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I'm really digging everything about the new ride EXCEPT I keep getting the 'PRE-SAFE Inoperative See Owners Manual' warning. Went back to the dealership 8 days after I bought her and sat there all day, 9am until 5pm. They fixed a few other minor issues, but told me they couldn't duplicate the PRE-SAFE warning and the car had no stored codes. After the dealership visit and 3+ days of no warnings on the dash, last night it came up again, then again first thing this morning on my way to run an errand, then again after I dropped something off and started the car up but this time the message came on and stayed on for the rest of a 10~15 minute drive, and now has come on a few more times while driving around town. I've done some searching on the web and on this site but haven't found anything remotely conclusive. So I'm starting another thread to call attention to this and see if there's any new insight on tackling this issue.
This doesn't seem like a common issue, but also does not seem uncommon. And it shouldn't be happening on a CPO vehicle from the dealer that supposedly underwent all kinds of inspections and only had 14,1xx miles on it when I picked her up. I have another appointment for Thursday. It's ~2.5 hr trip one-way to the dealer. Really really hoping to get this resolved.
Intermittent problems are the worst to diagnose! Sometimes with these problems hanging an external data recorder onto the diagnostics port will capture some piece of data that otherwise doesn't cause a code to be stored. Don't know if M-B does that but I know another German car manufacturer that sometimes directs the dealer to use a recorder.
Sorry, I don't know enough, yet, about the M-B systems. Once of these days, I have to get the factory diag tool and study it.
That's a great idea and will suggest it when I'm in on Thursday. I have one of the wifi code reader dongles but am guessing that won't reveal anything...
They have code readers which can read MB specific codes so I doubt your wifi dongle will do anything. But if the error message comes up, just record it with your video camera and show the SA so they know you're not nuts and making stuff up.
Already showed the Service Advisor pictures I took of the display with the 'PRE_SAFE Inoperative...' message. Also took additional pictures and video to take down on Thursday. I have a nicer reader than the dongle too, will try hooking them up tomorrow. But don't think there will be any stored codes. Doubtful, but hoping the error will show up on the way down Thursday and then will not turn off the car when I pull in. Even if the error screen just flashes the message is stored until you turn off the car - you can recall on the Messages/Tire Pressure/… screen on the speedometer, it will note 'X' messages, 'X' being the number of messages flashed since starting the car.
Man this sucks.. I have personally never gotten any indication of PRE-SAFE anything. The seatbelts do the little hug thing.. a few false collision warnings.. nothing out of the ordinary. I think I asked this in another post and am not sure I read an answer - is the stop/start system working? I ask that because if that system is not working and you're getting odd warnings like this then suspect #1 is the battery.
My E350 is also CPO.. trust me, the warranty is nice but the "inspections" and the whole process is a farce. At delivery mine would not start. Dead battery. Tire pressures wrong. Steering wheel damaged. I mean there were a lot of little things, and they ended up fixing all of them but it was an inconvenience for me (I live 70 miles from them) and also inexcusable. They push this false narrative that the CPO cars are somehow lined in gold, in better condition than the cars you could buy elsewhere. Well let me tell you - I had a 2016 E350 delivered to me from Carvana and test drove it a few days. It was in as good or better shape than the CPO cars. They all come from the same place - MBFS auctions.
Last edited by LILBENZ230; 02-22-2020 at 07:42 AM.
Yep, this really does suck. Everything would be great if it wasn't for this intermittent PRE-SAFE error. ECO (Start/Stop) works just fine when I leave it enabled. I hear you on the CPO inspections, but glad I have the warranty from the dealer with this PRE-SAFE thing going on. For example, the cup holder cover not sliding back was apparently due to a coffee spill from the previous lease. You think they would have caught that. They cleaned the cover assy and it's working great now. They also ordered a new cover, but I'm thinking I may keep the present cover because the wood grain matches the wood grain around the COMAND control knob.
Apparently they did put a bit 'o $$$ into the car before putting it on the lot. I've asked several times now for a printout of the service history on the vehicle and have been denied. The SA did pull up and show me everything they did to prep the car under CPO: replaced a headlight (ad for the car showed a red spot on one of the headlights), brake fluid flush, new battery, new ContiProContact tires on all four corners, a few other things I can't remember.
Has anyone gotten this message repetitively and had it fixed? How was it fixed? What can I point the service folks towards when I'm back in there again?
My 2015 had the same message. It wasn't throwing a code. It was a software reprogramming issue, paid by me for Mercedes mistake, and there is a service bulletin.
Thank you konigstiger! Are you saying the PRE-SAFE Inoperative message is being triggered by Collision Prevention Assist? My build sheet says "258 - Collis. Warn. Sys. w/Active Brake Interv. FCW Stop"
My 2015 had the same message. It wasn't throwing a code. It was a software reprogramming issue, paid by me for Mercedes mistake, and there is a service bulletin.
Just took my car in yesterday to the indy for the same issue. They pulled the stored code and narrowed it down to the left front sensor, which turned out to be fine. Software update / reprogram seems to have fixed it. They also checked the batteries, which came back with no issues.
I have a 2012 E300. I fixed the problem by using the spare key because the key fob doesn't recognize the old key anymore. The problem never showed up again after using the spare key.
Has anyone gotten this message repetitively and had it fixed? How was it fixed? What can I point the service folks towards when I'm back in there again?
Yes, I had the same issue with my 2015 wagon which also happens to have Distronic Plus.
The dealer read the stored code(s) which reported a faulty driver's seat belt. The seat belt was replaced under warranty and the problem went away.
02-21-2020, 09:05 PM
