What would you do?
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 49
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C230 coupe
What would you do?
I take my 03 C230 to my trusty MB dealership for the alternator/battery light on the dash. They send me home with a new battery and a $310 bill for the battery (160) and installation (140).
The next day I am driving the car and the same light comes on. The dealer finds it's due to a voltage regulator (overcharging). The advisor said it did not help the battery at all, but the battery was bad to begin with since it was the original.
The car has the extended warranty and the Voltage reg. will be covered.
Question:
Should Mercedes cover the cost of the battery or the labor?
The advisor says the battery is considered consequential damage and would not be covered, but I don't know if the battery would have needed to be replaced without the volt. regulator issue.
What do you think is a fair solution?
Thanks!
The next day I am driving the car and the same light comes on. The dealer finds it's due to a voltage regulator (overcharging). The advisor said it did not help the battery at all, but the battery was bad to begin with since it was the original.
The car has the extended warranty and the Voltage reg. will be covered.
Question:
Should Mercedes cover the cost of the battery or the labor?
The advisor says the battery is considered consequential damage and would not be covered, but I don't know if the battery would have needed to be replaced without the volt. regulator issue.
What do you think is a fair solution?
Thanks!
Banned
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 910
Likes: 2
From: In Kush Land So cal
02 C320 Sedan
I take my 03 C230 to my trusty MB dealership for the alternator/battery light on the dash. They send me home with a new battery and a $310 bill for the battery (160) and installation (140).
The next day I am driving the car and the same light comes on. The dealer finds it's due to a voltage regulator (overcharging). The advisor said it did not help the battery at all, but the battery was bad to begin with since it was the original.
The car has the extended warranty and the Voltage reg. will be covered.
Question:
Should Mercedes cover the cost of the battery or the labor?
The advisor says the battery is considered consequential damage and would not be covered, but I don't know if the battery would have needed to be replaced without the volt. regulator issue.
What do you think is a fair solution?
Thanks!
The next day I am driving the car and the same light comes on. The dealer finds it's due to a voltage regulator (overcharging). The advisor said it did not help the battery at all, but the battery was bad to begin with since it was the original.
The car has the extended warranty and the Voltage reg. will be covered.
Question:
Should Mercedes cover the cost of the battery or the labor?
The advisor says the battery is considered consequential damage and would not be covered, but I don't know if the battery would have needed to be replaced without the volt. regulator issue.
What do you think is a fair solution?
Thanks!
My Battery died in my 02 about a week ago... I called Mercedes-Benz roadside assistance.. After getting off the phone with the lady within 15 mins a service tech came out from my local Stealership.. Looked at my battery took his tools out of his SUV BENZ hooked me up with a brand new battery. No labor charged at all.
4/17/09
140 for the battery
12 dollars for tax
152 dollars
I called them at 11:32 Service tech Arrived at 11:50 Time left was 12:15
But no... Battery is not covered under warranty =/
Super Member
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 801
Likes: 1
From: San Francisco
2009 SLK 55 AMG
Wow... This sounds like such a pain in the ***.
I'm guessing the stealership is going to sound as convincing as possible to make you pay for everything again.
And you just might =/
Your post is a little unclear.
The alternator didn't help the battery?
Which battery? The old one? Or the new one you got?
It's clear that you're saying that your new battery is bad now, but if the alternator was bad before and caused the new battery to go bad.. you can tell them and expect them to fix it.
In my honest opinion, they'll fix the alternator for sure under warranty, but you'll have to pay for this labor.
Then the battery they MIGHT replace due to crappy maintenance previously, but the labor part is really up in the air =/
I'd say argue that you paid for labor before expecting a proper fix. That didn't happen. So it's only right that they waive the additional labor other than the warrantied alternator.
You might have to pay for labor as it's not covered anymore =.=
But since they messed up the first time... that's going to be up to your arguing skills.
I'm guessing the stealership is going to sound as convincing as possible to make you pay for everything again.
And you just might =/
Your post is a little unclear.
The alternator didn't help the battery?
Which battery? The old one? Or the new one you got?
It's clear that you're saying that your new battery is bad now, but if the alternator was bad before and caused the new battery to go bad.. you can tell them and expect them to fix it.
In my honest opinion, they'll fix the alternator for sure under warranty, but you'll have to pay for this labor.
Then the battery they MIGHT replace due to crappy maintenance previously, but the labor part is really up in the air =/
I'd say argue that you paid for labor before expecting a proper fix. That didn't happen. So it's only right that they waive the additional labor other than the warrantied alternator.
You might have to pay for labor as it's not covered anymore =.=
But since they messed up the first time... that's going to be up to your arguing skills.
Senior Member
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 355
Likes: 0
From: Hong Kong/Charlotte
2010 C63
He's probably right - if you had a bad regulator, the battery was probably shot or close to it. And if it is the original, you did well to make it this far. And $160 is a little high, but within the realm of imagination.
BUT - $140 for installation?!?! Wow. At a $100 per hour, that's an hour and 20 minutes for changing a battery? US dollars, right? That seems really excessive.
Did they give you an estimate before hand? If so, not much you can do. If they didn't give you an estimate, then you did not authorize any work. If you want to be a *****, tell them to remove it and put the old one back in -- but they will do that, and then you will have to tow the car to your house b/c it won't start and then you will have to figure out where to buy a battery and get it home . . .etc. etc.
I would suggest requesting a little leeway on the labor, since they performed apparently unnecessary or at least unauthorized work. If you have been a good customer and don't just come in for warranty repairs, they might work something out for you.
BUT - $140 for installation?!?! Wow. At a $100 per hour, that's an hour and 20 minutes for changing a battery? US dollars, right? That seems really excessive.
Did they give you an estimate before hand? If so, not much you can do. If they didn't give you an estimate, then you did not authorize any work. If you want to be a *****, tell them to remove it and put the old one back in -- but they will do that, and then you will have to tow the car to your house b/c it won't start and then you will have to figure out where to buy a battery and get it home . . .etc. etc.
I would suggest requesting a little leeway on the labor, since they performed apparently unnecessary or at least unauthorized work. If you have been a good customer and don't just come in for warranty repairs, they might work something out for you.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 5,537
Likes: 8
2006 C350 Sport 6MT
Maybe you can talk to the manager and get it solved.
My scenario was on my moms Hyundai XG350L.
I was driving the car all of a sudden the stereo stopped working. Then all the dash lights came one. The lights started to dimm. I called my friend and told him he said it is the alternator it is going bad so now the car is using the battery. So I stopped the car and called Road Side Assistance. Got it towed to the dealer and the dealer said it was from the battery and they changed it and sent me a bill (cant remember the amout). They were sneaky they said "only battery" but on paper it was also the alternator. So i explained to the manager and I basically got a free battery.
So maybe you can talk to the manager and tell him the problem with the battery was because of the "voltage regulator"
My scenario was on my moms Hyundai XG350L.
I was driving the car all of a sudden the stereo stopped working. Then all the dash lights came one. The lights started to dimm. I called my friend and told him he said it is the alternator it is going bad so now the car is using the battery. So I stopped the car and called Road Side Assistance. Got it towed to the dealer and the dealer said it was from the battery and they changed it and sent me a bill (cant remember the amout). They were sneaky they said "only battery" but on paper it was also the alternator. So i explained to the manager and I basically got a free battery.
So maybe you can talk to the manager and tell him the problem with the battery was because of the "voltage regulator"
Banned
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 910
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From: In Kush Land So cal
02 C320 Sedan
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Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 49
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C230 coupe
Thanks for the feedback.
I dont think the battery ever needed to be replaced. The car never had a problem starting, etc...
The only reason I took it to the dealer was because of the trouble light (battery/alternator). They subsequently assured me the problem was the battery and for diagnosing it, installing it, and the part charged me $310.
The next day the light came back on. Now they are replacing the voltage regulator. I believe this was the initial reason for the light coming on, not the battery failure.
What is my recourse on this issue? Tell them to find my old battery and reinstall it? This was Monday, Im sure they dont have the old battery still.
I dont think the battery ever needed to be replaced. The car never had a problem starting, etc...
The only reason I took it to the dealer was because of the trouble light (battery/alternator). They subsequently assured me the problem was the battery and for diagnosing it, installing it, and the part charged me $310.
The next day the light came back on. Now they are replacing the voltage regulator. I believe this was the initial reason for the light coming on, not the battery failure.
What is my recourse on this issue? Tell them to find my old battery and reinstall it? This was Monday, Im sure they dont have the old battery still.
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MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 5,537
Likes: 8
2006 C350 Sport 6MT
Thanks for the feedback.
I dont think the battery ever needed to be replaced. The car never had a problem starting, etc...
The only reason I took it to the dealer was because of the trouble light (battery/alternator). They subsequently assured me the problem was the battery and for diagnosing it, installing it, and the part charged me $310.
The next day the light came back on. Now they are replacing the voltage regulator. I believe this was the initial reason for the light coming on, not the battery failure.
What is my recourse on this issue? Tell them to find my old battery and reinstall it? This was Monday, Im sure they dont have the old battery still.
I dont think the battery ever needed to be replaced. The car never had a problem starting, etc...
The only reason I took it to the dealer was because of the trouble light (battery/alternator). They subsequently assured me the problem was the battery and for diagnosing it, installing it, and the part charged me $310.
The next day the light came back on. Now they are replacing the voltage regulator. I believe this was the initial reason for the light coming on, not the battery failure.
What is my recourse on this issue? Tell them to find my old battery and reinstall it? This was Monday, Im sure they dont have the old battery still.
Go talk to the manager and tell him everything you told us and how you feel the problem wasn't because of the battery. Maybe he can knock out the labor (140 bucks).
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 5,854
Likes: 197
From: Huntington Beach, Ca.
'17 Jaguar XF
As suggested, talk to a manager. You shouldn't be charged for the first visit labor (what ***** to charge more than an hour to replace a battery!). You do have a new battery so I would expect to pay for that despite their error.
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 49
Likes: 0
C230 coupe
Alright, I will let everyone know the outcome when I pick it up next week.
I am going to sift thru the service records to see if the previous owner replaced the battery in the recent past.
I am going to sift thru the service records to see if the previous owner replaced the battery in the recent past.
MBworld Guru
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 22,058
Likes: 19
From: Diamond Bar, CA
W206 PHEV AMG
if anyone has a bad battery just park on the side of the road and call road side assistance. they only charge you for the cost of the battery and no labor.
$140 for labor I would've brought my tools along tell their manager to come out, take out and re-install the battery in his face and ask him how long did that took. they can shove the bill up their own behind.
$140 for labor I would've brought my tools along tell their manager to come out, take out and re-install the battery in his face and ask him how long did that took. they can shove the bill up their own behind.
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 49
Likes: 0
C230 coupe
if anyone has a bad battery just park on the side of the road and call road side assistance. they only charge you for the cost of the battery and no labor.
$140 for labor I would've brought my tools along tell their manager to come out, take out and re-install the battery in his face and ask him how long did that took. they can shove the bill up their own behind.
$140 for labor I would've brought my tools along tell their manager to come out, take out and re-install the battery in his face and ask him how long did that took. they can shove the bill up their own behind.
LOL! Agreed.
