I'm still repetitively knew to owning a w203, so please excuse my ignorance.

I remember getting my Benz B service last year, around late December. I was told that its 12 months or certain km's, whichever comes first. Well I dont do many KM's anymore and its been 12 months, but the car isnt asking me to book a service.

When I asked the MB dealership, they told me the car will tell me when it needs a service. I'm just wondering if maybe there is no indicator after all until it reaches the KMs and I should get it serviced now? My aftermarket warranty also relies on me getting it serviced on-time.

Its an Australian model, not USA if that makes a difference.

 

if you use your steering wheel controls to scroll through, you should find a menu that says service a in XXXX miles etc.. just use various combinations you'll find it

 

I realise that, but thanks

It still has PLENTY of KMs until next service, but what I am trying to ask is should there be a time indicator as well? Because isnt is 10,000km OR 12 months? Whichever comes first?

 

You should get a warning at 12 months & a countdown by days. Your dealer needs to plug in a Star & check what your time settings are. Also. If they failed to do a proper reset at your last service it will mess up the time counter. I've just had that problem on my CLK. In my case it called me in too early due to an incorrect time reset. Got the timer corrected with Star & went in two months later. I'm on Mobilodrive plan & MB won't pay the dealer for the service if the timing is wrong. My car has had two oil changes 5K apart due to low mileage.

 

Hi Glyn,

I called two dealer service centres today. Both are trying to tell me that the TIME countdown also depends on the KMs. Something about if the KM's are getting lower, the time counter will aslo start kicking it. And because I still have a lot of KM's to go until next service, it hasn't activated the time counter yet; or some funny thing like that. I got it confirmed the car was last serviced on 24th December 2011.

Do you think they are correct or are just ignorant to the workings of my car?

If the are incorrect, is there some online tech document that says this so I can take it to them?

 

Sven. The Assyst system on these cars has multiple modes. I don't know exactly how they are explaining to you.

1) The system is capable of counting number of WOT's etc and calculating service interval from how the car is driven ~ this function is switched off in most markets.
2) Very early cars had an oil contamination sensor - No longer used.
3) Most cars have the time & mileage function turned on in most markets because it works better with other items that need attention like cabin filters etc. etc.

While the Distance & Timing functions are two different counters they are interdependent in that if you are not running enough miles the time counter takes over. Both are dependent on how they are set in the Assyst system on your car & this does vary by market. Some markets like SA where Benz is footing the service & maintenance bill for 8 years or 120,000 Km's have these counters set at 15,000Km's or 12 months. Some have them set at 15,000Km's or 24 months & more recently some have them set at 20,000Km's or 24 months which I really don't like.

Your car might be set at 15,000KM's or 24 months whichever is the shortest or is reached first & Benz will use that for warranty. The only way to check these settings is with a Star.

There is nothing inherently wrong with leaving oil in for two years if it has done no work. The only time it can be unwise is if the car never sees an open road long fully warmed up drive that evapourates water out of the oil. This water comes from the cold combustion process & can build up to levels of >8%

So settings are market specific dependent on local conditions.

I suggest you phone MBAus with your VIN number and ask them what the Assyst Mileage & Time settings are for your car ex plant. That is what they will base the warranty on.

SA is considered a torrid zone in Benz speak. I would have thought that Aus would be similar.