On October 30, 2021, I took my 2018 E400 Coupe in to Mercedes Benz of South Bay in Torrance, CA, for its annual service. Although it's now four years old, it has only 12,500 on the clock as I have been driving very little during the pandemic. Service reported no problems, all systems go. Charge was $839.39 (which worked out to about 75¢ per mile for the year — as I said, very little driving since March of 2020). Per the invoice, that service included "multi point inspection," "check steering gear and linkages, check front and rear suspension system and ball joints, bushings and arms...."

The warranty on the car expired on November 17, 2021.

Driving home from our daughter's house Thanksgiving night, the car started making some odd, rather loud creaking/grinding sounds every time it went over a small bump or dip in the road. I checked it again the next day and the troubling sound was still there. On December 13 I took the car back to South Bay, where I had purchased it in November of 2017. I told the customer care representative what was going on with the car, and she quickly verified that it was indeed making an unusual creaking noise that seemed to be coming from the right front suspension area. I left the car and took a Lyft home, which the dealership arranged and paid for.

The next day the rep called me with the bad news. The suspension's control arms were messed up and needed to be replaced; the cost of the repair would run me about $1750. I was stunned as the car had been driven less than 50 miles since it was serviced and there had been no event in the interim that would explain the failure of these parts. Obviously annoyed, I pointedly asked why the problem had not been discovered during the routine service a few days earlier. The rep had no real explanation other than to say the mechanics don't really check such things very closely. I continued to argue with her as I was quite angry at this news. She listened, said she understood where I was coming from, and said she would discuss the matter with her manager.

The next day the rep called me and said that she and her manager had examined the car when it was on the rack but saw nothing indicating a problem with the suspension that a visual inspection would have detected, such as a bent or broken part, leaking oil or fluids, etc. But she quickly added that under the circumstances her manager had agreed that the dealership would pay for all the parts and that I would be charged for the labor only, plus an alignment that would be necessary after the repair was completed, a total of $680. I thought about it for a few seconds and decided to accept their explanation and offer, which seemed to me to be a reasonable compromise. I told her it was a deal and that I was happy we were able to work it out as I had been a customer of South Bay since 2005.

The next day the rep called again and said that after they replaced the lower control arms that were the source of the noise, the car was still squeaking a bit when it moved and that they would have to replace the install shims, which I believe she said are gaskets at the points where the control arms are attached to the body of the car. However, they had only one in stock and would have to order another. She then told me that I would not be charged for the additional parts and labor. Wow, I thought — I guess they didn't want to lose an old customer.

I picked up the car around 1:00 p.m. today. Total charge was $679.95. Receipt states “100% goodwill parts only approved by” the manager.

Moral of the story: it pays to b**ch!

 

Glad to hear that this story had a positive end.

 

I was so glad to get rid of my 2018 E400 coupe. What a bundle of problems. I had a bent suspension component from hitting one pothole. Many had faulty rear struts. Mine were replaced under warranty around 18,000 miles. Be prepared for endless squeaks and rattles!