So I had my car serviced at a local MBZ dealer for my 20k mile service. A couple days after the service while exiting the freeway, I completely lost brake pressure! Luckily I had enough room on the off ramp to safely downshift the car and engine brake it to stop safely right before I came to the intersection. It could have killed me and my passenger! While loading the car onto the tow truck, we noticed a pool of oil spewing out by the front passenger wheel. The dealership later acknowledged the technician left the bleeder valve loose when they performed the brake fluid flush. It was one of the most terrifying experience ever. Luckily no one go hurt or any damages to the vehicle. What was even more awful was the treatment I received at the dealership because the service department was closed on Sunday when the incident happened. The receptionist was rude as hell and kept saying they don't take care of service department related issues. Just leave the car in front of the service drive way and they'll deal with it in the morning when the service department opens. My passenger and I ended having to push my car down the service drive way in order not to block any other cars. No one at the dealership offered to help out. I've been dealing with nightmares and sleepless nights since the incidence and even though the dealership admitted to the botched service and the service manager was apologetic, I felt that this was absolutely unacceptable. Had anyone else had similar experiences? Any advice as what I should ask the dealer to do? So far they've only verbally apologized and haven't done anything more to reassure me this won't ever happened to me or other customers.

 

Well, first of all, glad everyone is safe. Could have been so much worse. Had there been an accident, the dealership would have been on the hook for the damage and injuries.

As it turned out, it happened outside of service hours and you were left with the dip**** receptionist and sales staff. They clearly dropped the ball.

I'd schedule a sit down with the GM and express my extreme disappointment, both with the serious safety lapse and the lack of customer service at the store. I'd leave it to him to make some sort of gesture...maybe Comp the B service or a free alignment.

If you receive a corporate survey via email, hold off completing it until you've had a chance to meet with the GM. If he's not helpful, feel free to burn them on the survey. Is there another dealer nearby by any chance?

 

^^^^^^ This exactly.... Don't threaten.

 

Like what Mike5215 said, if you still haven't done the survey, hold off on that. Those surveys are incredibly important to the service managers bonuses. Anything that's not a perfect score will impact it greatly. Full 0s.....I never even heard about what that would do...

 

thats gross negligence imo and i would go right to the owner. if they dont make it right to your satisfaction don't stop at the survey burn them in any type of online review possible and call mbusa directly. That is a huge liability on their part and someone could of been greatly injured or died. Youre lucky no did thanks to your quick thinking.

 

Aren't they supposed to road test the car too after any service??

 

That's not good but mistakes happen. Work out what you want in terms of an apology or compensation and then approach the dealer with your expectations. If your demands are reasonable, it would be surprising if they don't make amends.

Glad you were not in a crash. If that ever happens again, keep in mind you can use the electronic parking brake in case of hydraulic brake failure. You just need to hold the button to pull the brake on gradually at speed. The parking brake is electronic.

 

I am truly sorry to hear about your terrible experience and I am glad that you got out of it without getting into an accident! I read your post yesterday and by chance today someone out of the blue sent me a link about a similar happening in Sweden, and I am quite shocked.

Story:
A guy has a 2015 CLS (bought new). After a service he noticed that the brakes are working very very bad, hardly at all. He brings the car back to the same authorized Merceds service place and he gets this reply:
"mekanikern har glömt en packning och det har råkat läcka ut bromsvätska” which translates to "the mechanic forgot a gasket and it happened that braking fluid was leaking out". This is seemes similar to your story. His case was also handled very bad by Mercedes

Source:
http://bloggar.mestmotor.se/alriks-b...de-mercedesen/

 

A little melodramatic here, don't you think? You sound like you've been talking to a two-bit ambulance chaser. "Oh...my neck!"

Look, I'm glad no one was hurt, but what exactly do you want the dealership to do? A full page apology in the Wall Street Journal? Water boarding of the mechanic involved? No one was hurt right? No money has left your pocket, right? Unfortunately, things like this happen at all dealerships and repair shops.

Again with the drama. Now you're the spokesmen for all their customers? If this were me, I'd ask for a free A Service and just be thankful that no one was hurt and there was no damage to anyones car.

 

I think its reasonable. The average person has no idea how their car works. The one constant with vehicles is that brakes work when they are supposed to and when they don't it must be terrifying.

I think its a good time for those with a W205 to take a look at how to operate their E brakes. It appears as though the OP did not use theirs nor understand how it worked.

 

I do normally find these posts hyperbolic as far as the perceived horror and outrage on the part of the owner versus the relatively benign action of the dealer.

I was on a forum once where a dealer had on a new car accidentally refilled the engine crankcase with transmission fluid instead of oil after an oil change.

The shop recognized the error almost immediately. They called the guy three miles away, had him shut down the car and sent a flatbed to retrieve the car. They did several flushes and replaced the oil and filter. They also involved the manufacturer who agreed to extend the drivetrain warranty to 100k miles.

The guy wanted a new crate motor or a buyback. The forum was calling for torches and pitchforks. While everyone agreed there was no apparent harm done, the owner felt kinda icky about his car now and thus suffered emotional distress. The forum demanded justice. It seemed a bit much.

In this case, however, accidentally disabling a customer's brakes and then expecting the customer to push his own car around the dealership seems a pretty serious failure of both mechanical competence and customer service.

Good info on the E brake but I'm not sure in that moment the pedal goes to the floor I'd have the presence of mind to go to Plan B.

 

Why couldn't the tow truck driver put the car where the dealership told you to put it?

This whole story is getting harder for me to believe since I've been to three different Mercedes-Benz dealerships in my area for service over the last 2 years, and all of them have always treated me like a King. As a matter of fact, I've NEVER been treated anything like this at ANY dealership.

What Mercedes-Benz dealership are we talking about here?

 

Not that far fetched. MB roadside assistance subs out to 3rd party tow guys. They'll just drop the car on the lot wherever it's convenient. He was likely long gone when the OP realized he still needed him. I once had a tow guy drop my disabled S550 at a Subaru dealer across the street (same dealer group) because the MB store's gate was locked.

Where me and the OP differ is I would have left the thing where the tow guy dropped it and left the keys with the receptionist. They can push it around themselves if it's in the way. In my case, they managed to get the S from Subaru to an MB lift somehow. Not my problem.

 

@MASSC450, Seriously dude? One could think MASSC450 is somehow affiliated with the sub par dealer you unfortunately visitied! They both seem to take this awful happening too easily. Not ok!

OP, you really should make other people aware of what happened at the dealer by informing atleast the local news paper. I know someone already did in Sweden.

And don't for a second listen to those trying to make this sound like something normal, quoting "things like this happen at all dealerships and repair shops". That is not true. Don't forget to inform Mercedes (Corporate) in the country where you live if you haven't done that yet.

 

Although I agree that this is a pretty big problem, he has to be careful not to over play his hand. In the end nothing happened and he had to push a car. If he pushes too hard the dealership could simply tell him to pound sand.

 

The reason Mercedes Service is so bad is because majority of customers don't care and buy Mercedes cars as a status symbol. Only the minority are petrolheads. It wouldn't happen at a Subaru.
That's the reason you have to learn everything about your car, double-check everything and let your Mercedes Service boss/manager know you are knowledgeable enough to kick their *** if something is not 100%.
They may then handle your car with a special care, unlike those of regular customers. Speaking from experience.

 

Please don't take my statements out of context, if I were affiliated with that dealership or Mercedes for that matter, I wouldn't have asked for the OP to identify the dealership in question.

I simply have questions on some of the events surrounding this incident because I probability have over 15 car purchases under my belt over the years...Chevy, Pontiac, Ford, Jeep, Honda, Toyota, Nissan, Subaru, Mitsubishi, VW, BMW, Jaguar, and Mercedes...and I have NEVER received that kind of service...NEVER.

Now don't get me wrong, if I HAD received service like that, I certainly wouldn't have pushed my car anywhere in that dealers lot...like Mike said...not my problem. I simply would ask the dealership after my car was fixed how will they be compensating me for my troubles, and if the freebie wasn't sufficient (within reason of course), I would register a complaint with Mercedes-Benz corporate and never do business with that dealership again. Really now, what else could one do without making this into a Federal case? No damage to any vehicles occurred, and thankfully no one was hurt or injured.

MBOB once misplaced my FOB when I went to pick up my car with my son after they performed some warranty service. I waited all of maybe an extra 10 minutes while they scrambled around looking for it. Once it was found, Steve B. must have apologized like 10 times to me...I told him don't worry about it, no big thing, but he insisted I go over to the Mercedes accessories section and pick out something. I said really Steve, no problem I'm all set...but he grabbed a Mercedes fleece jacket for my son and handed it to him. That's the kind of service I've always received at Mercedes dealerships.

You live in a bubble. I never said it's common or normal, but crap like this (and worse) happens at all dealerships and repair shops. To think otherwise is being naive.

 

Stuff happens ... this was not intentional and hopefully the OP can get this sorted out without creating more of a problem for himself or his relationship with that dealer

no brakes is dam- scary and I would be pissed too

 

One wonders how cordial the op's interaction with the receptionist was.
Just saying...

 

So incredible ! You should make as much noise as possible !
Youtube videos, blogs, consumer reports !
If it happens to me their future will be as bright as Volkswagen in USA, so they should really be careful...

 

Sorry can you explain about the brake ? I didn't get it. Thank you.

 

How can you be so ridiculous ? He could be dead and should get a HUGE compensation.

And even after getting it I would make so much noise online that they would lose half of their customers.

 

I had no idea also !! Thanks to all !

I found it on manual:
http://moba.i.daimler.com/baix/cars/...477e68092e092e


Emergency braking
The vehicle can also be braked during an emergency by using the electric parking brake.
While driving, push handle of the electric parking brake more.
The vehicle is braked as long as you keep handle of the electric parking brake depressed. The longer electric parking brake handle is depressed, the greater the braking force.
During braking:
a warning tone sounds
the Release parking brake display message appears
the red indicator lamp on the instrument cluster flashes
When the vehicle has been braked to a standstill, the electric parking brake is applied.

 

+1

 

I'm curious...what would you have asked as compensation? You know, for all the nightmares and sleepless nights...


So you would still bad-mouth the dealership after they compensated you?