Yes , Same dealer , they declined they had fixed same issue before and they will need MB USA approval to fix the issue with no cost to me , ( I paid ($170) for diagnostics and they didn't even open the panels and virtually checked the speaker).... I contacted MB-USA 3 times and they only offering 10% as my car out of warranty.. so sad.

 

 

Unfortunately, the speakers used are not standard sizes or shapes. There is no listed "drop-in" replacement for those used in this car. To replace them with aftermarket speakers, especially the ones in the rear deck will require some sheet metal cutting and other custom brackets. Also, I am not sure if the impedance of these speakers is a standard value or not. Lexus, for one, does not use standard impedance speakers, so one must do some custom impedance-matching to swap the speakers out without risking overheating the amps.

 

 

Arrie - Not to start a flame war, but I beg to differ on all points. First, although Mercedes does not make their own speakers, they do have their speakers made to MB's specifications - size, impedance, power handling capabilities, frequency response, etc. The speakers are made by some company, but the rear deck speakers in a W212 sedan are definitely NOT a standard size. If they were, all the component suppliers would list replacements for them. Even Crutchfield, arguably one of the best-informed and most capable suppliers has no replacement listed. If you look at the online sale ads for used speakers, the picture shows a rectangular speaker assembly holding a separate woofer and tweeter/mid-range. There are virtually NO replacement speakers in this shape and configuration.

As for impedance, I think you may have missed a lesson or two in basic electronics. Impedance is an AC function, not to be confused with resistance, which is a DC function. Audio signals are a form of AC, not DC, so the insertion of a series or parallel resistance will only alter the DC state of the circuit, not the AC state, which is impedance. Most often impedance matching is accomplished via the use of one form of transformer or another, but in applications such as speaker matching, there are few, if any, suitable transformers available. One would have to find a transformer with the appropriate turns ratio and power handling capabilities in order to match a speaker of one impedance to an amp of another. If you take a resistance reading across the terminals of a 4-ohm speaker, you most certainly will NOT read 4 ohms. It will read much lower resistance, even close to a dead short circuit.

The way I managed to match a replacement sub to a Mark Levinson audio system in a Lexus was to run the speaker-level signal into a line-level converter, which converts the (in Lexus' system) 2-ohm impedance to a high-impedance signal (think RCA phono jacks), which I then fed into a separate amplifier to power the speakers. Many have done this with the MB/HK systems, so the electronics is fairly straightforward. The larger issue is fitting a suitable speaker into the car. These cars are simply not designed to allow easy speaker swaps or additions. I've done some on my old W201, with only mediocre results. I haven't yet tried on the W212, but sooner or later I'll go nuts with the stock system and get to the drawing board.

 

Thanks for all the postings.

I have owned my car for 4 years and nothing remotely has happened like this...was heading out for the night and all of a sudden the popping noise from front center third speaker and awful burning smell...thanks for the video with sound. Taking the car in to the local MB dealer and demanding theu replce with no cost to me. I have 67000...certified used car purchase.

 

You are wrong, the rear speakers are mounted into a one piece PLASTIC unit, the tweeters are an easy replacement but the woofer is pretty unique. Yes I have taken the whole mounting unit out! I know what Im taking about. The door speakers are standard 6.5s but are soldering into special tabs for the wiring, I add JBL 3ohm tweeters on top of the front door speakers with plumbers tap painted black and it transformed the whole system, now I cant turn the treble all the way without piercing my eardrums.

 

Shack, I am well aware that the rear deck speakers are mounted in a plastic housing. What I meant was that if you choose to do without that plastic insert, there is no standard speaker size that fits into the resulting opening. You would have to fabricate a new mounting board. And, if you intended to install a larger speaker, say an 8-inch woofer, you would have to do more fabrication and possibly cut the hole in the package shelf larger. The shelf just is not that deep front to back, especially if you have the power-operated rear sun shade.

This is different than my old 2001 Lexus LS430, which had a standard-sized round 8-inch woofer in the package shelf. That one was easy to swap out without any fabrication, and looked totally stock. In my old W201 MB (190E-2.3) I had to mount plate-mount 2-way speakers in the package shelf and then remove the first aid kit which was mounted in the rear parcel shelf to have space to mount a couple of small woofers.

I don't think I have the skills to alter the W212, and with the growing complexity of the sound systems and data bus, I wouldn't even try it.

 

Hey,
I just experienced the same issue with the melting rear passenger and front driver side speakers (crackling, burning, smoke filled vehicle while driving with no audio) only it was only 40 degrees out. Of course it's not a "know issue" and there are no recalls so I have to pay for replacements. I just filed a complaint (https://www.odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/VehicleComplaint/,
https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls?nhtsaId=11156393) with NHTSA @ www.safercar.gov and suggest that everyone do the same.

 

Add me to the list have a 2014 E350 with 112,000KM. Subwoofer is going off constantly. and there’s this burning smell in the trunk.

 

Someone please help. I don't know what to do. Just bought my vehicle recently and it started having this issue. I believe it's the rear subwoofer on mine. I smell a really strong burning smell in the car. Can anyone help? Is this something that would be covered by good will? I'm in Canada

 

Only one way to find out:

Blair Creed, VP Customer Services
Mercedes-Benz Canada
Blair.creed@mercedes-benz.ca

If email is bounced: https://www.mercedes-benz.ca/en/contact-us/overview

 

Thanks! Just emailed him. Hope to hear him respond soon

 

Anyway to disconnect the subwoofer in the meantime?

 

Burning smell and smoke in car and no re-call??!!??

Hope you guys don’t park your cars in garages or too close to your homes or other cars.

 

Just got my quote in from my Mercedes Dealer after spending almost $200 in diagnostic fees to find out a subwoofer is the cause for all of this. The technician said it was due to a wire not being grounded that caused all of this. Total damage is $1500 CAD. The service advisor told me that they’re applying for goodwill coverage, but they’re saying it’s a slim chance of it getting covered. sigh

 

"Wire not being grounded " being a problem does not sound right to me. Usually if you loose ground you lose power and certainly do not burn anything to make smell or smoke. Sounds to me they have diagnosed a bad speaker that was put in the car by MB and they ask you to pay for their mistake.

 

Can u please tell me the person in MB usa u reached out to.

 

I reached out as well to Mb Canada. Nothing really they do. They offered 25% for the part. + labour. Sigh

 

Still the cost is like 3k to replace amplifier...so people should keep worrying about burning amplifiers after buying a 60-70k car in Texas...cos its hot.
Do did u try reaching out yo BBB or NSAa as mentioned by someone in the forums.

 

My subwoofer and right rear speaker are blown. And I’m in Toronto. But the car always drove down to Florida all the time.

 

This is happening to me speaker crackling, burnt smell, dealer has had my car for a week, no response, I've been calling every day, they seem to be ducking me!
Shame on them!

 

I took the car to a Mercedes-Benz dealership they have had the car for over a week I'm trying to call them everyday they keep giving me different excuses saying that waiting for Mercedes to check the vehicle out it's the speaker I smelled it my son got sick from the smell is anyone else having the same issue Mercedes-Benz needs to rectify this problem, speaker even crackles when the vehicle is off I also have a video

 

I believe it should be a class action lawsuit...
My dealer charging me 3k to fix.
Tried calling everyone in MB USA...customer care VP emailed..
Oy want yo pay 10 percent towards repair.
Total bull****

 

But they will fix it sti in warranty...mine expired last year..