MarkL

It seems like the C230 owners are experiencing more service issues than C240/320 owners. Or, maybe there are just more coupe owners communicating. I've had no service issues w/ my 2002 C240 in the 9 months I've owned it. So, I thought a poll was in order .

By service issues, I mean problems with the car that required service visits over and above the normal maintenance visits.

JustinTRW

I guess I will include myself within the C240/C320 group. I feel so left out,

No problems thus far.

MarkL

Sorry, my first poll and I didn't want too many choices . Should have listed "coupe", "sedan". But that would have left out the wagon owners . Oh well, I think you picked the right category!

viper

I have several explanations why it may seem that coupe owners have more problems.

1. They are new to the MB brand and have different expectations about its quality. (eg they expect perfection)

2. Most coupe owners are young (relative term I know) and not reluctant to voice their displeasure.

3. A lot of coupes out there so this skews results.

DtS

I cannot legally vote in this poll either... But, to answer your question, I did had my car in once for aligning the steering-wheel and changing a faulty stereo (Audio 10 CD), and a faulty fuel guage sending device.

When I brought it in for Service A, they fixed the faulty fuel guage one more time, and fixed my clicking purge valve. Other than this, the car has been trouble free (knock on wood...).

MarkL: Update on the shifting seat. Well, I mentioned this for my service guy, but it seems like he didn't fix it. I've heard that the fault is in two small plastic clips underneath the seat cushion. Guess I will have to order those clips and fix it by myself. Anyone has the partnumber for those plastic parts??

revstriker

I don't know about this. If I pay 40K for a car (or more), I expect perfection. After reading some of MB-BOB's posts, I think it's safe to say that he is a perfectionist also.

Ouch! Actually, I agree with this. But some of the "older folks" are pretty forthcoming with their opinions.

On this board.. yes.

galaxygrrl

I expect a car that works for 30K...is that perfection? MB should be held to a high standard, they are know for reliability and they are a luxary car brand. They use this brand quality to help them sell cars, and as a result, they should be held to this standard. Period! MB can not have thier cake and eat it to.

The issues I have had are poor engineering which is unacceptable given part of their brand essence is the best engineering around.

When I file suit against MB , I will get another MB with a great deal of trepidation, but many people have seemed not to have problems, so hopefully, I'll get a better car next time.

Beth

young

oh, boo-hoo justin... i will gladly trade you my coupe w/ minor problems for your c32 w/ no problems so you can be w/ the cool coupsters! and i will be happy to be not included in these polls...

this offer valid for all c32 owners...

jswedberg

Like Justin, I feel so left out...

One problem (picked the car up in September) :

Drivers door catch misaligned slightly - plastic covering worn down.

That's it.

Oh, and I wish I had a little more power

FrankW

JustinTRW and jswedberg: i feel ya! i feel ya!...hehe...we are the lonely crowd



seems like C coupe are having more problems than the sedans. what are those problems for the C coupes?

BTW no problems yet on my car

tommy

Seems like the major problems are:

fuel sensor

seatbelts

sunroof / sunroof blinds

Buellwinkle's posts about Kleemann pulleys

weird alignment issues

regretting not purchasing the C7 package

occasional window regulator quirks

Most of these problems should be shared with the sedans; I'd just assume that the poll results are skewed here because the pool here is ccoupe heavy.

MB-BOB

Yes, I am a perfectionist. I recently asked my dealer if I should be less of a perfectionist since I only bought a lowly C-Class... He said "No." That's his story, and I like it, so I'm sticking to it.

I recall an earlier poll that showed close to three times as many Coupe owners here than Sedan owners. I think that accounts for the larger number of complaints from the Coupsters.

My most recent malady is the one-touch tilt-close feature on my sunroof. I leave the roof tilted open during the day to vent heat. One-touch close doesn't work, nor does the press and hold 3 seconds on the recirculation button trick (which just confrims the tilt-down is out of sync. Cycling the sunroof into the roof and return resyncs auto tilt down (but is not the procedure in the manual). However, stop the car with the roof tilted open, remove the key and return in two hours and it's no longer in sync and one-touch tilt-down no longer works. This malady is totally repeatable, yet after 3 trips to the service department, they still cannot observe the problem, even when I demonstrate it for them. Dunces, just dunces.

However, it's a feature of the car, so I will insist that it be made to work. I don't think I should have to cycle the sunroof open/close everytime I want the tilt-up/down feature to work.

BTW, the fuel sensor problem is a documented TSB listed for "all" models, even though the verbiage is not specific to W203... (W202 is closest model)

DTB
Date: October 1, 2001
Order No.: P-B-47.10/16
Supersedes: P-B-54.30/55 dated July 12, 2001
Group: 47
SUBJECT: Models 202, 208, 129, 210, 220, 215
Fuel Gauge Enhancement
New fuel sending units have been developed which use a thin layer of gold on the contact fingers. If you
encounter instances regarding fuel gauge inaccuracy, install the new version fuel senders after verifying that no
other faults exist. Please also review the contents of DTB 47/00 (issued in Group 54 on August 14, 2000 as
MB-Net 386) regarding Instrument Cluster applications. Dealers are advised to return any stock of the old
version fuel senders to their facing PDC for credit immediately, using the regular PRP system.
Parts Information
Qty. Part Name Part Number
1 Fuel Sender Unit
129.063/067/076 from Chassis F146279
129.068 from Chassis F188515
129 542 11 17
(Replaces 129 542 09 17)
1 Fuel Sender Unit
MY 00 and later 210
210 542 41 17
(Replaces 210 542 25 17)
1 Fuel Sender Unit
Models 220 and 215
220 542 14 17
(Replaces 220 542 08 17)
1 Fuel Sender Unit, Left
MY 98 and later 202, 208
202 470 39 41
(Replaces 202 470 26 41)
1 Fuel Sender Unit, Right
MY 98 and later 202, 208
208 470 06 41
(Replaces 202 470 30 41)
In Case of Warranty
Damage Code Operation Number Time (hrs.) Model Indicator (s)
47006 50 47-7085 1.3 C0
47-7085 1.3 H0
47-7080 .3 E4, E6, E7, E8, E9, F1, F2
47-7000 .9 M0
47-7000 .9 N0
47-7000 .4 90
DTB
October 2, 2001
Order No.: P-B-47.10/18
Supersedes:
Group: 47
SUBJECT: Models 202, 208, 129, 210, 220, 215
Fuel Level Sender Collection
To help gauge the performance of the newly introduced fuel level senders listed below, please contact your
regional Technical Specialist whenever any of the listed parts are removed from a vehicle with respect to fuel
level mis-read conditions. These parts will be listed on your warranty parts scrap report, but please do not
scrap them until a Technical Specialist has had the opportunity to inspect them.
Please note that only the listed part numbers, using the part number on the part itself, should be held for
inspection. Do not use the part number from the scrap report, as this reflects only the part number that was
installed.
129 542 11 17
202 470 39 41
208 470 06 41
210 542 41 17
220 542 14 17

revstriker

MB-BOB, now you've got me wondering about the sunroof. I know that mine works fine, but I've never left it open while I was away (although I have got out of the car several times to find that I have forgotten to close/lower the sunroof; I just use the key fob feature to close). I'll have to try that tonight. I'm thinking that if it's open when you shut off the car and then start it again, the computer does not know it's open, and that is why the auto close doesn't work. Maybe if you use the fob to close it before you start it? Just a theory, but I'll do some testing...

On another note: I tried the "rest" feature for the first time on Saturday. I had to stop at Walgreens, and I knew I wouldn't be in there long. The car was at a comfortable temp (around 72) when I shut if off (temp outside was around 90, but it was kind of overcast, not real sunny). When I got out of the store and back in my car (maybe 15 min later), I could not even tell that it had been on. The car was as hot inside as if it had been sitting there all day. Has anyone else tried this? Am I doing something wrong, or is this the best it works?

trench

I think the "rest" feature probably works better to keep a car warm on a cold day. Since the AC compressor only works when the car is on, the rest feature was probably blowing warm air within a couple of minutes on a hot day.

Cheers, BT

revstriker

This makes sense, thanks. Guess I was hoping for too much....

shtatc

I have not had any real big problems with my C240.
1. Faulty glove box light.
2. Faulty cruise control.
So far, everything has been going very well. Hopefully I dont jinx myself and things start happening after I say everything is well.

MarkL

I don't think REST works once you open a door, so it probably wasn't on when you left. Also, I think it does a better job in winter of circulating the "still warm" air. I tried it once in summer and the air got pretty warm quickly. I don't think there's much residual coolness once you shut off the engine.

revstriker

You're probably right. I guess it was just wishful thinking on my part that it would keep the car cool . Oh well, at least it doesn't get too hot here!

MarkL

Whoops! Didn't realize the previous post from trench said almost the same thing! But I think I'm right about opening the door -- I'll have to check that again :p

MB-BOB

LOL! You just knew I would jump on this one, right, Scott? We're having an abnormally mild Spring. But this time last year we had a couple days over 100 degrees by now.

"at least it doesn't get too hot here!" Cute. Nice straight line. Really.

BTW, "Rest" function works nicely in our mild Winters.

MarkL

Oh well, I mis-spoke. When I got home I tried the REST function and it does continue to work even when you open the door and get out. I guess you might be using it for someone still in the car if you park and get out.

TimmyC230boy

all of my very minor problems were related to/caused after the wreck i had. No prob prior to wreck.

FrankW

i finaly find the reason why that the air coming out of the vents is so weak. it is because i have the charcoal filter on all the time.

BTW does anyone know what the hell does the REST buttom do? i know what the ECON thing does but can't figure out the difference between REST and ECON

DtS

ECON turns of the cooling compressor, and in REST-mode your fan will blow some "buffered" (or "rest") heat from the engine into the car. Rest-mode will only work when engine is off. The rest-heating function will shut off after ~30 minutes, so the perfect use of it would be on a cold winter day, when you decide to leave your car for less than half an hour (to get some lunch f.e.) and come back to a warm and nice car

pixmation

I don't agree. Buying a product and expect it to be trouble free is not unreasonable. I don't mind and I understand that given there are so many components in a car. Minor problem may occur but I expect MB to be able to fix it promptly. When attempting to fix the same problem multiple times unsuccessful or MB service people don't know how to fix it, that's unacceptable. That's why there is the lemon law established.