are still on the original 4/50 warranty.

I always remind the Service Advisor of the time-dependent items when leaving the car for an A or B service. Everything has always been done on time and at MBUSA's expense, but YOU need to be in charge of this process.

tmak26b

I called Mercedes and the dealer today, they said they are both not covered? Can someone scan or tell me which page that tells you coolant and brake fluid are covered. My car is 3.5 years old due for a Sch A. Sch A and B were done previously without the coolant and brake fluid

thanks

jrct9454

Call MBUSA and get them to followup with the dealer. ALL preventative mtc should be covered. I've had three dealers working on my car [an '02 C240, put into service Sept 2002] - MB Sacramento, Reno, and Portland OR. All have covered this stuff with no question.

Take your mtc manual to the SERVICE MANAGER and insist that they call MBUSA in your presence - everything on the mtc list that is NOT specifically excluded is part of the maintenance agreement.

The dealer shouldn't care who's paying. Get somebody at the service dept who can find their butt with both hands....or find another dealer.

Ok, I've got the book in hand...

Page 7 for the 2002 model year of the "Service and Warranty Information" booklet covers the issue. It is indeed ambiguously worded - it depends on how one interprets the key paragraph about "required" vs "additional" service. All I know is the EVERY dealer who's worked on my car has interpreted this to mean that the periodic fluid changes called for in the book ARE part of the covered preventative mtc.

You might ask the Service Mgr and/ or MBUSA if they really meant to exclude such safety-related items as brake fluid? The coolant and brake fluids are not "wear-related"....I don't know what else to advise you. I think you're getting jobbed, but short of getting another dealer, I'm a a loss to tell you what else to do.

tmak26b

thanks, i will call for the MBZ manager in the call center. If teh dealer doesnt want to do it, i cant force them to

tmak26b

I got them to flush the coolant and brake fluid after 3 years and 27K miles. Thanks guys. Also I just have a quick question. Is air filter and fuel filter covered too or am i on my own? I am just wondering as I only have like 8 months left on the warranty, might as well get my money's worth......

Also how hard is it to check PS fluid, thanks

amdeutsch

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stick

tmak26b

no kidding, but where is the dipstick for the PS, is it under the engine cover? I really dont want to pull the car into the garage and check it, just want to do a quick gas station check

drexappeal

Okay, so this is the closest thread that matched my question.

As most of you know, I have a 2004.5, so I still have free service. When I went in to do my Service B, they said they recommended a complete fluid flush, since the Service B was being done. They said it wasn't covered under warranty and were charing $500 + to have it done.

My question is, shouldn't this be covered under the free service? From what I read in the thread, it seems like they were trying to pull a quick one on me and get me to buy into something I didn't have to pay for.

Anyways, I didn't end up getting that done (around 5K miles ago) and they said I could have it done on my next Service A at 30K miles.

For those that still have free service warranty, any input on this?

TA-9FF

I'm so confused. I thought the Service Intervals were A, B, C, etc in sequential order?

Are you guys saying we can do these services back and forth whenever we choose? That seems odd to me.

IE: Do Service A, then Service B, then do Service A again...wtf?

On another note, my 2006 C230 SS is now 8 months old and is at 10k miles. (I do lots of hwy driving; freakin' Texas is way too big for its own good dammit)

What should I be aware of maintenance-wise in the upcoming miles ahead?

I had the oil changed at 9k miles at the dealership and had the Service computer reset from Service A to Service B. After reading all the threads about oil-changes, I also agreed MB is insane for recommending oil-changes every 13k! Are they CRAZY? My trusted mechanic told me MB recommends that so the engine will break down faster later on, and they can reap the benefits for repair costs out of warranty. From now on I'm having my oil changed every 5k miles, no matter what. Better safe than sorry later.

Thanks

C230 Sport Coup

The dealer replaced my brake fluid twice no charge,
but never replaced the coolant, even though right on top of
the sheet it said "recommended service".
I had asked my service advisor on a number of occasions,
finally he says, oh that was done already.
I pointed it wasn't and thats when they finally said, it should be
done every 2 years or 50K miles.
I ended up going to the parts dept and asking a mechanic how to
"flush" the system. Just dump it, and refill was the answer.
I did it around 60K.
Just draining it, seemed to get all the fluid based on the capacity
listed in the manual.

drexappeal

Service A
Service B
repeat
repeat

The Service A and Service B have the same/similar functions each time around. It should indicate what the service entails in the manual.