I have searched, and not found anything like this. If this has been answered somewhere, please direct me to it. That being said, Here's my problem:

I drove my car this morning for about 10 minutes, it sat for about an hour, drove another 10 minutes, another rest for 30 minutes, then drove 20 minutes, then a sit for about an hour and a half. After all of this, I got in my car to drive home. I drove for maybe 2 minutes, I noticed that my MFD showed the coolant temperature icon (the thermometer in the ocean looking one). I looked at my thermostat which showed right at, if not a bit under, 80˚C. Then, suddenly, the needle jumps up to 95-98˚C! After maybe a minute, it jumps back down to just below 80˚. All this time, I'd been riding with the windows down and the AC running very low in the background, on my feet. Not really enough to feel it at all.

I went home, and the car sat for about 2 minutes. I got back in and drove for maybe a minute (to Starbucks). Same message, same thermostat readings. Windows still down, AC still about the same. I get back in to drive back and, instead of rolling the windows down, I put the AC on auto with the temp for both sides at 72˚F. When it starts to blow, it's blowing hot air. I figured it would cool off in a second, and didn't pay much mind. Then it stayed hot. I turned it off and rolled the windows back down.

After another hour and a half, I get back in to go home and test the AC (same auto setting) and it's blowing cold air. After a minute, it starts to get hot (very hot). I then noticed the engine temp thermostat was just under 80 again, where it had been around 95-8 when I got in. I then waited to see if there was a correlation and, sure enough, at the same time, the thermostat jumped back up and the AC started blowing cool again. And then, a minute later, does the same thing (but opposite).

After going home, my car sat for about 3 or more hours. I then went to go get my mail (in a box near the entrance to my neighborhood which I can never remember to check on a regular basis - hence checking it on a Sunday). The AC was off from before, and no message, but the engine temp looked just a little high (about 85-90˚C). After driving around for about 5 minutes of no errors, I turn on the AC... then suddenly (BAM!!!) the error message is back and the temp jumps up to 95-8˚ (but the AC is blowing cool).

I plan on checking the thermostat for the coolant tomorrow morning, but I just wanted opinions. Even if I decide to take it to the dealer, I would like to have a probable diagnosis because DUVAL MOTORCARS MERCEDES-BENZ | JEEP in Gainesville, FL is one of the worst dealerships I've ever experienced (of any make car), and will lead you in the wrong way to try to keep you giving them money. They will probably tell me its a wear-and-tear part to make me pay.

Thanks everyone in advance for your input/guidance!

 

Hey Drew, it sounds to me like your car has a sticking thermostat. Sometimes they stick open and your car can't reach optimum operating temperature. Sometimes they stick closed and the car runs hot. If yours is sticking and un-sticking it could cause the variations in temps your are experiencing. How many miles do you have? If you're under warranty, take no crap from that dealer. Is there another dealer you can try?

Dealerships all over GA hate me for my hard-line approach both in purchasing and service departments. Tell your Service Advisor to call Nalley Acura in Marietta and ask about Matt with the 02 Acura TL. Then tell them that Matt will come to Gainesville if needed.

 

That's what I figured. I only have about 13,000 miles. I will go to the dealer, I just had a really bad experience with them and my CLK. I also go to Brumos Motorcar in Jacksonville, but I don't really feel like I should drive my car that far.

Just because I feel like ranting:
My CLK had the common MAF/O2 sensor malfunctions at the same time around 215,000 miles. They first said plugs and wires, which had never been changed, so we did that ($565.80). Then it was the vacuum hoses, so we did that (427.45). As I was leaving the dealership from that service, the Check Engine light came right back on and they changed another hose. The third time, after being threatened and talking to the head honcho, they replaced MAF sensor and left "RAER" O2 sensor.

They claimed they drove the car after each repair, and each time the light came back on within a day. I took my car to them 3 times in 4 weeks, and each visit was at least a week long. Longest I had my car between services was 2 days.

Thanks Matt!

 

13,000? You need to drive that thing. 26,100 miles in 10.5 months for me (total of 51,200 miles).

 

It was at 8,300 at the end of March when I got it. So I've put on 5,000 in just over 2 months. I think I'm about up with you (if you trust an engineering major's math... I don't really). My grandfather owned the car before me, bought it new. He didn't like it that much, having had a very nice (old) Cadillac sedan. He was also 89 when he got it. Ran his own farm (in Morriston) until the day he died. Never would have guessed he was 90.

 

The taillight in your sig pic keeps distracting me. Fix it! My eyes are drawn to the broken lens. I drove my car to NC and back 4 times in a week recently @ 400 miles a trip. Then the Daytona trip was another 1200 like two weeks later. Since then I've really slowed down.

If the thermostat was stuck open and the car wasn't able to reach the optimum temp, you'd get a CEL.. IIRC, a P0128. You're not getting this, I take it?

 

Nope, no CELs. Honestly the most annoying part is not having working aircon this time of year. As for the tail, the new ones are on the way here. I just couldn't justify paying $150+ for ONE at the dealership when I could get 2 for that price here. And I couldn't justify buying an identical set and having three perfectly good tails that all looked the same. The one's I have coming are from benzito911, and are just barely tinted, but still red.

And how can you be drawn to that with my step-mom's SL in the picture?!? Maybe you are a BMW-type person after all!

 

The SL does not get my attention.. drop the "0" from the end of SL550 and add a V8 Kompressor badge and then I'll be interested. I don't know how the 63 engine feels, but the old force-fed 55 AMG engine with it's 516tq was glorious.

 

Man you have high standards. I'd obviously love to have the SL55 AMG, but it wasn't my choice... and I have no complaints about the engine, it's still fast. It's my step-mom's mid-life crisis car. It was between that and a Maserati Quattroporte. Personally, I'd have gone with the latter, but she wanted the convertible. Still, you can barely notice the broken lens!

 

I'm OCD.. a perfectionist about my car and I guess that's why I was drawn to that lens. But yeah the SL is more of a woman's car (unless it is AMG) - still a nice car. I guess you can't complain about 382hp.

 

Yes, the SL, like the w209... feminine. The newest SLs look great though. My only problem with them is that the interior is identical to what we have. With the more aggressive body, they need a meaner inside, I think. And I cannot wait for my new tails to come in. The lens has been bugging me something terrible. And I recently realized that water and air can get into my trunk because of this. I forgot the back had huge holes in it.

 

What's your plan about the coolant issues with your car now that it's a new week and everyone is open?

 

I actually just called Duval, with no answer. I left a message, so I hope to hear back. I plan on telling them to diagnose it, and see what they say... then telling them they're stupid and to check the thermostat. Hopefully I'll hear back soon!

 

There is no wear and tear item that would cause this. I will be surprised if they try to make it out to be something like that.

 

I know. I'm going to try to get a different service representative this time. I seem to have the bad luck of, no matter what I'm calling about, I always get connected with this Dillon guy. He never seems to know what he's talking about.

 

I just got them, and I'm going to bring the car in at 3:15. Hopefully this will be fixed to day!

 

Post an update as soon as you have the diagnosis!

 

I'm sitting in the dealership now waiting... hopefully soon I will know what they think. They seem to keep discounting my diagnosis. We'll see.

 

So, I'm a bit annoyed with my dealership. They took my car in and refused to give me any sort of time estimate. I told them I was going to wait for a diagnosis before I left. I waited for an hour and heard nothing. I finally left. They never notified me, and now the dealership's closed. I just think that they should have given me a call by the end of the day to try and update me, even if it's just to say that they didn't have time to get to my car. I hope to hear from them in the morning.

 

did you request a loaner?

anyway, after they find what parts wrong with it. you can just go to www.rmeuropean.com or http://www.trademotion.com/splash/in...?siteid=214660

they have cheaper parts then others.

I'll say it's just your thermostat going bad.

 

Thank's Frank. Unfortunately, I cannot sign for a loaner, being 19, and had no one to sign for it. Last time I went there (for the CLK) I requested a loaner in advance, bringing with me someone to sign for it, and when I got there they told me that I would have to wait a week before a loaner would be available.

As for the parts, my car still is under warranty, so I shouldn't have to pay for the part. If I wasn't worried about the warranty I would have taken the car to the amazing independent shop where I get my regular services done. Thanks, though, for the web sites, I really appreciate the links.

 

Am I going to have to call these people? They have to uphold Mercedes standards.

 

I'm going to give them until mid-morning tomorrow to see what they do.

 

It really irritates me that they jerk you around. At the dealerships I have used, the loaner policy is 18-years-old. I can't say they're BSing you about that as you're not the only one I've heard of having trouble because of being under 21. That said, there is no excuse for being rude - and not calling you with an update is rude. It is not your job to call them, it is their job to call you. You seem like a nice guy, and that's mostly a good thing - but sometimes nice doesn't work. No matter your age, you own a Mercedes that is still under warranty and in this case, that's all that matters.

 

No, I'm really done being nice to them. As far as the loaner goes, it was my understanding that, like a rental, you can drive one when you're 18 if you're on the insurance, but you can't sign to rent the car until you're 21. If I don't hear from them by 10 tomorrow, I'm going to call and light a fire under there asses. It's a part that I could probably replace myself in 20 minutes, I shouldn't have to wait this long. It's amazing to me the difference between this dealership and Brumos in Jacksonville. Brumos has absolutely amazing service and a beautiful service department with HD TV to watch while you wait. And you can see into the garage to watch your car get worked on... unlike Duval where you aren't allowed to even walk near the service bay. I don't really trust them.