Ivehadit

I took possession of a new 2003 E500 in late 2002 and have had nothing but problems with the car. What started as minor inconveniences have morphed into serious problems which have now become a real safety concern. Here is a partial list of what my car has been serviced for since inception:

1) Ongoing radio problems that never seem to end
2) Rear Electronic Headrests inoperable
3) Air Conditioning Malfunction and breakdown
4) Coolant Leaking from vehicle and smoke pouring from under the hood - coolant light came on without warning and within minutes I had to pull the vehicle over to the side of the road and evacuate car.
5) Trunk Release Inoperable
6) Brake Failure
7) Cheap plastic parts in cabin snap off regularly


All of this was reported to MB and while the dealer did a fair job in managing the problems, the problems just continued.

The straw that broke the camel's back occurred last week. Brought the car in for a regularly scheduled service and on the drive back home a brake warning light came on and within a matter of seconds the brakes failed. That's right - we lost any ability to use the brakes.

Virtually every problem was identified as being electrical or computer related and at this point I will not get back into the car. I will not put my family in the car. I feel like I'm playing Russian Roulette. Certainly not what one would expect in a $60k vehicle.

I have been driving luxury cars for years including BMWs, Audis, Range Rover, etc. This E500 and a G500 which I obtained a few months prior to the E500 have been more problematic than any vehicles I've ever driven. I think the build quality is extremely poor and can't imagine driving any MB in the near future.

To boot, MB has been in total denial about the problems. Unsympathetic and totally unwilling to do anything about it.

At this point the only message one can send is economic. I picked up a new Audi A8L earlier this week and it is nothing short of a dream.

MBE55AMG

... And you paid your hard-earned money for that vehicle?! You deserve much better. I'm sorry to hear the issues that aren't being sorted. Those should not occur in such a expensive car.

I can't imagine being in your place with such a defective vehicle.

konigstiger

Ivehadit,
Check your pm.

Kenechi

Somehow, I tend to trust all these people that have driven their w211 for some time now and seem to be very happy with their cars more than I trust your story. However, I'm sorry for the problems you're having. I'm also happy that the A8L is giving you pleasure.

Fastbuck

Maybe it's the fact that your carrying a camel and bales of straw that's causing these problems. I'm fairly sure I saw a section in the owner's manual advising against carrying "livestock".

miroj

It sounds to me like you have a fault in the rear fuse box. Many of those functions are connected there, as are the relays and triggers.

The brake issue has been fixed and all it takes is a software update.

As for coolant leaking that is really strange. I tend to think that it doesnt cause smoke in any case but rather a glycol + steam mix which is totally harmless.

As for the radio and parts breaking off ? I have no idea how these break but it seems like you love to hit things when you are unhappy. I have never been able to break anything on my car except a $2 seat clip. Took 5 min to replace at home.

Perhaps you may consider a dealer that wins service awards in the future. They tend to employ mechanics with half a clue.

But you did the right thing. That benz doesnt do what you want and getting something that does, even if it has a 15 year old design, should prove a safe move. You do of course realise that 80% of the Audi electronics are the same as Benz.

GDawgC220

the first year w211's were known to have problems with buggy electronics...most, if not all, were taken care of MY2004

Good luck with the Audi.

psh1959

Ivehadit,

I have had my fair share of problems with my 2004 E320 - but I am not looking to turn this post into a gripe session.

The thing that worries me about your message is the brake failure. Given the electronic grelims the w211 is know for, a brake by wire system is less that confidence inspiring.

PLEASE take a moment and file a complaint with the NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Adminstration) about your brake failure. You can do it via phone - Call the DOT Auto Safety Hotline at 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236) and a NHTSA representative will record your complaint information or you can file online at www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/ivoq/ .

Contrary to what most people think, there is no officially mandated brake recall for the MB E class. The "recall" that was reported in the press in May is a "precautionary check" by MB to limit future corporate liability. It will not fix repair or replace a defective brake system. If there are a sufficient number of complaints submitted, the NHTSA will mandate an investigation and issue a recall.

We can all put up with a few glitches in these cars - however brakes are not a luxury item that we should comprimise on!

MadManAboutTown

Sorry, but I don't believe that any dealer of any make would ignore brake failure. This is a made-up story from a person who has posted once on this forum - you decide.

IMHO, just another troll

miroj

Firstly, there is a system software update for the brake system alone. It is free and currently being done all over the world.

Secondly, the brakes dont fail they become heavier than usual but are still operable. I mean if they dont grab isnt your first reaction to press harder or do you just dial the NHTSA first and then see what happens ?

The recall is in force - just because it isnt enforced by some government body doesnt mean it isnt in place.

miroj

Well it goes without saying that anyone who can break plastic parts in a Mercedes can't be using them for the purpose they were intended (now I would really like to see the alternate usage out of curiosity). I suppose that rumours about them being weaker than a sledgehammer may have some truth.

GDawgC220

yes, there is a BACK-UP hydraulic brake system that takes over if the electronic brakes fail. It will be a little harder to stop the vehicle, but not impossible.

lig

I broke my cupholder early on...

Beyond that - no broken plastic.

04E500

No offense in that I do believe you have a problematic car and I understand the level of frustration it creates, I used to own an early ML, but if you had in fact lost all ability to use the brakes, what did you run into?

Our 04' had the pull to the right prob which was corrected and the drivers seat adjustment had a glitch, otherwise smooth sailing going on 7K.

Apollo

Do you by any chance work for Audi?

BMcD-E500

I am suspicious about this thread as well. I would need to see details behind each complaint before I belive this one. Sounds like somebody with a little too much time on their hands.

But the A8L is a pretty cool car!!

Bruce

miroj

Cup holders. That is the one thing in a car that makes Gemans roar with laughter. They dont understand why anyone would eat in their car.

lig

The cupholder is pretty Rube Goldberg-ish.

BoSoxFan

Yeah, but even the Germans are starting to put them in their cars now -- at least in the rentals that I have had. Also, there are an awful lot of McDrives in that country so they need to have some place to put their cups.

Ivehadit

Thanks to all responders for your mostly thoughtful insights. I am a bit saddened, although not surprised, that some of you just don't believe what I have been through with this car. My feeling is that if you don't believe it, it is only because you do not want to believe it. The story is hard to imagine, and I only wish my imagination was creative enough to dream this up. On the contrary, I am simply a father of three who wanted a reliable, reasonably sporty, luxury sedan to get myself and my family around in. The E500 fit the bill and at the time I thought it was the best choice on the market. I went into the car with high expectations and needless to say have been very, very disappointed. I wish there was some way to share the service records with all of you. As I type out this, they sit on my desk in front of me, an ugly reminder of the expreience.

Perhaps even more troubling than the problems themselves has been MB's response. They refuse to buy the car back, and basically want nothing to do with the car unless of course I want to trade it in for another one. Who in their right mind would do that after this experience? Never once has anyone from MB said anything to this effect 'Sir, we recognize this has been a disappointing experience for you. What can we do to rectify the situation?' Customer service 101 in my opinion, completely absent. On the contrary, they have bobbed and weaved, been in denial, taking a very lawerly approach to the whole thing.

And for the record, no I do not work for Audi, and in fairness have owned a few Audis prior to the one I just bought and have had a few problems with those too. Nothing like this though.

On another note, my 2002 G500 just came out of service for an ongoing squeaking noise coming from the undercarriage that was finally diagnosed as brake-related. Turns out the discs were rusted out and corroded, pads had to be replaced. Total cost to me $550, not covered under warranty. Two years old, 22k miles. I just can't win.

Thanks again for all of your thoughts

Regards for the holiday weekend

BoSoxFan

That it is. Because of a medical problem, I always have a bottled water handy. If you put the bottle in that holder, then you have to crook your arm around to move the gearshift lever. The cupholder is so flimsy that I don't expect it to last very long. I usually keep my water bottle in the net holder on the passenger side of the transmission tunnel.

Double Eagle

I don't believe anything in your message and find it unusual that you would wait until now to supposedly tell us about your problems. I've had two, 2003, E-500's and both have been GREAT cars with minor problems. ALL problems have been promptly corrected by the dealer. I recently completed a 2400 mile trip in my E-500 in 7 days and got 25.6 MPG at 70 MPH average for ~ 15 hours of engine on time for the last 1113 miles by myself over five mountain passes. No car I've ever owned has been so comfortable and pleasurable to drive.

Give us a REAL history and details to have any credibility on this board. To me you seem like a unhappy Bimmer owner trying to create some havoc on this MB forum. GET A LIFE.

konigstiger

Just to clarify, when you say "MB" do you mean both dealer & MBUSA?

Kenechi

This thread is totally bogus. Please show pictures of your old e500 with same background with your new A8 and possibly your G. If you ever had the problems you claimed, there's no doubt that MB would make you an out-of-this-world kinda deal to get a new one.

monakh

So wait a second here...in order to achieve ultimate credibility on this board, you have to a) have more than a few posts and b) have a story about Mercedes service that is just short of appalling so everyone believes it?

I can't believe there are people jumping down this person's throat just because he has reported problems on his E. I have been complaining about my stupid dealer since I bought my 2003 which was replaced with the 2004. I absolutely love my car, but my 2003 was no charmer. I had tons of problems with it. Even with the 2004, I seem to recall posting a long thread about how every single visible electronic system once shut down in my E (to my incredible frustration since I was lost in New Jersey somewhere). Whatever happened to giving someone the benefit of the doubt?

One of the reasons I continue to participate on this board is because we are so civilized around here. Unlike the fanatic Bimmer, the psycho Lexus and obsessive Acura boards where folks just jump down your throat because you have criticized the brand, this group tends to be very tolerant of reports on other brands, and criticism of our very own. It certainly used to be that way, but perhaps things are changing.

I am not saying that IveHadIt is wrong or right, I am simply saying we should take his word at face value. We have had at least one other guy (I forget his name, just that he used a lot of run-on sentences and his grammar was bad) who has complained in similar fashion, but everyone jumped down his throat too. OK, fine he may have deserved it because he was barely coherent, but come on, let's give this person a chance?!

IveHadIt man, not that I think you need to prove anything to anyone, but if you can scan and post all your service invoices for your E, along with any pics, that would be great. It won't be because you have to, it would be a service to this forum so we can remain tolerant of people who report problems but apparently don't have the post count to justify their existence.

Sheesh!