ckpatel

Please forgive me if i posted in the wrong area.

Currently i have a ml350 2006, and I have taken it into the service center about 4 or 5 times for the exact same issue. long story short my windshield wipers stop working at random during rain storms, and the rain sensor at random will not work either during storms. living in the pacific northwest this is a huge problem, and a big safety issue. My dealer keeps saying we can fix it, but this is obviously not true. I feel I should get my money back for the car, it is still under warranty, and I dont feel safe driving it in rain or in dry weather, because who knows what else could go wrong. Does anyone know what is the next step for me? i talked to the service manager at my dealer and he just kept insisting it will be fixed (which I know it wont be). Please help me...I am kind of lost as to what to do next. Thanks.

CP

AR.Shah

How many times have they tried to fix it?

ckpatel

4 times, or 5...i kinda forgot.

kryptonite

I haven't encounter your path yet..., but MB did a buy back of my cousin's ML350 last year with the awesome help from member jangy. I was the messenger between my cousin and jangy. PM Jangy cuz he knows what he's talking about!!

As for your case, if you brought the car in 3 times or more for the same problem and it's life-threatning (yes, in this case) AND it's been documented, then you should exercise your lemon rights!!! My cousin wrote a complaint letter to the dealership's GM and CC it to MBUSA demanding a full refund or new vehicle and that she would hand over the case to her lawyers if they didn't reply within 10 business days. That got them out of their seats and the whole buy back process excelerated 10 times. Now I'm not saying you'll get a definite buy back if you start screaming and writing threatning letters to MB. But if you have a legit case and they know it, they will move on it asap because they don't want any lemon lawyer's knocking on their door. Plus it's just plain BAD press if word gets out. Oh btw, the MB regional rep makes the buy back decision. The people at the dealership just provides all the info and the timeline. Allthough the service manager was very cooperative and helpful with the whole process..., once they received the letter!!! Good Luck!

sosh

I can understand your frustration with your problem. However in my estimation, one fault that appears to be easy to correct does not warrant a buy back or lemon law suit. I would give them another shot at this after speaking with either the GM or owner of the dealership to express your intent. This does not seem to be a common problem as I have never before seen another like it posted here or elsewhere. Ask that they change out everything that has anything to do with the wipers including the switch, etc. If it works out you will enjoy this wonderful vehicle as I have for the past almost 2 years. Mine has been flawless and its the 3rd and by far the best ML I have had. Good luck!!

ckpatel

they already have replaced EVERY SINGLE component having to do with the wipers twice. still no luck.

mtrandpm

Sorry to hear about your problem. I had my 2006 ML350 and had several problems. I brought my car in 7-8 times in the past for different problems in the 1st 6-7 months. UNBELIEVABLE. Fortunately, they have fixed most problems, except one. They have replaced my tires twice and I am still getting uneven wear in my tires. Replacing the tires would not fix my problem, in my opinion. But the dealer differs in their "opinion." Seems like we have MONDAY cars! WEDNESDAY car would be the best. I have 2 more years of lease left on mine, DANG!

Good luck and hope you get a buy back or exchange it for another one.

ckpatel

ya i am def going to fight for a buy back. because this is obviously NOT SAFE...and i find it disturbing that my dealer hasn't done anything yet, and let me drive a unsafe car, and insist that it has been "fixed" every time i got the car back, they say it has been fixed for sure...and of course they were wrong.

MB Fanatic

Well my fellow Gujarati. Have you tried a different dealership?

Also call MBUSA in Montvale in NJ and get them on the case. This will help things move along. Let us know how it works out for you.

ckpatel

i would try another dealer but in portland the same owner owns both dealers.

Dieter

Hi,

I may be wrong but in UK at least rain sensing wipers are an option. If this is true in USA then their not working cannot be considered dangerous as some vehicles won't have this option.

My rain sensors have worked fine (over 2 cars and 5 years) and if the mechanical bits have been changed (several times) then surely the problem must lie with windscreen/sensor.

Unlike the auto box this is a relatively simple system so should be eminently fixable. As mentioned previously it's not, imho, a buy back issue (it's a few hunder dollar/pound system!!!!!)

However I don't know why MB don't supply variable (not rain sensor controlled) wipers as standard.

Cheers,

ckpatel

what does it matter if other cars have this option or not? OF COURSE IT IS DANGEROUS! Please explain me to how it is not dangerous to be on the freeway going abot 65mph, in a heavy rainstorm, and then to have your windshield wipers to completely fail and stop working!

kevinchung

can't you use it manually? The senser in my car can be on or off?!

Kevin

Dieter

Hi CK,

What I am pointing out is that other ML drivers who haven't chosen rain sensing wipers seem to be able to cope quite happily in the rain (or do owners w/out rain sensing wipers only drive on sunny days?).

Most systems have redundancies built in so failure is not catastrophic i.e. if abs goes wrong brakes still work and if rain sensor fails use manual control etc. (as pointed out by Kevin).

I still don't understand why MB don't fit manually contolled variable wipers as standard?

Cheers,

ckpatel

ohh i c what you mean. well my ML350 does have the manual variable mode aswell, and neither those or the rain sensor mode work. So I am in a rutt, when the rain hits and they randomly stop i will turn it to the manual variable mode, and still they will not work.

MB Fanatic

Like I said take it up to MBUSA and let them get a rep out there. If not get an attorney, as it shouldnt cost too much, and have him/her get in touch with MBUSA.

ckpatel

will do.

ckpatel

bump

firstmbml350

so whats the latest news, did you contact MBUSA?

ckpatel

actually i left a voicemail on the service managers machine today. i said basically if you dont refund my money, and respond to this call within' 10 days, i will get my lawyers and take this to court. i got a call from him two hours later, and he said he is having a rep from MBUSA to fly in to inspect the car, and then take it from there. So now i think he realizes i mean business. I got the car back yesterday from service, and they said they fixed it for sure, and today it poured, and sure enough while on the freeway the wipers stopped again, I pulled over and waited about 10 or 15 mins, and then they finally worked again, and i got home safely. I refuse to drive the car anymore, and will now be driving my other car, and hopefully soon I wont be driving this mercedes anymore.

ckpatel

bump.....update:

Ok so i called the service manager of my dealership, and left a voicemail...saying basically that i want a full refund for my car....and if they dont respond within' 10 days I will get my lawyer, and go down the lemon route. He called me like an hour later, and said he is contacting MBUSA and having someone fly in from them, and inspect the vehicle...and then he said that they will handle it from there? I asked him what the next step was, but he was very vague, and I left another voicemail today about contacting that MBUSA rep coming to look at my car. Does anyone know what this means? What will happen when they inspect my car? Thanks!

AR.Shah

Nothing much will happen, they're just experimenting with your car..

A few weeks ago my brother had a brake failure on his '06 W211. First time they just resetted the car and told him nothing was wrong! Second time it happend, they had a engineer fly in from Stuttgart (brake failure on the facelifted W211 model was news) and he had the brake calipers changed and said that the changed parts will be shipped to Stuttgart for further studies. Third time it happend, they changed the entire brake system (ABR, calipers, rotors, pads etc etc) and parts were sent to Stuttgart. So far no problems yet.

I think you have a good chance to get your money back or a new car, just document it next time this happens eg. with the video camera in your mobile phone. Good luck and keep us posted

sosh

They are not expermenting with your car. They are trying to get to the bottom of the problem and repair it. This is quite an uncommon problem. My rain sensor wipers work just fine on my 06 ML500, and my 05 E Class. They also did on my 01 E Class and my 02 ML500. I have not seen much here about anyone having this problem. What they are going to do is make a concerted effort to repair. If that can't be done in what they consider a reasonable time frame they may offer to replace your vehicle charging you only for the miles driven. The guy that is coming to have a look see will most likely be the regional service manager not a guy from the factory. I would let them run their course and be cooperative. Its not the time for a lawyer yet. They are trying. If you go the lemon law route you will be at least a year or more away from any settlement and during this time the only person you will be able to communicate with is their lawyer thru your lawyer.

AR.Shah

I meant experimenting in the sense that they're clueless about whats wrong and bit by bit they're changing small parts I would guess. What they should do is to change the entire wash/wipe system (all relays, rain sensor, wipermotors, wiper arm, wires etc etc) and ship the parts to Alabama for studies, especially because this is a very serious safety issue here.

ckpatel

Screw that i've been patient enough. if you think its ok to let a customer drive a car with the windshield wipers working half the time you are outta your mind! I already got my lawyer.