Steering has become hard
Thread Starter
Super Member
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 528
Likes: 20
From: Chicago IL
X166 gls450 2017
Steering has become hard
I took my car in after the Low battery sign didn't go away even with a new battery -- The stealer ran diagnostics ($195) and said both batteries are bad (old & the new one) ... But thats not the end of the story
He says there's a valve in the steering pump that hardens the steering as speed increases & provides maximum 'softness' at lowest speeds ... he says I need to change that valve, its faulty - $1000 for the job
BUT WHEN I DROPPED MY CAR OFF MY STEERING WAS JUST FINE!!! I picked the car up thinking it was just a gimmy to make money, but today realized my steering is not silky soft at lowest of speeds as it used to be ... GODDAMMIT
... they damaged my power steering speed-sensing valve and want me to pay to fix it
He says there's a valve in the steering pump that hardens the steering as speed increases & provides maximum 'softness' at lowest speeds ... he says I need to change that valve, its faulty - $1000 for the job
BUT WHEN I DROPPED MY CAR OFF MY STEERING WAS JUST FINE!!! I picked the car up thinking it was just a gimmy to make money, but today realized my steering is not silky soft at lowest of speeds as it used to be ... GODDAMMIT
... they damaged my power steering speed-sensing valve and want me to pay to fix it
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 6,501
Likes: 336
From: Europe
223.168 & 213.012 & 906.633 & 214.005
I took my car in after the Low battery sign didn't go away even with a new battery -- The stealer ran diagnostics ($195) and said both batteries are bad (old & the new one) ... But thats not the end of the story
He says there's a valve in the steering pump that hardens the steering as speed increases & provides maximum 'softness' at lowest speeds ... he says I need to change that valve, its faulty - $1000 for the job
BUT WHEN I DROPPED MY CAR OFF MY STEERING WAS JUST FINE!!! I picked the car up thinking it was just a gimmy to make money, but today realized my steering is not silky soft at lowest of speeds as it used to be ... GODDAMMIT ... they damaged my power steering speed-sensing valve and want me to pay to fix it
He says there's a valve in the steering pump that hardens the steering as speed increases & provides maximum 'softness' at lowest speeds ... he says I need to change that valve, its faulty - $1000 for the job
BUT WHEN I DROPPED MY CAR OFF MY STEERING WAS JUST FINE!!! I picked the car up thinking it was just a gimmy to make money, but today realized my steering is not silky soft at lowest of speeds as it used to be ... GODDAMMIT
... they damaged my power steering speed-sensing valve and want me to pay to fix it
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 6,501
Likes: 336
From: Europe
223.168 & 213.012 & 906.633 & 214.005
Is it not done under warranty anyway? I wander if the shop was trying to charge twice for the fix.
Anyway what matters is that you will get the car fixed and can again enjoy the adaptive power steering.
Thread Starter
Super Member
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 528
Likes: 20
From: Chicago IL
X166 gls450 2017
I agree they wont have swapped it out with a faulty one but they played around with the car's electrical system (battery amperage monitoring /charging, alternator output, fuses, current leakage checks) - I expect them to stand behind this or there's no difference going to firestone or a MB dealer
Its just like when I try a DIY and break something else due to ignorance then I end up paying more bcoz of my ignorance (e.g to replace aux batt, I broke the cabin filter housing's right tab; I didnt know how to remove it
)--- w/ MB certified techs I aint payin for their blunder...
Its just like when I try a DIY and break something else due to ignorance then I end up paying more bcoz of my ignorance (e.g to replace aux batt, I broke the cabin filter housing's right tab; I didnt know how to remove it
)--- w/ MB certified techs I aint payin for their blunder...
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 6,501
Likes: 336
From: Europe
223.168 & 213.012 & 906.633 & 214.005
I agree they wont have swapped it out with a faulty one but they played around with the car's electrical system (battery amperage monitoring /charging, alternator output, fuses, current leakage checks) - I expect them to stand behind this or there's no difference going to firestone or a MB dealer
Its just like when I try a DIY and break something else due to ignorance then I end up paying more bcoz of my ignorance (e.g to replace aux batt, I broke the cabin filter housing's right tab; I didnt know how to remove it )--- w/ MB certified techs I aint payin for their blunder...
Its just like when I try a DIY and break something else due to ignorance then I end up paying more bcoz of my ignorance (e.g to replace aux batt, I broke the cabin filter housing's right tab; I didnt know how to remove it
)--- w/ MB certified techs I aint payin for their blunder...The valve fails often, I'm guessing it was just a coincidence that the failure happened when you brought it to the shop (perhaps even a bit earlier if you did not do tight turns while parking and perhaps did not notice the issue, and it may be a bit intermittent too).
I'm afraid neither of you are able to prove that it happened at the workshop or did not happen. I find the workshop willingness to take care of it a very positive thing. They must be assuming that the failure did not happen at the workshop but they seem to consider the customer perception and take care of it because they understand how the customer interprets the case.
Of course I cannot see the details from my computer, never know if they really screwed it up.
