tusabes

bump for recent interest

mbraz

Great thread thx. Any chance you can assist with finding sunroof drains? My car leaks water through the right rear vanity mirror. The dealer has cleaned the drains two times which isn't working. Are there any drains in the windshield pillars? I made the mistake of allowing insurance company to pick a windshield replacement company and am curious if this is an additional problem due to that replacement. Any pics showing where the sunroof drains are would be very helpful. Thx

Skylaw

As I recall there is a drain hole at each front and rear corner of the sunroof; they may let out in the wheel wells. It is possible that the drains themselves are plugged, or the exits are plugged. I know there have been several posts concerning this, some with pictures of the exterior openings - but I do not have them bookmarked. A forum search containing the terms "sunroof" or variants, and "drains" should find them for you. Also search BenzWorld.

chibenz

Anyone whose cars are flooded should look into this lawsuit against MERCEDES BENZ USA,LLC.
There is a website for details.

www.reedvalvesettlement.com

Das Geld 2

BUMP

It's fall and don't forget to check your cars people.

I checked mine today and the drain is covered by at least 2 pounds of mud and sand. Does the mesh pop off by itself or do I need to remove both screws next to it. I used a long BBQ ROD just to clean it out a bit, but there's so much debris there. I would need to vacuum it or scoop it by hand.

tusabes

water just entered my passenger side cabin....hopefully not enough to reach the rear seat though. I will clear drains in the morning, in the meantime I parked facing downhill so no water runs to the rear.

BTW i have a 2000 s430, not covered by the class action which affects only 2001-2006. Do we need to start a new lawsuit for the 2000 Model Year? Why wasnt it part of this suit?

mercedesauto

hello Kevin,

have you figured out the thing with the license plate lights...? it looks that only your and my cars resulted that problem after the 'flood'...

if yes, please let me know what did you have to change (sam, relay, fusebox, etc)...

thanks

p.s. mine is 2001 S430, and had the water inside back in 2005, and have that light problem ever since...

KevinJ

Hi MercedesAuto

I removed the entire assembly of units from under the rear seat and dried them out (check out post #24 in this same thread).

The culprit was the SAM unit. It had water inside it (flooded under 4"+ of water). The connections were corroded. I dried it all out and used electronic cleaner and all has been well since.

I never needed to change anything and all has been well for over 2 years now!

mercedesauto

thanks for your reply Kevin...

i will try to do the same to my car, but i will probably have to clean the corrosion, because i don't think that after 5 years there will be any water left...

and let's hope i get that light off finally...

thanks again

classyS

bump.

just cleaned reed valve using screw driver and shot vac, very helpful thread!!!

thanks Tunetime

pedra

The most irritating thing about this is that MB know all about the problem, but don't tell you - even when the vehicle is serviced my MB. Not in the service schedule, not in the owners manual etc. As the thread indicates, cleaning the drain takes a few minutes, so why do we have to find out the expensive way.
I "discovered" the problem with my R500 after going through a car wash. Could not dry out the blower, YAW sensor etc, and it cost me $3,000
Particularly annoying is the attitude of MB. The MB Customer Service response to me was that I should appreciate that this could happen. That makes me feel better.
My other car is an Acura AWD TL, and I know where I am going to replace the MB when the time comes.

E2233

My car was in water to the door level at the parking lot at a hotel over the weekend. A creek behind the hotel had over flown during the night. I saw the hotel manager with his crew cleaning car taking out carpeting in front of the hotel. I look at my car the water was up to the lower rim. The remote did not work and I could not enter the vehicle. The hotel manager said let me try to get in the vehicle. He was able to enter the vehicle. The vehicle would not start at first. It finally started and water shot out of the exhaust. Then the hotel manager brought it in front of the hotel. The vehicle locked and would not start and the display screen was red with ABS and battery messages.

The insurance carrier is covering the repairs under the comprehensive coverage with a $500.00 deductible. I have a rental car for thirty days direct bill to insurance carrier. I wanted a Mercedes loaner. The car rental said there would be a $35.00 per day surcharge. I said I will take the $25.00 per day rental. We do not have any $25.00 per day cars now. No problem I will call the insurance carrier and tell them you do not have any cars available. Wait a minute lets us check our inventory. We found a car at another location.

The Mercedes dealer called yesterday. They are taking out the carpet and the seats. Then they will start on the wiring. It may be a week or more before the vehicle is returned. I am concerned about long term problems with the electrical system.

pedra

The problem you describe is likely to be covered by insurance, and not down to the vehicle. The issue I ran into that cost me $3000 caused by the plugged air drain in my R500 is preventable with a 2 minute check of the intake drain. Shame on MB that it takes a class action law suit (last year in California) for owners to be compensated. Even then other owners are not advised, and the problem continued.
However with communications between owners of such issues via the forum, the keeping it quiet approach will eventually backfire on MB

Skylaw

Despite the damage originating from a different cause, it is likely to be the same as the damage caused by the plugged drain holes. Your dealer should check the SAMs and replace them if necessary. With functioning SAMs you should be OK electrically.

Your oil should also be checked for water. It is likely the water you saw discharged was in the muffler, and perhaps the CATs - but it could also have gotten into the crankcase.

You may have been much better off if the hotel manager had left your car alone, and let you have it towed.

E2233

The local dealer is going to replace the carpet and the electronic below the carpet.

The carpet should arrive in about a week to ten days from the factory.

The wiring harness will take about six to eight weeks to be made by the factory. The wiring harness is design for the specific vehicle.

tusabes

bump....remember to keep those drains clear!!!

E2233

The hotel's insurance carrier said it had never rain so much before in one day before. I think there was only one drain that was blocked by debris in the parking lot. The parking lot slopes down towards the drain. I do not know how often the hotel is suppose to check the parking lot at night as the water level is rising in the lot and cars being flooded.

s5on22

I wish I seen this thread a lot sooner than later its been rain here for a week straight and leaves must have been in the drain I changed my brakes notice water spilling out through the bottom of the car and was thinking maybe its just a little left over rain in the body then more spilled out I checked the clean air filter duct and water was sitting full to the top now I'm screaming if it ain't one thing its another now my blower motor does not work floor wet cause it has been submerged in lots of water!!!..why does the smallest details with MERCEDES cost you a ton of headaches we need more than an good engine and horsepower we need you to pay the small detail engineering more money so we can have a well rounded vehicle ! WTF!!.

classyS

DONT FORGET TO CLEAN YOUR DRAINS!!!!!!!!!!!!

E2233

It took the factory about six weeks to make the wiring harness. The dealer is still rewiring the vehicle. He indicates it may be a couple of weeks more before the vehicle is repaired. It has been over two months since the flood at the hotel out of town. My insurance carrier is picking up the repairs less the deductible. I will have additional 45 days of car rental beyond the thirty days that is being paid for by my insurance company. I am just hoping all the electronics the satellite radio and the NAV works without any problems.

The hotel's insurance carrier said the rain caused the flooding in the parking lot. The carrier denied the claim as an act of god.

Skylaw

Contest the denial of the claim. The rain may have been act of god, but starting a car that had been partly submerged, causing damage, was an act of man - and a particular man, and employee of the hotel.

Your own insurance company may be able to help you recover.

Denying a claim the first time around is an old insurance company trick to avoid payment; most folks will just take it laying down. An appeal often gets the claim paid.

Richie999

So if his insurance company is paying (from the comprehensive coverage) why would he challenge the hotel's insurance company?

If he won, he would owe the money to his personal auto insurance company.

You cannot be paid twice for one claim

E2233

My insurance company pays $12,000.00 plus thirty days of car rental less my $500.00 deductible. The vehicle is still being repair. Estimated rental time 75days. My insurance company pays for the first thirty days. I have to pay for an additional 45 days @ $25.00 per day equals $1,125.00 plus $500.00. I have to drive back up North to pick up my vehicle plus spend one night in the hotel. My out of pocket expenses willl be $1,625.00 plus the hotel. My insurance carrier should subrogate against the hotel's insurance carrier for their payment of $11,500.00 plus my out of pocket expenses. There are no duplicate payments being made. My insurance company should be reimbursed for the payment they made and I should be reimbursed for the payment that I made by the hotel's insurance carrier.

Richie999

correct-- subrogate. so just relax and all will be fine.

And Skylaws suggestion is simply a means to raise your blood pressure.

You personally have zero, no action against the hotel except for what is not covered by your insurer.

E2233

That is correct there are three options:
1. Let my insurance carrier subrogate.
2. File a claim in Small Claims Court against the hotel for my out of pocket expenses.
3. Hire an attorney to sue the hotel in Superior Court.