Electrical Meltdown in my GL320
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 5,517
Likes: 20
From: Las Vegas, NV
2011 E350 Cabriolet..White and Almond Mocha
GL is back and in good shape. There was more extensive electrical damage than I was lead to believe at first. It turns out that the module the dealer was waiting for from Germany was the "mac - daddy" computer. The dealer had already replaced many components but found more needed replacing when the new computer was put in. It took just a day short of two weeks to get the car back but I can say that it seems to be appropriately repaired.
The cause of the leak was probably through the sunroof drain that never got hooked up. However, and interestingly, the first thing to go out was the electronic control on the liftgate, which was among the most wet of the parts that got replaced. It is possible that there was an insidious leak through the liftgate all along that set the whole chain of events off. The dealer is being honest that they cannot say for sure what the cause of the leak was, only that there was a surprising amount of water in compartments that are not seen by the normal person.
They connected the sunroof drain, added a water repelling gasket to the rear hatch area, and fixed the power liftgate. Then they aggressively leak tested the car with a power sprayer, with no ingress of water.
I would have to give the dealer two thumbs up for its handling of this. And I am really glad to have my GL back -- that little C230 was wearing me out!
The cause of the leak was probably through the sunroof drain that never got hooked up. However, and interestingly, the first thing to go out was the electronic control on the liftgate, which was among the most wet of the parts that got replaced. It is possible that there was an insidious leak through the liftgate all along that set the whole chain of events off. The dealer is being honest that they cannot say for sure what the cause of the leak was, only that there was a surprising amount of water in compartments that are not seen by the normal person.
They connected the sunroof drain, added a water repelling gasket to the rear hatch area, and fixed the power liftgate. Then they aggressively leak tested the car with a power sprayer, with no ingress of water.
I would have to give the dealer two thumbs up for its handling of this. And I am really glad to have my GL back -- that little C230 was wearing me out!
Here is for a problem free ride from now on.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 1,653
Likes: 7
From: Central Pa.
2013 GL450 (traded for 2015 Escalade), 2012 Corvette, 2014 Ford Fusion, Previous: 2007 GL450, 2011
Nice end to an ugly problem..........could happen to anyone, any car.....the difference in the ending is always the service at the dealer!
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 297
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From: Bay Area CA
2014 GL 350 blue tec
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Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 2,358
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AlabasterWhiteSL ObsidianBlackML
Glad to hear you're back on the road with the GL
I'm suprised they didn't offer a nicer loaner especially being that the issue was on MB's end. If it were me I would have made sure I got an E350 loaner if not one of the 25-50 ML350 loaners from my dealer
I'm suprised they didn't offer a nicer loaner especially being that the issue was on MB's end. If it were me I would have made sure I got an E350 loaner if not one of the 25-50 ML350 loaners from my dealer
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 1,046
Likes: 1
From: Colorado Rocky Mtns.
'06 A6 & '08 GL550
Thanks again Oinick for sharing the details of your problem and ultimate repair. Folks like yourself really help make this forum such a great place. And, it's nice to hear the dealer experience was very good. Hopefully, we won't ever have to send anyone to this thread in the future.
