Current Driver

Dear Members:


I had a previous M class vehicle that my wife and I recently drove for a 20 day trip...The vehicle was impeccable in and out.

In this very same trip, this ML got a tremendous vibration and needed to be towed from South Dakota to Billings in Montana...The rubber bearing from the driveshaft was the problem and the MB dealership fixed it in 2 days...

Then, close to Chicago one of the keys was not recognized and would not turn on the vehicle, very fortunately we had the extra remote with us...

On the way back and while driving from Minneapolis to Fargo, the headlights dimmed until they went off...The dashboard warning lights all came on for a second, flashed 2-3 times and then the vehicle died at 70 MPH...

Scary yes, but a bright moon and no traffic allowed me to safely park it outside of the HWY. It was again towed to Fargo, ND at 2:00 AM and the MB dealership changed the alternator, the battery and something else and we were on the road the day after.

We then drove to Bozeman, Montana and while filling the tank with gas, the ML would not start with any of the 3 keys we had on board. Again, we were towed to the closest MB dealer, back 200 miles to Billings, MT.

I had it with this unreliable ML and bought a brand new 2014 ML-350 fully loaded...Very nice looking and a very nice ride vehicle.

This new ML has about 2,400 miles on it and is showing its heritage:
It didn't recognize the ignition key and would not start with one key but it recognized the extra key...This has happened twice in 2 weeks.

Then while parking in parallel it suddenly died and would not start with any of the keys...It was TOWED 125 miles to the MB dealership in Missoula, MT where it stayed for a week...The computer needed to be replaced.
In order to pick up the vehicle I needed to drive 105 miles each way at my time and expense.

Before these incidents of the ignition keys and computer, the vehicle's insulation was attacked and destroyed by squirrels (Please read the insulation thread) and MB is regretfully WEASELING OUT and not acknowledging the problem...Yes, very regretfully Mercedes is going cheap and excluding their defective insulation's material from the warranty...A $450 piece of insulation seems to be too much for MB in order to do things right and to keep a customer happy.

Time to reassess my loyalty to MB?....Definitely !

Regards to all members and I wish you better luck with your Mercedes TOWING Class.

Current Driver

Owlet

I don't want to be rude, but why did you buy another Mercedes-Benz vehicle? And furthermore, Bozeman is less than 150 miles from Billings.
I had a key not recognized once, I just locked and unlocked the doors with it, and was good to go, no towing needed.

27T

All cars have problems. The more tech the more gremlins. Luckily my loaded ML has been perfect. Weird how you have the same problem with a different car in a diff gen.

fabbrisd1

I can try to comment and help on one thing - if "carrying" multiple keys - and especially in the case with Keyless Go - when one key is used to "lock" the vehicle with other keys inside (purse, briefcase, etc) - yes- other multiple keys HAVE to be "temporarily-de-authorized to allow the car to lock.

There is a logic/procedure with that - and as mentioned by one reply post already - often best to take the key that will be used to start the car, outside the car, remote/fob lock/unlock to lock/unlock the car - and that way you can assure right-key-right-operation.

For my customers who take a long trip - I advise my customers it is "safer" to pull the Keyless Go button and put it in your glovebox - which deactivates Keyless especially in the case of quaints motels or roadside restaurants - you don't want someone to be able to get in and grab your bag because your key is too close to the vehicle.

Somewhat "similar" thing happens with remote-keys/no-Keyless when keys are locked in the car by another key - that temporarily "diables" the other keys from the ignition - then if a key not used to unlock the car is used to try to start - yes, can be a seemingly baffling tragedy - as replied by another - taking a key outside the car to remote/fob lock/unlock solves/codes that key to be usable in the ignition.

If "keys" isn't the thing - then low battery voltage can cause a baffling tragic scene as well.

I have not personally seen a alternator fail on a W166 - not to say that can't happen - which it did in your case - alternator would have needed to come in overnite, which the dealer was thinking smart to do.

Since this on-the-road thing is electrical - and yes, all seems a bit "squirrely"..