Tail light connector melted
03-04-2013, 10:06 PM
#76
Member
does anyone have a pic of what the new parts look like? i spoke to a friend who works in the parts department of the local dealership and he said they stock those items (must be relatively common, eh?).
i want to go look at them to see what's doing. i would much rather stop this from happening in a preemptive manner vs. having it occur and them fix it even though i have a warranty.
i want to go look at them to see what's doing. i would much rather stop this from happening in a preemptive manner vs. having it occur and them fix it even though i have a warranty.
03-04-2013, 11:30 PM
#78
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2018 C63s Coupe 2016 C450 DAILY
Originally Posted by tivoboy
Man, my situation has gone from bad to WORSE. So, this started happening last THURSDAY, which was exactly the end of the standard warranty. I took it in today, couldn't get it in over the weekend. And it was intermittent. I confirmed over the weekend myself that the RIGHT connector is somewhat singed, just moving it around got it working again, but I can tell it has burned the light cluster a bit, so it needs fixing.
Dealer wants 900$ to do BOTH sides. So, WHY would I need both sides done, if this is only the RIGHT side. And WHY would I need the LEFT side done if this ISN'T a PROBLEM issue that should be fixed under warranty.
900$ WTF, they want to replace ALL the light housings as well apparently on BOTH sides.
And you know why? Because I DID purchase an extended warranty, but wasn't actually planning to activate it unless it was a big time issue. I might sell the car in a couple years, without the warranty and get a refund of the warranty.
But now, ONE DAY out of warranty (okay, it's THREE days now) they won't repair what is CLEARLY a problem issue with the car and should have been checked before (like when I had it in last month) and preemptively replaced.
This is EXACTLY the type of reason why I don't like going to the dealer for anything like this.
Recall on C300 taillights, true?
Dealer wants 900$ to do BOTH sides. So, WHY would I need both sides done, if this is only the RIGHT side. And WHY would I need the LEFT side done if this ISN'T a PROBLEM issue that should be fixed under warranty.
900$ WTF, they want to replace ALL the light housings as well apparently on BOTH sides.
And you know why? Because I DID purchase an extended warranty, but wasn't actually planning to activate it unless it was a big time issue. I might sell the car in a couple years, without the warranty and get a refund of the warranty.
But now, ONE DAY out of warranty (okay, it's THREE days now) they won't repair what is CLEARLY a problem issue with the car and should have been checked before (like when I had it in last month) and preemptively replaced.
This is EXACTLY the type of reason why I don't like going to the dealer for anything like this.
Recall on C300 taillights, true?
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03-04-2013, 11:41 PM
#79
Member
03-05-2013, 06:21 AM
#80
MBWorld Fanatic!
The only difference I noticed was the Brown ground on the left side of the harness was deleted. I did not see any additional grounds.
03-05-2013, 06:34 PM
#81
Super Member
Wow, well I had a nice call with MBUSA. They turned around the request very quickly, 1.5 hours after I made the initial request, and then followed up later in the day.
They simply said "you've got an extended warranty, that's what it's there for. Use it" They were not concerned at all that the dealer essentially wants to replace BOTH LIGHT HOUSINGS, even though the only problem is the bulb is burned out (okay, it's the harness and light cluster, but you get the point, the ENTIRE light HOUSING, internal and EXTERNAL and BOTH SIDES do not need to be replaced)..but, they just said it doesn't matter what it costs, warranty will pay. Yeah, you won't be able to cancel the extended warranty at any point - of course, but they probably just don't care. they TOO go their $$ for the Extended Warranty, and won't ever have to pay anything back to me..
Ah well, leaves me with a bad feeling, and it makes me feel worse since I USED to work for Daimler-Benz/DaimlerChrysler and this just isn't the way one wants the process to run. I actually did an "excessive warranty claims" project in North America back in the late 90's, and this is EXACTLY the type of excessive use of the process we were trying to identify and discourage.
They simply said "you've got an extended warranty, that's what it's there for. Use it" They were not concerned at all that the dealer essentially wants to replace BOTH LIGHT HOUSINGS, even though the only problem is the bulb is burned out (okay, it's the harness and light cluster, but you get the point, the ENTIRE light HOUSING, internal and EXTERNAL and BOTH SIDES do not need to be replaced)..but, they just said it doesn't matter what it costs, warranty will pay. Yeah, you won't be able to cancel the extended warranty at any point - of course, but they probably just don't care. they TOO go their $$ for the Extended Warranty, and won't ever have to pay anything back to me..
Ah well, leaves me with a bad feeling, and it makes me feel worse since I USED to work for Daimler-Benz/DaimlerChrysler and this just isn't the way one wants the process to run. I actually did an "excessive warranty claims" project in North America back in the late 90's, and this is EXACTLY the type of excessive use of the process we were trying to identify and discourage.
03-13-2013, 08:35 PM
#82
Super Member
You're not going to believe this. After letting the stealer do all the work to fix the burned out wire on the RIGHT side light cluster, which for them was replacing EVERYTHING including the outer light housing etc (which CANNOT have been any different than the previous one) AND they replace all the LEFT side items.
Well, now the LEFT side marker is out! So, BACK to the shop it goes, waste 2 hours combined round trip, deal with not having the car a day, etc..
What a scam and pain
Well, now the LEFT side marker is out! So, BACK to the shop it goes, waste 2 hours combined round trip, deal with not having the car a day, etc..
What a scam and pain
03-13-2013, 10:10 PM
#84
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2009 W204
I can't understand why everyone is so bent out of shape. Sure you pay extra money to buy a product that you expect to be superior, and you can't understand why the Stealer shirks its responsibiltiy to absorb the costs of an obvious engineering defect. But thats the way they work.
I bought the repair parts from the dealer for 1 side.....total cost $26.
Spent less than an hour installing at my convenience.
So suck it up and put the trouble in the back of your mind. Bring it forward when its time to buy your next ride. Might I suggest Audi, BMW,.........
I bought the repair parts from the dealer for 1 side.....total cost $26.
Spent less than an hour installing at my convenience.
So suck it up and put the trouble in the back of your mind. Bring it forward when its time to buy your next ride. Might I suggest Audi, BMW,.........
03-13-2013, 11:36 PM
#85
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2018 C63s Coupe 2016 C450 DAILY
Originally Posted by 4maticaddict
I can't understand why everyone is so bent out of shape. Sure you pay extra money to buy a product that you expect to be superior, and you can't understand why the Stealer shirks its responsibiltiy to absorb the costs of an obvious engineering defect. But thats the way they work.
I bought the repair parts from the dealer for 1 side.....total cost $26.
Spent less than an hour installing at my convenience.
So suck it up and put the trouble in the back of your mind. Bring it forward when its time to buy your next ride. Might I suggest Audi, BMW,.........
I bought the repair parts from the dealer for 1 side.....total cost $26.
Spent less than an hour installing at my convenience.
So suck it up and put the trouble in the back of your mind. Bring it forward when its time to buy your next ride. Might I suggest Audi, BMW,.........
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03-14-2013, 02:01 AM
#86
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2010 C200 CGI
I bought the repair parts from the dealer for 1 side.....total cost $26.
Spent less than an hour installing at my convenience.
So suck it up and put the trouble in the back of your mind. Bring it forward when its time to buy your next ride. Might I suggest Audi, BMW,.........
Spent less than an hour installing at my convenience.
So suck it up and put the trouble in the back of your mind. Bring it forward when its time to buy your next ride. Might I suggest Audi, BMW,.........
03-14-2013, 06:28 AM
#87
Super Member
And seriously, may be it *IS* the way it should work?
Where do you guys buy your electronics, household goods... etc where in spite of the fact that you are only given a "limited warranty" with each of those products, yet you still expect the manufacturer to cover any and all repairs even AFTER the LIMITED warranty expires? And how is this any different?
Whether you bought a C-Class or an SLR, your warranty expires at some point in time at which point, the dealer is no longer obligated to cover you on ANY repairs. Not legally, not ethically and not morally! It might make for a good customer relations policy but that is not an obligation that every dealer has to meet. And so to "take it to the top" on what basis?
Today its someone's light harness, tomorrow it might be someone else's fuel filter... Three weeks later, oops, some guy rolls in his Benz on a flat bed because his transmission gave out! At what point would you suggest the cutoff should be?
How about at the point when the warranty expires? That would probably seem fair since it is a date that everyone can pinpoint with some degree of certainty.
See, the way I see it, its all of these unwarranted claims and complaints are what ends up getting someone who's 2 or 3 days out of warranty to get screwed. Then again, he wants the protection of an extended warranty and yet he wants a refund after two years.
Again, no offense towards anyone in particular. My main point is: "No expectations, no disappointments"... If you go to the dealer feeling entitled to free repairs even though you're out of warranty, there is a greater likelihood that you'll feel disappointed than happy! Nobody's fault but your own!
Oh, and by the way, this is coming for someone who also went to the dealer, bought the needed parts, tried to replace the plug but couldn't. And so I continue to scan the forums here until I can find someone who figured out how to remove the pins from the old melted plug into the new replacement. In the meantime, I ran an additional ground wire from the ground bolt behind the fuse box, to the inside of the lamp carried. This has helped tremendously considering I had the warnings flash on me several times a day.
Last edited by IGB; 03-14-2013 at 06:36 AM.
03-14-2013, 07:53 AM
#88
MBWorld Fanatic!
If we had no expectations, we would have simply bought the cheapest car we could find to get us from point A to point B. If MB decides its better to leave its customers on the hook for a poorly designed and/or produced product, they can expect to lose customers.
03-14-2013, 12:27 PM
#89
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2015 CLA45, 2008 C300 4matic, 2011 ML350, 2001 SLK32 AMG, 2012 E550
shocking...! my right one went again this is the fourth time, and just got a call now from the dealer they will not warranty (car is well still in warranty period) they did the last repair ! DONE with the dealer, I ordered my own parts, and I will double ground off the harness, this works... parts cost 25 buck and dont have to waste my time or my sanity on these morons...
MB needs to RECALL
MB needs to RECALL
03-14-2013, 02:52 PM
#91
Member
x2; 4maticaddict would be a great candidate as he did it himself and encourages others to do so. he did mention paying stuff forward in his last post, lol.
03-14-2013, 06:22 PM
#92
Super Member
A limited manufacturer's warranty is just that "limited"... In 2 areas. Scope and coverage period.
Originally Posted by MBZ New Vehicle Warranty
All new Mercedes-Benz vehicles are covered by our New Vehicle Limited Warranty. It covers defects in material or workmanship for 48-months or 50,000 miles, whichever comes first. All you have to do is bring your vehicle into any authorized Mercedes-Benz Dealer, where you'll find expert technicians who know your vehicle inside and out.
And "so many" is "how many"? While I would imagine quite a few cars that are yet to experience the problem, you cannot dispute the huge number of C-Class that MB has sold. Compare that to the few people who posted here, you're talking fractions of single digit percentages.
They certainly can cover one or cover all if they choose to. They can even issue a voluntary recall inviting everyone, even those who have not experienced the problem to go in for repair/replacement. But again, if you're expecting any of that to happen, you'll likely be disappointed.
But if you're expecting MB to take care of any and all repair issues that come up as if the warranty is a lifetime warranty, sorry, and again, no offense intended, but I'm thinking MB would rather not have you as a customer.
Last edited by IGB; 03-14-2013 at 06:24 PM.
03-14-2013, 06:48 PM
#93
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2018 C63s Coupe 2016 C450 DAILY
Originally Posted by IGB
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bosnia1992
its not the way they should work, everyone here needs to stop being a pushover. If you have a problem with your dealer, take it to the top.
Let me apologize in advance for my post. I have no intention of offending anyone!
And seriously, may be it *IS* the way it should work?
Where do you guys buy your electronics, household goods... etc where in spite of the fact that you are only given a "limited warranty" with each of those products, yet you still expect the manufacturer to cover any and all repairs even AFTER the LIMITED warranty expires? And how is this any different?
Whether you bought a C-Class or an SLR, your warranty expires at some point in time at which point, the dealer is no longer obligated to cover you on ANY repairs. Not legally, not ethically and not morally! It might make for a good customer relations policy but that is not an obligation that every dealer has to meet. And so to " take it to the top" on what basis?
Today its someone's light harness, tomorrow it might be someone else's fuel filter... Three weeks later, oops, some guy rolls in his Benz on a flat bed because his transmission gave out! At what point would you suggest the cutoff should be?
How about at the point when the warranty expires? That would probably seem fair since it is a date that everyone can pinpoint with some degree of certainty.
See, the way I see it, its all of these unwarranted claims and complaints are what ends up getting someone who's 2 or 3 days out of warranty to get screwed. Then again, he wants the protection of an extended warranty and yet he wants a refund after two years.
Again, no offense towards anyone in particular. My main point is: " No expectations, no disappointments"... If you go to the dealer feeling entitled to free repairs even though you're out of warranty, there is a greater likelihood that you'll feel disappointed than happy! Nobody's fault but your own!
Oh, and by the way, this is coming for someone who also went to the dealer, bought the needed parts, tried to replace the plug but couldn't. And so I continue to scan the forums here until I can find someone who figured out how to remove the pins from the old melted plug into the new replacement. In the meantime, I ran an additional ground wire from the ground bolt behind the fuse box, to the inside of the lamp carried. This has helped tremendously considering I had the warnings flash on me several times a day.
Originally Posted by Bosnia1992
its not the way they should work, everyone here needs to stop being a pushover. If you have a problem with your dealer, take it to the top.
Let me apologize in advance for my post. I have no intention of offending anyone!
And seriously, may be it *IS* the way it should work?
Where do you guys buy your electronics, household goods... etc where in spite of the fact that you are only given a "limited warranty" with each of those products, yet you still expect the manufacturer to cover any and all repairs even AFTER the LIMITED warranty expires? And how is this any different?
Whether you bought a C-Class or an SLR, your warranty expires at some point in time at which point, the dealer is no longer obligated to cover you on ANY repairs. Not legally, not ethically and not morally! It might make for a good customer relations policy but that is not an obligation that every dealer has to meet. And so to " take it to the top" on what basis?
Today its someone's light harness, tomorrow it might be someone else's fuel filter... Three weeks later, oops, some guy rolls in his Benz on a flat bed because his transmission gave out! At what point would you suggest the cutoff should be?
How about at the point when the warranty expires? That would probably seem fair since it is a date that everyone can pinpoint with some degree of certainty.
See, the way I see it, its all of these unwarranted claims and complaints are what ends up getting someone who's 2 or 3 days out of warranty to get screwed. Then again, he wants the protection of an extended warranty and yet he wants a refund after two years.
Again, no offense towards anyone in particular. My main point is: " No expectations, no disappointments"... If you go to the dealer feeling entitled to free repairs even though you're out of warranty, there is a greater likelihood that you'll feel disappointed than happy! Nobody's fault but your own!
Oh, and by the way, this is coming for someone who also went to the dealer, bought the needed parts, tried to replace the plug but couldn't. And so I continue to scan the forums here until I can find someone who figured out how to remove the pins from the old melted plug into the new replacement. In the meantime, I ran an additional ground wire from the ground bolt behind the fuse box, to the inside of the lamp carried. This has helped tremendously considering I had the warnings flash on me several times a day.
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03-14-2013, 07:37 PM
#94
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C220 CDI SLK 200
Where in the warranty is that exception provided for?
But if you're expecting MB to take care of any and all repair issues that come up as if the warranty is a lifetime warranty, sorry, and again, no offense intended, but I'm thinking MB would rather not have you as a customer.
But if you're expecting MB to take care of any and all repair issues that come up as if the warranty is a lifetime warranty, sorry, and again, no offense intended, but I'm thinking MB would rather not have you as a customer.
Replacing the plug and bulb holder is not a permanent repair It can and will in many cases happen again. Both sides of my 2008 model have had this problem. I have repaired it by cutting the brown wire from the plug and soldering it directly to the earth track on the light bulb holder. This repair is permanent and I can sleep well knowing that it will never happen again.
MB really had a brain fart when they let this design go through and if the fault was occurring on a Ford or GM product I would bet the owners and government would be screaming for a recall. But because for some reason an MB product is apparently not subject to the same scrutiny as local products it is allowed to pass. Perhaps a bit of lobbying to the NTHSA by MB owners could change this attitude to this issue
later w204 models with LED lights will not have this problem
03-14-2013, 11:06 PM
#95
MBWorld Fanatic!
[quote=IGB;5578560]
What point are you attempting to make? I was simply referring to the fact that the failure rate of this component is very high. I don’t think anyone on here needs any more clarification on terms such as limited, warranty, scope or coverage.
MB tends to take pretty good care of their customers but any manufacturer can have hiccups on occasion. Reading similar threads on several different forums doesn’t show “how many” but does show that it is a common problem. I have had issues with rear brake pads, torque arm bearings, cam sensors and pulley tensioners taken care of under TSBs or Star bulletins. These issues seemed to be no more widespread than the connector issue but MB chose to step up and cover them for all C Class owners regardless of warranty status. So, I'm not dissappointed so far.
Why do you keep going on and on about lifetime warranties? No one, but you has brought that up or even inferred that anyone was expecting anything like that.
Like I said in my first post, you just don’t seem to be able to comprehend what people are asking of MB. Expecting repair of a poorly designed, commonly problematic component that has failed is not unreasonable.
Where in the warranty is that exception provided for?
A limited manufacturer's warranty is just that "limited"... In 2 areas. Scope and coverage period.
A limited manufacturer's warranty is just that "limited"... In 2 areas. Scope and coverage period.
Apparently, the consensus thus far says that they they disagree with you!
And "so many" is "how many"? While I would imagine quite a few cars that are yet to experience the problem, you cannot dispute the huge number of C-Class that MB has sold. Compare that to the few people who posted here, you're talking fractions of single digit percentages.
They certainly can cover one or cover all if they choose to. They can even issue a voluntary recall inviting everyone, even those who have not experienced the problem to go in for repair/replacement. But again, if you're expecting any of that to happen, you'll likely be disappointed.
And "so many" is "how many"? While I would imagine quite a few cars that are yet to experience the problem, you cannot dispute the huge number of C-Class that MB has sold. Compare that to the few people who posted here, you're talking fractions of single digit percentages.
They certainly can cover one or cover all if they choose to. They can even issue a voluntary recall inviting everyone, even those who have not experienced the problem to go in for repair/replacement. But again, if you're expecting any of that to happen, you'll likely be disappointed.
I'm not sure which part of my post inferred that you should have bought the cheapest car but rest assured that whether you buy the cheapest or the most expensive, you will not find ANY car that comes with a lifetime bumper to bumper warranty. You're free to keep looking though!
But if you're expecting MB to take care of any and all repair issues that come up as if the warranty is a lifetime warranty, sorry, and again, no offense intended, but I'm thinking MB would rather not have you as a customer.[/
But if you're expecting MB to take care of any and all repair issues that come up as if the warranty is a lifetime warranty, sorry, and again, no offense intended, but I'm thinking MB would rather not have you as a customer.[/
Like I said in my first post, you just don’t seem to be able to comprehend what people are asking of MB. Expecting repair of a poorly designed, commonly problematic component that has failed is not unreasonable.
03-14-2013, 11:51 PM
#96
Member
i dunno why this is straying so far from the technical aspect of this issue...however, maybe this will shed some light on the mindset of some of the people in here.
Honda has performed two goodwill repairs on my wife's car.
at 80k the paint on the roof popped off. yes, that's right...it popped off the e-primer whilst driving. a while prior, i documented with them that the clear coat looked to be failing. it was WAY out of warranty at that point, but...they knew it wasn't supposed to do that, so they repainted the roof completely.
then...a few months later, i got a letter in the mail from Honda stating that certain cars from several years have defective paint that fractures and/or fails, and this will be covered for repair for some super long term...like seven years from the purchase date.
eighth generation Honda Civic Sis as well as other six speed manual-equipped vehicles from their lineup up until about 2008 had issues with the third gear synchronizers. they never issued a recall or anything but a TSB was put out that detailed the issue being a manufacturer's defect with the synchro and the remedy is a complete replacement third gear set. Honda has performed countless repairs outside of the standard drivetrain warranty because they admit that this was an item that was designed poorly.
so...to answer everyone's questions as to why people are expecting certain things, they are likely drawing their opinions on situations like those which i've cited above.
they likely look at people getting "extra" care with common issues for cars that are a fraction of the cost of some of the ones owned by people in here...and they want the same sort of treatment from the manufacturer.
my car is completely covered if this occurs and i'm not worried about it much past trying to get a write up for the repairs so i can just nip this in the bud ahead of time, but i sympathize with those who are out of warranty with something so dumb and so common a repair that dealerships (including those local to me) commonly stock the repair kits.
Honda has performed two goodwill repairs on my wife's car.
at 80k the paint on the roof popped off. yes, that's right...it popped off the e-primer whilst driving. a while prior, i documented with them that the clear coat looked to be failing. it was WAY out of warranty at that point, but...they knew it wasn't supposed to do that, so they repainted the roof completely.
then...a few months later, i got a letter in the mail from Honda stating that certain cars from several years have defective paint that fractures and/or fails, and this will be covered for repair for some super long term...like seven years from the purchase date.
eighth generation Honda Civic Sis as well as other six speed manual-equipped vehicles from their lineup up until about 2008 had issues with the third gear synchronizers. they never issued a recall or anything but a TSB was put out that detailed the issue being a manufacturer's defect with the synchro and the remedy is a complete replacement third gear set. Honda has performed countless repairs outside of the standard drivetrain warranty because they admit that this was an item that was designed poorly.
so...to answer everyone's questions as to why people are expecting certain things, they are likely drawing their opinions on situations like those which i've cited above.
they likely look at people getting "extra" care with common issues for cars that are a fraction of the cost of some of the ones owned by people in here...and they want the same sort of treatment from the manufacturer.
my car is completely covered if this occurs and i'm not worried about it much past trying to get a write up for the repairs so i can just nip this in the bud ahead of time, but i sympathize with those who are out of warranty with something so dumb and so common a repair that dealerships (including those local to me) commonly stock the repair kits.
Last edited by builthatch; 03-14-2013 at 11:53 PM.
03-18-2013, 02:02 AM
#97
Super Member
I was speaking for those still in warranty, on top of those who are two days out of it. As a MB dealer , they should fix it out of courtesy for all of the money put into their over priced services. Such as this , it is a safety hazard, no need to argue over this . if you're 2 days out of warranty, you contact MBUSA and have a little chat, this post was intended for help, and to aware others of this issue. Not intended for unnecessary criticism so please take your troll elsewhere.
Lets see who the troll is...
Let me quote short paragraphs for you just in case my long posts are difficult to comprehend. In my first post, I expressed sympathy for those who are 2 or 3 days out of warranty:
So you repeat the same thing I said and yet I am offering unnecessary criticism? I am the troll?
03-18-2013, 02:06 AM
#98
Super Member
There is nothing in the warranty that says MB has to repair these faults after the warranty expires, but this is a safety issue. Many other design/manufacturing defects by other manufacturers that effect safety are corrected by a mass recall. it would be a simple task to do this in w204 models that are effected by this fault
Heck, the owner's mere knowledge while not being proactive to get it taken care of might create issues if/when an insurance claim is filed if something happens. So no, the suggestion that it is a safety issue does not implicate MB for any more responsibility that the warranty they offer and that is clearly defined.
Replacing the plug and bulb holder is not a permanent repair It can and will in many cases happen again. Both sides of my 2008 model have had this problem. I have repaired it by cutting the brown wire from the plug and soldering it directly to the earth track on the light bulb holder. This repair is permanent and I can sleep well knowing that it will never happen again.
This, by the way, is my main point here. Don't wait around for MB to offer something. Its your car, take care of it. If on the other hand you feel entitled that MB should cover you in case you're out of warranty then by all means, keep waiting... And keep whining; I could care less what you do or what you feel entitled to!
MB really had a brain fart when they let this design go through and if the fault was occurring on a Ford or GM product I would bet the owners and government would be screaming for a recall. But because for some reason an MB product is apparently not subject to the same scrutiny as local products it is allowed to pass. Perhaps a bit of lobbying to the NTHSA by MB owners could change this attitude to this issue
NHTSA records show the following records -as of Thursday 03/14/2013 (categories are sort of odd, I guess they don't have set categories but go by what you choose when filing complaint):
2008 MERCEDES BENZ C-Class has 4 complaints – 0 are related to the tail lights
2008 MERCEDES BENZ C300 has 25 complaints – 2 are related to the tail lights
2008 MERCEDES BENZ C350 shows 6 complaints – 0 are related to the tail lights
2008 MERCEDES BENZ C63 shows 1 complaints – 0 are related to the tail lights
2009 MERCEDES BENZ C shows 9 complaints – 0 are related to the tail lights
2009 MERCEDES BENZ C300 shows 23 complaints – 6 are related to the tail lights
Total complaints 68 – 8 are related to the tail lights.
8 out of 68 is not the ratio that determines if a recall is needed. We need to figure out how many 2008 & 2009 C-Class MBs were sold in the U.S. The ratio then becomes 8 (or however many reports end up with NHTSA) / total C-Class units sold. And even then, we don't know if ALL C-Class cars sold in the U.S. are affected.2008 MERCEDES BENZ C300 has 25 complaints – 2 are related to the tail lights
2008 MERCEDES BENZ C350 shows 6 complaints – 0 are related to the tail lights
2008 MERCEDES BENZ C63 shows 1 complaints – 0 are related to the tail lights
2009 MERCEDES BENZ C shows 9 complaints – 0 are related to the tail lights
2009 MERCEDES BENZ C300 shows 23 complaints – 6 are related to the tail lights
Total complaints 68 – 8 are related to the tail lights.
Can anyone find out an estimate of how many 2008-2009 C-Class cars MBZ sold in the U.S.A.?
Recalls cost manufacturers Millions of dollars... And anyone who is expecting a recall based on 8 documented complains will likely be waiting for a while.
Last edited by IGB; 03-18-2013 at 02:09 AM.
03-18-2013, 02:17 AM
#99
Super Member
What point are you attempting to make? I was simply referring to the fact that the failure rate of this component is very high. I don’t think anyone on here needs any more clarification on terms such as limited, warranty, scope or coverage.
MB tends to take pretty good care of their customers but any manufacturer can have hiccups on occasion. Reading similar threads on several different forums doesn’t show “how many” but does show that it is a common problem. I have had issues with rear brake pads, torque arm bearings, cam sensors and pulley tensioners taken care of under TSBs or Star bulletins. These issues seemed to be no more widespread than the connector issue but MB chose to step up and cover them for all C Class owners regardless of warranty status. So, I'm not dissappointed so far.
Why do you keep going on and on about lifetime warranties? No one, but you has brought that up or even inferred that anyone was expecting anything like that.
Like I said in my first post, you just don’t seem to be able to comprehend what people are asking of MB. Expecting repair of a poorly designed, commonly problematic component that has failed is not unreasonable.
MB tends to take pretty good care of their customers but any manufacturer can have hiccups on occasion. Reading similar threads on several different forums doesn’t show “how many” but does show that it is a common problem. I have had issues with rear brake pads, torque arm bearings, cam sensors and pulley tensioners taken care of under TSBs or Star bulletins. These issues seemed to be no more widespread than the connector issue but MB chose to step up and cover them for all C Class owners regardless of warranty status. So, I'm not dissappointed so far.
Why do you keep going on and on about lifetime warranties? No one, but you has brought that up or even inferred that anyone was expecting anything like that.
Like I said in my first post, you just don’t seem to be able to comprehend what people are asking of MB. Expecting repair of a poorly designed, commonly problematic component that has failed is not unreasonable.
Second, there is no TSB, STAR bulletin or Recall thus far. So anything that MB has previously done under those programs is different than what we have here. In this case, and until they issue a recall, a TSB or a STAR Bulletin, and if you're out of warranty, you either pay for the repair or you live with what you have.
Third, and regarding your use of terms such as "failure rate of this component is very high", "common problem", and in spite of the several threads on several forums, YOUR classifications are less than convincing but even if they were, they are NOT the deciding factors here. The deciding factors (amongst others) are (1) how many units failed versus how many units were sold, (2) whether MB wants to announce a voluntary recall or whether those numbers (assuming a "safety issue" can be proven), require MB to issue a regulatory recall (i.e. a forced recall). So until you have all the required data you cannot make a valid determination of the issue regardless of how pretentious you want to be. Thus far, MB owes you nothing! Get over it!
And so your comment about me not comprehending, you've made it abundantly clear that you're the one failing to understand several issues and on several levels, and so please don't judge.
While I realize you're still going to come back talking more smack, you should know I've made my point; I am done in this thread!!!
03-28-2013, 04:41 PM
#100
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w211, s204
My left side tail light seemed a bit dim compared to right side. I suspected old and smoked bulbs, but there it was, a melted connector. So my quick "no cost" 15 minute fix was like this:
First tools:
1. Soldering iron and solder
2. Wire cutters
3. Crimping tool
4. 3,5mm drill
Crimp connectors, ring terminals, copper wire (I used 16AWG), 6mm washer and nut and some cable ties.
1. Solder wire one end to bulb carrier GND, drill 3,5mm hole for the wire to go through (upper left)
2. Cut wire about 5cm/2in and crimp the male bullet connector (you may use some other connector too)
3. New short GND wire in place. You may use original brown wire also. I wanted to be sure that there is good GND.
4. Close up to new connector and wire
I did this fix on both sides and lights are very bright now. If you have any questions, feel free to ask.
edit:
Google Photos link: https://photos.app.goo. gl/TCzk2fho6boC3yvA2
Replace "goo. gl" without space - forum keeps replacing it.
First tools:
1. Soldering iron and solder
2. Wire cutters
3. Crimping tool
4. 3,5mm drill
Crimp connectors, ring terminals, copper wire (I used 16AWG), 6mm washer and nut and some cable ties.
1. Solder wire one end to bulb carrier GND, drill 3,5mm hole for the wire to go through (upper left)
2. Cut wire about 5cm/2in and crimp the male bullet connector (you may use some other connector too)
3. New short GND wire in place. You may use original brown wire also. I wanted to be sure that there is good GND.
4. Close up to new connector and wire
I did this fix on both sides and lights are very bright now. If you have any questions, feel free to ask.
edit:
Google Photos link: https://photos.app.goo. gl/TCzk2fho6boC3yvA2
Replace "goo. gl" without space - forum keeps replacing it.
Last edited by stosoorok; 11-03-2017 at 03:44 AM. Reason: New link for pictures
