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Dec 28, 2003 | 05:21 PM

bottedi

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From: Atlanta, GA - USA

2002 ML 320

Question for ML God

Hi there - thanks for sharing your experiences!

Here is my question:

I have a strange rattle coming from under my 2002 ML that I thought might be the exhaust system. It sounds sort of like metal on metal and it's sort of faint. It is most noticable when I drive over a rough road...or gravel path. It sounds sort of like I am driving an old pick-up truck that has rattles.....

The dealer "could not duplicate" on several attempts but after I pitched a fit, they now have kept the car in the shop for over 4 weeks and have sent it to a body shop for some "spot welding"....
Have you ever heard of such a thing? In the process, they have taken out the dash board, the seats, the carpet (at least so I have been told) and I am worried to death that when I finally get the car back it will be distroyed.....

Do you have any advice? Have you ever heard of the rattle problem that requires "spot welding" from a body shop??? Is there anything I can do to ensure I get a car back that still looks new (like it did when I turned it in....)?

Thanks,
Dirk

Dec 28, 2003 | 09:20 PM

Kar don

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Joined: Nov 2001

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From: GMT -8 hours

Mercedes-Benz

Re: Question for ML God

Quote:

Originally posted by bottedi
Hi there - thanks for sharing your experiences!

Here is my question:

I have a strange rattle coming from under my 2002 ML that I thought might be the exhaust system. It sounds sort of like metal on metal and it's sort of faint. It is most noticable when I drive over a rough road...or gravel path. It sounds sort of like I am driving an old pick-up truck that has rattles.....

The dealer "could not duplicate" on several attempts but after I pitched a fit, they now have kept the car in the shop for over 4 weeks and have sent it to a body shop for some "spot welding"....
Have you ever heard of such a thing? In the process, they have taken out the dash board, the seats, the carpet (at least so I have been told) and I am worried to death that when I finally get the car back it will be distroyed.....

Do you have any advice? Have you ever heard of the rattle problem that requires "spot welding" from a body shop??? Is there anything I can do to ensure I get a car back that still looks new (like it did when I turned it in....)?

Thanks,
Dirk

Oh man, good luck!
If they said they wanted it for 4 weeks for a simple rattle I would have said forget it. I really don't see how it could require spot welding unless a piece of exhaust is loose? Not really sure why they took apart the interior, thats what id be worried about. My dash had to be taken apart due to a stupid mistake by the dealer and it has rattled ever since.

Dec 29, 2003 | 08:23 AM

Darkmann

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Joined: Nov 2001

Posts: 864

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Re: Question for ML God

Quote:

Originally posted by bottedi
Hi there - thanks for sharing your experiences!

Here is my question:...

Do you have any advice? Have you ever heard of the rattle problem that requires "spot welding" from a body shop??? Is there anything I can do to ensure I get a car back that still looks new (like it did when I turned it in....)?

Thanks,
Dirk

Well, I agree with Al that when you get it back, there's probably going to be more squeaks from the dash than you can stand. As for the rattle, the only spot welding that they'd have to do would be to the exhaust system. I have a rattle on my MY02 320 also around the rear bumper area. It comes and goes and I haven't been able to nail exactly where it's residing or what triggers its onset. However, it's not going into the shop for that until I can nail down the problem. If you do have any problems next time, get to the board and investigate a bit more before taking the truck in. Tips from here may save you a lot of headache later.

Dec 29, 2003 | 10:32 AM

ML God

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Quote:

Do you have any advice? Have you ever heard of the rattle problem that requires "spot welding" from a body shop??? Is there anything I can do to ensure I get a car back that still looks new (like it did when I turned it in....)?

wELL IT COULD BE A NUMBER OF THINGS. if the dealer can duplicate it then they can put chassis ears on it to pinpoint it. if they are taking it to a body shop to spot weld something maybe they suspect a loose weld in the body. It happens, just not very often. As long as someone decient is removing your interior it should go back to gether fine. Every interior I pull out the customer can never tell i have been in there. as far as you noise..The only thing common that i have seen is if you have had the front wheels off for any reason and they hit the backing plates of the front rotors it knocks them out of place and they rattle over bumps. you can tell by hitting the tire with your hand...other then that i could be anything..good luck and let me know what they find!

Jan 26, 2004 | 01:20 PM

bottedi

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Joined: May 2002

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From: Atlanta, GA - USA

2002 ML 320

Well, I got my truck back after (and I am not kiding) 6 weeks of having it in the shop.....and here is the result:
1. The interior looks like someone in their greasy uniform lived in the car for the past 6 weeks
2. The dash has so many new rattles now, that I feel I am driving a 1964 Chevy Pick-up
3. The steering wheel rattles as if there were loose change stuck under the face plate
4. The entire car looks like it aged about 2 years in the short 6 week time period

.....and here is the best part......

NOTHING WAS FIXED! The only reason I brought in the car to the deal in the first place was for 3 minor things:
- the metal "clanking" sound from underneith the car
- the radio switching from Sterio to Mono for no reason
- the routine maintenance (according to the dash display)

The only thing they accomplished in 6 weeks is the routine maintenance...everything else is exactly as before....only now I have all the added stuff listed above! I want to get rid of this car now - it's not new anymore - it's a used pick-up!

Has anyone ever tried to appeal to MB USA about something like this. I dont want to take my car back to the same dealer - they will only make things worse. (Plus, they look at me like I am crazy when I complain about rattles...they are a bunch of readnecks that couldn't care less about a rattle....)

HELP!!!!

Jan 26, 2004 | 04:44 PM

Darkmann

Super Member

Joined: Nov 2001

Posts: 864

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Man, I was afraid that was going to happen.

Taking out/replacing the dash w/out generating rattles is best left to the experts. Anyway, what's done is done. I haven't appealed to MBUSA for anything. However, from what I have gathered from this board and others, it's not a fair process if you don't involve a lawyer, or if your SA is not on your side, or if your regional manager is not dating your sister, or if you're not persistent, or all of the above!!! Keep all records of what's been going on. Seems like your SA is not very willing, but I'll give them one more chance - this is where you will begin to keep extremely detailed record of what they tell you, what they do, the status of your truck, etc, etc. take pics if it'd help you. The point is that you want to provide evidence for every allegation that you make. When you take the vehicle in, ask for a loaner car so you don't get inconvenienced. Let them work on the truck. If not satisfied after work is done, get the regional manager involved (assuming that you'd have talked to the owner of the joint) and make sure they know that you'll be taking the vehicle to another dealer to resolve the problem. I don't recall whether or not this is all under warranty, but if it's not, you'll have to spend some money upfront and hope to recoup later. If the regional manager can't resolve the problem, get MBUSA involved. Hopefully they'll be able to resolve the problem. But, you have to have proof and be very patient. Remember, MBUSA is a business and must make profits. They see scarm artists in droves every day and unless you have solid evidence, you're just one of the scammers!!! That's the service business.

Jan 26, 2004 | 09:33 PM

Sincity

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Joined: Feb 2003

Posts: 5,983

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From: Vegas and Vancouver, BC

I had a similar rattle and narrowed it down to a heat shield that seems to cover the driver side motor mount. It is next to another horizontal shield that is bolted next to it. I can see how I can tighten this thing down. Can I put a piece of Dynomat to absorb the vibrations? Or will the Dynomat melt off?