shotgun_banjo

I got a quote from my good dealership price for a ML350 battery...whopping $912 CAD plus taxes. I said WHAT!? I said no with a sarcastic tone to the service guy. I know the battery is below the front passenger floor but I can't think of a $900 battery replacement. So is it a $250 battery then 4.25 hours of labour? LOL! I just watched this video and no way that is hard....

Matt-Dallas

That quote is probably for both batteries.

There are two batteries:
Main battery, under front passenger seat.
Auxiliary battery, inside the trunk, passenger side.

I just replaced the main battery. Doable, but pain in the butt because there is very limited space to work with.
To replace the aux battery, you have to essentially tear down the entire trunk of the car. I would have this done at the dealer or a good mechanic.

Make sure to keep the car under power with a secondary host battery during replacement. Otherwise you may lose your car settings.

peter2772000

Still doesn't justify $900. The secondary battery is a silly little thing, I doubt it's worth much more than $150.

Matt-Dallas

Both batteries cost $300 USD retail. Looks like his dealer is asking $650 (900 CAD) including labor.

CSM

I replaced the battery in my ML350 took 30 mins no joke completed it on my lunch break, the cost was around $175 at advance auto parts if I remember correctly. I did have to remove keyless/go and use the key the first time I started it.

peter2772000

I really have to get around to doing this on our truck. It's a 2013 and though it's only got around 40k km, the years are there just the same.
I'm guessing from the lack of mention of any coding (a la BMW), it's simply swap'n go?

Potrice

Same here...2013 as well and still on the original batteries...

Oldoarsman

I replaced the battery in our 2012 ML350 4Matic last December. It had always started reliably, but I didn’t want to experience any surprises.

I purchased it used in January, 2016 and it was originally placed in service in April, 2011.

I hope the new battery lasts as long as the original!

Diabolis

Yes - $900CAD + tax including labour is what you'd pay to have both of them replaced at any half-decent shop. There is nothing wrong with that price except for your completely unrealistic expectations.

Etienne Lau

I have a 2014 ML 350 Bluetec that I bought used. I just replaced the main battery late last year. It gave me one NO-START and several hesitant starts before the replacement. I paid just over $200($220) from Batteries Plus for a new battery that took me about 30 mins to install. Had trouble figuring out just how far up and forward I had to move the passenger seat to get the battery out. Once the new one was installed not issues since. Starts just fine.

peter2772000

Yeah, I figured as much. Shouldn't cost more than $5-600 to replace both. But a stealership is a stealership, nature of the beast.

RiverX

Did you also hook up a battery, like a charged battery, to keep the ML computer system alive to keep the settings, during the process of replacing the new battery? My ML350 2014 recently got no dash light, no start, no nothing, only a few times red dot flash on the key. Thank you in advance for your help!

RiverX

Hi Etienne, Did you also hook up a battery, like a charged battery, to keep the ML350 computer system alive to keep the settings, during the process of replacing the new battery? My ML350 2014 recently got no dash light, no start, no nothing, only a few times red dot flash on the key. Thank you in advance for your help!

Don_CA

I just watched a video to replace the battery in an ML350. Not hard at all. Looking up batteries, I see $265 as a price on a quick search for the battery. So $900, they are just giving it to you from behind and not even talking dirty to you first.

Etienne Lau

Yes I hooked up a 12V power supply to the power posts in the engine compartment. Other than clearance issues I had with not moving the passenger seat up and forward enough initially. Things went smoothly. Just take your time, it's a simple and easy process.

RiverX

My old 12V battery is too weak to help move the front seat. I end up with using jump start power cables to move it, then terminate it, reuse the 12v to keep the settings alive. Then change the dead battery successfully. Everything back on track now.

RiverX

My old 12V battery is too weak to help move the front seat. I end up with using jump start power cables to offer sufficient power to move it, then terminate the jump start cables, reuse the 12v to keep the original settings alive. Then change the dead battery successfully. Everything back on track now. Caution is to make correct power connection/disconnection in absolutely correct sequence.