I am finally posting a thread on problems I have had with my 2008 C300. It is easy to overview this situation. My C300 has been at the dealer for a majority of the month of Decmeber. To date, they have replaced the following:
Front left and right engine mounts
Complete intake plenum replacement
Air pump switches
Coolant hose
Belt

The mirrors still squeak after having those looked at a bunch of times.

This all started with a gritty engine feeling as well as loss of power/ bogging of the engine. At first, I took the car to the dealer 2 times. The first time I called Mercedes-benz Road side it was flat bedded to the dealer, they told me nothing was wrong. The second time I drove to the dealer and then went for a ride with one of the master techs. They said nothing was wrong. A third time, they finally reallized, heard, and felt the problems I was speaking of. At that time they replaced the engine mounts, did not solve the issue. They then replaced the intake plenum, gasket, and one sensor. It solved the issue.............not really. I drove the car for 14 miles after leaving the dealer and the check engine light comes on. I take is back. They replace the left and right air pump switches. Now it checks out ok and I think I am in the clear. Well, I was driving home last night and the gritty, bogging down, problem started again. I have only had the car for a few days. I am, once again, dropping the car off at the dealer today. I get to drive a Toyota Camry loaner for a fews days and I hate that.

I have looked at the Connecticut Lemon Law however my mileage is at 19,500 and the same problem has only been attemted to be repaired one time. The air pump switches do not count as the same issue as well as the first 2 times that they turned me away. After 18,000 miles I do not have much grounds for enforcing a lemon law however there are provisions that account for vehicles still under warranty. Any suggestions?

 

Are you certain that the initial two visits to the shop can not being considered in regards to the Lemon Law? It seems like the simple fact that the shop cannot replicate the problem may not let them off the hook. The fact is, you had a problem and gave them a chance to remedy the problem with no results. Guess it depends on the letter of the law. Let us know what you find out as it sounds like you are having way too much trouble.

 

Keep bugging the dealer (now they've ID and admit to the problem) until its fixed. You can even escalate the issue to MBUSA if the dealer no longer wants to service but it doesn't seem be the case.

you can just sell it or trade-in after they fix it. I think this is your best bet if you do not want to deal with future issues.

I realize that there will be some money loss if you sell/trade-in but I doubt you will be given a new car at 19k miles under any lemon laws.

Edit: Actually I take that back now I looked up CT's lemon law.

you are still under the miles but the reasonable attempt to fix is 4.... but that has to take in the consideration of the days the car has spend in the shop for the same problem....

I'm sure your dealer is aware of the law as well so don't let the dealer drag out too long...

 

Go to a different dealer. I had the mirror squeaking problem and kept taking it to my dealer and they kept brushing it off as "normal", I then went to a diff dealer here and I've never been treated better They replaced the whole mirror assembly and now the problem is solved.

 

Out of curiosity, doesn't the dealer charge back to MB for Warranty works anyway? In fact, don't they actually make money out of warranty service?

is it just pure negelgence of the first dealer?

 

The dealer charges MBUSA for any warranty work they have to do. MBUSA itself charges DC Germany.

 

Yea it's strange cause the second dealer I went to told me they were surprised the first dealer didn't want to do the work since they get paid for it from MB anyways.

 

yeah , it seems strange
how are you doing mr micropower999

 

Lemon law is joke for consumers anymore. It differs from state to state, but when I checked into it over a year ago in my state they want you to pay for mileage when claiming lemon law. Doesn't matter if you own or lease the car they still take on a mileage charge so your end result isn't getting back the full price paid for the car, you get back what its current worth (used car price).

I got a better outcome by contacting MB and having a service rep meet with me and look over my car. If your not happy with your vehicle or the service your receiving, then contact MB through one of the numbers online or located in the back of your owners manual. You will be amazed how quickly things get sorted out once a dealership gets a call from the main office.

 

I'm great. Happy to be with my new dealer How was your new years man?

 

I'd bring the car to another dealer too. From your description it is obvious that they don't know how to fix it. It does not help if they through new parts and replace those that actually were fine. You may get the illusion that these parts were faulty if the intermittent problem happened to be away for a while after the good parts were swapped.

The mirror noise was already covered, I'm a bit afraid that the engine issue was not solved with the switches. Hopefully it is good now but if it still comes back, search for other posts about the serpentine belt tensioners or something like that and take it to another shop to be looked at. The car is probably almost fine, and a good shop would have fixed the couple of issues at no time. Very unfortunate for you that you have suffered from this workshop, even more unfortunate that this isn't too rare.

 

I have had dealers tell me that they are sometimes reluctant to start swapping parts, etc as they have to "show evidence" of the problem to be reimbursed from the factory. I guess it depends on the dealers/mechanics knowledge and willingness to satisfy the customer and potentially deal with the tight fisted factory reps regarding reimbursement for intermittant and/or marginal problems...the types of issues that drive owners crazy but dont seem very serious to someone not making the payment.

 

In Europe a workshop does not get paid for the parts (neither the work) if MB finds the replaced part good. I guess they don't ask all replaced parts to be checked though.

The mirror issue is a difficult one, I doubt our workshops would fix it with a new mirror assembly. Then again, I understand the new design specifically takes care of this issue (perhaps some other improvements too).

 

Go to a lemon law attorney. It's usually free to ask if you have a case. I just had my 06 BMW 525i returned by lemon law.

 

I am just curious which country and date was the car manufactured, and did you bought "NEW" off the dealer's floor or waited for an order ?

 

How did they handle the finances? Did they just pay off your old, give you the retail/trade value or have to give you a new car or new car value?

 

In my case, I paid cash so it's easier. But they will take care of financing. You will get whatever amount you deserve.

 

What I mean is, since you paid cash, did they give you the full price back or reduce it by the number of miles or the current market value, etc.

 

The squeaking of the mirrors (in my case) seemed to be from dirt in the mechanism. I bought it in and they said they lubed it and there was no difference. The next time i washed the car I paied particularly close attention to this area and used lots of soap and water. Then it was fine. now I always make sure I wash this area good and I never had a problem since.

On the bog, I hate to sound condesending, but it sounds to me like you are not used to the ESP. I know when I go around a wet corner, my car just feels flat sometimes. Turn it off and see if that makes much difference. I'd be afraid that them changing so much stuff on your car is not actually causing problems....

Hope this helps some.
Regards,
Rick

 

PS, Remeber you are "flying by wire" on the throttle. There is no direct connection between the pedal and your engine throttle. your ECU is taking all sorts of inputs to determine for you where the throttle position "should" be. This could be the cause of your "bog".
Regards,
Rick

 

Good question...I too am curious about where this car was built...

 

Update on CT lemon law: They allow 24,000 miles to be the cut off as well as 4 attempts or 30 calendar days of your car being at the dealer. I am currently at about 25 days. The 30 calendar days does not need to be the same problem either...good thing to know.

 

Its not the ESP. This is not my first car with traction control. I know cars, I've built them, I have raced them(not the Benz), and I have fixed them. There is something legitimately wrong with the car. Its at the dealer now, its been there for a week and 3 days.

 

If it was a TPS(throttle position sensor) the Benz would throw out a code and the check engine light would come on. They have allready checked for this.

 

Can you tell us WHERE you car was built?