luciferclefcapr

Hi! I have had my C200 Launch Edition since April 2022 and I live in The Netherlands. For a few weeks, now the weather gets colder (below 10c Celcius) and the front-facing windshield cameras are fogging up after a few minutes of driving. I have the Active Distronic with the Lane keep assistance package and also the Augmented Reality. So I have 3 cameras on the windshield facing forward. The camera for Augmented Reality is working fine and is not fogging up. I assume that it is because it is in the same space as the cabin, while the 2 other cameras (top ones) are isolated from the cabin space and have their own heating and defogging element. At least that is what the dealer is telling me and due to a flaw in the hood covering the camera cluster, they fog up. I can see (looking trough the windshield) they fog up indeed. Once they fog up all of the assistance systems throw an error and stop functioning. I can confirm that it is related to fogging because if I set the windshield heating on MAX and let it run for like 10 minutes, it defogged the cameras and everything starts working again. Of course by that time the temperature in the cabin is too hot to be in there comfortably.

Apparently, this is a known issue, and there is a redesigned camera hood available from Mercedes but it is very hard to get. According to Mercedes Netherlands and my dealer, it is due to delivery issues with parts. In the meantime, I am waiting like 6 weeks and still, no part delivered. Do you guys recognize this or have dealt with this also? Thank you for sharing.

DonS550

My W223 is having the same issues. It appears that the tech. found fault code B229B97, which requires the replacement of the Hood Lens Cover and Cleaning of the Windshield. I'm told it's on back order.

luciferclefcapr

I waited about 3 months for this part. Last week it was replaced and the camera's are finally working fine again. No fogging anymore and even defrosting when the car is frozen is working fine. Mercedes Q&C is horrible. Had my car for about 10 months now and it has been to the dealer about 14 times already for several issues.

DonS550

Hey Luciferclefcapr,

I've only had my newest S Class for a few months. Do you regret that you've purchased the car? My first incident was that the car would not "shift into park" although I put the car in park. As it turns out, the Transmission Control Module had to be replaced, now it's the Collision Camera Control Module (or "Lens Hood Cover" as it's called) requires replacement. Are there any other issues that you care to share? Have you reached out to the "Mother Mercedes" about your concerns?

Thanks in advance

luciferclefcapr

Hi. I have a C class . And yes I do regret buying a Mercedes. It's my first and last one I can assure you. In the past 10 months I've had 4 new sets of tires, due to vibrations at highway speed. Mercedes mothership (which is a disaster in service) said, time and time again, that the vibrations are within spec but I kept feeling them. Dealer confirmed that vibrations were felt. Luckily my dealer pressed on and after trying different brands of tires we finally set on Continentals. No vibrations anymore, but it did cost Mercedes 4 complete sets of tire replacement. Be aware, Mercedes will just tell you basically that it is expected and it's due to the road conditions, while it is clearly not. And yes everytime (and every new set) was balanced using advanced Hunter systems.

Then I had the center screen rebooting, several sensors around the car seeing ghost objects, active braking while driving which had me and my wife nearly flying trough the cabin (luckily safetybelt :P). Within the first 4 kilometers of driving the airco unit failed with a loud hissing noise in the cabin. Complete new aicro compressor was replaced. After a while hissing was back in the arco and they changed a lot of seals in the airco system. I had a clunking noise when driving away from standing still. For that the bolts of the torq-convertor were replaced. Eventually they replaced the main computer and several modules and now the center screen is working again. A lot-and I mean a lot software updates for every module and system in the car. Yesterday I saw a report here in the NL on car brands reliability, and Mercedes is dangling in the lower 5. See attached screenshot of that report. So yeah....no more Mercedes for me.

DonS550

Well that's pretty terrible to read. This is my first S Class riddled with the problems that I've experienced. I otherwise thought my 2019 S560 was one of the most reliable cars I've owned (owner history: Audi, Saab, Volvo, Mercedes CLK, E, S). So your's is the new C class? That one was rebuilt from the ground up. A very sharp looking car. I considered it but I have an affinity for four-wheeled barges! Did they tell you what they did differently to the cameras? my old MB cameras had defrosters built into the screens (you could even see the defroster lines within them). I was told my dealer has 5 camera systems ordered. Parts tell me they have no update, service manager says he was updated at March 1st. I don't know who to believe at times.

luciferclefcapr

I have the new C class indeed, the W206 model. As far as I know (from what the dealer told me), there is a design flaw in the lens hood and it has something to do with the defrosters in it. I had a loaner C class and it had the same problem as mine had, because of fogging all the assistance systems trows an error after a couple minutes of driving. The dealers tells me there are now more and more new C-classes coming in with that same camera cover problem. As far as the dealer can see it only affects the cars with the self driving assist where there is a stereo camera cluster installed on the windshield.

I waited nearly 3 months for that part to arrive. Escalating to Mercedes is useless, the cannot do anything to speed up the process. The thing is that new parts go to cars which are in the factory waiting for delivery. That generates more money then a car which is already driving on the road.I feel for you . Hang in there is the only advise I suppose.

DonS550

Thanks man for your response.
I took the camera cover (under the mirror off) and ran the car for about an hour; that camera unit gets super hot! I don't think it's fog, I think is the plastics actually smoldering within the camera lens and the windshield. I say this because, the "fog" doesn't go away with just exposing the windshield. You actually have to wipe the residue clean, from the windshield; the fan which is supposed to help dissipate the heat NEVER CAME ON! I mean this thing was so hot to touch, it has to be gassing of the plastic. I bet they had to update the thermistor fan within the unit, to better cool the unit.

luciferclefcapr

Wow you already are more tech-savvy then me lol. But that could explain the faulty design. Mine was just the opposite when I did some basic test. When I kept the windshield defogging on the climate control on a high level it would eventually heat up the camera and the whole windshield and the fog disappeared. It could be that it just ventilated better and cooled the system just like you said.

DonS550

Quick update! Today I just had my camera cover replaced after posting back in February! I had to call the "Mother Mercedes" and complain as I was told that the ETA for replacement was indefinite!!!! Let's see how it goes. I'd be interested to know if you have had the fog (clean windshield) warning reoccur since your replacement.

W205C43PFL

OP, this might or might not related: https://mbworld.org/forums/gle-class...ispreloading=1

W205C43PFL

As unfortunate as it is, it sounds like you got a lemon, it happens once a while hopefully things do get fixed for you, any chance there is a buyback option in where you live? As for clunking noise, are you talking about this: https://mbworld.org/forums/c-class-w...ing-noise.html

W205C43PFL

Here is another thread on this: https://mbworld.org/forums/gle-class...ailures-2.html

BigKenW223

I have an S Class W223 and have had a multitude of problems, door handles kept coming out after closing, "Active Brake Assist" disabled, these have been resolved but the dirty camera issue disabling a number of functions has not. I notified my dealer of this 6 months ago, last February 2023 they believed that it was a known fault and ordered a new camera hood, 4 months later this part has still not arrive.
I also get very regular warnings about my battery being critical although I am low mileage user and car the always starts.
I would interested to hear from anyone with similar problems.

luciferclefcapr

Mercedes-Benz did was not able to tell my dealership when the new lens hood would be delivered. But gladly I have a dealership who stood by during all the problems my car had. It took almost a year after delivery to solve all the problems. At the end my dealership replaced the hood with one of a demo car because at that time I had been waiting for over 3 months.

W205C43PFL

Sounds like you got a thinking outside the box dealership, good.

BigKenW223

Thank you, I will try out my dealership with your solution next week but I doubt whether they will be so responsive, I will let you know if I am successful.

W205C43PFL

Good luck.

BigKenW223

Just to keep you updated, I attempted to pursuade the dealership to exchange the camera cover for one in their pool cars to no avail.They claimed that they have no pool cars as Mercedes have cahnged the way that they sell them. So still no ptrogress after 5 months.

W205C43PFL

Thanks for the update and I am sorry to hear that.

luciferclefcapr

Today my front windshield was replaced due to a significant crack in it. The crack happened while the car was sitting in the sun on one of the hottest days in The Netherlands...but whatever. The new windshield has heating lines (the ones just like on the rear windshield) in front of the stereo-front-facing cameras so someone at Mercedes is doing their job. I am just curious if you guys also have the heating lines on the stereo-front-facing camera of your W206?

DonS550

As it turned out I had a crack in my infield and had to have it replaced. Mine also came with the defrost lines. What I did find is that the MBUX Augmented Reality camera located below the passenger camera was recessed with the new windshield black paint extending farther than the camera. I had MB order a new dome to cover the cameras (for a ‘23 windshield). It fits perfectly now and no fogging of the cameras. I, of course was on the wait list for the cameras. They did install without any problem. Fault codes haven’t shown up since.

BigKenW223

At last, the "dirty camera" issue has been fixed, over 5 months after recognising that it was a known fault. The dealers also accepted that the battery was defective and replaced it after I reported this (or the charging) was defective and after about 1 year of deigning that there was any problem. Everything appears to be working now but I am very disillusioned about Mercedes and my local dealer. This is the 5th one that I have bought from new and will be my last.

DonS550

Well, sadly you will find these anomalies in all high end luxury brands. Even Rolls Royce. This is my 8th S Class and 11th Benz product. I accept the flaws of humans and these cars are made by them. All of them. I’d say if you want a trouble free brand, you will sacrifice the luxury, innovation and yes, brand identity. Honda or Toyota will be your go to. For me, it’s “The best or nothing”! Period. Good luck.

W205C43PFL

Very least at least glad the car is fixed and you can enjoy it and evaluate your options for your future purchase and considerations.