wizkid

This was our first and probably last MB. 2002 C240.

With 24,000 miles and ~9 months behind us, this car sucks as far as the windows go.

They never work right and the sunroof has broke.

We have taken the car in 5 or 6 times for this problem and they eventually crap out. This time the drivers window won't even budge. I am glad it stopped working while the window was up.

This car has gone in for more problems than the last three cars we have owned combined. That includes a toyota paseo with 10 years and many 100,000's on it. A 1999 Z28 Camaro and 2001 Dodge Dakota.

Any advice on this? I am pissed and need to vent.

Eric

Buellwinkle

It's a Mercedes, it's going to break and break often, the nature of the beast. Enjoy the loaners and relax. Check with an local lemon law attorney and see if that will ease your pain.

BTW, was your car made in Brazil, those seem to be the more reliable ones.

galaxygrrl

I had window problems too. 5 or 6 times. Read your state's lemon law and file. There had been lots of talk on lemon laws, just do a search.

Good luck.

Beth

FrankW

i just don't get how does the faulty window switch makes a car lemon? it's not like you can't drive the car. i thought lemon law only works if you have MAJOR mechnical problems with the car, by MAJOR i mean the engine, transmission, etc, or something like the doors won't stay close and it might open while driving stuff like that...can someone explain?

TIA

Frank

tommy

The window regulators have been known to be very touchy on Benzes (though not as bad as VW).

Maybe take it in to a different dealer. Do you know what they've done to it so far?

Well, a Toyota Paseo will hold up longer, as it's a Toyota, and also a very simple car; the more complex cars have more that can go wrong - simple law of averages.

I don't really know the specifics of lemon laws, but if wizkid has had the SAME PROBLEM a bunch of times, and they still didn't fix it, then he might be entitled to money or a new car, but I don't know if he's had the exact same problem several times or not, since he didn't post what has gone wrong.

Cars get problems; you've got to allow the manufacturers to attempt to get the problem fixed, and enjoy the free loaners, like Buell said.

Buellwinkle

It's simple, the law in CA says that if you bring the car in 4 times in 18 months for the same problem or 30 days in the shop for any combination of problems then you are entitled to compensation. The law specified that they can award twice the value of the car plus all legal costs. The problem must impact the safety, usability or value of the car. To me, having windows that don't open affect all three. I received an award in trial from Infiniti because the A/C didn't blow cold enough and I did it without an attorney. How's that Frank! A trip to the dealer for repairs is a trip to the dealer, it doesn't matter to me if it's a window switch or transmission. But like Beth, we enjoy the thrill of not knowing what's going to break next. It's like keeping score on a football game, the rules are complex but you enjoy it anyway!

Jim Banville

I owned 4 Ford Expeditions (From a '99 XLT to '01 Eddie Bauer) and everyone has had problems with the window regulators.

Whizkid, what exactly do you mean when you say... They were broke when you bought the car? Where they still broken each time you picked it up from being fixed? Did they replace the same part each time? Have you tried another dealer/repairer?

Jim

galaxygrrl

I would just say that six times is a bit much to get something fixed. Don't you think? That's all.

Tommy or FrankW, either one of you ever made six different visits to the dealer for the same problem?

viper

Yes get a grip on yourself. So you have a window problem and your obviously incompetent dealer can't fix it properly. Big deal.
Say good-bye to this dealer and find another one. I bet if the original dealer fixed it right the first time you would not be here ranting and raving. Right ?

ahost

With respect to Lemon laws, it probably depends on the state. Here (Hawaii) the law states that the problem should SUBSTANTIALLY impair the use, market value, or safety of the car. I had many minor problems with my car, some took more than 4 times to fix (some are still not fixed), but still I don't believe the 'SUBSTANTIAL' is satisfied. That is of course a question of judgement.

galaxygrrl

I would say that is fair. You need to try a few different dealers. Then, if you still have problems, do what you need to do.

vinmanc32

Im not minimizing the window thing at all because there is no excuse for you to be at the dealer 5 or 6 times for the same thing. But that could be my misunderstanding. Were there other problems you had with it?

wizkid

Sorry I let this go for so long. The email reply thing must not have been checked.

We have had two window regulators replaced in the driver door. The window also acts up on auto down. It will go down 4" or so and then come back up. Very weird.

Auto up and down rarely work on the back right door. They have replaced the regulator in that door too. The window came off track before that and they replaced something in there as it was stuck in the "down" position for a weekend!

THe back left window has had a regulator replaced.

The only window in the car that has not been touched is the front passenger side window (excluding the back and front windows of course).

We rarely have passengers besides the two of us so it is not like the back windows and doors are getting used all the time.

The sun roof has stoped working (in the open position) and also broke on the inside and stayed stuck in the almost closed position.

That sums up the windows problems. I won't go into the other stuff. We are looking foward to our next purchase. An S or E class is in our future. I hope they have better build quality.

Eric

BlackC230Coupe

my mom had 2 E320's. 1 E430 and a ML430 and my dad had a SL500 and the windows broke constently on all of the cars. Alot of the times they got stuck down to, which is not to good. I remember once we called the dealer for the ML430s windows that were broken and they sent a roadside assistence car to out house and he fixed it there. So big deal mercedes was not know to have such good window reliability. Right now knock on wood the windows on my C230 and CLK430 have never broken. My sister has a 02' VW jetta and she just got a letter in the mail stating that the car has power window failure.

FrankW

don't know about the other model, but the ML has problems with the window switch, not the window itself. after you lowered the ML's driverside window and it doesn't come back up, what you need to do is to pull the switch really hard to make it work. The MB service guy told us to not worry about breaking the switch because they will get it replaced under warranty.

BlackC230Coupe

a cupple times on the ML it was just the window switch for us to, but a cupple other times it was a problem in the door.

taylor192

The driver's side window in my Camry stopped working several times, I think you just got a bad car and some bad service, try another dealer.

Sorry to everyone here, but this kinda stuff disgusts me, a few simple window problems and someone is crying "lemon lemon", come on, these cars have more electronics than you could possibly imagine, things will break.

Do you go crying to Microsoft everytime Windows crashes?

If you don't like it, switch to something else, otherwise appreciate everything else you get and learn that with all the pluses, there are a few minuses, and if you get the great service that MB offers then the few minuses become less of an aggrevation. Take your Toyota in for service and see the difference.

Outland

Thank you Frank for puting this in prespective.

Let me lay this list of problems on you...leaked and burned oil....antifreeze mixed in with said oil, replaced front calipers TWICE. New Rotors-twice, third time turned down. Clutch went out. Ignition switch broke in my driveway...making me very late for work and without a car for several days. Dealer gave me NOTHING for a loaner. Now THAT is a lemon.

Name the car company? It was a freaking HONDA! An ACCORD no less!

All cars have problems...get over it. Why not sue Mercedes? There's an idea....just like the idiots who are suing McDonalds for making them and their kids fat.

I remember a few months back someone screaming about how there autoexpress button stopped working...just once, and they were already talking lemon. Did they try resyncing the switch? Nope...just got on the net and started *****ing.

What would do if you had one of those Lexi with the seizing V-6's?

As others have said, find another stealer.

c200k uk

i'v had endless probs with my merc too.

my almost 4 year old integra type-R has done 40k and not even a single visit to the garage apart from service time, thats what i call "reliability" !

bagwell

yep my first and last MB too...but I'll enjoy it until the warranty expires...going back to more reliable/less problematic Japanese cars...Lexus or Acura....heard the new GS300 will be out for 2004/5.

MarkL

I can't help it, and maybe I've been lucky, but I'll say it again, my 2002 C240 is just about flawless -- one problem w/ the steering wheel lock motor. Except for that, my car was in once for "A" service in 13K miles. There are so many small details that MB has put in our cars for convenience you probably haven't noticed them all. A lot of thought and engineering goes into MB's, even our "lowly" C-Classes, and now Buell will say "over-engineered, under built", or something like that.

To Wizkid with the broken windows, it seems your dealer is simply replacing the regulators without any type of "scientific" diagnosis. The window going partially down and then back up means there is something binding -- not necessarily a regulator issue.

Sorry for the rant, but please, if you're not happy, please get something other than a Mercedes when you next buy a car -- you'll be much happier!

Jim Banville

Okay, let's read about Hondas/Acuras that never break down...
sunroof squeak
seatbelt problem
transmission
navigation computer
another bad transmission
leaks
warped rotors
LOTS o' tranny problems
I could go on and on and on....

My '02 C240 has had a couple minor problems fixed the first time by the dealer. We'll be trading up to an E class in a year or so

Outland

Ive had NO problems at all with my C230.

BTW, if you go to the Lexus Boards, there's a laundry list of complaints as well.

taylor192

If you go to any board there's a list of complaints.

BUT... if you go to the same boards you'll find a lot of "wish lists" and mods, cause a lot of people aren't truely happy with their cars as they are driven off the lot. Sure they are reliable, but not always fun or comfortable to drive.

You gotta take the pluses with the minuses!

I'm sure my C230K has some of the squeaks and rattkes that others complain of, if I turned down the music long enough I'd probably hear them.

trench

No, because this is the response:

"Hello, Microsoft. Can you please remain on hold the rest of the day?"



Cheers, BT