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I recently purchased a selenite C43. I took it to a touchless car wash for the first time and after I noticed that the black window trim on the driver side and passenger side has what looks like water stains or permanent water marks. I spoke to the dealership and they suggested using a magic eraser with soap and water to remove it, said they have experienced this and worked for them. This did not work! So I requested that the window trim be replaced. I am being told by the service dpt that this will not be covered under warranty!
I am furious. They did not tell me I could not take my vehicle thru a touch less car wash? Mercedes has a defect that is for sure. The car wash I used is the same car wash I have used for years. I wash both my vehicle and wife's there and never had any issues to any window trim.
Has anyone experienced this? The window trim in the rear does not have any issues. If it was the car wash wouldn't the rear window trims have the same? I am very disappointed and frustrated with my current situation. Any advice or feedback would be appreciated.
I think it might have been the soap/cleaning detergent used at the car wash that might have caused the damage. My shop uses PH neutral soap both for the body and wheels when washing just to be safe.
I recently purchased a selenite C43. I took it to a touchless car wash for the first time and after I noticed that the black window trim on the driver side and passenger side has what looks like water stains or permanent water marks. I spoke to the dealership and they suggested using a magic eraser with soap and water to remove it, said they have experienced this and worked for them. This did not work! So I requested that the window trim be replaced. I am being told by the service dpt that this will not be covered under warranty!
I am furious. They did not tell me I could not take my vehicle thru a touch less car wash? Mercedes has a defect that is for sure. The car wash I used is the same car wash I have used for years. I wash both my vehicle and wife's there and never had any issues to any window trim.
Has anyone experienced this? The window trim in the rear does not have any issues. If it was the car wash wouldn't the rear window trims have the same? I am very disappointed and frustrated with my current situation. Any advice or feedback would be appreciated.
Touchless car wash soap and wax sprays, and the chemicals in them, are so harsh on a cars paint, trim and wheels. I took my infiniti FX50S through a few times and the same thing happened to all the brushed stainless roof racks and trim... its still there, most likely will never wash out. Its my winter driver, so it doesn't really bother me... I would say avoid them with a nice car like our Benz!
Sorry to hear this. If it cant be fixed you could always do a vinyl black wrap on the trim to cover it. When I had my car ceramic coated, the paint protection coating turned the A pillars next to my mirrors white. I decided to laminate them in carbon fiber instead of painting them.
Unfortunately yes. I actually discovered it because I asked my dealer about keeping my paint as mint as possible and he mentioned hand washing and avoiding touch less car washes like the plague!
next time you do your scheduled maintenance.
try a different dealer !
i have the same issue on my 2016 c450 amg. i told them about it on 10,000 miles Service A. they replaced the windows trims.
on Service B 20,000 miles, i have the same issue again.
on order sheet.
CAUSE: Water staining on outer door moulding
19318 Water staining on outer door moulding 0.10 Cleaned off water stains okey at this time
i didnt even bought the car from them but i have the 4 years prepaid maintenance. so i guess that' all it matters.
Had this happen to my C450 before I demanded a replacement vehicle (had lots of other problems).
Long story short an automatic wash shouldn't do this, especially so quickly. Maybe after years of doing it, but this problem is a manufacturing defect.
Had this happen to my C450 before I demanded a replacement vehicle (had lots of other problems).
Long story short an automatic wash shouldn't do this, especially so quickly. Maybe after years of doing it, but this problem is a manufacturing defect.
It's not a manufacturing defect. Mercedes explicitly says in their manual that you shouldn't take it to a touch less car wash.
My grandma's SL550 has the same issue I had with the anodized black trim staining. Her car is Mars red and has even worse trouble from the car wash. She has small white spots in the clear coat along the top edge of the door, following back over the rear quarter. Our dealership replaced her black trim like they did with mine, as for the clear coat spots... yer beat!
My grandma's SL550 has the same issue I had with the anodized black trim staining. Her car is Mars red and has even worse trouble from the car wash. She has small white spots in the clear coat along the top edge of the door, following back over the rear quarter. Our dealership replaced her black trim like they did with mine, as for the clear coat spots... yer beat!
Wasn't Mars Red having tons of paint/clear issues regardless of wash?
Try Mothers cleaner wax...worked on my 2018...which yes I did the touchless wash...yes I should of read the manual. I have the 100k mile warranty if I want it replaced the dealer will.