mwillems

Hi all,

Well, I've been busy and my car has been fine - until today that is. On a highway drive to North of Toronto, a warning came up: A battery symbol and "Problem - Electrical Consumers Switched Off".

So I called Mercedes on the built-in radio system. Turns out they could not help - I asked them if I could go on driving and they told me they are "not allowed to give advice". Groan. My dealer was not much more help so I turned around (did not want to be stuck without battery in the snow in an area where there is no power, phone, cell coverage or paved road). Now my car is at the dealer's (10 days in 6200 km so far!) and I'm getting a rental.

Why on earth would a battery warning light come on? This was highway driving and I was using lights, wipers, washer, and radio - hey, it IS winter and that should all be possible. I guess another little glitch... anyone else experienced the same by any chance?

Michael, E320

bmms8

hey, its nothing serious at all, this also happened to me, it just means that mayeb you left your lights on, or you turned the radio on for to long, with out starting the engine, so you have a low powered battery, so what the car does is that, to recharge fully, it might turn off your A/C or some electrical stuff to get enough power, it wil go away after you just start your car, and let the battery charge, or judt drive it

mwillems

Ah... but I was driving on the highway at the time!

Anyway, I expected MB to tell me the same, but after I spent C$20 to call them about their car's problem (bad enough to start with), all they could say is "We are not allowed to give advice". That is a cheap copout, and loses them a LOT of respect.

Mike

mwillems

I have the car back today - the dealership found no problems and had no explanation as to why the electrical fault would show when I am on the highway.

Michael

briar

Hello Mr. Williams,
I have followed your saga for the past several months, and empathize.
I applaud your professional, logical, and straightforward approach.
I do hope that everything works out for you and that you have the Garmin back and working.
Given your recent problems, it will be enlightening to the forum on how MBZ deals with these issues.
I do hope that it all works out for you in the end.

mwillems

Hello Briar (and others):

Well, the dealership is fine - Mery in Oakville, Canada. They got me a hire car for the day they had my car.

And the car is fine too - most of the little things I have had with this car were little things. If this had been a Chevy, I would not have bothered even pointing out half of them.

But it is *not* a chevy, and what therefore seems to me slightly less professional in all this is Mercedes-Benz. No co-ordination between MB Canada and MB USA. Odd also that the central service (the one you call with the little button, I keep forgetting the name!) tell me they are "not allowed to give advice!" (I asked them whether I could drive with this battery warning light or not). That is, I think, exactly why I pay them the C$2 per minute for a cell phone call that should cost $0.10 per minute. And if Benz wanted to show they care they would give me a leather coat from the catalog (I have asked, but found no great enthusiasm) or they would send my woife flowers, or something. And I point out the QC issues here partly because I know MB read this forum. I am trying to help them. I would have thought they'd be grateful.

Anyway, thanks for your sympathy! I am just off for an hour and a half's drive - that's the nice part.

Michael