Bad Fuel Pump Dealership Conspiracy
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Oct 2019
Posts: 21
Likes: 2
Past: 300zx TT 500hp Current: '12 C63
Bad Fuel Pump Dealership Conspiracy
I took my C63 in to the dealership today to get the passenger seat fixed (it wouldn't recline all the way). Other than that, the car
has been absolutely flawless. No issues. I was even hesitant to bring it in for such a minor fix, because it never really bothered me, the passenger seat was
fine in its default position anyway.
So a get a call from the dealer and they say that the seat is fixed, but that the car wouldn't start. ?? They say it has a bad fuel pump
and they couldn't even start it. This is strange to me because there have never been any symptoms of a bad fuel pump, and never had issues starting.
I drove it to the dealership this morning and it started with no hesitation.
The car is under warranty from a third party so it will cover the repair, and the dealership knows this. The dealer won't be out any money and neither will I, but I'm just wondering
if they are taking advantage of the warranty to add some unneeded work in.
The car has 73,000 miles on it, completely stock, no mods, is it normal for a fuel pump to go bad around then?
On one hand I like a free fuel pump, but on the other I don't like them having to take the car apart and put it back together if nothing is really wrong.
Would a dealership do that?
has been absolutely flawless. No issues. I was even hesitant to bring it in for such a minor fix, because it never really bothered me, the passenger seat was
fine in its default position anyway.
So a get a call from the dealer and they say that the seat is fixed, but that the car wouldn't start. ?? They say it has a bad fuel pump
and they couldn't even start it. This is strange to me because there have never been any symptoms of a bad fuel pump, and never had issues starting.
I drove it to the dealership this morning and it started with no hesitation.
The car is under warranty from a third party so it will cover the repair, and the dealership knows this. The dealer won't be out any money and neither will I, but I'm just wondering
if they are taking advantage of the warranty to add some unneeded work in.
The car has 73,000 miles on it, completely stock, no mods, is it normal for a fuel pump to go bad around then?
On one hand I like a free fuel pump, but on the other I don't like them having to take the car apart and put it back together if nothing is really wrong.
Would a dealership do that?
Last edited by jcdenton; Nov 1, 2021 at 09:31 PM.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 1,372
Likes: 412
2010 C63 AMG
Could go in and try starting it yourself I guess if it starts they are scammers and if not maybe it did fail . Not out of the question for places to scam and if it is indeed not broke you won’t get a new one they will just bill as though they did and not touch it …
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Aug 2016
Posts: 2,405
Likes: 724
12 C63BS Magno Alanite Grey, 25 X5 Msport, 08 BMW E93, Ducati Hyper 698
Fuel pumps do tend to work one day and then you turn off the car and the pump never works again, typically how electrical things fail, so maybe not a conspiracy.
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Oct 2019
Posts: 21
Likes: 2
Past: 300zx TT 500hp Current: '12 C63
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Oct 2019
Posts: 21
Likes: 2
Past: 300zx TT 500hp Current: '12 C63
to earn an extra repair they know they can get away with.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 1,372
Likes: 412
2010 C63 AMG
yep this any fuel pumps that I’ve seen fail, have failed without any notice of warning prior. In saying that I haven’t seen many that have failed
Trending Topics
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 2,296
Likes: 380
From: Texas
10 C six trizzle
I'm going to agree on both sides.... Seems super odd car was fine now it wont start. And yes when fuel pumps fail they work and then dont all of a sudden. The thing is the C63 has 2 fuel pumps. I find it hard to believe both failed at the exact same time. Sounds shady or at least a misdiagnosis.
MB World Stories
The Best of Mercedes & AMG
Manual Mercedes? 6 Times Sindelfingen Let Drivers Have All The Fun
Verdad Gallardo
Mercedes SLR McLaren 722 S Is Extremely Rare Example Modified by McLaren
Verdad Gallardo
8 Classic Boxy Mercedes Designs That Have Aged Like Fine Wine
Verdad Gallardo
Flawlessly Restored Mercedes 190E Evo II Heads to Auction
Verdad Gallardo
Electric Mercedes C-Class Unveiled: 11 Things You Need to Know
Verdad Gallardo
Mercedes EQS Gets A Major Update: Everything You Need to Know
Verdad Gallardo
5 Underrated Mercedes-Benz Models That Don't Get the Love They Deserve
Verdad Gallardo
Mercedes 300D Has Pushed Well Past 1 Million Miles and It Ain't Stopping
Verdad Gallardo
10 Most Reliable Mercedes-Benz Models You Can Buy Used
Verdad Gallardo
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Oct 2019
Posts: 21
Likes: 2
Past: 300zx TT 500hp Current: '12 C63
I'm going to agree on both sides.... Seems super odd car was fine now it wont start. And yes when fuel pumps fail they work and then dont all of a sudden. The thing is the C63 has 2 fuel pumps. I find it hard to believe both failed at the exact same time. Sounds shady or at least a misdiagnosis.
That's what they are saying, that both failed at the same time. Could bad gas be the culprit? I don't know what else would cause both to fail like that. I find it incredibly hard to believe
Super Member
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 748
Likes: 93
From: Dhahran, KSA
2020 E 300 Coupe and 2019 GLS 400
Even if only one pump failed, the whole unit (two integrated pumps) has to be replaced. Fuel pressure is constant between 4.0 - 5.5 bars according to WIS. Perhaps one pump wasn't enough for the car to operate. I've seen plenty of M156 fuel pumps fail during the first few years of service, so its not uncommon.
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Oct 2019
Posts: 21
Likes: 2
Past: 300zx TT 500hp Current: '12 C63
Even if only one pump failed, the whole unit (two integrated pumps) has to be replaced. Fuel pressure is constant between 4.0 - 5.5 bars according to WIS. Perhaps one pump wasn't enough for the car to operate. I've seen plenty of M156 fuel pumps fail during the first few years of service, so its not uncommon.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 2,296
Likes: 380
From: Texas
10 C six trizzle
i've seen them fail as well. It's a pump they go bad sometimes. More common on owners that run them dry and to an empty tank as they use the surrounding fuel to cool them. The kicker is they still run with 1 pump just fine. Only noticeable with full throttle feeling slower than normal 350-400hp. Whatever, even if they did do something weird let them change them out. New parts are nice. If the car doesn't start it doesn't start. I'll play devils advocate and say it has an injector stuck open causing all fuel pressure to dump. That seems more likely. Let us know what happens.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Sep 2016
Posts: 1,175
Likes: 130
From: NY
2010 C63 2019 GLA45
I disagree that fuel pumps fail with no notice.
On my Subaru Sti, now sold, I had upgraded the fuel pump to the Walbro 250.
After a while, the Walbro started to really scream. I checked on the forum and this was a sign that it was not going to last much longer, so I replaced it and sure enough the replacement was quieter and remained quiet throughout my ownership of the car, even though after a while I added an electronic fuel pressure gauge and didn't care about noises anymore.
On my Subaru Sti, now sold, I had upgraded the fuel pump to the Walbro 250.
After a while, the Walbro started to really scream. I checked on the forum and this was a sign that it was not going to last much longer, so I replaced it and sure enough the replacement was quieter and remained quiet throughout my ownership of the car, even though after a while I added an electronic fuel pressure gauge and didn't care about noises anymore.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 5,351
Likes: 1,677
From: Kitchener, ON
2010 C63 AMG
I disagree that fuel pumps fail with no notice.
On my Subaru Sti, now sold, I had upgraded the fuel pump to the Walbro 250.
After a while, the Walbro started to really scream. I checked on the forum and this was a sign that it was not going to last much longer, so I replaced it and sure enough the replacement was quieter and remained quiet throughout my ownership of the car, even though after a while I added an electronic fuel pressure gauge and didn't care about noises anymore.
On my Subaru Sti, now sold, I had upgraded the fuel pump to the Walbro 250.
After a while, the Walbro started to really scream. I checked on the forum and this was a sign that it was not going to last much longer, so I replaced it and sure enough the replacement was quieter and remained quiet throughout my ownership of the car, even though after a while I added an electronic fuel pressure gauge and didn't care about noises anymore.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Aug 2016
Posts: 2,405
Likes: 724
12 C63BS Magno Alanite Grey, 25 X5 Msport, 08 BMW E93, Ducati Hyper 698
Had a few of them fail (more in BMW's) drive somewhere shut the car off, an hour later pump is dead car doesn't start or next morning one morning in my garage after parking it the night before, new fuel pump and back in business. If you are lucky you might notice some pre-failure warning, but I have found in most cases it goes from works to not at all between power cycles.
Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 385
Likes: 92
From: Bognor Regis UK
Alfa 159
Depends how it dies.....if its mechanically wearing out you could well get some fault codes and even rough running as the pump itself wears out and lose volume or pressure. If its an electrical failure its much more likely to be like a light bulb....it either works 100%.....or it doesn't......nothing in between!
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Oct 2019
Posts: 21
Likes: 2
Past: 300zx TT 500hp Current: '12 C63
Okay so the work was finally completed after they ordered parts from Germany. They did in fact perform the work, I inspected it myself. Apparently it was the fuel filter that got clogged, which then lead to the fuel pump overheating.
Could this be from from bad fuel? As long as I have owned it I put the best quality Shell 93 or Chevron 94 fuel with zero ethanol, but perhaps the previous owner didn't put the best fuel in.
Could this be from from bad fuel? As long as I have owned it I put the best quality Shell 93 or Chevron 94 fuel with zero ethanol, but perhaps the previous owner didn't put the best fuel in.
Last edited by jcdenton; Nov 18, 2021 at 12:27 AM.
Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
