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I leased a brand-new 2024 GLE 450 with Pinnacle package at the end of 2024. Only 3k miles on it now with me working from home. A few weeks ago I started getting the error message, “Automatic Lights are Inoperative.” Along with the message, the windshield wipers just randomly activated even though there was no rain (bright sunny day), the screen went into nighttime mode, and there’s a warning in red letters that says “SOS is not ready.”
Been to the dealership 3 times now and still no resolution. They say it’s fixed, I get in, and they have the wiper arm turned to off. As soon as I turn it to auto, the wipers go nuts but there’s no rain, fog, moisture of any kind. Also, the error messages are back. Don’t get me started on why they didn’t notice these things before calling me to pick the vehicle up (2 hours round trip).
Today I called to see if they fixed it. They feel they need to drive the car more, but they’ve already put more than 100 miles on it. And I know within seconds of starting it that they didn’t fix it each time I tried to retrieve the car.
To top it off, the service guy was a real jackass to me when I told him it’s not a matter of driving. It’s a matter of checking the wiper control arm setting once they do a repair to see if it worked. So I’ve told him I want the car back regardless on Friday. Hopefully the wipers work at least and I have headlights.
Anyone else out there with these issues? $88k and my first Mercedes. It will be my last. 25+ years of Acuras with no weird issues, and always treated respectfully at dealerships.
I wonder if it's your rain sensor which also contains the ambient light sensor (that will turn on/off your headlights automatically) . Ask them to look into that.
The sensor is on your windshield, it's the circle by the rear view mirror. The black smudges detect rain thru a light refraction when rain is on top of those smudges. The oval white part on the bottom is the ambient light detection.
Maybe the sensor can be calibrated? Maybe it's the windshield? Based on how that sensor works, you could try taping a piece of shiny aluminum foil down and see if it stops auto wiping when dry.
It's a safety issue if your wipers don't work so if they are unable to resolve it then ask them to buy it back or contact a lemon lawyer.
My wipers were behaving erratically, and after trying to calibrate, the Dealer found that the sensor was "not making proper contact with the windshield." Apparently the adhesive had failed. It was replaced and calibrated.
I didn't have problems with the headlights, but it is the same sensor.
I'm not surprised that the adhesive was overworked because I'm on my fifth windshield now.
The erratic nature of the wipers happen suddenly, luckily 2 weeks before my 40,000 mile checkup.
My wipers were behaving erratically, and after trying to calibrate, the Dealer found that the sensor was "not making proper contact with the windshield." Apparently the adhesive had failed. It was replaced and calibrated.
I didn't have problems with the headlights, but it is the same sensor.
I'm not surprised that the adhesive was overworked because I'm on my fifth windshield now.
The erratic nature of the wipers happen suddenly, luckily 2 weeks before my 40,000 mile checkup.
That makes sense with how the rain sensor portion works, those black smudges in the sensor need to have full adhesion to the glass or else the light ends up leaking/refracting, and the sensor detects that change in light. When rain is on top of those black smudges, it changes the "lens" and causes the light to leak outward or refract differently and the sensor detects that leakage or change in light, and assumes it's from rain. The same could potentially happen if you have pits there.
I leased a brand-new 2024 GLE 450 with Pinnacle package at the end of 2024. Only 3k miles on it now with me working from home. A few weeks ago I started getting the error message, “Automatic Lights are Inoperative.” Along with the message, the windshield wipers just randomly activated even though there was no rain (bright sunny day), the screen went into nighttime mode, and there’s a warning in red letters that says “SOS is not ready.”
Been to the dealership 3 times now and still no resolution. They say it’s fixed, I get in, and they have the wiper arm turned to off. As soon as I turn it to auto, the wipers go nuts but there’s no rain, fog, moisture of any kind. Also, the error messages are back. Don’t get me started on why they didn’t notice these things before calling me to pick the vehicle up (2 hours round trip).
Today I called to see if they fixed it. They feel they need to drive the car more, but they’ve already put more than 100 miles on it. And I know within seconds of starting it that they didn’t fix it each time I tried to retrieve the car.
To top it off, the service guy was a real jackass to me when I told him it’s not a matter of driving. It’s a matter of checking the wiper control arm setting once they do a repair to see if it worked. So I’ve told him I want the car back regardless on Friday. Hopefully the wipers work at least and I have headlights.
Anyone else out there with these issues? $88k and my first Mercedes. It will be my last. 25+ years of Acuras with no weird issues, and always treated respectfully at dealerships.
Regardless of what's wrong, it does sound like your service advisor is an idiot. I don't suppose there's another dealer you can go to without it being an all day trip?
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Automatic Lights Inoperative +++
