Mercedes Benz...really??
 

Ok...just need to vent. Picked up a brand new 2015 C-400 in Nov' 2014. Immediately after I noticed wind noise...tried various adjustments of window and door seals and still not fixed.


The command console will reboot at least once a month....because it's intermittent no way to tell whats causing it.


A few months later on the way to work "power steering failure" light comes on. No warning that the power steering was about to go out...it just goes out. Talking about a major safety issue...it goes in for a software update.


Two weeks after that rear passenger window won't work...take it in for a motor replacement.


Thursday on the way to work car starts vibrating and engine light comes on. So I pull over in 110 degree heat (Vegas) to see if I can drive it in or should I have it towed. The response is it's ok to drive in... I drive it in for another software update and it needs to have two injectors replaced (that's what's causing the car to vibrate). They don't have the injectors so it's scheduled to go back next Tuesday. Interestingly enough it was just in for its Service B the week prior....apparently they don't check to see if there are any software updates while they actually have the car.


I don't know but a new car with barely 20k miles on it...is this really what MB ownership is like?? So the running joke in the office when my MB is not in the lot..."let me guess your Benz is in the shop...u shoulda bought a Toyota"...and I think to myself...yeah you're probably right!!

Seems like the 2015s in particular have a bunch of issues. However I do agree that it is beyond stupid that the dealers won't check for any software updates at all unless you specifically ask. Scanning for or installing updates cannot be that hard.

It's not what every MB ownership is like but it does happen more frequently than it should, especially with first model years. 2000 S Class...nightmare. 2007 S Class, same. Self destructing trannys. Honestly I've only ever bought in after the mid cycle facelifts on those, and our 04-06 S and 2010+ S were generally reliable. Failures did happen, and were expensive when they did, but the incidence were low. Not like the garbage you're experiencing.

Just remember that anything more than 30 shop days for any issue or combination of issues triggers the lemon law, as does three unsuccessful repair attempts for a single issue.

Sorry to hear about your cars's issues, but that right there would piss the hell out of me...time to find a new MB dealership for sure.

Fortunate for me, my late build 2015 C300 Sport 4Matic has had no such problems, that and my dealership has been nothing but awesome. Sure I've had a couple speakers replaced, some door handle LEDs replaced, and a couple software updates...but other than that, my vehicle has been pretty good.

Mercedes Benz does not represent what it used to

My 07' S-Merc doesn't have tranny issues. Runs as a 9 year old car should.


I love you mike!

Hopefully yours got fixed in the recall campaign.

You would think so ... but it's actually quite time consuming. You have to go into each module in XENTRY and then do Online SCN Coding to see if there are any updates. Then you need to log in, establish a session, download, upgrade, etc. In principle it sounds easy but there are upwards of 50 modules on this car. Doing a full upgrade check against each module would be incredibly time consuming and I don't blame the dealers for taking the approach of not doing anything until you ask or complain about something.

I like the whole XENTRY software suite, but their change control is absolute rubbish IMO. There's seemingly no release notes for any of the software updates that MB does - so unless there's a specific service bulletin, even the dealer doing the update work has no idea what's changed inside the firmware. I've personally experienced several instances where I as the "enthusiast consumer" has known more about software fixes or features than the dealer. Forums like this probably share more knowledge on this stuff than what the dealers do.

Maybe things will improve in the future.. it would be good for example if the standard XENTRY Quick fault scan would run a comparison on all module firmware version numbers and highlight any potential updates (with links to release notes on changes, known fixes etc). Anyone working in the IT game would consider that to be common sense really, but I suppose when you're stuck with a global system which has been operating in a certain way for ages, implementing changes like that would be a big undertaking and probably not very attractive on a cost vs. benefits layer.

It's easier to wait for the customer to complain :smash:

My dealer ran a full review for my car for all modules so we can see the level for everything.
This is off the back of 8 months of issues back and forth.....
I have about 30 pages of info from the last service... So at least we have a picture of current state....
I have now a good relationship with my dealer.... Built from a lot of patience on my behalf..

Please tell me that at least all these repairs are covered under warranty, you are getting a loaner, and you're only "payment" is the time it takes to get things fixed :(

Do the 2017 C300 Coupes count as "first model" or is that platform fairly well tested/understood since at a minimum the engine is shared with the 2016 C300 Sedan?

Yeah, the coupes, which typically lag their sedan counterparts by a couple of years, seem to be okay out of the gate.

Yes the repairs have been covered by warranty. This week will be the 1st time I'll be getting a loaner. You have to schedule an appointment to reserve a loaner...while my car will alert me to all sorts of mechanical failure via the dash...it apparently isn't smart enough to let me know in advance that it's going to take a dump, before it actually takes a dump - hence no loaners were previously provided. The "payment" of time however is costly...missed/cancelled appointments...rescheduling errands. Heck the shuttle drivers don't even need my address anymore... The Mercedes-Benz motto "The Best or Nothing"...how appropriate. For those with no issues it may well be the "best"...and for those who've had problems...well I'll let you finish the rest. I guess Janis Joplin really didn't know what she may have gotten into when she sang "Lord won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz".:zoom:

Well, shortly after she said that she overdosed on heroin.

My turn to vent. I'm more of a lurker than a poster, this is therapy.
First, I am happy for all of you that have relatively trouble free cars. My 1/15 build C300 has had about every problem that has been discussed here in the last 1 1/2 years; including wind noise, screeching brakes poorly fitting bumper and gas door, key less go issues, Bluetooth issues and much more . Everything has been covered and repaired and I have had loaner cars. I was really upset when I had to have the wrist pin issues repaired, 3 weeks in the shop, but I negotiated a ELW which eased the pain a bit. Now the car has been in for over 2 weeks with collision prevention issues. I get collision alerts or collision assist inoperative alerts and car goes into limp mode. Its fun when that happens on the highway at 70MPH, haha. My wife was in the car for that and has sworn never to ride in it again, we were truly put at risk. And this happened after the dealer had repaired it the day before for this problem. This car has had way more shop time than the combined shop time of every other car I have ever purchased and them some.
Really!!

The car is the text book definition of a Lemon. Have you gotten any legal help?

I've looked at the Lemon Law and it specifies problems within the first year. I purchased the car 2/15. I don't think I have a case under state law. No lawyer yet. I've opened a case with MB. I also opened one for the wrist pin issue that we resolved with the ELW. The case is back with the Dealer for resolution, so I am told. They are moving slowly. Your thoughts please?

No, it's for any period the manufacturer's warranty is in effect as long as you're the original owner, or 36 months from purchase whichever is less.

Have you pressed them for a buyback or a trade assist?

They will stall until you apply pressure. If you like the design and features of the vehicle you may want to push for a trade assist into a 2016 model. The 2016s are proving to be much more reliable than the 2015 models.

Another forum user here negotiated a buyback with MBUSA. I'll look for the thread. Might be some useful info in there.

Edit:
Here is the link to Bartola's thread with his buyback experience.
https://mbworld.org/forums/c-class-w...ce-15c300.html

His last update was in post #25. It looks like MB offered to either buyback the vehicle or replace it.

Follow up...so when I bought my car in for service on Tuesday I also provided them with a printout of a post from the "Wind Noise" sticky topic. Someone there had posted the codes or whatever they're called that their dealership used to replace his front windows with acoustic glass. My dealership has now also agreed to replace my front windows with acoustic glass...I'm just waiting to hear back as to when it can be done. They've advised me that this may reduce the wind noise but make no promises that it'll be completely eliminated. I'll keep you posted...in any case that's good news!!

Suggest you plan for a return a month afterwards for rattles in the doors where they remove the door trims and replace poorly...

These POS's areally are the gifts that keep on giving..

Mine has just come back from its first service (its has been to the dealer at least 10 times in the first 9 months.. for the lane keeping assist failure now on its fourth occurence..
I have told them to start replacing hardware and not just software updates...

I've had;

Filler cap alignment NG
Damaged paint (scuffed underside front spoiler)
damaged wheel paint (damaged wheel paint with alignment equipment)
rubbish left in car
lane keep assis NA
steer assist NA
distronic plus NA
indicator stalk failure
all four door LEDS fail.. (one at a time)
rattles and creaks; dash, doors, rear quarters
wheel alignment NG
battery fail (failed their battery test)
water leak rear spoiler into rear door and rear load area.. missing clips from factory
graoning brakes at low speed (refuse to acknowledge issue)
wind noise (refuse to acknowledge)
loose center console side trim
entertainment system freeze
incorrect tyre pressure from dealers (310 kpa FR, 270kps RR)
Swipe pad unit operation failure
Loose washer under rear bench seat pad NVH
broken rear load floor panel supports
broken rear load area tie down plastic covers
cross threaded rear load area tie down bolt

All in all this car is an embarassment to Mercedes.....

Yeah, there's no salvaging that marriage. Time to start the painful divorce proceedings. Unfortunately the company likely to give you the most help on the trade is MB.

I'd suggest the new E but that thing is essentially a bigger C Class and it to is in its first year. No good options. So far I've had zero issues with the 16. I think if you got into another 205 you'd probably be okay. Probably deservedly gun shy though.

Hey Mike,


I ventrured down this route and consider the CLA 45 Wagon..
They offered a decent discount in relative terms .. but only and OK value on mine..
Also i would have to reset the finance to a notably higher rate and incure costs of early settlement which they were apparently unable to wave..

All in all they were never goingto let anything cost them a cent but were happy for it all to cost me even more than i have already spent...

I the mean time i will keep hitting the dealership for every issue .. it keeps my kms down as i run up kms on their loaners... they'll run out of contribution from my sale for correction and charging warranty over and over will become more challening for them with Daimler AG as they fail to find root cause.... so this way they actually pay for their unwillingness to do the right thing and replace the car at no additional cost to me...

Its ridiculous to have to put up with this though...


In the mean time I did an ECU, some mufflers, a ton of Dynamat throughout, some AMG pins and am currently working through removing all the factory orange peel.. (its a long job to do right and carefully)... so i'll have a car i enjoy between the issues..

Mine has been back to the dealer 7 times in the first year (broken alternator, broken NOX sensor, water leak into central wiring harness, + minor niggles, etc), but nothing quite like what you're describing. You've had some rotten luck with that car. The QLD consultations on inclusions of Lemon Laws closed on 25 September last year. I haven't read anything further on the outcome of that since. Could be worth getting in touch with Fair trading to see where they're at with that stuff.

Jeez... Seems they shipped some ****e to Oz...

Unfortunately the W205 is a lemon from day one and will stay being a lemon until the last one rolls off the factory and Mercedes will keep churning out crap because sales are through the ****ing roof thanks to the A, B, CLA and GLA ****boxes.

Don't shoot me OK? I'm telling the truth.

But... And this is just a but... If the European Union is toast by the end of this decade, then all those overpaid and overrated German engineers will have to finally bust their arses for a living and make reliable cars instead of being protected by bureaucrats in Brussels.