I love my 2018 MB GLS550..but the Night Package discoloration really takes away from the beauty of this vehicle. I seriously am regretting getting a GLS550 with this package because after scouring the internet for solutions to this discoloration there doesn't seem to be a consensus on products that work..only suggestions to try this or that. And I've seen trim that was vinyl wrapped and it just didn't look great to me..especially the roof rail. My local MB dealer has tried twice to get it replaced under warranty since I have a few hundred miles of warranty left..but both times were denied and they stated to me "Mercedes-Benz does not consider the trim molding discoloration as a defect in the trim molding but outside influence (acid rain or chemicals from car wash products). The trim molding replacement would not be covered under manufacturer warranty." Even though I hand wash my vehicle. And I was quoted a replacement cost in the neighborhood of $3k -no thanks.

So just wondering if anyone here has actually found a product that works? Looking for products that have actually been used successfully on the Night Package and not just random suggestions. Thanks everyone..and if you are looking at a MB with the Night Package..I would suggest walking away as quickly as possible. Or you may end up making up a story to strangers who ask you about it like I have saying "It's a very exclusive trim finish only available in Germany called the Aurora Borealis Package." Take a look at my pics and enjoy the beautiful blue, purple and red hues in the trim of my 2018 MB GLS550.

 

Sorry for your situation that truly sucks. I myself was set on Night Package 3 months ago on a Black on Black 2017-2019 GLS550. It was like finding a needle in a hay stack with the right options, mileage, color and price. 2 CPO vehicles I saw online I immediately noticed the discoloration on the window trim and roof rails like yours. I asked the same questions to the dealer and they said “car wash was most likely reason” and they could not get it covered/replaced by MBUSA or under CPO.

A Black 2017 GLS550 with all options popped up local to me but it didn’t have Night Package. At first I was disappointed, but now I’m glad I don’t have to deal with the discoloration issues.

 

I'm really glad you were able to avoid the Night Package. I originally just wanted the chrome trim to match my black S Class sedan with chrome trim..but as you mentioned..finding a GLS550 in good shape with the features I wanted was a challenge. The GLS450 with the features I wanted was plentiful almost a year ago when I made my purchase..but not so with the GLS550. And then there was the headache of having it shipped to me. So when this one came up about an hour away from me..being a one owner CPO that was well taken care of since the original owner had a prepaid maintenance plan..I purchased it along with an extended 4 year/100k mile warranty to kick in when the original warranty expired since I knew how expensive the air suspension was to replace. I'm just disappointed MB didn't do the right thing and replace this..especially when they have replaced it for some people..and there are black KIA Telluride SUV's with a copycat black package they call Nightfall Edition that doesn't suffer from this problem.

 

We were in similar situations. I was contemplating having a 550 shipped due to not finding one locally however I didn’t realize how much of a hassle it is finding a good shipper let alone the expense. Also I’ve learned never to buy a car sight unseen, not even CPO! It’s hilarious what dealers will pass as CPO nowadays. Also a vehicle could have been smoked in and dealers will lie to you and say it doesn’t smell bad just to get a sell. Once the vehicle is delivered to you you’re screwed.

Have you tried a good compound/polish on those trim pieces to see if there is any improvement? By the way I Googled "night package discoloration mercedes" and there were a few threads on this issue. If you are still under the 4 year factory new car warranty I would keep pressing MB to replace it. I’ve read some have had success eventually getting discolored night package trim replaced. How can Mercedes prove without a doubt that it was caused by a car wash and not material defect? Don’t be afraid to try another dealer as sometimes it can be all about how your case is presented to MBUSA to get things covered.

 

I agree with the above that getting it polished would work. I would even call a few body shops to ask them how much to paint them, I bet it wouldn't be more than $500.

 

@WillieMack
What really frustrates me about this situation is that MB is actually telling me they can't create a trim that isn't damaged by simple car wash chemicals. Really? So..a product that is made to cleanse vehicles and is used all over America is something you didn't think about when you made an "exclusive" trim that the original owner paid extra for? And you're supposed to be the best car builder in the world? And Asian vehicles with black trim aren't suffering from this?

If the original owner used touchless car washes and created this issue..then the dealership I purchased my GLS550 from must have used some temporary finish to hide this from me until my weekly hand car washes brought it out. Sadly..here in the South where I live..these dealerships offer terrible customer service once you purchase the vehicle. As an example of this..I called the west coast dealership my vehicle was originally sold from to get maintenance records..and they were bending over backwards to help me. At my local MB dealership? It took 2 weeks for the service manager to inform me MB won't replace the trim..and that was after sending him 2 emails and leaving him a phone message with the receptionist.

I haven't tried any polishes yet because I was told by my independent MB mechanic if you do that it could void the warranty. But if I can't get this replaced I won't have any choice. Someone mentioned on a thread this product work for them: Mothers 05701 California Gold Brazilian Carnauba Cleaner Liquid Wax - 16 oz. So this will be my first product to try. But I may just hire someone to do it because I'm recovering from a sports foot injury and don't want to kill myself getting on a step ladder to reach those roof rails..which as you know are huge so this won't be an easy job.

I am hoping I can find time to visit other MB dealerships..but they are all at least an hour away from me so not sure I can do that before my warranty expires in about 200 miles. With my luck..just driving to these places will expire my warranty before anything is done..although I do have email proof from emailing my local MB service manager that this problem occurred before the warranty expired. My last resort is to consult with my attorney and see if we can take them to court over this..or find another attorney who handles cases like this. A class action lawsuit is really needed to make them do something about this once and for all. Amazing how something so minor for them to fix is tainting my ownership experience and making me think twice about purchasing another MB. Not to mention my friends who own Lexus are telling me this would never happen with their vehicles..and if it did..their dealership would fix it immediately if still under warranty..no questions asked.

 

I've tried that..but they told me they can't guarantee the paint job and peeling may occur as this apparently is a problem with MB trim that is painted. And due to so much trim involved the price would be between $1200-$1500 for a "quality" paint job..yet no guarantees. When they see you driving in a vehicle that cost over $100k about 4 years ago..their prices magically go up.

 

You will drive yourself insane trying to find the perfect vehicle from any manufacturer even luxury makes. They even rattle too smh. That being said, the trim discoloration IS NOT acceptable. Going the route of a lawyer may not be worth the money, time or headache if MB doesn’t budge as a opposed to finding a good shop that specializes in vinyl wrap and getting it wrapped in a high quality 3M Gloss Black. Or just getting the trim part numbers, and purchasing discounted online.

Asian makes have their quality control issues as well. Lexus? Been there done that. Just got rid of a LX570 3 dealers could never properly diagnose. The GLS drives head and shoulders above any Lexus or Asian SUV. No way am I giving up driving this fun beast and switching over discolored trim.

 

A good detailer should be able to remove the majority of the discoloration. I have it in parts on mine, not quite as bad as the OP's but it does catch the eye. If I could have been without the car for another day, I'd have got it done. Suggest trying that route as MB will not budge. In the UK I'm looking at around £80-£100 to resolve.

 

I totally agree with you that you can't expect perfection. Before I switched to MB I was a Lincoln owner. I loved those huge land yachts from the 70's & 80's. And they rode much softer and smoother with just a hydraulic suspension than my air suspension does. I could literally go over train tracks and not feel a thing. But of course the electronics failed often as did the body parts.

I also test drove a Lexus before purchasing my GLS550 and I was incredibly disappointed all around. So indeed..the days of Asian marks always having the upper hand seem to be over. I'm still exploring other avenues to resolve this and will update if I find something.

 

Would love to see your results in before and after pics if you get it resolved. Good luck!

 

I too suffer from the same on my GLC63 I purchased second hand recently. Almost look like a damascus blade or something. When it see it on other cars I know who really opt'd for the night package and who is pretending LOL.

I am working on figuring out how to resolve and by GOD when I do, I will post here with the solution....OR create a special blend for resale LOL

I must say though where I did get it off I used my thumb and rubbed to produce a lot of heat which removed it in some spots.

I think this requires not just some fluid/wax etc but heat applied in a safe manner.

I'm going to stop by and pick up some materials today with something that I think will work

 

I found something that most people can get from local auto stores or amazon etc.

It's called white diamond metal polish.

I had heavy oxidation which came off immediately with no effort or excessive rubbing.

After I buffed it off I noticed some of the water stains are still in the trim so I did another pass and left it on for a little longer.

Repeat as necessary.

Interestingly enough, although I was like WTF MB at first, they actually went to the extent of anodizing & polishing aluminum for the finish.

In this way, it should never actually flake/peel/etc since it's not actually painted on which is much better in my opinion.

Hope this helps save some $$$ and treat the oxidation ASAP when you see it.

 

What is actual material?
Metal or plastic?

Then what is coating:
Anodized
Plating
Paint
Powder coating?
Plastic/Vinyl Wrap

???

Knowing what it is will help in finding a product to clean and then protect and shine.
Check out AUTOPIA.org (detailing forum) maybe your issue has been discussed or you can show and see what the detailers say.

My guess is you have water spots and other checmical interaction with some sort of anodize which well is a PIA.
So you would need to remove water spots by either trying a vinegar/water solution to dissolve or stuff the pros use.

600 - WATER SPOT REMOVER - ITW Auto Magic
be careful with this one and test in hidden area or on someone else's car.

Water Spot Remover 22 oz - Griot's Garage (griotsgarage.com)
Iron & Fallout Remover - Griot's Garage (griotsgarage.com)

OR have body shop paint them or wrap them.

 

That metal is anodized, and that discoloration is from a strong acid (probably from a drive-through car wash) has etched/damaged the surface finish. It will require a light polish to restore it.

 

Glad you found a solution..but wish you had posted before and after pics!
But thanks for sharing on this very frustrating and surprising issue considering the cost of these vehicles.
Do better, MB, do better.

 

Update:
I totally forgot about this post, hence my late update. But about a year or so ago, I found a video on YT from a Tesla owner dealing with the same type of discoloration on his trim. He used a product called Weiman Stainless Steel Cleaner & Polish Spray that will give a TEMPORARY fix. I tried it, and it worked. But, again, it's only temporary. The nice thing is you simply spray on a rag and wipe once or twice, no buffing required, and the discoloration for the most part goes away.

However, one trim panel has turned into a light violet color and will NOT go back to black after using my Weiman spray. I will be trying Mothers Metal Polish as soon as the killer heat & humidity lowers here on the Gulf Coast and will report back. Below is a before and after pic, and a pic showing my treated violet trim compared to the treated black trim.

And FYI: MB is well aware of this issue and stated to my MB dealer it is caused by automatic car washes. They actually expect us to hand wash all our vehicles because when you spend over a $100k on a luxury SUV you have nothing better to do.

 

It's the "touchless" car washes that have the really harsh acid-based chemicals. If I HAVE to take our car through a carwash, I'll absolutely choose the one with the spinning brushes because our car is ceramic coated and has clear PPF on it to protect from little scratches.

 

I agree..and am now using a car wash with spinning brushes as well. The touchless washes were garbage anyways. I was always left with a layer of dirt on my vehicle. I've been considering getting a ceramic coating..and will probably do it myself when the weather gets cooler. It sounds like your car's finish is ultra protected. Did you do the ceramic yourself or professionally?

 

After spending an entire day polishing the clearcoat and getting it to look flawless, yes I did do the ceramic coat myself. It was about the 8th or 9th car I've done. It's been about two years and I think it's about due for another polish and re-coat.

 

I need to do the same thing. Another MB driver recommended I do a clay bar treatment..but the idea of running a clay bar with dirt particles embedded in it over my finish repeatedly just sounds like a bad idea..even though I get the science behind it. Can you recommend the ceramic coating product you used..and how easy/hard it was to apply?

 

Because the clay is much softer than the clearcoat, the contaminents gets stuck in the clay and get buried. It's much better to do that than to start polishing and grind those into the finish. Steps should be:

Full decon wash (removes most of any waxes/etc on the surface, the soap is usually citrus-based)
Clay bar
Polish
Rubbing alcohol wipe-down
Ceramic coating

The main thing I like about a good ceramic treatment is how easy it is to wash it. 90% of the dirt comes off with the pressure washer, and only a light wipe down with a soapy sponge is needed after that. Also, the ceramic layer really does add protection from a surprising amount of bumps and scratches. One of my kids has dragged his metal matchbox cars against one of the panels and it was fine. On normal paint it would have absolutely left a scratch that would have required at least some cutting compound and some polishing. I've also treated the windows and again - very easy to clean, but it's so nice to have the water bead off them so easily, especially for night time driving.

I'd recommend Crystal Serum Lite - https://www.obsessedgarage.com/colle...al-serum-light

 

Thanks for the detailed plan. I'm looking at the products right now and hope to get it done this fall as weather permits.
Will be interesting to see how much better I can get my black finish. But first I need to touch up some scratches and paint
chips from the grill area. Already purchased the MB touch up paint so am hoping for the best. But the easy clean up you
described after the ceramic coating sounds like a awesome thing that I definitely need.

 

Why hasn’t MB been sued by all the other owners of the night package trim upgrade option that has discolored? Class action suit is apparently the only way to get the attention of MB. I had a BMW M5 and the service dept supported every single complaint that I wasn’t satisfied with no questions. Next vehicle will be a BMW. Mercedes is in denial about the defective night package trim that I paid more money for, horrible customer service!

 

I have wondered the same thing. My best guess is that no lawyer wants to take the task of doing it against a company with unlimited resources to fight like MB. Or, those of us suffering from this are so spread out over the internet that we need to create one centralized web page to gather together in one group to show just how bad this problem is. However, it could be that nobody has actually approached an attorney who specializes in class action lawsuits. I myself haven't, but may do so in the near future. Maybe we should create a thread here for that?

As for bad customer service from MB, I couldn't agree more. I live in a small city, and the nearest MB dealer could give a flying f**k what happens to my car. All they want to do is charge, charge, charge for any little thing. And if I need to leave my vehicle for service, they NEVER have loaner cars available. I'm just thankful I purchased an extended service contract for my vehicle, as it really came in handy when my rear air suspension went out a few months ago. What my dealer would have charged me without my extended warranty was criminal. But what's really sad is you were 100% correct on how other luxury dealerships treat their customers. My friends who own Lexus and BMW rave about the free loaner cars, free coffee and snacks at the service center, and how they are treated like gold when they need something. My MB dealership wouldn't even give me a free MB logo mask during COVID when I saw their salespeople wearing them and asked if they had any more. If I didn't love this brand so much and if they didn't make the safest luxury car in a crash I would already be looking at Lexus. As for BMW, I just can't get over the huge kidney bean grill they now have that resembles a crazed rabbit with huge buck teeth out front. But if you're OK with that, I don't blame you for making the switch. I would too..