BACnMercedes

Dear Rambling: I started fading at flood and then fell asleep at the Jeep/Dodge/Chrysler thingy. Haha

makris0000

TL;DR: Had a 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee, loved it. Got my E300, loved it, had issues with it, flooded it, insurance fixed it, got GLE because the heart wants what the heart wants.

jtjbt20x

You too?

BACnMercedes

Day 13 owning the car.................now its day 9 of being in service. I wonder what “new car” smells like. I forget.
I’m feeling pretty good today, maybe I should order some accessories.............Not really.
Driving loaner a car is such fun. Weekend trips have been put on hold.

Rant over.

makris0000

If your GLE is a lease, use the loaner for stuff you would not want to use the GLE for and for long trips to save miles.

nsoltz

Just what I was going to say... put the miles on the loaner car and "bank" the down days. We "banked" enough miles through limited driving of our 2018 GLC to drive cross country and still be under the contract.

makris0000

Back when I was in law school I would always get my E class serviced or checked out whenever I needed to go back home for something, it was about 120ish miles each way so that way the loaner can take the miles and I-4 was always a disaster.

BACnMercedes

My 580 is not a lease. I’m not a fan of those so miles don’t matter. I’m just disappointed in MB right now. I feel as though they have no idea how to fix my car now after talking to the service department the other day.

mikapen

Gosh, we hope not! This entire thread is for your rant. Whatever will we do?

TexAg91

I’m curious what prompted that statement? At a minimum they should be keeping you informed on the status. Have they been comm out, or did they replace the coils and that didn’t fix the issue?

makris0000

I feel like most don't know how to fix the cars unless the computer codes tell them specifically what's wrong and they'll try different things until something sticks. On my E class with the steering wheel issue, I had to go to different dealerships numerous times and then they finally found a solution. Too bad the fix was about 2-3 months before I returned the car.

rayzam

Been there and know exactly how it feels. My 2020 GLS went crazy within first 2-3 days and went back to the dealer on a flat bed with less than 100 miles on it. As per the dealer, there was a 3-4 month wait for the parts, so MB bought it back a few weeks later just before it qualified as a lemon and gave me a check for full refund. Worst part was that there was no help from the MB/dealer with getting the replacement car (probably they didn't even expect me to stick with the brand after the horrible experience but I really didn't have time to research into other options). I had to start from scratch negotiating with the dealers during the time with even more limited/non-existing inventory and after lots of going back and forth, ended up with almost the same configuration (well a bit inferior config actually) with about the same discount as the first car. It all took a month during which I was given an E-class loaner first but when I complained multiple times that I got a 7-seater SUV not because I enjoyed burning gas but because I needed the larger car for the family and all those family weekend plans and trips that were now ruined, they put me in an QX80 that at least had the room I needed. Saying it was frustrating is a gross understatement.

My heart goes out to you. Hang in there and try not to think too much about it since this is a very unfortunate and unfair situation and there is no way that they can (or more precisely care enough to) make it right to you.


PS: The OP said it wasn't a lease but even if it were, most loaners nowadays come with limited daily mileage (usually up to 100 miles) and geographical boundary so, unfortunately you won't have the option of taking the loaner to the 1000-mile trip you always dreamed of but were hesitant over the lease mileage.

BACnMercedes

Update so I can continue my whole thread rant.
Day 15 ownership. Day 10 in service. 1/3 the way to lemon law. <—-Is that staying positive?
Communication has got better from the dealership. I do feel they are trying and have been trying. Communication with MB, is horrible. Jeffery, the Executive Referral Manager at the MB customer service has pretty much said MB cannot do anything since the dealership is working on it and found something. (They are changing out injectors now). Jeffery and “his partner” will not even return phone calls anymore.
So here is the catch and why I am calling MB for help. The dealership supposedly cannot do anything until MB tells them exactly what to do. Something about it being such a new car. So it plays out like this. The service tech (ST) tells Mercedes Engineers (ME) that there is a problem and “opens a ticket.” ME emails the ST and tells them what to do. ST constantly checks email waiting on directions from ME. ST gets email and does what ME tells them to do. ST then emails back what he has done and waits. ME checks and gets emails from ST and decides what to do next. ME then emails ST the next steps. Get the process? Emails back and forth. This is how it was explained to me so if someone knows different, please let me know. I was also told the ME is short handed right now because...........you guessed it, Covid so it is slowing things down.
Sometimes they do supposedly use some type of special glasses that lets the ME see exactly what the ST sees in real time.
My complaint is that it sounds like the ME really doesn’t know what is going on now (ST has reproduced a vibration but no CEL and not as strong as my videos showed) and they are just throwing darts at it to see what works. Emails back and forth. Overnighting parts, and waiting. My new timeframe now for getting the car back is maybe Tuesday, 2/9/2021.
Hopefully it gets better.
My thread.......my rant.

places

^^sounds exhausting. can't even imagine. tell them to keep it.

chassis

The protocol is classic German company behavior. I have worked with a number of German companies and protocol is important to these firms. It is painful to be on the other side of the protocol, however,

Injectors? Weren't fuel injectors invented 60 years ago?

BACnMercedes

Yeah! I think it’s just something the MB email engineers are just throwing at it.

jtjbt20x

This is how the remote support is supposed to work:

https://www.mbca.org/node/7407818

Mercedes-Benz Virtual Remote Support At-A-Glance

09/09/2020
What is Mercedes-Benz Virtual Remote Support?

• Mercedes-Benz Virtual Remote Support, created by Mercedes-Benz USA in collaboration with Microsoft, is the first mixed reality automotive maintenance support system.
• The service allows technicians working onsite at any of MBUSA’s 383 authorized dealerships to collaborate with Mercedes-Benz specialists anywhere in the world to solve complex maintenance issues often within minutes and hours as compared to days.
• Leveraging Microsoft HoloLens 2 and Dynamics 365 Remote Assist technology, dealership technicians share real-time views and sounds of the vehicle with Mercedes-Benz specialists working remotely who are able to provide valuable insight and technological guidance without ever leaving their office.

Why is Mercedes-Benz Virtual Remote Support Important?

• This is a massive paradigm shift in technology and maintenance support, not just for Mercedes-Benz, but for the automotive industry as a whole.
• Modern vehicles have become increasingly advanced over the past decade. Automobiles powered by 10 million lines of software code in 2010 are now built with more than 100 million lines of code.
• This is significantly more lines of software code than the Space Shuttle, an F-35 fighter jet and a pacemaker combined.
• This increased functionality supports an enhanced customer experience but has also increased the maintenance complexity.
• Today, due to COVID-19, dealers are also servicing vehicles at a time when social distancing is pertinent to employee safety and health.
• Mercedes-Benz Virtual Remote Support helps dealers and technicians master the complexity of these vehicles, while at the same time keeping employees safe by eliminating travel and onsite visits.

What are the Benefits of Mercedes-Benz Virtual Remote Support?

• Enhanced Customer Experience: Customers experience faster turnaround times for maintenance issues which leads to increased satisfaction.
• Greater Efficiency & Productivity: Decreases the time it takes to resolve maintenance questions increasing the productivity and efficiency of dealer technicians.
• COVID-19 Employee Safety: In times of COVID-19, it creates a remote work environment without eliminating the important collaboration between remote and onsite technical experts.
• Sustainability: Reduces the environmental impact of service-related travel.

How does Mercedes-Benz Virtual Remote Support work?

• An onsite technician, wearing a HoloLens 2 headset and leveraging Dynamics 365 Remote Assist, shares their view of the vehicle and the potential issue with a remote Mercedes-Benz specialist.
• The onsite technician and remote specialist, while collaborating to troubleshoot a case, can display 3D images and holograms, share and annotate the visual information, view and add documents, insert arrows, circles and use other tools. Multiple remote specialists can also be added to the same call.

When did Mercedes-Benz Virtual Remote Support launch?

• Mercedes-Benz Virtual Remote Support officially launched across the Mercedes-Benz USA dealer network in August 2020, following a successful pilot program.
• The pilot program, which was conducted between January and March 2020, included 13 Mercedes-Benz dealerships across Mercedes-Benz USA’s footprint.

TexAg91

LOL....okay, marketing guys are getting a little carried away here. MBUX software may be more complicated than space shuttle software that was developed in the 70s. I can guarantee you it is not more complicated than the data fusion, artificial intelligence, and super computer in the F 35. Stick to cars MB.

chassis

Mercedes needs to describe the reliability of their software compared with the reliability of an F-35 for their statement to carry any weight.

mikapen

It's too bad the Support was rolled out after the product launch.
I hope the Support Program was developed simultaneously with car development.

I'm sure the learning curve for the Support Program is steep at both ends - in addition to learning the new cars.

I wonder what COVID did to the Techs' Factory Training. That's where the Techs really get their hands-on, give feedback to Corporate, and hear tales from other Techs - It's valuable.
I'll bet the Dealers had to shell out over $100k for new equipment, too.

On the other hand, if implemented well, the System should be a good thing. If it works, it should be a step toward better diagnosis and fewer comebacks.

It's too bad we have some people stuck in the cracks.

BACnMercedes

Day 14 without my car that I’ve owned for 17 days. I honestly lose count. After talking today with service I get the feeling they nor the MB email engineers have any idea how to fix the car. Being nice and caring anymore is gone. Mercedes customer service is worthless too.
Buy at your own risk.
I should bought a RR like my wife wanted. At least my expectations would have been lower.

TexAg91

Study up then.

STANDARDS OF THE SOUTH CAROLINA LEMON LAW

The following is a brief explanation of most relevant provisions of the South Carolina lemon law. The complete text of the lemon law can be found at South Carolina Code Ann. §§ 56-28-10 through 56-28-110.

VEHICLES COVERED The South Carolina lemon law covers “motor vehicle” sold and registered in the state. “Motor vehicle” means a private passenger motor vehicle that is: 1. A motor vehicle designed, used, and maintained for the transportation of ten or fewer persons; and 2. Trucks having an empty weight of 9,000 pounds or less and a gross weight of 11,000 pounds or less. The lemon law does not cover motorcycles, motor-driven cycles, the living portion of recreational vehicles, and off-road vehicles. “New motor vehicle” is a private passenger motor vehicle that has been sold to a new motor vehicle dealer by a manufacturer and that has not been used for other than demonstration purposes and on which the original title has not been issued from the new motor vehicle dealer.

CONSUMERS COVERED The lemon law covers the following consumers: 1. The purchaser, including a lessor, for purposes other than resale, of a motor vehicle normally used for personal, family, or household purposes, and subject to the manufacturer’s express warranty; and 2. Any other person entitled by the warranty to enforce its obligations. The lemon law appears to cover a subsequent transferee.

VEHICLE CONVERTERS The lemon law applies to vehicle converters.

PROBLEMS COVERED The lemon law covers any nonconformity, which is defined as a defect or condition that substantially impairs the use, value or safety of the motor vehicle. This does not include a defect or condition that results from an accident, modification, or alteration of the motor vehicle by persons other than the manufacturer or its authorized service agent.

MANUFACTURER’S DUTY TO REPAIR If a new motor vehicle does not conform to all applicable express warranties within the first twelve months of purchase or the first 12,000 miles of operation, whichever comes first, and the consumer reports the nonconformity to the manufacturer or its agent during the term of the express warranties, then the manufacturer or its agent must make the necessary repairs to conform the vehicle to the express warranties. The necessary repairs must be made even after the expiration of the term of the express warranty.

MANUFACTURER’S DUTY TO REPURCHASE OR REPLACE A VEHICLE If the manufacturer, its agents or authorized dealers are unable to conform the vehicle to the express warranty by repairing or correcting any nonconformity after a reasonable number of attempts within the term of the express warranties, the manufacturer, at its option, must either replace or repurchase the motor vehicle.

REASONABLE NUMBER OF REPAIR ATTEMPTS The South Carolina lemon law establishes a presumption that a reasonable number of attempts has been undertaken to conform a motor vehicle to the applicable express warranties if, within the express warranty term, either of the following occurs: 1. The same nonconformity has been subject to repair three or more times by the manufacturer or its agents, but the nonconformity continues to exist; or 2. The motor vehicle is out of service by reason of repair for a cumulative total of 30 or more calendar days. The term of an express warranty and the 20 (sic) day period are extended by any period of time during which repair services are not available to the consumer because of a war, invasion, strike, fire, flood or other natural disaster.

NOTICE AND OPPORTUNITY TO REPAIR Before filing a claim under the lemon law, the consumer or a representative must notify the manufacturer in writing, by registered, certified or express mail, of the need for repair of the nonconformity, in order to allow the manufacturer a final opportunity to cure the alleged defect. This notice requirement does not apply unless the manufacturer has clearly and prominently informed the consumer, at the time of sale that written notification of the nonconformity is required. The manufacturer has ten business days to notify consumer of a reasonably accessible repair facility of a franchised new vehicle dealer to conform the motor vehicle to the express warranty. After the motor vehicle is delivered to an authorized repair facility by the consumer, the manufacturer has up to ten business days to repair the motor vehicle so that it conforms to the express warranty.

DISPUTE RESOLUTION If the manufacturer has established an informal dispute settlement procedure that complies with 16 C.F.R. Part 703, or if the manufacturer participates in a consumer industry appeals, arbitration or mediation panel or board whose decisions are binding on the manufacturer, then the provisions requiring refund or replacement do not apply unless the consumer has first resorted to one of these procedures.

TIME PERIOD FOR FILING CLAIMS An action must be commenced within three years following the date of the motor vehicle’s original delivery to the consumer.

REMEDIES UNDER THE SOUTH CAROLINA LEMON LAW REPURCHASE The South Carolina lemon law sets out the following amounts that a manufacturer must pay when it repurchases an owned or leased motor vehicle under the lemon law: 1. The full purchase price as delivered; and 2. Applicable finance charges, sales taxes, license and registration fees and similar government charges; 3. Less a reasonable allowance for the consumer’s use of the motor vehicle. Refunds must be made to the consumer and lienholder, if any, as their interests exist at the time the refund is to be made. The reasonable allowance for use is that amount directly attributable to use by the consumer before the first report of the nonconformity to the manufacturer, its agent or dealer. The reasonable allowance must be calculated in accordance with the following formula: Number of miles that the motor vehicle Reasonable traveled before the nonconformity is first allowance = reported to the manufacturer, agent, or dealer X Purchase for use 120,000 Price

REPLACEMENT When replacing a vehicle under the South Carolina lemon law, the manufacturer must provide a comparable motor vehicle. The reasonable allowance for use does not apply to a replacement.

ENCT

Won't they take it back, I would flip out.

BACnMercedes

I hope others don’t expect much from MB customer support. Or I just haven’t found the right person yet.

chassis

Start the letters sent by registered mail to all the necessary powers that be. And don't forget social media - Twitter and Facebook.