Mercedes-Benz E-Class Maintenance and Repair

merrel · January 2004

After 15 months I sold my new 2003 E320 black sedan. In its place I purchased a 2003 Jaguar 3.0 S type got a BIG check from the selling dealer for the difference too! What I did not initially get with my $52,000 Benz, and have now is: Special paint, a premium sound system, up-graded speakers, up-graded radio, a 6 CD player in the trunk, wood/leather steering wheel, electric dual lumbar adjustments, fold down rear seats a LOT more wood inside and many other crerature comforts. Say what you will but after owning TWO of them the Mercedes is overpriced iron and highly over-rated.

frjoe · January 2004

The paint on the hood has peeled off-about a three-inch square. The dealer tells me MBZ does not warranty their paint. I've also had a series of electrical problems. I've driven MB's for eighteen years now. I'm thinking seriously of going to BMW. My Starmark Certification expires next month. I just can't face the idea of running in with the machine every month or so.Dealer service is less than satisfactory.

mukhtar · January 2004

I have had the car for a little over a year. Boy, it has been back to the dealership probably once a month with a variety of problems;

1. Problems with radio going out. Now fixed.
2. Head lamps on when they should not be. Now fixed.
3. Sunroof, appears to loose its memory and does not recognise what position it is at (it moves a short distance when the button is depressed but does not open or close fully). Yet to be resolved. This problem has lingered for a while and has been back to the dealer for a number of times now. Shame, I thought MB where better built than this. Perhaps I should get a Toyota next time. My wife's 2000 Camry is just great and never been back once for any fault.

If anyone has the same problem, let me know. Me too thinking of sending a lemon law letter to the dealership specially since they ignored an earlier well mannered note.

giselle1 · January 2004

After reading all these problems im nervous about buying a new one.

Does everyone have problems with their car???

Do you think the problems have been worked out by now in the 04 cars?

Any advice would be helpful as my lease is up in a few months.

mbisnotabimmer · January 2004

Just bought a '04 e-320 sport. I've noticed a couple times when i put the car in reverse to get out of the garage the gear does not engage. Also noticed when decelerating (highway off ramp) when the car down shifts, it's rather noisy, a hard downshift. Has anyone experienced this?

irvn · January 2004

Hey giselle1:

I would think long and hard about the 2004 E-class. I had a 2000 E-class and gave up to a 2003 GX470 and a 2003 BMW 330i. I had a difficult time with my E-class with a host of electrical problems (COMAND, radio, sensors). I really liked the car, but I lost my confidence in the car with continued electrical issues. I think it is going to take two or three years for MB to change the philosophy to the MB of old where quality was important.

topdog047 · January 2004

Our 2000 E-430 has 34,000 miles and has had numerous problems- the list is very long-
dash board was replaced due to premature splitting of air bag cut out

window regulators replaced on 3 windows

dash board lights replaced

plastic headlights and parking lights completely yellowed - replaced

drink holder replaced

vanity mirror lid replaced

fuel level sensor replaced

stop lamp switch replaced

cowl seals on windshield replaced

serpentine belt,tensioner and idle pulley REPLACED

replace fog light bulb

replace emblem on gear shift handle

replace switches on steering wheel - finish turned very sticky

Otherwise the car has been fine!!!

Except for the OEM Conti tires - extremely noisy.
Replaced with Turanza LS-Z major improvement in the ride - no loss of performance -

Thats not a great tribute to what I expected to be a LUXURY automobile.

We are presently discussing the premature wear of the leather seats and serious rust from small paint chips.

Hope that this info assists you in making a purchase decision.

jchk · January 2004

Guys,

Could anyone kindly post a link or a copy of the letter that Mercedes sent out regarding the resolution of $3250 or buy-back for those who ordered the NAV?

I would truly appreciated that as I am currently in Negotiation with Mercedes and they need a copy of the letter to prove the claim.

Thanks in advance.

mbnotforme "2003 E Class Comand/Nav Debacle" Jul 22, 2003 6:26pm

tipster42 · January 2004

I have the same noisy engine in my 2003 E320. After multiple trips to the dealer and letters to MBUSA Customer Service in NJ, I've gotten nowhere. The dealership says the engine sound is normal, and MBUSA backs them up. They refused to send a factory rep to listen to the car. BTW the motor mount TSB only applies to the E500. I'm seriously considering getting rid of this car and going back to a Japanese car where customer service means something. Any success stories re: this problem would be appreciated

pissed1 · January 2004

TIPSTER42 WHAT I STATED IN MY MESSAGE #259 IS THE SOLUTION FOR THIS PROBLEM, I WENT THROUGH THE SAME PROCESS. M.B. WAS NO HELP. THERE IS A BULLETIN, I SAW IT. IT STATES ONLY IF YOU COMPLAIN TO REPLACE THE MOUNTS. MY SERVICE DEPT. CALLED ME TO SEE IF IT WORKS. M.B. IS STILL TELLING THEM THERE IS NO PROBLEM. THEY DONT WANT TO MAKE IT A RECALL, SO THEY WILL REPLACE THE MOUNTS ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS. DONT TAKE NO FOR AN ANSWER. PLEASE POST YOUR SUCCESS. GOOD LUCK

jchk · January 2004

Hi Guys,

Could someone post the letter mentioned in the following link please if available?

mbnotforme "2003 E Class Comand/Nav Debacle" Jul 22, 2003 6:26pm

Thanks in advance

sig_chick · January 2004

We wish we had read this message board before buying our car. We purchased our 2004 E320 less than a month ago and it's already been in for repairs once and has to go again tomorrow.

Within a week after purchase, the ambient light next to the panoramic sunroof went out. We took the car in and it sat for a week at the dealer while waiting for a special light bulb to come in. Then we started hearing a sudden static noise that grew progressively louder coming from the speakers. It happens occasionally right after the car starts and can't be turned off. The radio will suddenly reboot and all is fine again. It's been difficult to identify the source of the problem since it happens randomly. Yesterday, I got in the car and before putting the key in, the display warned of a brake failure. When the key was put in, car wouldn't start and the display/clock went bonkers. We had to call roadside assistance and they replaced the battery. The car works now but the navigation system doesn't work. So the car is going back again to check what is going on. We're afraid the problem is much worse than a bad battery and we'll be stranded somewhere if the car doesn't start again.

Anyone else have similar experiences or have any ideas about what's wrong with the car? The dealer and service reps have been really nice to us but we don't want to be making monthly trips to see them.

ipsadoodle · January 2004

I drove MB for 23 years...my last two were total total trouble...had a 91 300SL owned it from new for 5 years..only had 20,000 total miles..was in shop on average of 30 days per year...traded for new 96 MB E320..had trouble from day one...cold start problems...drive shaft vibrated..was replaced..still never smooth..sold at 14,000 miles and bought new Lexus.now on my 3rd Lexus..almost an absolutely perfect car..would not buy anything else......Irv

redheadbeauty · February 2004

I just purchased a 2004 E320 4matic sedan. I included the lighting package with the Bi-Xenon headlamps. The low beams only seem to illuminate about 50 feet of the road and than there is an abupt darkness. The high beams are wonderful. Has anyone experienced this problem with there low beam lighting. It is very distracting and unsafe

mbisnotabimmer · February 2004

I too have the 04 E320 with the bi-Xenon lights. I believe that's just the way Xenon lights work. I have them on my 2 BMW's as well and they are very bright and full to a certain point and then just cut out. You can have your lights adjusted so the point a little higher, will give you more distance, but it makes it unsafe for other drivers since the lights are so bright and blinding.

khice · February 2004

The phenomenon you observe is intentional by design. There is a popular misconception that xenon's illuminate farther ahead of the vehicle. Actually, they illuminate a wider area. As the light is whiter, the driver can see more clearly. Both features increase the safety of driving at night. Were the xenon's aimed higher, they would blind oncoming drivers. You may also notice that the right headlamp is aimed slightly higher than the left. This is so as the right headlamp does not shine as directly into the eyes of the oncoming driver and can therefore be aimed a little farther out.

mb2003 · February 2004

My 2003 E320 sport had the same issues: static radio; dead battery, clock went wild, etc. At first, the deal replaced the battery but that didn't do the trick. The real culprit was the alternator. According to the dealer, the alternator was over-charging the battery. At least that's what the computer thought so it basically stopped charging I guess. Anyway, after the alternator was replaced, the car is trouble-free. Good luck.

allyg · February 2004

I had the same problem with my 2003 E320. I could only see about 15 feet in front of me at night the first night I drove the car out. It totally scared me. The dealer had since readjusted the lights and they are fine now.

allyg · February 2004

There is an annoying noise coming out every 30 -40 seconds under my 2003 E320. I can't seem to pinpoint the location but it seems to be coming from right above the rear wheels. It is driving me crazy. Anyone has similar experience? I try not to send it to the dealer yet until I find out more about the noise because the dealer usually ignors complaints about noise.

terrii · February 2004

I'm may purchase a 1997 E320. Mileage 51,000, price $18,000. Never owned a MB, I'm hoping this is a reliable car. Looking for anyone to give info on likes/dislikes/problems, etc. Thanks so much for your input.

microrepair · February 2004

terrii,

For what it's worth, I've got a 96 E320, basically the exact same car as the 97 you'r looking at. Mine has 134,000 on it now and until the 115,000 mile mark was nearly trouble free. Only significant repair was replacing all the bushings and sway bar links in the front end around 70-75,000 miles. I think the dealer was trying to get about $1000 for that work but it was covered under Starmark. Oh, I had to replace the front brake rotors and pads (twice) prior to 115K miles also. At 51K miles AND a Starmark warranty you should be fine for the remainder of the time on the warranty. Without that warranty it's a crap shoot and it may cost $$$ for repairs.

Price sounds pretty good... Good luck..

mbisnotabimmer · February 2004

So I just got my 04 e320 back from the dealer today after they replaced the transmission. I also used this time to tell him of all the other electric/computer related problems i've been having and he informed me that there is a recall scheduled around April to update the software. Has anyone else heard this?

hotrod051 · February 2004

While it seems apparent that MB definitely has a problem with its electrical problem, I have not heard anyone that had the same problem I have had. On a recent trip I turned the air conditioning on, and all of a sudden the climate control panel stopped working. The red light lit up under the A/C OFF button and from that point on the air conditioning wouldnt work. I brought it to a dealership on the trip after hours of 80 degree weather, where they then had to order a new head unit for the climate control. They did not have one in stock because they never heard of this happening before. While this was upsetting enough, the car has been in to be repaired in excess of 10 times. Not only was the entire rear differential replaced after 1000 miles, but the passenger rear shock absorber was replaced twice. Aside from the mechanical deficiencie, the tweeter on the driver side door, while still attached has fallen loose on 3 different occasions. Also the center arm rest storage area which is connected by a plastic piece completely broke off. And finally to cap things off, the gas cap broke and needed to be replaced. All in all the E-Class is a very nice looking car, which as an E-320 is underpowered. I am not trying to vent, but trying to inform others of the many problems that I have had with this 55k piece of junk.

jack1963 · February 2004

Don't know if anyone has heard of this before, but I figured I would ask here before taking our 2001 E320 in for service.

The car was recently serviced (45,000 miles) and everything was fine. About a two weeks after the service was done, I started hearing a "beep" while driving the car. It sounds like an old cell phone message indicator, just a single beep that lasts only a few seconds. It does not happen with any regularity...I might hear it twice in an hour, or twice in 10 minutes. Other people have heard it as well, and it never lasts long enough to pinpoint exactly what area of the car it is coming from! No I am not insane, I promise! It's definitely coming from inside the car though, and there are no indications of any malfunctions or problems happening.

I am prepared to take it back in for service; however, we all know that I could hear the beep 50 times driving to the dealer, and then it won't make a sound once I get there! ha!

Has anyone else ever had such a problem with their Mercedes?? Or does anyone have a suggestion what would "beep" inside the car? I have wondered if it could be the battery (under the back seat) perhaps. Again, nothing else lights up or shows indication of a problem when the beep occurs.

Any help would be appreciated!

terrii · February 2004

I appreciate your input!
I'm purchasing the car through a private party, so I don't think I can get a Starmark warranty.
Thanks so much for your help.

sleake · February 2004

Exactly the same thing happened to me once. Turned out the mechanic had left his cell phone on the floor behind the driver's seat. Take a good look around the car, under seats, etc. You might be surprised by what you find. ;-)

paul_p · February 2004

I would try to notice what time of the day this sound occurs. Could it be the chime from an electronic watch or PDA?

- P.

rashidi · March 2004

When I first purchased my E500 I was able to configure the steering wheel buttons to select my radio presets. eg; FM1, FM2 etc... After being in service, that option no longer exsists. Now when I use the steering wheel radio button...it goes from 101.1fm 101.3fm 101.5fm etc.... The service tech says it was a "software bug" from factory and is NOW correct. This is so annoying

Anyone have the same experience ?

max63 · March 2004

I just leased my 04 e300 and just noticed the same thing about using the controls on the stweering wheel. That is just so poor for a 50k car. Called the dealer and he told me he would let me know when the software fix is coming out?? Keep me posted.

nvbanker · March 2004

Drove an E320 for an hour today. Love the looks. Hate the pressure required to push the accelerator. Must be drive by wire, huh? Also, hated the extremely noisy Air conditioner fan. Couldn't hear the radio, which wasn't that stellar anyway.

Otherwise, seems like a great car. I think I need the S though.

lovemyclk · March 2004

You might find the E500 to be a better choice! I've driven it and would purchase before the lowest price S430. Too many electrical gremlins at this price point and especially for this marque. There is a push to improve quality rankings at MB to #1 by 2006-7. Sure hope they succeed!

ccmbduong1 · March 2004

My cigarette lighter does not work anymore, checked fuse and see no sign of problem.. Any hints? How do I know which is the right fuse? Thanks

knasongk · March 2004

Sometimes at a very slow speed (5 to 10 mph and no foot on the gas peddle or the brake peddle) My 2004 E320 would automatically pumps the brake. It is the same feeling as if I were to use my own foot to pump the brake peddle once every second (a very jerky feeling). One time I was on my way to Las Vegas and cruising at 75 mph then suddenly there was a bumper to bumper traffic. I slowed the car to a crawling pace and then again I experienced the automatically brake pump! The car only has 3200 miles so I am waiting for my first dealer checkup. Has anyone experienced this problem before? If this is a highly irregular symptom then I will go to the dealer sooner. Thanks.

beaupre · April 2004

I have a 98 E-320, 4Matic that makes rattle noise. The rattle is intermittent and comes from the PCV valve (located next to ABS/TCS Hydraulic unit)during idle. Does anyone know if this is normal? The noise is pretty audible with the hood open. The valve is installed on rubber isolators so I suppose this is a known design issue. But is the noise supposed to be this loud or do I have a valve that is going bad. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

gsesmart · April 2004

I have a C-320 - I imagine the headlight assembly is exactly the same as the E-320.

I am glad that others have had similar problems, since we all know MB dealers like to convince owners that the problems they are having are imaginary and only by reading sites like this do we find out that the problems are real and are experienced by others.

Anyhow, apparently the xenon lights can be set to point in three positions off the horizontal plane - low, medium and high - the factory default is medium. For some reason, my lights were reset to low upon taking the car in for repairs on an unrelated matter - hence, I was only able to see 15 ft of pavement, then black! It took 3 tries, but finally the lights were reset to medium by MB and seem to work fine.

That was my experience, now my questions:

(1) is it true that the passenger headlight should be set slightly higher than the driver side? In my case, the passenger headlight is set slightly higher (verified using the "wall" test)

(2) For those that experienced the low setting, what were the circumstances under which this happened?

ramza39 · April 2004

The passenger side headlight should set a little bit higher than the driver side because the right side is further away from the oncoming traffic, so it can light up the road a little further away without blinding the oncoming cars. I found this setting is only on German cars (both halogen and xenon) and it seems American and Japanese cars do not have this setting (not 100% sure though).

bobbio56 · April 2004

I am interested in an e500 4matic....i travel from philly to ny and dc alot...i want the speed and comfort of a benz and the 4matic is good for the snow...have you all found these cars to be reliable and how are they in snow....any input here would be greatly apprecited..thanks to all!

blockislandguy · April 2004

Bobbio56, the MB value proposition just isn't there anymore. Sales are off, people frustrated, and this board full of raging posts. IMHO the only people still buying them either haven't gotten the word yet or wannabes that "have to" buy a MB out of a personal insecurity that they deal with by sitting behind the three pointed star. In a different day, a merchant would say that only "fish" would buy this product. Are you a "fish"?

Save yourself time, money and headaches and buy a FWD Volvo S60. Come winter install four Michelin Artic Alpins on their own dedicated rims. If when you travel to NY you get off I95 and go upstate, pick up an S60 AWD. Come winter ditto with the Artic Alpins. Throw the savings into an equity fund specializing in gold and rent a condo in Florida every January for as long as you own the Volvo with the savings.

As a side note, I'm told that MBUSA employees get a significant discount when they buy or lease a new MB. So, why did one of the NJ based warranty administrators just buy a new VW to commute in?

bobbio56 · April 2004

Three of my neighbors said the same thing this weekend. All have bad experiences in their families with MB's. I had 2 in the 80's and they were great! never a problem. apparently now they are pretty bad. Back to asia I go.......

blockislandguy · April 2004

Bobbio, why Asia? You work hard, have a few bucks, and do some winter driving. Why not a S60 AWD? Why not an AWD X Type Jag (this year THEIR value proposition is more content for less $$)? We're not here for a long time, just a good time.

microrepair · April 2004

I'm looking to trade/sell my 1996 E320 and at first was thinking of a 2001 or 2002 E class, but am having second thoughts after spending nearly $4K last year on repairs/maintenance. Of course the money was spent when the mileage was from 115K to 135K, but that isn't like the good old days of bulletproof MB's.. A friend of mine has a 1989 MB and he has well over 250K on it and has had minimal repairs although it is now showing serious rusting. Even my salesman admitted that they are cheapening the content; only the S comes now in 2004 with a full sized spare! You are right, the value isn't there any more.

I looked at the Volvos as a possibility but no thanks; their repair record is even worse than the MB and just as expensive to fix. Audi was another but their repair record is very spotty; although Consumer Reports says that the 2001 A6 is pretty good. But... what if that's just a statistical anomaly and I get stuck with lots of repairs in a couple years? Jaguar used to be horrendous repairwise, but I think they have improved thanks to Ford/Mazda input. But I just barely can squeeze into the S Type; not comfortable for long trips. BMW 5-series is a little better than the MB for repairs, but the trunk is way too small for my long trip luggage. I thought the Accura TL might make the cut but not enough headroom for me with the mandatory sunroof. As of now, the Avalon (boring and a redesigned model coming in 4 months), Accord (slightly small for my needs), and Chrysler 300 (reliability?) are on my short list for further investigation. It is tough to find a sedan that fills all my physical and mental needs but I refuse to buy a gas hoggin' SUV... This may be a long search...

One option is to buy a 2-3 year old MB E-class, Volvo S80, or Audi A6 and make sure that I have the manufacturer's certified warranty and then be certain to sell/trade it before the 100K mark. At least I'll only spend time in the shop, not money!

blockislandguy · April 2004

Microrepair, your strategy has got to be the only sensible one. Lower initial cost, lower sales tax, lower excise tax (here in MA), lower depreciation going forward, and a net overall longer warranty. (Check out the MB E Class Board for a guy with a 2000 E Class with 60K miles on it that can't dump his 54K when new E Class for 18K!)

I have heard however that the "Certified" warranty varies from manufacturer to manufacturer with Lexus' certified warranty being the most identical to the new car warranty. In other words, just because one purchases a certified car, the warranty is not necessarily identical to the warranty on a brand new car. I do like though that if the shrewd buyer zips in at the two year interval he may wind up with LONGER warranty than if he had bought the car new.

After all the brickbats the new style BMW 7 Series has taken, I'm waiting for a certified used one to hit 40K. AND, in an effort to prop up the lousy resale on a 7 Series, wouldn't it be nice if BMW took the warranty out to 7 years or 120K miles? Now that would be a nice way to go to Tanglewood or Camden, ME for the next 5 years.

pvh3 · April 2004

I hadn't visited this chat in a while....since I thought the electrical problems in my 2003 E500 had finally been corrected. (Problems included tele-aid malfunction warning and stereo system going in and out, in and out. The car was in the shop 9 times having these problems corrected.) Well, I guess the car got nostalgic for the shop because Monday, as I was leaving work I got 4 malfunction indicators one of which was a big red battery icon. The lights wouldn't work (they came on but would not shut off). Most of the other "electrical consumers" didn't work at all. Since it was pouring rain and I had no wipers nor climate control fan and I got a big BRAKE malfunction warning, I had the car towed back to the dealer. Today is Wednesday and the dealer still has no idea what the problem is. At any rate, as soon as I get it back I'm getting rid of it. I had a brand new '98 SL500 before this and I had many, many problems with it as well, although not electrical. My days as a MB owner have come to an end. Good luck to the rest of you.

merrel · April 2004

At the hour the WTC was collapsing on 9/11/01, I was signing paperwork for my 'supposedly new' 2001 E430 from a NC Benz dealer, and watching televsion at the same time. When the AM radio band didn't bring in a single station ever-- I investigated and discovered the rear end had been re-built after being wrecked and whomever rebuilt the car did NOT re-install new radio antennas. MB/North America didn't want to hear about my complaint. I dumped this iron and bought a new 2003 E320 from another dealer and had my share of problems too. Instead of crying about it, I traded the new E for a 2003 Jaguar, got a cash check back from the dealer for trading down. I paid $52k for the Benz and did NOT get rear bumper radar, leather/wood steering wheel,a 6 CD player in trunk, premium, up-graded radio and more! I think the magazine writers that continously rave about MB vehicles get their test vehicles from a special Mercedes factory in Japan.

microrepair · April 2004

blockislandguy: Enjoy your trips to NE in your "7" but make sure it isn't raining so you don't have to take your eyes off the road to turn the wipers on or off via I-drive !!!

pvh3: I can sympathize. But I haven't ruled out another MB. I just won't ever buy a new one. Just a low mileage Starmarked one and trade before warranty runs out.

merrel: Ouch! I can't believe you didn't seek reparations from the first dealer; like a big fat lawsuit for fraud.!! Re: the writers; when an E class is running fine, it IS one of the finest rides in the world and worth raving about. Unfortunately the fine rides are getting shorter and less frequent since the E's built in the 80's... Does give one doubts about another one.. Unfortunately for me, I don't fit into any Jaguar after they stopped building the saloons in the 70's.. Are all the British folk so small ??

louie23 · April 2004

I have one of those late 03 replacement cars that have the factory installed nav systems. It seemed to be working when I first got the car, but now no matter how many times I try to save my home position, when I turn on the system Aaronsberg, Pennsylvania appears. I live in California, and have to manually key in my position every time! When I access "region" on the screen, it defaults to "Canada" and I then enter "United States", but it reverts back to saying the region is Canada! I had it in service, and they are saying they are waiting for some "fix" from Germany, but have no idea when that will happen. Anyone out there with similar problems? I wonder if this is a problem only with the 03 e class replacement cars? Any help would be appreciated.

khice · May 2004

I have 3 questions at the end of this post. I'm often told I'm wordy but I feel it necessary to fully explain the situation in anticipation of possible questions. SO, HANG WITH ME, and READ ON!

I bought a Starmarked 99 E320 Wagon (E2, K2, E1, Euro Delivery) in immaculate condition with 52K miles from Concours Motors in Milwaukee in Feb of 2003. At the same time I purchased a 24 month Starmark Component Extended Warranty".

A review of the service records before purchase revealed 6 minor repairs. 5 of these were seemingly ordinary, minor, electrical repairs in 51,000 miles. The battery was replaced at 22 miles, a headlamp unit (Xenon's--I assume only one)& 3 bulbs.

Starmark Certification required only brake rotor & pad replacement plus, the front axle ball joints.

In the first 14 months, the vehicle has required 3 exterior bulb replacements: brake lamp & 2 FR fog lamps. The dealer has never charged for the parts or service.

HERE'S THE PROBLEM: After replacing the fog lamp twice, the service tech discovered that the wiring harness was "...heavily corroded...and found broken wire..." Repairs to the harness required $14 of parts & $90 of labor (the wagon has to be racked to get at the fog light assembly).

Paragraph 13 (Electrical) of the Starmark Component Extended Warranty states "...,wiring harnesses and connectors,...". I realize that the warranty excludes "All items not specifically covered...". Also, the phrase about the wiring harnesses does not begin with the word "ALL". However, paragraph 14 (Suspension) does not include the word "All" in the phrase "...,wheel bearings,..." and both the L & R front pair were replaced at N/C.

QUESTION 1: When are "wiring harnesses" NOT "wiring harnesses"? Note that the phrase is in the plural.

My Excellent Service Advisor, in response to my query on the charges, e-mailed me this statement (NOTE THE PARENTHETICAL COMMENT) "With Starmark coverages we look up the failed part (in this case they did not have a specific wiring harness for fog lamp so we used fog lamp) & get a numeric code. We go on MB Warranty online & submit that numeric code...After trying about 3 different ones we gave up & determined it was not a covered component."

He suggested I discuss the charges with the Service Manager if I wish to pursue the matter.

QUESTION 2: Have any of you had a similar experience?

QUESTION 3: What advice do you have?

As this is the most active MB E-class board, I'll post here and cross post to a couple of others where this is more on topic. I really want some opinions on this.

greasykid1 · May 2004

Have Bose system that works fine except that AM reception is very poor. Does anyone have a "fix"?

Dealer has tried 2 different radios but they were no better. Problem must be in antenna system. Any help is appreciated.

Has anyone made any improvements to the factory system? If so what?

Am considering a satillite radio system converter. Any comments or recommendations?

merrel · May 2004

Read my msg # 307 about AM radio reception! Bought my 'NEW' 2001 MB 430 from MB dealer and car did NOT have right or left side antennas in the rear posts. Let your local dealer pull the interior moulding and see if you have antennas. Curious tohear from you.

abfisch · May 2004

Forum:

When you all get sick and tired of all these problems, especially those of you who drive from one city to another city, come join us on the Toyota Avalon forum. While all cars have problems, I was reading this forum and really cannot believe some of the MB problems and lack of service for the price you pay.

You gotta really love the customer loyalty thing.

abfisch

Mercedes-Benz E-Class Maintenance and Repair

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