I own a Mercedes C240 Automatic year 2001 since new. I yesterday took it for A Service ( 3rd since new) . Mileage on clock is 18000. When an MOT test ( Annual Govt. Inspection) was done 4 months ago in September 2005, I was told of oil leak in rear axel. Now I have been told following needs to be done:-

Cost Item Repair description

£180 ( 1) Spark Plug Replace
£75 (2) Main Fuel Filter Replace
£45 (3) Air Filter Clean replace filter insert if necessary
£38 (4) Pilot Bushing on the Electrohydraulic control unit Remove/Install/Seal, Replace If necessary (after check)
£150 (5) Oil pan on Automatic Transmission Remove/Install/Seal, Replace if necessary
£100 ( 6) Bearing (All) for Stabilizer Bar on 1st vehicle Axle Remove/Install/Seal, Replace if necessary
£70 (7) Link Rods (Both) for Front Stabilizer Bar Replace
£30 (8) Wheel Bearing End Float on Front Wheel Hubs Check and Adjust (with wheels removed) This was already done once on B Service in September 2004!
£50 (9) Cover On Rear Final drive Unit Remove / Install, Seal ( Rear Final-Drive Unit Removed)
£270 (10) Rear Final Drive Unit Remove/Install
£30 (11) Road wheels (2) Remove /Install

The total cost of the above is £1152 equal to US $ 2000

When asked how this has happened they did not give me any specific reason. Considering I do very little mileage over 4 years and only 4000 miles since last Major B service 14 months ago, I am wondering why so many things could have gone wrong? What is the main reason for Oil leak in rear axlel?

Please advice. I am based in London, UK and we have independent consumer watchdog, which has done undercover checks on many garages and found that many of them where charging for unnecessary/unwarranted repairs which were not required.
Whenever I take the car for service I dread the thought of they coming up with something or other to be done to make some extra money, particularly if you did not buy the car from UK dealer and imported from Europe. The list price of the car including option was £30000 and by importing I saved £5000. Compared to USA we get charged probably 50% more in UK

 

Stay away from these guys....also, unless you've raced those 18K miles or been driving off-road I don't see how so much could go wrong....did you have a list of problems you went in for the A service or was all of this a surprise?

£180 ( 1) Spark Plug Replace
£75 (2) Main Fuel Filter Replace
£45 (3) Air Filter Clean replace filter insert if necessary

The service intervals for these items are stated in miles and years. Seems like they are using the year method to determine replacement. Total waste of your money. These parts don't just deteriorate over such a short time. Plugs should last 100K miles per the book.

£38 (4) Pilot Bushing on the Electrohydraulic control unit Remove/Install/Seal, Replace If necessary (after check)?
£150 (5) Oil pan on Automatic Transmission Remove/Install/Seal, Replace if necessary

Is your transmission leaking oil?

£100 ( 6) Bearing (All) for Stabilizer Bar on 1st vehicle Axle Remove/Install/Seal, Replace if necessary.
£70 (7) Link Rods (Both) for Front Stabilizer Bar Replace

Do you have noises/clanks going over bumps from your suspension? Why are they doing this?

£30 (8) Wheel Bearing End Float on Front Wheel Hubs Check and Adjust (with wheels removed) This was already done once on B Service in September 2004!

If this needs to be done again then it wasn't done correctly the last time.

£50 (9) Cover On Rear Final drive Unit Remove / Install, Seal ( Rear Final-Drive Unit Removed)
£270 (10) Rear Final Drive Unit Remove/Install

This must be the leak...how bad is it? Remove the entire differential to replace what seal? This looks fishy.

£30 (11) Road wheels (2) Remove /Install

This must be the cost to rotate two tires or put on snow tires?....maybe two minutes work...30 pounds!!!

 

There is a oil leak in rear axle. I took it to an Independent Merc Garage. The chap told me that this is normal as now a days, merc builds car with soft alluminum and not steel as it used to and because of bumps etc joints get slightly loose and leak. and looking at the leak which is not dripping at all ( I do not see oil spill on my driveway) As far as front transmission leak is concerned he told me to get it done because of electronics involved otherwise it could cost £4000 later on.

The part which have been listed for replacement are as under:-

Rods 2
Bush 2
Boot 4
Bracket 2
Spacer 1
Gasket 1
oil 2 ltr
Sealant

If this helps.

Today I am going to take it to a BISCH service centre to get another opinion and also take to another MB dealer for second estimate by just saying I have a oil leak whcih I was told by a tyre garage when I wanted to have my tyres checked. Now with some rouge garages even they coul dbe MB, what stops then putting some oil on your rear axle and front axel and then say you have a leak? Particularly lay man and rich guys do not care they will just say OK get it done.

 

The Spark plugs should not need replacing (although not a bad price for 12 plugs), the fuel filter should be replaced though as its over 4 years old. The electrohydraulic pilot bushing has 2 O rings that leak on them, this is the housing for the gearbox electrical connector and take approx 10-15 mins to replace, the sump gasket is also prone to leaking and should take no more than 40 mins to replace but does require merc G/box dipstick when refilling them, usally 3.5 litres of merc Auto transmission fluid is put in and then the level checked with the g box oil over 80 degrees C. Why did the wheels need to be removed on an A service? not usual! Rear Diff seals and end seals are prone to leakage, the Differential needs to be removed as the drive shaft seals have a circlip within the diff that needs removing to replace the seals, Merc allow technicians 8 hours to do this but can be easily done in 2! Also your Anti roll bar links are reasonably priced especially for london prices, i work for merc so any problems give me an E-mail and ill try and help!

 

[QUOTE=Hightower]the fuel filter should be replaced though as its over 4 years old. QUOTE]
Are you a technician Hightower? We can always use experience on this forum. I'm curious about replacing the fuel filter, or any filter just based on time though. Do you know why a time period is recommended?

 

yeah i am, as its a paper element in the filter it deterioates over time as well as the amount of fuel it filters in its life and so requires replacing to help keep grime out of the fuel system etc etc

 

I've searched this and other forums on a good fuel filter install doc for the w203 but I haven't come up with one that is conclusive. Is it located beneath the rear seat, under the center plastic access panel? There was also mention of relieving the fuel system pressure before actually removing it.....how do you do that? Any 'gotchas' I should be aware of? Reusable clamps or replace them? Thanks Again.

 

This is for european models, dont know if USA vehicles are the same:
The fuel filter is underneath the vehicle just in front of the rear left wheel (american drivers side or Off side), there should be a black panel with 3 small plastic nuts holding it on that need to be removed, clips are reusable and if need replacing i recomend a jubille or hose clip. Pressure can be relived by the valve at the end of the fuel rail covered by a plastic dust cap similar to the tyre valves ( you will need to remove the engine cover), push a screw driver in here but watch out as under about 2-3 bar of pressure and gets messy but lasts about a second. Or have the new fuel filter ready and swap the pipes over being careful when removing the first one if pressure not already relevied.

 

Thanks for the help.....you mean the large 20X50 inch plastic panel? Yea, it's there. I'll take some pictures and post when I change it out.

 

Sounds a bit big does that! its about 1ftx1ft u sure u got the right place?

 

No, I'm not sure, but there's only one large panel there. Maybe I'll drop it and see what's underneath this weekend.

 

It is under the big panel...actually it's 20 X 80 inches! It goes down half of the car underneath from the front engine panel to the rear axle. These clamps don't look reusable to me. Never seen this type and not really sure how to get them off. Do you know the hose diameter so I can replace them with jubilee type?

 

Dont know the hose diameter but they are reuasble get a small screw driver in between and twist them and the'll come undone, to re-attach get a pair of wire cutters or sdie cutters and squeeze either side or use the special hose clip pliers if u can get hold of some, easy job and can def re-use them , its what Merc do!

 

Did you swap the fuel filter out?

mleskovar

 

Not yet

 

Hi all. Getting ready to try to replace the filter on my 01' 240. I was wondering what is a jubilee type hose? Any pics?

 

Just some info for the forum...

Spark plugs are recommended at 100k or 5 years, because after 5 years you run the risk of a spark plug seizing up inside the cylinder head. I had to do some spark plugs on a 98 ML320 with 35k on the clock. 3 of the spark plugs were completely seized in the cylinder head. At that point it can become a very costly repair.

 

http://installuniversity.com

 

[QUOTE=MBTECH2003;2113384] 98 ML320 with 35k on the clock. 3 of the spark plugs were completely seized in the cylinder head. QUOTE]

Something other than mileage caused them to seize then. Maybe some water...were they rusted? Mine came out with no problem after 100K miles. I still put a dab of ceramic paste on each of the new ones I put in.

 

Yes the spark plugs seized due to time. It happens, and is exactly why Mercedes Benz recommends they be replaced at 5 years no matter what the mileage.