Extract from recent article :
The semiconductor shortage will cost the auto industry $210 billion in lost revenue, according to consulting firm AlixPartners.

The pandemic slammed many supply chains, but the supply chain issues in the semiconductor business fell particularly heavily on the auto industry, with big auto brands like BMW and Volkswagen, Ford and General Motors all warning of the impact of the chip shortage on production.

AlixPartners has almost doubled its prediction of estimated losses since May of $110 billion to $210 billion. It's forecasting that auto makers won't produce 7.7 million units in 2021, up from 3.9 million in its May forecast. The drop in output is mostly but not solely down to the global chip shortage.

Chip foundries, or contract semiconductor manufacturers, generally focus investments in higher value chips for computers and smartphones using new manufacturing processes. The auto industry was caught out because vehicles use cheaper chips created with older production techniques for vehicles' micro-controlling units (MCUs).

Intel, for example, is struggling to achieve a 7nm process. IBM is experimenting with 2nm technology. And while semiconductor giant TSMC in July announced it had achieved a 30% bump in MCU output, automotive was less than 5% of TSMC's revenues in Q1 2021. The company predicted semiconductor supplies remain constrained until 2023.

Hope this gives some insight into next 18 months, Oz is a small market in the Global game and RHD vehs even smaller percentage.

Good luck in sourcing new vehs, I can only assume used veh prices will continue to be maxed out for a while.

 

Article in The Australian newspaper.
Small extract :
Mercedes-Benz has vowed to “vigorously” defend a $650m Federal Court action launched by a majority of its Australian dealers in a bid to stop the German auto giant’s plans to switch to a fixed-price agency model for selling cars.

The legal action comes weeks after The Australian revealed the majority of the nation’s 52 Mercedes-Benz dealers had reserved their rights to litigate after signing on to the new sales structure — due to come into force in January — claiming they did so under duress.“

No doubt more to come, see how Honda is going with similar model.
Supposedly MBAu made $4Bn and paid $36m in tax.
Dealers provide employment and trained technicians.

 

Found an interesting site in the UK that gives a good explanation into Mercedes and the GLC, use of the term Auxiliary battery and the malfunction issues.

HTTPS://xenons4u.co.uk

https://xenons4u.co.uk/a2059053414-a2059052809-a2054400073-voltage-converter-auxiliary-battery.html

The original article was several pages, but this link explains the GLC option.

Hope it helps explain the confusion why some models in the vast Benz range have lead acid rechargeable ‘batteries’ and others like our GLC models have Voltage Capacitor / Converters, called Aux batteries.
Article includes part numbers at time of writing.
Enjoy.

 

Almost every Mercedes-Benz and AMG (2018-2020) recalled in Australia
Almost 100 Mercedes-Benz model types sold in Australia are subject to a safety recall due to a software fault. The German car giant says it will fix the problem using wifi tech instead of calling cars back to dealerships.
Mercedes-Benz Australia has recalled 39,363 vehicles across 94 model variants – accounting for the majority of its showroom line-up – built between 2018-2020, due to a software fault.

GLC models are included in the list.

The affected vehicles – which, according to Mercedes-Benz and the government recall notice, will be rectified via an 'over the air' wifi update – are stamped Model Years 2018-2020.

The recall notice, lodged with the Department of Infrastructure, says: "Due to a software issue, the automatic network search of the emergency call system (eCall) communication module may be deactivated.

 

Interesting. That sounds like the recall that US vehicles had about a year ago, which addressed backup warning and braking issues. If so, it was fixed in the same OTA fix that upgraded the sound settings and improved the sound a lot.

 

Interesting article re Agency model for selling new cars, with specifics for mercedes, which will have big impact for the GLC models.

https://www.whichcar.com.au/news/agency-model-for-new-car-buyers-in-australia?utm_source=wheels.newsletter&utm_medium= email&utm_campaign=WHL_2021_11_03%20%28VBVV8C%29&_ kx=z2uYyS8ojNak1BJJ_Ki8b2UUI1hGu-bIlsnfXTlsVls%3D.S3fpgi

Another aspect is how Mercedes will treat ‘warranty’ issues such as we all saw with the tyre crabbing on GLC and no recall or letter to owners to advise of their ‘rights’ in having steering knuckles replaced at Mercedes cost…..

Mercedes-Benz itself has already introduced agency models in markets including South Africa, Austria, Sweden and in the coming years will transition to one in Germany as well.

According to the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI), which has 99 per cent of Australian car dealers among its members, only four per cent of profit is from new-car sales. That’s from its 2019 pre-COVID data of the top 30 per cent of new car dealers in the country.

The 4% profit from new sales in interesting – I was under the impression that Dealer staff could purchase at a discounted price of around 15% – so negotiating private purchase from 10% to 15% was possible – above that up to 20% was occasionally achievable if it was end of month and Dealer/Manuf bonuses were to be gained to offset a few high discounted sales to get the Dealer over the line to secure bonus’s.I wonder what Fleet discounts will be offered by Mercedes for business owners or those opting for a Novated lease ??

That’s still a significant slice of income for dealers – especially in the case of AP Eagers, which is the largest dealer network in the country with more than 30 brands and 9.2 per cent of the market. Its 2020 revenues were $8.7 billion.

The FCAI data also showed used cars as making up eight per cent of profits, finance and insurance at 20 per cent, parts at 22 per cent and servicing the most lucrative at 45 per cent. This means that dealers – or agents – will maintain the most profitable parts of the business and will still be paid for each new-vehicle sale, too.

So we can see Dealers may need to re look at servicing prices to secure loyalty ? I know that if you have the time or inclination, regional Dealers are generally much cheaper with servicing costs, it will be interesting how GLC cost of sustainment with through life costs during ownership will change ?

 

Hi Teckno
just a query on front pads, I have GLO250 4MATIC 2018 Jan with P31 AMG sport pack. Are the pads quoted correct for my car? Was quoted $750 to just replace front pads by dealership bit over the top for me, think of doing myself.

 

Hi, here is a copy of my prices for the parts.
Ask what the Dealer labour rate is - some here are $220 up to $340 per hour.


Hope this helps

 

Hi Teckno
Just received OEM set of front pads same as on your list and am planning to replace in near future. One query though, units came with what look like some type of shim
plates which fit on outside of pads, are these fitted with pads or ok to discard? I’ve not seen these used on any YouTube video.

 

G’day and congrats on the new family member. If you have the the aggressive tire juddering when turning tight, you can get the tire rods replaced via warranty on your model, as far as I know. Great car and very impressive looker, follow the engine break-in period and you’re all good.

 

This is NEW information - not heard of tie rod replacement - I hope it is for the GLC 350, 43 and 63 family members.

Back in 2019, GLC 220 and 250 series in RHD markets were offered (UK, NZ and Oz) replacement of steering knuckles - part numbers listed back then.
Up until now no mention of tie rods, so hopefully those models that could not be fixed can.
Do you have part numbers, recall notice or a copy of relevant Service Bulletin notice to post ?

 

Sorry mate - not a mechanic and no access to tech manual for this - yes our pads had this too.
Dealer fitted them as part of service. I will try and find my old photos to see if old ones when removed had the plate as well.
My guess would be to fit them as MB would not spend time or money putting them in a box, only to be tossed out. They appear to have an arrow in them too.
Good luck, let us know how you get on, all the best.

 

Lucky find.
Found a very small torx screw in the boot - luckily I inspected the roller privacy blind that extends from the back seat to the tailgate.
There are several small rivets, so they are ok, but on the underside of the blind handle there are two torx screws at each end.
The screw found belonged there.
I checked the rest and they were all loose - retightened, all seems ok now.
Will check later and if any movement might put a small dob of LOCTITE on them to stop vibration loosening.

It appears out 12 month younger Coupe has no screws, all connectors are small rivets !!

 

Mercedes Me Connect.
New terms for use
38 page use agreement
Some possible charges to use in your GLC ? Depending on age and model options for your GLC

“ We are changing the Terms of Use and Privacy Notice for Mercedes me connect and smart control services, this is effective from 29 Dec 2021. Please note that these amendments include new information about On-Demand and Fee-Based Services. That said, the changes to the Terms of Use and Privacy Notice will not cause you to incur any additional cost, unless you choose to purchase these On-Demand or Fee-Based Services. The amended Terms of Use and Privacy Notice can be downloaded below.

We hope to continue providing you with Mercedes me connect and smart control services. By accepting the new Terms of Use and Privacy Notice, we will be able to continue providing you with the abovementioned services. In the case that you have any objection to the new Terms of Use and Privacy Notice, we will deactivate the services accordingly. This will not have any impact on the accessibility of your Mercedes me account.

Please read the new Terms of Use and Privacy Notice carefully. You have up to one (1) month to file an objection to the revised Terms of Use and Privacy Notice however please note that if the update includes new services that are applicable to your vehicle, these new services may become active on 29 Dec 2021 and that the revised Terms of Use will be binding until you object. Any objection should be submitted to the contact address provided in Section 23 of the updated Terms of Use.

Should you continue to use Mercedes me connect and smart control services from 29 Dec 2021 onwards, the new Terms of Use will be automatically accepted.

The new Terms of Use can be found below: “

Interesting, it seems you have to formally contact MB to cancel subscription, merely deleting App , etc, will not be sufficient !!

As usual, owner assumes all liability for all and any possible issues, even for third party providers ? My simple interpretation of a quick scan of the 38 pages………

 

The Australian newspaper has run a story on critical looming shortage affecting truck and domestic diesel cars.
Part of the ingredient is used in fertiliser and farm food, most of ingredients come from China, where supply has been ‘difficult’ to obtain.
“ The ATA said the overwhelming majority of the Asia-Pacific’s supply of suitable urea came from China, amid suggestions China has almost halted urea exports as part of an attempt to cool down its domestic fertiliser prices.

Some modern diesel cars also require the product, with the latest Euro 6 standards demanding a two-thirds drop in nitrogen oxide in the emissions of diesel cars.

DEF, which trades under the name AdBlue, enables the process that targets a vehicle’s nitrogen oxide, with sensors in the exhaust system monitoring the pollution levels. When it’s needed, a spray of DEF is then injected into the exhaust system.

Viva Energy, which provides fuel to about 1300 Shell and Liberty service stations, said it was aware of the global shortage of DEF. Brenntag Australia, which imports the product to Australia, was unable to comment.

A diesel exhaust fluid shortage in South Korea already has raised doubts over the supply chain in Asia’s fourth-largest economy.

The lack of the liquid has undermined the domestic logistics sector, raising concerns about what might happen in a country such as Australia.

A diesel car may not start unless the DEF is replenished in time. There also have been price spikes in the US and Europe amid fears about urea supplies.”

AdBlue has a shelf life of around 2 years and should be stored under 30 degrees C. The GLC diesel AdBlue tank has a capacity of 27lt. MBAu altered the software so usage has more than doubled - you now can only travel around 11,000km before needing to refill, prior to their software play, you could travel up to 27,000km.

It may pay to buy a 10lt container for around $38 as a fall back position.

 

Notice on an American site re back up camera issues, various models, incl GLC variants.

https://www.torquenews.com/14093/consumer-reports-alerts-recall-over-342000-vehicles-backup-camera-problem

What to Do if Your Car is On the Recall List
• If you possess a “Mercedes Me” subscription, a smartphone app is available that will allow over-the-air (OTA) software updates for your vehicle to remedy the backup camera problem.
• If you do not have a “Mercedes Me” subscription, owners will need to have the update performed at a Mercedes-Benz dealership.
• Mercedes-Benz will notify owners by mail, starting July 13, 2021. Owners of affected vehicles may call Mercedes-Benz customer service at 800-367-6373. Updates to the backup camera system will not result in a service charge for owners.

 

Wife’s GLC had 10,600km AdBlue range.
Added 4.5l, tank now full (approx 27l capacity) and ‘full’ range is now 13,000km till empty.
software update by MBAu really decimated the 27,000km range back to 13,000km.
I wonder how many owners get a surprise warning ? Maybe more will be affected as lockdowns are lifted and cars are driven a lot more.
My annual 20,000km will be knocked back to about 8,000km I guess this year.
Would be interesting to see how far some GLC drivers drove in 2020 and then in 2021, given 2019 would be the base year ?

 

AdBlue issues in Oz continues, media reports suggest 5 week national supply and 3 weeks supply en-route to Oz from overseas.
Stopped at a Shell servo and used the AdBlue pump for the first time.
$1.00 a lt. nearly 10lt to fill tank, increasing range from 7000km to 11400km now – a big reduction from old 27,000km range before MBAu fiddled with a software update and significantly increased AdBlue usage.
So $10.00 to fill tank from servo compared with $42.00 for a 10lt container from likes of Repco, SuperCheap.
Store limits are now being imposed on purchases.

I think a few GLC diesel owners will be caught short and may not be able to refill their tanks, rendering the car un driveable.

Hopefully the new Govt TaskForce can come up with a solution for our logistic supply chain, Oz is a big country and with State border lockdowns being lifted, we can expect some increased travel.

 

Mercedes-Benz is urgently recalling hundreds of thousands of cars globally due to a technical fault.

People who own vehicles in the GLE/GLS, C-Class, E-Class, S-Class, GLC, CLS and G-Class series with diesel engines are being warned the car could develop a leak.

The Stuttgart-based luxury carmaker revealed on Wednesday the leak could cause a rise in component temperature.

More than 800,000 cars are believed to be affected globally, with the carmaker urging owners to drive with caution.
Mercedes-Benz is urgently recalling hundreds of thousands of cars globally due to a technical fault, including the G Wagon (pictured).“The vehicle affected by the recall should be driven with particular caution,” the company said.

Until the car is repaired, Mercedes-Benz is urging owners to limit the use of the cars to “minimum” and only when necessary.

Mercedes-Benz, a subsidiary of Daimler, did not reveal the exact figures affected, according to reports local German reports.

However the company said the recall had been previously announced in November.

Replacement of the affected parts is expected to begin in mid January, depending on the release of relevant software and availability.

Originally published as Mercedes-Benz issues urgent recall over diesel engine technical fault

 

Sawyer Merritt
@SawyerMerritt
NEWS: Mercedes-Benz has informed owners of its luxury cars of a technical defect that could spark a fire, the company said on Tuesday, adding a recall was not possible because parts needed to fix the problem are not available. 800k owners were contacted.

Daimler warns car owners of fire risk, says it lacks the parts needed for a fix
A recall is not possible because parts needed to fix the problem are not available, the company said.
cnbc.com
7:06 AM · Jan 5, 2022

https://www.uktimenews.com/defect-triggers-massive-recall-of-mercedes-benz-diesel-cars/

 

Leaking coolant pumps: Daimler recalls hundreds of thousands of Mercedes models

January 5, 2022

in Technology
0
Hundreds of thousands of Mercedes-Benz cars have to be repaired as a precaution because of a possible defect in the engine cooling system. GLE / GLS, C-Class, E-Class, S-Class, E-Class, GLC, CLS and G-Class with the diesel engines of the OM 654 and OM 656 series are affected. With these, the coolant pump could leak the company announced. This could lead to overheating in individual cases. More than 800,000 vehicles are affected worldwide.

No word yet from MBAu ???Must check what engine model we have in Oz for 220 and 250, 350D Diesel engines.

 

Recall Number two ??? For 2022 ??
Alert numberA12/00017/22

A trapped particle may damage the sealing between the fuel rail and fuel injector, which could cause fuel to leak into the engine compartment. Consequently, leaking fuel may come into contact with hot parts of the engine, increasing the risk of fire.
The product does not comply with the requirements laid down in the Regulation on the approval and market surveillance of motor vehicles and their trailers, and of systems, components and separate technical units intended for such vehicles.
CategoryMotor vehiclesProductPassenger car
Hide details of the product

DescriptionCLA (117 platform), CLA (118 platform), GLA (156 platform), GLE/GLS (167 platform), A-Class (177 platform), AMG GT (190 platform), C-Class (205 platform), E-Class (213 platform), S-Class Coupe/Convertible (217 platform), S-Class (222 platform), SL (231 platform),Packaging descriptionE-Class Coupe/Convertible (238 platform), B-Class (246 platform), B-Class/GLB (247 platform), GLC (253 platform), CLS (257 platform), AMG GT 4-doors Coupe (290 platform) and G-Class (463 platform). Vehicles with a petrol engine.

This appeared in UK.
A RHD vehicle market – no idea if vehicles delivered to Oz are part of this recall ?????

I wonder if MBAu will make any announcements to reassure Aussie owners, and our NZ cousins as well.

 

2021 sales figures from Cars Guide Aust article.Mercedes-Benz

”Mercedes-Benz Cars had a seriously mixed year in 2021, with significant sales drops for some models and big increases for others.

Volume models like the A-Class (3793, -37.3%), C-Class (2832, -16.2%) and GLC (3435, -23.2%) all went backwards, but the GLB (3345, +272%), GLE (3591, +25.8%) and G-Class(594, +120%) SUVs all went in the right direction.

Overall Benz Cars sales were down by 3.8 per cent, but it was Mercedes-Benz Vans that took a bigger hit.

The German giant’s commercial vehicle division dropped by 30.9 per cent last year to 4686 units, off the back of lower Vito van sales (996, -16.7%), but the biggest impact was the loss of the X-Class sales after stock ran out in 2020.”
It will be interesting to see how sales progress in 2022 as the new Agency model is implemented and all cars sold at fixed price from HQ -with Dealers playing a minor role in process.
Honda Australia who also did same sales tactic last year has a 37% from in sales - no doubt compacted but fewer models, price increased of favourite models and semi conductor shortages. A number of Dealers lost their status too in regional areas , impacting existing and new owners.
Legal action by Mercedes Dealers in Oz recommences in mid Feb regards compensation for loss of earnings and investments in capital works, infrastructure at Dealer level.

 

2017-2021 Mercedes-Benz diesel models recalled
Certain models fitted with the OM654 and OM656 engines are affected
https://www.whichcar.com.au/news/2017-2021-mercedes-benz-diesel-models-recalled
Snapshot

GLE, GLS, C-, E-, G-, and S-Class models affected
Diesel variants impacted only
Total of 8382 vehicles under recall
Mercedes-Benz has recalled just over 8000 vehicles in Australia, affecting a select number of models fitted with two diesel engines.

Covering a total of 8382 units, the recall affects owners of C-Class, E-Class, G-Class, S-Class, GLE-Class and GLS-Class models built between 2017 and 2021, impacting just the diesel variants which are powered by either the OM654 or OM656 engines.

An apparent leak may develop between the coolant pump and the vacuum circuit, allowing coolant to enter the circuit and affect components which will result in an increase in temperature, potentially leading to a fire.

Mercedes Benz OM 6562
Mercedes-Benz says it will contact owners once parts become available to rectify the problem, free of charge at their most convenient dealer.

Alternatively, owners who are unsure as to whether their vehicle is affected can contact Mercedes-Benz's customer assistance centre on 1300 300 896 or customerassistancecentre@daimler.com.
A list of affected VINs can be found here.

Finally some clarity on this info, the GLC dos not appear in this new info.

 

Class Action in UK against shipping companies.

I wonder if owners in Australia, Canada and USA have also been affected by imposed shipping charges ?

https://www.autoexpress.co.uk/news/3...m_medium=email

Would be nice to receive a small cheque in the mail for our GLC delivery overhead !!!