grussell

We purchased a new 2024 GLE53 and at 3900 miles the radiator was punctured by some sort of road debris on the freeway. I was surprised to find that the radiator is unprotected. Mercedes has refused to cover the repair under warranty. Anyone else have a similar issue? Seems like a design flaw not to protect the radiator.

jaxslk

Yep. Just search. Been there, done that. Not cheap to fix. Protected now.
https://mbworld.org/forums/gle63s-gl...gh-cooler.html

suby01

Sorry to hear. But these type of radiator damages are very common. You can see in the other shared thread here, and also on other makes and model, Porsche and BMW I know a few personally that people are gong nuts over how often it happens.

mikemdd

My "temporary" fix noted in one of the links is still going strong after 20K miles of cross country trips. The two small radiators underneath that cool the battery are particularly vulnerable from rocks getting kicked up. Fingers crossed but my solution has worked so far.

mikapen

It should be an insurance claim.

grussell

Thank you! it didn't come up in my search. Not sure why. Looks like it is a problem I should have known about before buying the GLE53. Bummer! I am not sure why Mercedes hasn't fixed it since it appears to be a problem they could have solved for about $20. BMW's have a plastic screen on the radiator preventing this from happening.

grussell

Our 2023 X3 and 2025 X5 have a plastic protector covering the entire radiator. So, this is not a concern on these models.

grussell

Yes, but how do you claim the safety and inconvenience of being stranded on the side of the freeway in the middle of the night? It took Mercedes roadside assistance 3+ hours to arrive. The replacement radiator is backordered for 1 month+ and the dealer was out of loaners. You still have to pay the deductible too!

mikapen

Get substitute transportation - if you have that coverage - when you file your insurance claim.

grussell

You are missing the point or you work for Mercedes. People should not buy these AMG vehicles until Mercedes fixes the problem. As for a substitute, we bought a 2025 BMW X5. That solved our problem and guess what. Turns out it's a much better ride!

mikapen

I think you misinterpreted my post. I suggested you that you file an insurance claim, you didn't want to because of the deductible.
So I suggested another use for your insurance, if you have the appropriate coverage: while your insurance is covering the repair, use their your substitute transportation coverage to get a free ride during the repairs.
Sorry I wasn't clear enough for you.
I didn't mean buy a car.

djgiovanni

So if you bought a new X5 what's the point any more? Some people like BMW, others prefer MB or any other direct competitor. You like BMW better and it seems that it has everything going for it based on your account. Enjoy it.

It is unfortunate what happened to you but it is NOT a common situation. The same can happen to a windshield, grill, headlight, etc. Your choice of what you want to do from there, either file an insurance claim or pay out of pocket. Sucks? YES.

Dazsh

We purchased a brand new 2024 GLS, after 2 weeks, a rock less than the size of a penny puncture the radiator. They said we has to pay $1800 to fix it. I told the. I just spent $107k for a car that has off road capabilities but cannot survive a tiny rock. I say you can keep the car, I'm not paying for it or picking it up. I haven't even made my first payment yet. They called back and said they would cover the cost. They then admitted that it is a design flaw. Now I'm trying to get them to install a mesh screen I purchased to cover the inside of the grill to protect the radiator









QUOTE=grussell;8980152]We purchased a new 2024 GLE53 and at 3900 miles the radiator was punctured by some sort of road debris on the freeway. I was surprised to find that the radiator is unprotected. Mercedes has refused to cover the repair under warranty. Anyone else have a similar issue? Seems like a design flaw not to protect the radiator.[/QUOTE]

mikapen

[/QUOTE]
Kind of like a windshield. Insurance claim.

Dazsh

Kind of like a windshield. Insurance claim.[/QUOTE]

It's a design flaw that mercedes admitted. It will happen again. Why would I file an insurance claim for something that's a recall item? Some people are 1 can short of a 6 pack

mikapen

It's a design flaw that mercedes admitted. It will happen again. Why would I file an insurance claim for something that's a recall item? Some people are 1 can short of a 6 pack[/QUOTE]
Because you paid for the coverage?