My 2011 E350 "Died" Yesterday
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E350
My 2011 E350 "Died" Yesterday
My 2011 E350 with less than 4 months and 5K miles on the clock "died" yesterday.
I'm crusing home @ 70 mph after a long day of skiing with my wife and daughter when the check engine light comes on and the power is diminished. I start heading for the breakdown lane and barely get off the road before the car feels like it is running out of gas. (Not easy crossing 3 lanes of rush hour traffic with loss of power!) Coast off the ramp and luckily right into a Shell station. Heart beat gets back to normal.
I have a half tank of gas but fill it up with the thought that the feul gauge may be broken. Car only takes 10 gallons so I call MBrace for service. An hour and 45 minutes later the flat bed truck arrives to drive me to Mercedes service.
The dealer was kind enough to drive 50 miles from the dealership to rescue my wife and daughter and drive them home. They also had a new C300 loaner waiting for me when I arrived at the service department with the tow truck. Much appreciated.
I'm still very upset in the reliability of my first Mercedes. First time I have had one of my cars in for unscheduled service in probably 12-15 years.
Waiting for the service advisor to call with a diagnosis.
Probably something with the fuel delivery?
I'm crusing home @ 70 mph after a long day of skiing with my wife and daughter when the check engine light comes on and the power is diminished. I start heading for the breakdown lane and barely get off the road before the car feels like it is running out of gas. (Not easy crossing 3 lanes of rush hour traffic with loss of power!) Coast off the ramp and luckily right into a Shell station. Heart beat gets back to normal.
I have a half tank of gas but fill it up with the thought that the feul gauge may be broken. Car only takes 10 gallons so I call MBrace for service. An hour and 45 minutes later the flat bed truck arrives to drive me to Mercedes service.
The dealer was kind enough to drive 50 miles from the dealership to rescue my wife and daughter and drive them home. They also had a new C300 loaner waiting for me when I arrived at the service department with the tow truck. Much appreciated.
I'm still very upset in the reliability of my first Mercedes. First time I have had one of my cars in for unscheduled service in probably 12-15 years.
Waiting for the service advisor to call with a diagnosis.
Probably something with the fuel delivery?
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E350
I expect to hear back from MB service by the end of the day.
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From: Philadelphia area
2010 ML550, 2010 E350 4M, 1966 Corvette Convt C2
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E350
Update...
The problem is a faulty Engine Control Unit (ECU). They originally said they would have the part today, however, I was just told they need to order the part from Germany and it will take about a week.
The problem is a faulty Engine Control Unit (ECU). They originally said they would have the part today, however, I was just told they need to order the part from Germany and it will take about a week.
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From: Orange County, CA
2010 E550 Sport Sedan Blk/Blk
Wowsers, sorry to hear that. Hope MBZ makes it up to you somehow, cause this situation sucks pretty bad.
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2010 E350
When ECU crashes, car just stops? These cars should have sort of failover mechanism, in case of a faulty ecu or tcu car should at least keeps moving for safety, and bypasses any faulty electronic modules since they have CAN "Controller Area Network".
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2011 E550, 2013 GLK
I thought they had a *limp home* mode when this happens. Of course, limping on a busy Interstate isn't very practical.
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E350
My family is safe today only because I was alert and lucky. Alert that I noticted the tiny red engine symbol by the speedo (imo not a prominent enough warning), and immediately started making my way towards the breakdown lane. Lucky that I was able to avoid an accident crossing 3 lanes of traffic with loss of power - and lucky that as the car was completely losing power there was an exit with a down hill slope to coast into a Shell station. Very lucky.
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In any event, damned shame to have it happen, and glad they had a loaner waiting for you. This is the first I've heard of a > 2.8, non-modified, ECU dying, and the fact that there was not another one in the US kinda supports that.
Like any electronics device, there's always the possibility of a component failure - at least the dealer is treating you right.
Last edited by UK-C200; Feb 26, 2011 at 09:36 PM.
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2010 E350 Luxury Sedan, Engine 272 (V6)
Reliability is issue that had delayed my getting an M-B until last year. If reliabilty of E Class was not rated above average by Consumer Reports, would not have gotten the car. Hate to hear this. Worse thing is how many times people post that a critical part has to come from Germany and may take weeks to get here.
In 2007, I had a Hyundai Azera and asked dealer to re-program the limp home code. On Hyundais you have to do a thing with the ignition to activate limp home and it is set at time of purchase and I wanted mine changed. They tried, but somehow it "killed" the computrer. Dealer gave me a rental car and Hyundai over nighted a new $2,500 computer for the car. Ironically, by letting the car sit overnight, the computer re-booted and everything was OK.
Bottom line is, Hyundai had the part in the US and they overnighted it as warranty work.
In 2007, I had a Hyundai Azera and asked dealer to re-program the limp home code. On Hyundais you have to do a thing with the ignition to activate limp home and it is set at time of purchase and I wanted mine changed. They tried, but somehow it "killed" the computrer. Dealer gave me a rental car and Hyundai over nighted a new $2,500 computer for the car. Ironically, by letting the car sit overnight, the computer re-booted and everything was OK.
Bottom line is, Hyundai had the part in the US and they overnighted it as warranty work.
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2010 E350
Ah, sorry, but how does having a network help you if the ECU dies? All modern MB engines - and most others - die if the ECU dies - unless you are proposing that MB put 2 ECU's in every car?! The fact that the engine didn't just outright stop actually kinda surprises me, as "limp home" mode is an ECU function.
In any event, damned shame to have it happen, and glad they had a loaner waiting for you. This is the first I've heard of a > 2.8, non-modified, ECU dying, and the fact that there was not another one in the US kinda supports that.
Like any electronics device, there's always the possibility of a component failure - at least the dealer is treating you right.
In any event, damned shame to have it happen, and glad they had a loaner waiting for you. This is the first I've heard of a > 2.8, non-modified, ECU dying, and the fact that there was not another one in the US kinda supports that.
Like any electronics device, there's always the possibility of a component failure - at least the dealer is treating you right.
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E350
I didn't hear back from the service advisor in over a week so I called for an update. 2 hours later they call me back and tell me that it will be at least until Tuesday of next week before they get the part from Germany.
I'm not enjoying this ownership experience.
Make me wonder if anyone would be crazy enough to own one if these cars out of warranty?
I'm not enjoying this ownership experience.
Make me wonder if anyone would be crazy enough to own one if these cars out of warranty?
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2010 ML550, 2010 E350 4M, 1966 Corvette Convt C2
I didn't hear back from the service advisor in over a week so I called for an update. 2 hours later they call me back and tell me that it will be at least until Tuesday of next week before they get the part from Germany.
I'm not enjoying this ownership experience.
Make me wonder if anyone would be crazy enough to own one if these cars out of warranty?
I'm not enjoying this ownership experience.
Make me wonder if anyone would be crazy enough to own one if these cars out of warranty?
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Porsche Macan S SportDesign / Ex M-B's: 11 & 10 & 06 E350's, 02 S500
Sounds like a lazy Dealer for sure. If they were on it, and/or not backed up, I assume they should have had that part in and installed, and your car freshly washed by now, back into your hands.
