Newbie 04 E320 Rants
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 47
Likes: 0
From: Dallas, Texas USA
Newbie 04 E320 Rants
I just discovered this great forum a couple weeks ago. Only wish I had found it sooner so I would not have felt so alone as I had my problems with 04 E320.
Recognize that many of my issues have been discussed in the forum but will feel better documenting them. A little background first. I put my 04 on order last May since I was told Sat Radio would not be available until this model year. Of course, I still don't have OEM Sat radio but hope that is coming soon. Took delivery of my car the 10/24/03 -- supposedly one of the first in the country.
Not Starting
By far, my biggest problem has been the car not starting. First time I assumed that I had left something on. Roadside Assistance put in a new battery for me. Second time I knew that was not the case but had to make a flight so just got a boost from RA. Third time got a boost and dropped it off at the dealer for a weeklong stay while they tried to track down the problem. The intersting constant the times my car had no juice was that it had been left in my garage for over 24 hours. For some reason, my garage does not get cell phone coverage. The conclusion the dealer gave me was that the 'rear alarm module' was bad and triggered the car to constantly call MB running totally out of juice. They replaced it the day before Thanksgiving and had no problems until 3 weeks ago.
Again after leaving the car alone in my garage for about 24 hours I come out on Monday morning to a dead battery. A four day stay at the dealer (since they could not get the part) got me a new 'gateway'. A possible coincidence is that the week before I had left my car with a valet. When I got in, the car was calling SOS. I quickly ended the call but got stuck with an error malfunction from the SOS system. Not sure if this triggered the gateway failure in some way.
CD Changer
Jammed up the last week of Jan. A two day stay at the dealer got me a new magazine. After I test the CD changer quickly, I drive away in the car. Ten minutes later I realize that there is only one CD in the changer and it is the one I had in the single disk player. All other slots are empty. Call my dealership and the Service Advisor says he forgot to tell me that they had to send the old magazine to Germany and it will be 6 weeks before they have my CD's back. Still don't have them. And also, have the same problem with losing the CD song number after starting my car. Of all the time they have had with the car you would think they could have updated the software for a known problem.
All this being said, I love my 04 E320. It drives like a dream. Just wish I would have had straightforward communication on the Sat Radio and no electrical problems.
Recognize that many of my issues have been discussed in the forum but will feel better documenting them. A little background first. I put my 04 on order last May since I was told Sat Radio would not be available until this model year. Of course, I still don't have OEM Sat radio but hope that is coming soon. Took delivery of my car the 10/24/03 -- supposedly one of the first in the country.
Not Starting
By far, my biggest problem has been the car not starting. First time I assumed that I had left something on. Roadside Assistance put in a new battery for me. Second time I knew that was not the case but had to make a flight so just got a boost from RA. Third time got a boost and dropped it off at the dealer for a weeklong stay while they tried to track down the problem. The intersting constant the times my car had no juice was that it had been left in my garage for over 24 hours. For some reason, my garage does not get cell phone coverage. The conclusion the dealer gave me was that the 'rear alarm module' was bad and triggered the car to constantly call MB running totally out of juice. They replaced it the day before Thanksgiving and had no problems until 3 weeks ago.
Again after leaving the car alone in my garage for about 24 hours I come out on Monday morning to a dead battery. A four day stay at the dealer (since they could not get the part) got me a new 'gateway'. A possible coincidence is that the week before I had left my car with a valet. When I got in, the car was calling SOS. I quickly ended the call but got stuck with an error malfunction from the SOS system. Not sure if this triggered the gateway failure in some way.
CD Changer
Jammed up the last week of Jan. A two day stay at the dealer got me a new magazine. After I test the CD changer quickly, I drive away in the car. Ten minutes later I realize that there is only one CD in the changer and it is the one I had in the single disk player. All other slots are empty. Call my dealership and the Service Advisor says he forgot to tell me that they had to send the old magazine to Germany and it will be 6 weeks before they have my CD's back. Still don't have them. And also, have the same problem with losing the CD song number after starting my car. Of all the time they have had with the car you would think they could have updated the software for a known problem.
All this being said, I love my 04 E320. It drives like a dream. Just wish I would have had straightforward communication on the Sat Radio and no electrical problems.
Member
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 229
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SL500
First off welcome to the forums and congrats on your new car. I'm sorry to hear about your electrical problems, hopefully the dealer has sorted this out for you. As for the SAT radio, MB has been talking about this for quite a while now. I can't understand why it hasen't been introduced since it has been shown at a number of MB driving events.
Keep in mind that if the dealer can't sort out the electrical problems for you, you qualify under the lemon law (in CA anyway). The dealer has a lot more to do with your ownership experience than most people realise. If your dealer & salerperson is willing to work with you and everyone agrees this is a problem car persuade them to get you into a new one. I do understand that some/many? dealers are belligerent but if you have one that is not, a calm, adult-like conversation as to how to quickly resolve this problem usually works better than nasty letters and threats of lawyers.
Enjoy your E320!
Keep in mind that if the dealer can't sort out the electrical problems for you, you qualify under the lemon law (in CA anyway). The dealer has a lot more to do with your ownership experience than most people realise. If your dealer & salerperson is willing to work with you and everyone agrees this is a problem car persuade them to get you into a new one. I do understand that some/many? dealers are belligerent but if you have one that is not, a calm, adult-like conversation as to how to quickly resolve this problem usually works better than nasty letters and threats of lawyers.
Enjoy your E320!
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 47
Likes: 0
From: Dallas, Texas USA
MBZman --
Thank you for the welcome. I look forward to using the site learning more about my favorite cars.
Points noted on the dealer and Lemon law. I did look into it a little and would need another instance of it not starting here in TX.
I didn't include my overall impressions of the dealer in my original post. Besides him forgetting to tell me that my CD's were being shipped to Europe, I have been ok with them. I blame the misinformation of Sat Radio on MB corporate. All during the repair work I had the impression that they were genuinely trying to figure out an unusual, one of a kind puzzle. Now that I see all the similiar problems on this board, not so sure about that. But I will reserve judgment on the hopes of no future problems.
Let's just say I am a much better informed customer now.
Thank you for the welcome. I look forward to using the site learning more about my favorite cars.
Points noted on the dealer and Lemon law. I did look into it a little and would need another instance of it not starting here in TX.
I didn't include my overall impressions of the dealer in my original post. Besides him forgetting to tell me that my CD's were being shipped to Europe, I have been ok with them. I blame the misinformation of Sat Radio on MB corporate. All during the repair work I had the impression that they were genuinely trying to figure out an unusual, one of a kind puzzle. Now that I see all the similiar problems on this board, not so sure about that. But I will reserve judgment on the hopes of no future problems.
Let's just say I am a much better informed customer now.
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Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 1,425
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2000 W210 E55->2003 R230 SL500->2004 W211 E55->2007 997TT+2007 E63->2010 GLK350->2012 E550 4matic
CD Magazine?
Originally posted by BlueMonk
CD Changer
Jammed up the last week of Jan. A two day stay at the dealer got me a new magazine. After I test the CD changer quickly, I drive away in the car. Ten minutes later I realize that there is only one CD in the changer and it is the one I had in the single disk player. All other slots are empty. Call my dealership and the Service Advisor says he forgot to tell me that they had to send the old magazine to Germany and it will be 6 weeks before they have my CD's back. Still don't have them. And also, have the same problem with losing the CD song number after starting my car. Of all the time they have had with the car you would think they could have updated the software for a known problem.
All this being said, I love my 04 E320. It drives like a dream. Just wish I would have had straightforward communication on the Sat Radio and no electrical problems.
CD Changer
Jammed up the last week of Jan. A two day stay at the dealer got me a new magazine. After I test the CD changer quickly, I drive away in the car. Ten minutes later I realize that there is only one CD in the changer and it is the one I had in the single disk player. All other slots are empty. Call my dealership and the Service Advisor says he forgot to tell me that they had to send the old magazine to Germany and it will be 6 weeks before they have my CD's back. Still don't have them. And also, have the same problem with losing the CD song number after starting my car. Of all the time they have had with the car you would think they could have updated the software for a known problem.
All this being said, I love my 04 E320. It drives like a dream. Just wish I would have had straightforward communication on the Sat Radio and no electrical problems.
Senior Member
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 308
Likes: 0
From: Houston, TX
2003 E500
Bluemonk, for what it is worth.. you WILL get your CD's back. The same thing happened to me.. my changer locked up and my CD's were inside and did not eject.. so the whole thing went to Germany (or was it New Jersey).. I got them back about 6 to 8 weeks later.
