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Mercedes-Benz • c230 • c240 • c320 • CL500 • CLK320 • CLK55 • G55 AMG • ML320 • S55 • SLK230 • Odds 'n ends --- News • Mercedes Hopes to Buff Its Image

For many, the Mercedes-Benz represents the height of automotive engineering, or something. For many others, it's a status symbol. The latter it most certainly is. The former some of our readers aren't so sure about.

One reason for the recent spate of complaints may have to do with the growing reliance on electronics in today's cars and porked-up SUVs. European cars have always been known for, shall we say, delicate electrical systems. Adding gadgets of the complexity now common in the Benz is a recipe for big trouble -- and very big repair bills.

Here are a few of the more recent complaints ...

Christofer of Los Angeles, CA December 29, 2009

My 1998 Mercedes ML320 check engine light came on and started shutting down on me. The diagnostic, performed by a mechanic in San Bernardino county where the car broke down, said that 3 cylinders were malfunctioning and I replaced the spark plugs and wires but it did not help. I then changed 3 of the 6 distributors this did not help either.

I had the car towed back to Los Angeles where I live and took the car to Sopps Service Center. They told me that the head gasket blew and there was water mixed with the oil. The mechanic said they could replace the head gasket and flush the oil and put new oil in it but that they will not guarantee the work and it would cost 1300.00 or they could replace the engine for 2000.00 and guarantee the work for 3000 miles or 3 months.

So for the guarantee I had the engine replaced. When I picked up the car I paid and left for home which was less than 1 mile away. Before I got home the same exact problem happened again and the check engine light came on, so I slowly drove it right back to the mechanic. 3 days later I called them to find out what was going on with my car ass they had not called me. They then tell me that my Catalytic Converter on the driver side was bad and needed to be replaced for a cost of 350 but they would take 50% off and charge me only 175.

I went into the shop and they agreed to replace the catalytic converter for 125. I agreed and they replaced the part another 3 days went by with no call so I called them and went and picked up the car. I drove the car about 60 miles the next day when the car started to not switch gears, not get into first, and the check engine light came on.

I parked and turned the car off. After some time I tried to start the car and it would not turn over, all lights came on but it wouldn't start. I had to get a ride home from Santa Monica. The next morning I went to the car to see if hopefully it could be started so I could drive it back to the mechanic. The car started, I reversed out of my parking spot, put the car in drive and nothing happened, the car would not go forward.

So I had the car towed AGAIN to the mechanic. 3 days later I AGAIN had to call him. The mechanic then tells me that my Transmission is bad and needs to be replaced. I was outraged, the transmission was fine when I took the car in the very first time. The transmission was never the issue. Every time I took it in something else was wrong with it and all these parts just so happened to go bad within minutes or a few hours of leaving their shop.

I find this hard to believe considering I have owned the car for 10 years, took good care of the car and have never had this many problems with the car this quickly in such a very short period of time. The consequences have all been mine. I have spent about 3000 to repair the car, towed it over 4 times, have spent weeks without my car, am having to take the bus or borrow vehicles from family or friends. And the car is still sitting in my drive way unable to move. As my partner and I are unemployed, looking for work, and going on interviews and other places, this makes it financially crippling, inconvenient, time consuming and extremely stressful.

Asha of Richmond Hill, ON December 25, 2009

I have been to two Mercedes Benz servicing facilities and have had the absolute WORSE service. I purchased a C230 Kompressor '03 in 2005 (preowned)and the car ran very well and have routinely brought it to "qualified technicians" of MB for Svc A/B. I had first brought it to Green Lane for routine service and as I was driving on the hwy it started to shake and the check engine light came on.

I brought it in again ... while the check engine light did not come one again, a new problem occurred. My car would occasionally shake vigorously upon starting it for the first time. I brought it in again and they tried to foot me with a 1500 bill to "fix" - what was later found out not to be necessary - their mistake. I asked myself, why am I paying for a mistake caused by these technicians. After threatening litigation, that 1500 bill disappeared. Yet I was still stuck with the problem.

As a living person in this world, I work 7 days a week and do not have time to go in to have my car serviced. When I do so, I don't even get a rental (probably because of my pre-own status. Needless to say, Green Lane was off my list, so I decided to go to the Service facility at the Thornhill dealership to try and get better service. I never had a problem (other than this mysterious shaking of my car, which was now EVERY time I started my car) I made an appt for Service A as I was instructed to do by my car.

While waiting for my vehicle, the Service Tech brought me out a random car part and told me that this is why my check engine light was coming on and that this hose had lack of air / oxygen and that it needed to be replaced. I was like "huh? do you have the right car?" ( I had not had an issue since the first time regarding the check engine light)and he proceeded "yes and we have replaced it for you" I wasn't asked about this, the part was already replaced and of course who do you think has to pay for it??? Not MB. The hose was 54 on top of the 300 Service A I performed.

We drove home (my mother was driving) and everything was fine, until I went to go to work the next day ... I notice (and I notice everything on this car, believe me) a dent in the driver door speaker grill. I proceeded the leave a msg for the Svc Manager detailing the problem (which I later found out was going to come back to bite me) and as it was a Sunday the dealership was closed, I requested I get called back asap.

The next day, I did not receive a call and had to call them back. I spoke to the Svc Manager who told me "my guys would never do such a thing" and I told him, well I didn't do it, so who will fix it? He told me nothing really. I told him I would come in to show him and went in before work. When I got there, I didn't even speak to the man, as he was with another customer. I spoke to the original tech from the Saturday and the first thing he asked me was "did the check engine light come on?" I'm here for a separate issue altogether, did your manager not speak to you?

This is when I got irritated after explaining again what happened to my speaker grill, he tells me this "that damage was there already and has been for a while. Its caused by the belt getting stuck in the door" I ask to see the work order which is written in pen. It reads "Interior: OK" which is seen to be crossed out and a new note is put in reading "driver door speaker grill dented" I look at the person Im with and say this is not right. As you can guess, I had given them plenty of time to manufacture the original work order (my mistake)

He then tells me that when I brought the car in, it was dirty HA! Everyone knows that my car is clean and has nothing to do with the exterior, as it had been sitting there for 10 days due to me being out of town, another reason why I could not have caused the damage to the grill. I was made to come in for what? The Svc Manager did even speak with me, nor did anyone look at the grill. I left, planning to pursue further action. I then went to get an estimate on the grill at a local autobody and found out the part cost a measly 30 which in my opinion MB should have fixed.

Heres the kicker, the next day I went to work as usual and at the end of the day I went to start my car (the car shook as usual)and this usually stops as it runs, however every time I was stopped the car would still shake as if it was about to cut out on me. I prayed the entire way home that I make it. When I got home I popped the hood and found that the engine was shaking vigorously and that a sort of steam was emitting from it. I was so angry I couldn't even call the dealership myself, a sibling had to do so. The receptionist informed my sibling that everyone went home from the Service Dept (an hour before its scheduled to close) and my sibling ends the conversation with "we will be bringing in the car tomorrow"

So for those keeping tracking I will be going in there for the third time! As I started the car the next day the car is still shaking AND the check engine light has come on! (that tech must have be physic!) As I am making my way to the dealership, my car is struggling and shaking embarrassingly the whole way there. As I am one intersection away from turning into the dealership, my car STALLS as I am making my left turn, in the intersection. UNSAFE!

I go into to speak with the tech from Saturday and what do I get, ATTITUDE, anyone would have guessed I was in a Hyundai dealership not Mercedes Benz. I then go to speak directly with the Service Manager and I get more attitude. I get told that the Service done on the vehicle the previous Saturday was incomplete and that it would have to be completed at a later time. At no time was I told that a HALF JOB was done that Saturday. This in my opinion, concludes that when I left that day my car was unsafe.

As I spoke to the Service Manager, he tells me he has to investigate the check engine light, and the cracked speaker. I showed him the speaker and get accused again that I caused it to crack. The service manager tries to demonstrate how that happened and failed to do so, as the belt buckle rolled right up and DID NOT get caught in the door. If a customer can cause this, so can one of their technicians and with that, the manager offered to have the speaker fixed at no charge.

However the problem with the vehicle would require me to leave the car there indefinitely. Mind you it was Dec 23, the next day being Xmas Eve, the dealership was only half staffed. The manager told me he would be leaving at 5pm that day and would not be back until after the New Year! WHAT DO I DO NOW? No one would work on my car until after Christmas the following Tuesday. That means I would be out of a car for 6 days, and I was told I could not get a rental (btw even Honda offers complimentary rental service if service or repairs run over the scheduled period). I was told that any problems that resulted after looking at the car would be "at the owners expense" that the first service facility did not fix their mistake and now a new problem occurred. WHAT DO I DO NOW?

When I'm at work, I get a call from the Service Manager telling me to authorize a diagnostic, and two hours of labour that would cost 255 plus tax and then probably even more once they figure out the problem. Why should I have to pay for that? I was told by the manager that the check engine light could come on for a variety of reasons and they wouldn't know until they diagnosed it. I was later told that the manager performed a mini diagnostic and found that the cam shaft was causing the shaking.

Looking into the past work history, the manager said that Green Lane quoted me a price on it and that I didn't get it fixed. Why in the world would I not get that fixed if I was told that was the problem in the first place? Like seriously, why did it take over 2000 to fix that problem and yet a year later here we are, the problem is not fixed and a random hose was replaced that I know caused that check engine light to come on.

I love my car and it ran fine until I brought it to these less than qualified individuals. I feel that I am being segregated because I bought this car pre-owned which regardless of the fact I still bought a Benz and no matter what, I'm a customer and I bought a Benz and MB should stand by their product and not try to squeeze every dime out of its customers. What happened to the customer is always right. I and other customers expect to have someone like Mercedes Benz to stand by their name / product. Even Walmart has a better policy then Mercedes Benz!

Darryl of Decatur, AL December 18, 2009

I own a GL450 2007 model. My wife took the vehicle in b/c she smelled something burning. Turns out it is the driver seat. The seat had a burn mark that had burned all the way through the leather. The serveice lady came in and checked my wife to see if she had been burned. She was not burned, thank God.

However, they played it off and said they called Mer benz and they were going to pay one third, Mercedes was going to pay one third and that they would only charge me one third to get the seat replaced. I told them no and called Mercedes myself.

Today the service dept called and said that I would not be responsible for anything(go figure)and that the seat would be replaced. However, I had ask that they replace the passenger seat as well due to the fact that those same parts were in the passenger seat as well and given the fact that the leather would not match the other seat (b/c one is new and the other worn).

She told me that the part numbers were different in the passenger seat and that they had not had any problems out of the passenger seats before. I ask her if they had had problems with the driver seats before and she said YES that there was one brought in before me on the same morning. My question is am I right to ask for the other seat to be replaced? Thanks

mark of mobile, AL December 18, 2009

Mercedes Benz and McConnel Automotive have made me pay for a vehicle prior to the subject vehicle arrival. The vehicle, when it was delivered to the dealership, was damaged and had more miles than that reported by Mercedes Benz and failed to provide a clean and marketable title for nearly three years. The vehicle was not processed by the dealership and therefore the dealership refused a full refund. The dealership and MercedesBenz filled out paperwork for title and registration, without having nor physically examining the vehicle( required by law in the State of Alabama). MercedesBenz Financial also fraudulantly created a bill of sale stating McConnell Automotive( Mercedes Benz Dealership) as the leasee of the vehicle when in fact the subject vehicle was leased by Century Design in Doylestown PA.

Faran of Rawalpindi Cantt, Pakistan December 10, 2009

I have Mercedes E 200 , Model 2003, AUTO TRANSMISSION, Chasis No.WDB2110422A334688 When I start and it starts moving during first 5 seconds it takes jerks ,most probably in gear shifting .I got ATF changed form SHAHNAWAZ MOTORS , authorized dealers in Pakistan. After that the drive was perfectly OK. But after 15 days , the same problem started again. I was again told that now there is problem in it's TORQUE CONVERTER which is caused because of the moisture in Radiator. I am failed to understand that how the company like Mercedes Benz can commit such fault.Kindly guide me,what to do as I am not interested in getting the said one changed by spending huge funds.Please help me out as I am one of your esteemed client.

roy of old bridge, NJ November 27, 2009

right front coil spring, major suspension component, snapped off car while driving. significant safety issue that has been recognized, well documented and investigated by the nhtsa (nhtsa.gov) in my 1999 mercedes benz E430 (W210 body style). car is at collission center, undrivable.

Easter of Beverly Hills, CA November 16, 2009

My son installed the expensive tire rims onto the Mercedes Benz G500. He hit a pothole and unknown to him, it had dented the edge of the tire rims. While driving on the freeway at 65 miles, one of the tires let the air out because of the dent in the rim, and blew off. He, luckily, controlled the G500 from rolling over since it is top-heavy. But he was pretty shaken up; didn't know where he was, and luckily the tele-aid emergency road service person was able to calm him down.

I'm buying the lifetime service of 1,500.00 so that I don't have to keep paying 350.00 per year! Thank goodness since they were able to know exactly where he location was. Learned that you need to avoid potholes and not to speed over bumps in the road, to avoid having the air-gap in the tires with these designer-type rims.

Angela of North Hollywood, CA November 13, 2009

I am filing this complaint on behalf of my parents. They have challenges with the English language. They leased then purchased a 2006, MB E350 from MB of South Bay in 2005. It was my moms dream to one day own a MB her whole life. But about a year ago her dreams started coming to a crashing end when she started having major issues with the vehicle. The car has been in 2 different dealership locations for over 30 times during the past year, MB in Van Nuys and Cal Star in Glendale. The technicians and management staff have been unable to fix the power steering problem on this car for over one year. She is having a mental and physical meltdown because of the amount of times she has been going to these 2 dealerships and being ignored and laughed at (because of her language barrier!!!) by their staff.

The warranty on the vehicle will expire in about 400 miles and now she's being forced to purchase an extended warranty for 3000 on a car that doesn't operate AT ALL!!! The dealerships keep calling her back to pick up her car without fixing it...And at one time the car had over 230 miles on it while it was at the dealership for only 2 days. They claimed that they test drove the vehicle, but for 230 miles? We now know that the dealership employees want to make sure her warranty expires so she can either purchase the extended warranty after overhearing a conversation between 2 employees!! This is completely unacceptable. The management at either location has been rude and unhelpful. I think MB should think about who they authorize to sell and represent their product, because these 2 dealers are not good representation for MB. We are planning to file a lawsuit if no action is taken by corporate MB in response to this complaint. As a news reporter for the Armenian channel in Southern California, my mom will take a camera crew to interview and record the responses from dealership staff regarding lack of customer service at MB these locations.

Here are a few names of people that we have dealt with: Dwaine (supposedly in charge of our vehicle issue specifically) and Persian guy the manager (very rude and unprofessional) at the Van Nuys location and Emilio and Kelvin (the unknowledgeable technician) at the Glendale location.

Beatriz of Mexico DF, Mexico November 6, 2009

I have a E350, on september 10th the airbag open after falling in a pothole, they told me Mercedes needs more than a month to have parts in Mexico City, where there are several cars alike, how ever it has been more than two months and still they dont have the parts, it seems they need to change the seatbelt and there are none for a E350. I can not believe Mercedes can not provide parts for a E350.

Frank of Santa Rosa, CA October 16, 2009

bought a used 2004 clk320 mercedes with only 59000 miles on it and the auto transmission prematurally blew up with less than 1000 miles later54 1/4

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