When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
New to me Mercedes with another one... During heavy rain or in a carwash I was getting water dripping down from the top edge of the windshield around the multifunction camera. Pulled back the fender liners to check the drains and both were clean not clogged. HOWEVER who ever previously did body work on this royally screwed the whole car up. I've already dealt with water damage in the trunk with the rear SAM. Why? because they used the wrong fasteners and body plugs. These item are only a few dollars a piece and can cost you hundreds or thousands later on if you try to cheap out. If you can't afford the maintenance don't buy the car is all I have to say.
Anyway, where the problem arose is who ever did the body work was a hack. They covered both drains in color so the rubber was so stiff it would not flex and let water drain. I simply cut the rubber back 1/4-1/2" beyond where any deflection would be needed. I have not had any leaking around the windshield area since. Simple fix might help someone else out with drainage issues
As for the rear sunroof drains I have not noticed a problem with those yet nor did I even know there was even another set. I will keep on eye on rear drainage.
How I came to have water issues in the rear of the car was slightly different. When you open the trunk (boot) you'll notice on both the left and right side there is a plastic channel that starts in the bottom corner of the rear window that then goes past and down by each taillight. When this hack job reinstalled these plastic sills they did not use the proper fasteners or plugs. This caused water to drip down past these plugs or fastener locations onto and/or in the area of the rear SAM. The spare tire-well also had extensive water present. The plastic channels or facia pieces were placed and the correct plugs/fasteners were used. Since then no water issues in the rear of the vehicle.
This is why I previously mentioned if you can't afford to have or do the maintenance yourself don't bother, it'll cost you more in the long run... Or the next guy which is me lol. Mercedes-Benz I think has a bad reputation for both maintenance cost and repair procedures. As a long time Toyota and GM owner I will say Mercedes is actually very nice to work on. I already prefer MB over other makes i've owned. I've enjoyed all the tasks i've done with this 2012. The DIY content is in much more informative and covers more detail than my former vehicles.
A little searching and price checking can lead to genuine OEM parts actually being affordable contrary to many beliefs. So far "learning" to work on this w212 has been great and look to get familiar with the brand
2015 SL400 (M276 Turbo), 2014 C350 Sport (M276 NA), 2004 SL500 (M113), 2004 Audi TT225 (BEA)
Originally Posted by 2Twelve
... As a long time Toyota and GM owner I will say Mercedes is actually very nice to work on. I already prefer MB over other makes i've owned...
I couldn't agree more! Having owned VWs, Saabs, Audis, etc., I can say that Mercedes have been the simplest cars to work on. I do believe that it is part of their business model to make cars that are easy to maintain and repair, while charging "book" prices. I can't speak to the new models, especially those produced with Infiniti engines, but certainly through 2015 have been good.
03-08-2024, 02:06 PM
