Here's my nightmare: Check engine light goes on. Drop off at Fletcher Jones, Ontario, CA June 20th. 2 days later they tell me it needs a new catalytic converter, but one does not exist in the WORLD. They stopped making them when they started making 4-cyl turbo diesels (my is 6-cyl). The 3rd party that makes them for MBZ has to make a new one just for me. I'm told I am the ONLY person in the U.S. that has had this part fail. I was first given an August 2nd delivery. Then they told me October 3rd delivery. Then they told me November 8th delivery. Now my delivery date is mid January. My car has been in the shop since June 20th. Told MBUSA I wanted to do the Lemon Law, since they cannot fix it. They denied my request and said they would fix it ($4000 total btw - part is $760). They said I just have to keep waiting. Bought the ML used in 2013. Still making payments. It has 75K miles. So my ML has been in the shop over 5 months now. So frustrated. Suggestions?

VIN 4JGBB2FB9AA534564

PART # 642 140 0275 (EGR Cooler - Diesel Catalytic Converter)

Have you made sure the converter you need is not still in warranty? It's a pollution control device and may have a longer warranty than the vehicle warranty. Especially on CA. vehicles.

When we lived in CA this was my Mercedes Indy shop. See if they can help you.

http://www.elitemotorsmb.com/

It's not under warranty. The vehicle is 6 years old.

Did you try to buy your part from here http://www.oemmbparts.com/a/Mercedes...M/5772802.html
DO you need 1644904736 ?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/W164-Mercede...BXYcWq&vxp=mtr
OR
https://www.parts.com/index.cfm?fuse...9-PRECONVERTER

Checking with them now. I need part # 642 140 0275 My dealer in CA told me the part is no longer made and that there isn't one part anywhere in the world. I'm told they are trying to get a company to make one. I would assume they are telling me the truth, otherwise why would they give me loaner cars to drive for 6 months? They could fix it and have me on my way.

It seems you can get it here http://mbspecialist.com/mercedes_web...m/6421400275B/

Thanks. I see it is a used part. MBZ wants to put a new part on the car, but as I have been told and posted, a new part does not exist anywhere in the world. They have been in contact with MBZ in Germany and they are trying to get whatever 3rd party company that makes their catalytic converters to make just (1) that will fit my 6 cyl turbo diesel, which is probably hard to do. However, they refuse to buy my car from me under the Lemon Law and they continue to say they WILL fix my car when the part arrives - current ETA is mid January. It will be 6 months without my car on Dec. 20th. I'm sure they don't like that they are giving me loaners to drive for 6 months.

I can understand the desire to install a new part. But this makes no sense if the new part does not exist.

I can't imagine what that one off part is going to cost $$$. That's assuming the manufacturer agrees to tool up for but one part. Unlikely. And if he says no, what is plan B?

It seems triton has located the needed part. Used but serviceable. Grab it!

Pass triton's info to the parts manager and instruct him to get on the phone and order the part...now. Othewise the situation being what it is,it may be months, if ever, before you get your car back.

They've got you bent over, can't you feel it!!

Someone needs to take charge.

OMG. Just read this post. Are you kidding me? These people are brainless. They are parts changers and have no clue how to "fix/repair" a vehicle. If they were bent on installing a brand new cat, they could have gotten one from any other v6 diesel model of the same year, cut the cat off the extension pipes and tig welded it to the original car's pipes. Failing that, of course the used unit is the way to go. After all as the OP said, it is out of warranty anyway. I own a big shop here up in Canada, and we often have to put on our thinking caps and figure out a way to fix something instead of just replacing it.

auto385, You've hit the mail on the head. Can't believe a dealer would take such a position. Further, couldn't agree more that some techs are nothing more than parts changers. And if encountering a situation requiring innovation, they are stymied.

Down here we call it Yankee ingenuity.

Unfortunate that rolngta is not closer, you could should him how a well run shop handles such a situation.

Unbelievable!!

Emailed them. They do not have the part even though their web site looks like they do.

Ha. Yes bent over big time. It will have been 6 months on the 20th of this month. They claim they WILL fix it with a new part. I'm told the new "ship" date is around the 2nd week of January. They refuse to buy the vehicle from me and say they are going to fix it. The part is $750 and labor around $3k. I can't imagine the 3rd party German Cat Converter manufacturer tooling up to build just one converter for a 2010 ML, but that's what they say will happen.

3k for labour is nuts. Take that truck out of there and bring it to a place that can actually fix it.

This is the problem with not only MBs, but all 2XXX cars having so many proprietary parts with intention to profit off future repairs. Why sell a $4.99 relay when you can bury it into an $800 ECU? You can't keep parts too universal cause anyone could repair them and your stealerships would never see that maintenance backend which is a huge part of their operating profits.

The part was made and finally arrived. Last night I was going through old repair invoices and discovered that the SAME catalytic converter was replaced 1 1/2 years ago (I thought it was just the EGR valve) by a different Mercedes dealership a few miles away. I'm now arguing I shouldn't pay for the part or labor because the catalytic converter should have never failed at 1 1/2 years. Plus in the last 2 years I have had these repairs:

7/2014 EGR
10/2014 Catalytic Converter
5/2016 EGR
6/2016 Catalytic Converter

Seems like a problem to me.

I'm so mad at Fletcher Jones Ontario because when I told them of these previous repairs they told me they were not aware of them. I told them to look in their computer system. Then they told me I had a different part replaced. I then showed them it was the same part number. Then they told me I didn't pay for it, it was N/C. The part was N/C, but I paid for the labor the first time the catalytic converter went out. I complained because it happened 1,200 miles after 50,000 miles of the warranty.

Yeah, these cars go to hell in a handbasket after the factory warranty expires. I can't help but think they're designed to. I'm in the middle of a flap motor/oil seal replacement which the dealer quoted me $3700 to do. I think our next car will be an Infinity, or something else. These cars just don't hold up!!!