About four months ago our right blind spot sensor started going off on our 2017 C43 without a reason so we took the car into Mercedes. We were told the bracket that holds the sensor was broken due to "damage" however no visible damage could be seen nor had the car ever been in an accident. After doing some close looking we took the car back and said, we didn't see any damage and felt the weld must have been the problem. Again they said there was damage and point out a 4mm scratch (see attached) as proof and said it would be $3,500 to replace the bumper, labor, paint, etc. You could imagine my reaction given the car has never been repaired, nor could that small of a scratch cause a bracket to break. However they are holding firm and told me to file a claim with my insurance company. We took the car to another dealership who after inspection said there didn't see any damage and would look into the repair options. I received a call a short time later, I assume they looked up the service record and said the car had been damaged. When I asked what damage they saw, I was told there was "buffering" done to the bumper to remove what they felt was probably a scuff which is what caused the bracket to break. Neither dealership could answer, that if according to them this happened, how could such a minor incident cause a 5mph bumpers sensor bracket to break.

I feel like I am going crazy that a car we've never had damage nor been repaired, are being told the cheap plastic bracket broke because we damaged the car and are now trying to cover it up. Both dealership suggested I use epoxy (which they can't due to it being a safety issue) and while I guess I can buy so wheel ramps, there is a certain amount of principal and a poor quality weld is being put onto me because it is crazy expensive for them to repair and this comes down to we said/they said.

I have no clue what resource or escalation I have here and any guidance would be greatly appreciated.

 

I would contact Corporate Mercedes contact

 

to be honest, that has been hit and there are buffer trials from machine polishing. The bracket would not just break by itself. Go to a panel beater and have them take off the bumper and fix the bracket.

 

No problem with honesty... The car has been buffed but that was done two weeks after we purchased it by the dealership (March 2017) and it is in the service record as proof. There has been no buffing since that and the problem appeared about six months ago. I suppose it is possible the car was "nudged" or something in that exact spot but I still struggle that a $50 plastic sensor the got "popped" on a 5mph bumper needs the entire thing replaced. Seem to really reduce the value of a 5mph bumper if a "nudge" could require it's whole replacement. Most body shops doesn't want to touch this because it is a safety part and Mercedes says entire bumper replacement is required.

 

Just to clarify, you said the Blind Spot sensor but then on a post I see you call it the small round plastic sensor "popped" into the bumper. There is a difference. The small round plastic looking ones that are popped into the bumper are the sensors for the parkomatic system. The blind spot sensor is mounted behind the plastic fascia and is a rather larger rectangular box and is mounted to the body frame. So if the blind spot doesn't work there probably is a bracket that mounts it to the body. Does your vehicle have the parking sensor system? But to cause damage to the mounting of the blind spot sensor you'd really have to take a hit in my opinion.