Nox sensor shortage, courtesy car issues and poor MB service
#26
Nox sensor
I have exactly the same problem with my C250 Bluetec 2015 model, although my Nox sensors do appear to need replacing just over every 2 years!! Had them replaced in 2020, then had the recall completed in 2021 by MB. Now have the same Nox sensors EM on again 26 months later. Cannot get the part anywhere and has been on order for a month now since 02/04/2022, with no date of expectation. Think MB should reconsider the pile of rubbish they are putting in their cars. Will be getting rid of this car asap. Since I bought the car from Big motoring world in August 2018 - the car has cost me just in services and repairs over £5,500, over a £100 a month which is absolute madness!!! Good luck to all of us hunting this part out there :-(
#28
Nox Shortages
Back at the beginning of May the engine management light came on in my 18 plate S205 C220d. I took it to Mercedes Benz Glasgow to get it looked at under manufacturers warranty and they diagnosed the issue as the downstream NOX sensor being faulty. I left the car with them for 3 weeks waiting on the replacement which never materialised before going back and asking for a courtesy car as I had to drive to Portsmouth for work. I was told that there is a worldwide shortage of these NOX sensors and MB have none anywhere and as such need to manufacture more, they couldnt give me a forecast for when this new sensor will be available "could be a week, could be a year" was what I was told. So the service manager told me the car is completley safe to drive and the worst that will happen is the sensor will fail completley and put me into limp mode then under warranty MB will come and recover me etc. Etc. Now thats fine if I wasnt going to far a afield but I am weekly driving the length of the country and back regularly with my job in the Royal Navy and I have tight timings to meet ships sailings and other operational commitments which cannot be moved if I am late. I cant have the constant spectre of a fault that I know about that could end the journey swiftly hanging over me, which will be for an unknown length of time, even if I had a rough date I could expect the sensor I would at least be a little more reassured. When I asked for a courtesy car I was told that there are literally no courtesy cars anywhere available in the Mercedes UK network they can give me as they are all being used by people with the same issue as me so nobody in the UK can get one now (which Im not entirley convinced by). So I am now expected to drive a car that may or may not (I know probably less likley but still) crap out on me at any moment for the forseeable future? Doesnt seem like a good enough answer to me to be honest. I know Im being paranoid but putting the better part of 4k miles on the clock every month with a fault like this looming over me doest sot right with me and makes me very uncomfortable.
Anyway long story short, has anyone else heard about or is aware of this 'worldwide' NOX sensor shortage? Also am I being unreasonable to demand a courtesy car given the circumstances?
I only bought this car in March as my BMW crapped out on me and I bought the C class (my first MB) given its age and warranty etc for piece of mind so I wouldnt need to worry about such things, but thus far not impressed with the service. I appreciate a parts issue isnt the Dealerships fault and they may well personally not have any courtesy vehicles left in their branch, but I find it hard to believe that across the entire MB UK network they have none available they can source. The whole thing just seems like they are shrugging their shoulders and ignoring the problem rather than trying to find a solution, not the kind of service I would expect from a brand such as MB.
Anyway long story short, has anyone else heard about or is aware of this 'worldwide' NOX sensor shortage? Also am I being unreasonable to demand a courtesy car given the circumstances?
I only bought this car in March as my BMW crapped out on me and I bought the C class (my first MB) given its age and warranty etc for piece of mind so I wouldnt need to worry about such things, but thus far not impressed with the service. I appreciate a parts issue isnt the Dealerships fault and they may well personally not have any courtesy vehicles left in their branch, but I find it hard to believe that across the entire MB UK network they have none available they can source. The whole thing just seems like they are shrugging their shoulders and ignoring the problem rather than trying to find a solution, not the kind of service I would expect from a brand such as MB.