DaveyJonesRage

Hi all,

Need a little advice. I bought a pre certified 2016 C300 form Mercedes last summer and noticed a chirping coming from the engine when I started the air conditioner a few months later. Sounds like a bird stuck under the hood. It lasts for a few minutes, but it’s really irritating. Brought it down to the dealer, and of course they couldn’t replicate it. Well as the cooler months came in I really didn’t hear it anymore. However, this past weekend it started again. It was hot and humid, started the car turned on the A/C and bam! I was smart enough to record it this time and brought it back to the dealer, and wouldn’t you know they heard no abnormal sounds. I was livid. Told them to keep the car one more day and try again. I just don’t get how they can’t hear the issue after I gave them the recording. What’s my recourse here?

Thanks!

GringoBling

Can you go to a different dealer? My dealership here LOVES warranty work and will legit do anything they possibly can.

DaveyJonesRage

Hi Gringo,

Thanks for the reply. I can definitely go to a different dealer. There’s one not too far out from my current one. Do you think there that different from one another and these guys are just being lazy?

tyabnet

Chirping with AC - my best guess would be serpentine belt - which is considered a wear item and will not be covered under warranty. You can do that yourself or just pay them to do it. Warning - there are different belts lengths depending on options so the only way to really know you are getting the correct belt is via the EPC and your vin. Beyond that - as a pre certified all of the moving parts associated with the belt path should be covered under the warranty, Location of the sound is important since even replacing something like a tensioner or idle pully is a surprising amount of work on the 205 engine.

places

Take it to another dealer.

DaveyJonesRage

Thanks guys!

GringoBling

it might not be lazy, it could be other things. Maybe they'd pushed it to far with MBUSA on warranty reimbursements and don't want to do any more this month, or who knows. Try a different dealer. Hell I got a new seat back and covers in my car because of bad heater. My service advisor told me they'd already accidentally left a shop rag in an S Class and blown a $30,000 motor, so he didn't care writing off another thousand bucks that month for a new seat back lol. There's so many things that can go in to wether or not something gets done. But definately find a dealer you like and build that relationship. And if they take care of you, leave them a good review online, and drop off a big box of donuts for the shop. I bring some buy a few times a year and its saved me thousands.

loudbmw

I had a similar chirping sound on my '09 E350. Changing the serpentine belt had no effect. I replaced the belt tensioner and the noise disappeared.