Mercedes-Benz C-Class Maintenance and Repair

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Comments

  • gbrowngbrown Member Posts: 4
    ok so we all hear the air pump, but does anyone else have a severe metallic rattle from a c230k 2002 with the 2.3 kompressor engine that starts a few seconds after start up if it sits overnight and lasts about 5 seconds long......if so i would like to compare notes, mercedes ahs had my car several times, they orderd and replaced a special cam gear from germany supposed to fix this concern......guess what it did not, paul rennick the east coast mercedes parts and service regional vice president sat in my car with me heard to noise stated he could not tell me what it is and after replacing all the timing componets the 1st visit and the cam sprockett the next visit states it normal...he also has instructed the local dealer to not attempt any more repairs. this noise started at 20k miles and gets worse all the time now the noise can happen even if the car sits 45 minutes...if you are having this concern i already have an attorney working on it and have had an independant ase master tech listen to my car, who by the way said that this noise is internal engine and will cause failure in the future. don't let your self be fooled by a manufacturer who shirkes their responsabilities
  • lipplipp Member Posts: 58
    I started posting messages about my 2005 C240 vibration problems back on February 25th.(message 165). It appeared that the problem was solved after approximately 21 days at the dealer. They determined that the rear axle needed to be shimmed. Everything was fine for three weeks then the vibration slowly slipped back into my life. I am bringing the car in next week for Mercedes to again try to resolve this problem. I am discouraged and saddened by this problem after spending $38,000. This is my second new Benz and without a doubt my last. MBUSA is burying their collective heads in the sand. The dealer is fantastic .... doing whatever is necessary to try and resolve this problem. They also happen to be a BMW dealer and because of their professionalism they will get a shot at my next car but it won't be a Benz.
  • jrct9454jrct9454 Member Posts: 2,363
    Yeah, I'm completely mystified by your predicament. Considering everything they've replaced....it just sounds unprecedented.

    One of the strengths of our '02 C240 is how smooth it is - I take some precautions on that topic, i.e. I jack it up at all four corners when it is in the garage, because we often don't use the car for days or even weeks at a time, and this prevents the tires from developing flat spots.

    Anyway, I can understand your disappointment and reaction. Wish I could understand what's going on. Good luck in the future - a BMW 3er might indeed be a good replacement choice.
  • mezecamezeca Member Posts: 66
    That is very unusual problem that I've never seen on any Benz, let alone a C-class. You obviously have a car with a serious issue that is baffling everyone. That being said you should work with the factory rep to get it replaced rather than have to keep dealing with it.
  • kcapkcap Member Posts: 5
    There is an audible piercing intermittent ringing noise coming from the dash area. It fades in and out. It starts about 3 minutes after driving the vehicle and intermittently starts and stops and lasts usually 30 seconds or longer each time. When I stop the vehicle and leave it in a parked position, the ringing sound doesn't fade away but gets louder! There are no warning lights illuminated on the dash. I replaced the batteries in the remote....nothing seems to work at this point. It is driving me insane. Anyone out there know what this is?!#@!
  • rsaundorsaundo Member Posts: 1
    Did you ever get an answer to the problem. I'm having the same problem with my ML320. Wouldn't start this morning. I was going to change the fuel filter but saw your response. Any help would be aprreciated.
  • jpouchetjpouchet Member Posts: 38
    Have you checked the air blower assembly? The bearings can wear out early and depending upon how they fail they can produce a nerve racking noise. Try turning the air/heater off completely and leave it off for a while then see if the noise continues. If not, you found the problem.

    Mine only made a noise when in the lowest two fan speeds. Once above those levels it was quiet. I could really hear the sound when shutting the car off as the blower assembly wound down the noise was obvious.

    And yes, it sounds like it is coming out of the dash.
  • kcapkcap Member Posts: 5
    Stopped at the mechanic. He did exactly what you suggested and you are correct, it is either the above or the air filter could be bad...but more likely a vacuum hose leak? I will find out tomorrow and post the results. Thank you kindly for replying!
  • jpouchetjpouchet Member Posts: 38
    Great, glad to be able to help.

    Hope this does the trick for you. Mine was cleared up immediately and worked just fine ever since.
  • black280black280 Member Posts: 5
    I deal with it by applying rain-x on it, works just fine.
  • black280black280 Member Posts: 5
    My congrats on your purchase. You probably bought the last quality built mercedes before they went down. That model year did'nt have much trouble I understand from what I have read. They usually need just oil changes and gas. I take it you are in Austin TX ? My sister and her husband live there and they have a ML and they love it. I have a C280 94' and it is a good car. Not bad gas milage either, I get about 26-28 MPG, for a sedan and a six, that is'nt bad. I have used high octane and medium grade fuel and mine seems to run well on chevron and texaco. Shell is terrible in my car 87-89 octane is what I usually run, sometimes 93 but that was before the gas prices.
  • knowyourrightsknowyourrights Member Posts: 2
    I have had so many problems with my c class to. Make sure your daughter keeps all records ans reciepts of any work/problems she has with her car. theres a very good book "the lemon Law Bible, by Steve Lehto if she continues to have reocurring problems with her car. It is very fustrating to buy what we think is a problem free car, as i write this my car is back in the shop again. Sincerely c :lemon:
  • knowyourrightsknowyourrights Member Posts: 2
    This is my third mercedes, and i would not ever buy again. Words speak for its self. All i can suggest is to really do your research, good luck sincerely C
  • kcapkcap Member Posts: 5
    You were absolutely 100% correct. It was the air blower assembly. THANK YOU SO MUCH! K
  • airig320airig320 Member Posts: 4
    What kind of mileage did you get out of your tires? My 2004 C230 needed new tires at 10K, dealer says I am lucky because I should only expect 5-10K out of them. Who is crazy here? Anyone else replacing tires that quickly? I have the sport package. :mad:
  • jpouchetjpouchet Member Posts: 38
    Continentals or Goodyears? Either way the OEM tires on the sport package should do much better than that depending upon your driving style. If you took the car to the local autocross every other weekend then yes, 4-5k miles would be all you could expect but even with Z rated high-performance tires and normal stick-your-foot-in-it every now and then driving you should do at least 12-15k. The new "eraser" style 35 and 40 series tires can go out pretty quickly but I thought the sport package comes with 45 series rubber and a slightly harder compound.

    Tire pressure can play a factor as well so with the new rubber keep the pressure to at least 32 psi. I tend to run my tires hard and they last longer. The sidewall pressure is just a starting point for most autocross / solo II drivers who tend to run them up to 42-45 psi for short periods of time. On my old C, non-sport, and the loaner C230 Kompressor Sport, I ran at least 32 and often went as high as 35 psi. Do drop the pressure down on long freeway trips or if in the heat of summer to 32 as extended operation at 80+ in 100+ heat can build up the tire pressure much further.

    Your ride will get stiffer, the handling will improve, and your tires should wear better.

    Next step, try switching tire brands. Go to a sports tuner or serious tire / wheel shop and they'll walk you through the options.
  • airig320airig320 Member Posts: 4
    Thanks for the reply- it has OEM Michelin tires on it. They are non-rotatable due to the car having 17s on the back and 16s on the front. My girlfriend actually drives the car and granted, she is not the worlds best driver, but she doesn't beat on it. This is a real dissappointment and MB doesn't want to do anything about it. I find it ridiculous that they think 5-10k miles on a set of tires is acceptable. Based on this alone, it will be my last MB product. Otherwise, the car is great.
  • kcapkcap Member Posts: 5
    Anyone have an idea of what the actual cost is to repair the air blower on the C230? My mechanic claims 15 hrs to take apart dash (at $70/hr) plus installation of the air blower.
  • sshahsshah Member Posts: 2
    I also own '98 c280 and have the similar problem. I leave the key on the second level for 2-3 min (i.e. just before you turn the third time to start the car). Then it starts. I am still not able to figure out why this happens....if you know, please email me.
  • sshahsshah Member Posts: 2
    Yup same here. I just posted my message. Please email me if there is a solution...sidharth17@yahoo.com
  • mezecamezeca Member Posts: 66
    Your mechanic is lying to you! Replacement time for this job is about 1-1.5hrs. The instrument panel does not have to come apart to replace the blower motor.
  • mezecamezeca Member Posts: 66
    Why on earth do you think that it is MB's problem for your tires wearing out? Especially when they are of the sticky Z-rated variety. There are too many factors that go into tire wear, but most notably is driver abuse and neglect, and MB should not be responsible for either one. I have 10k plus on mine with only slight feather edging on the fronts.
    On a side note, to all the other anti-MB enthusiasts, not a single problem to date. Unless you want to count the two nails in one front tire and one rear tire, both on seperate occassions of course. No charge to fix from the dealer. Maybe I'll complain to MBUSA that I shouldn't have to be incovenienced because their tires allow nail penetration, causing me to be late to work. In the letter I'll also mention that they washed my car which prevented me from wasting time doing it myself.
  • kcapkcap Member Posts: 5
    Amazing....I can't thank you enough for the info. I will bring it to someone else. At least I can walk in and be fully prepared now. THANK YOU!
  • airig320airig320 Member Posts: 4
    I do hold MB responsible. 10k miles on a set of tires is unacceptable- they chose the tires to put on the car, not me. On a 39k mile lease, that's 4 sets of tires at a cost of about $1000 a set. That's $4000 for tires during a lease- you find that acceptable? I have owned many cars and never had tires wear like that. This car is used for a daily commute to work- not racing on the autobahn. The car is not even what I would consider "high performance", it's a family sedan. I am not an anti-MB enthusiast as you put it- but I expect a certin level of value and quality, especially from a name like MB. If they don't want to stand behind their product, neither will I.
  • georgeb2georgeb2 Member Posts: 2
    I have a 2002 c240 and the vibration was in the right rear tire, went through individal tire replacements, and then the dealer replace all 4, and also replaced a rim. The service expert from Chicago came to Milwaukee and he drove the car and acknowledged there was a vibration, but I still live with it, they said they couldnt do anything more, I have since replaced all tires agian, going on 90,000. I believe there is something in the axel, but no one agrees. I am surprised no body has a runout micrometer, which if they raised the car and put a micrometer on the tire and ran the car they would see the vibration. they either dont have it or wont admit it, or dont wand to resolve the proble.
  • mezecamezeca Member Posts: 66
    Oh yeah you are absolutely right..........the tires say Mercedes on them, wow I didn't even know they made tires. Thank you so much for enlightening me.
    By the way, were ALL your other cars equipped with Z-rated tires?
    Not high performance? Then why did you buy ther "sport" package with the high performance low profile tires, Brembo brakes, and lowered suspension? Why not just buy a regular C-class with longer lasting standard performance tires?
  • ryericryeric Member Posts: 2
    Hi,
    I have a 1998 c220 CDI and had a vibration at about 60 miles per hour or above...went back to the dealer and got free new tyres etc etc eventually met a mechanic who told me it was the carrier bearing that held the drive shaft on its way to the back tyres.....went back to the dealers and told them to replace this....guess what - it worked....MB dealers and mechanics suck big time, even over here in Ireland !!
    Hope you fix your problem.
    Eric.
  • airig320airig320 Member Posts: 4
    What dealership do you work for, clown. I know MB doesn't make the tires, but the spec them. And no, it is not high performance- I consider a 911, Corvette, Viper, those are high performance. This is a SEDAN, just because they say "sport" doesn't make it high performance. If this was an exotic, high performance or specialty car, that's one thing. This is car used to commute to and from work. I don't know anybody who would consider the C230 their dream sportscar. I will change to longer lasting tires, thanks for the advice.
  • jrct9454jrct9454 Member Posts: 2,363
    ...now I think I have to speak up.

    MB warns you specifically in the brochures that the sport pkg tires, that is the Z-rated, staggered size ones on the C230 SS, will wear very much faster and provide dicey traction in rain and snow, compared with the standard tires. It is in plain English.

    I think the SS package is silly, and have said so many times. You want sedan refinement, then get or put on the standard wheels and tires, which is why we drive a C240. You want a "sport sedan", then do what you have to do. Lexus makes the same point about the IS300, and their equally silly decision to equip it with 45-profile, Z-rated tires - owners get to put up with a rocky ride, and wearout rates between 10k and 20k miles, but boy, they're "sporty"....

    No one with the C230 SS should complain about poor tire mileage - it goes with the territory, period. Some owners have squeezed 20k miles out of these tires, but replacements between 10k and 15k are common. For one thing, you can't really rotate these tires - the staggered sizes mean you can't move them front-to-rear, and most models use unidirectional tread designs, which means you can't rotate them side-to-side, either. The Michelins will generally be better than either the Contis or Pirelli or Goodyear alternatives, but they all are designed to give max dry stick at the expense of everything else. If that's not what you want, put 4 equally sized wheels on it, either 16 or 17 inchers [to eliminate the need for staggered sizes - the car comes with wheels that are wider on the rear than on the front], get the appropriately sized H or V rated touring tires, and you'll be fine.

    And I don't work at a dealership, but I have been buying MBs for 40 years. I KNOW what I want out of the cars, and thus avoid "sport pkgs" at all costs. To each their own...

    (Finally, I'll observe that I rotate all 5 tires [I have the spare equipped with an alloy wheel] on my C240 at 3-4k intervals, because it's about a 30-40 minute job in the garage with four cheap floor jacks from WalMart. At 15k miles, it's hard to see that any of them are worn at all.)
  • techiejohntechiejohn Member Posts: 2
    Hi All,
    My 1995 C180 Elegance :cry: has a strange fault that has developed, All my electric windows and the sun roof will only work with any door open, as soon as you shut the door nothing. this has only happend in the last few weeks, first two windows and then them all.
    If anyone is looking for genuine parts you can get them from german & Swedish at 80% off the list price, they are available on line.
    Please try to find a solution to my strange problem.

    Many thanks

    John :)
  • ocean95ocean95 Member Posts: 2
    Hi all and I apologize that this is so long.

    I had a 2002 C240 (purchased at the end of March 2002) that was involved in a serious car accident in Feb 04. I was stopped at a light and a drunk driver hit me going about 55mph and pushed me into the van that was stopped in front of me. Both the front and back of the car was severely damaged. The air bag did not go off nor did the seat belt restrain me during the impact and I hit my head on the steering wheel. The vehicle was totaled. Since then I have had continuous back pain and am in need of corrective surgery for the scar that is now on my forehead.

    Mercedes Benz was contacted when this happened and they sent an inspector out to look at the vehicle. I received a letter that was very general back from Mercedes Benz stating " The vehicle's seat belt emergency retractors deployed as they were designed to for a belted front occupant when the system's first deployment threshold was reached in the accident. In the circumstance of a belted driver, an air bag will not deploy unless a second higher threshold is reached". Huh? Bottom line is Mercedes Benz denied that the vehicle's emergency devices did not work when they should have. Yes I understand that someone else hit me and the accident was their fault. However, the emergency items are suppose to work and be reliable in an accident. And how high does a threshold have to be for them to work.....the car was toast!

    This was my third Mercedes and my last. The company treated me badly after I reported the accident to them and did not even have the professionalism or courtesy to spell my first or last name correctly on their correspondence. I spoke to several attorney's who informed me unless someone dies or loses a limb then it would cost over $100K to sue Mercedes Benz because they would drag it out through the court system.

    I know that there is no guarantee with any car that you drive if the equipment is going to work but when you buy a car from a company that is suppose to be one of higher standards then you expect nothing but the best. Obviously Mercedes is no longer a company that is considered of high standards.......if they were then they would not mass produce them as they do now and would make a product of quality not a lot of non-quality products.

    I hope that this does not happen to you all and hope that if you are thinking of buying a car from Mercedes or Chrysler (who owns Mercedes) then please think again.
  • gbrowngbrown Member Posts: 4
    Dear "ocean 95,"

    Sorry to hear about your terrifying accident and subsequent injuries. I know you said that you have spoken with several attorneys regarding Mercedes liability without much success. In case you were interested, I wanted to recommend Krohn & Moss, a nationwide law firm that specifically handles auto manufacturer defects, lemon-law, and breech of warranty. I hope you haven't already exhausted this option. They can be found easily online. Good luck.
  • ocean95ocean95 Member Posts: 2
    Gbrown,

    Thank you for this information. I will look them up. Talking to various Mercedes owners, I understand that Mercedes has had this problem with all models not just the C-class. Computer problems I understand is the biggest complaint. I have two friends who got rid of their Mercedes within 6 months of their purchase. One car was an ML and the other an E-class. I would not put down this problem as one isolated incident because Mercedes no longer makes a quality vehicle.
    Thanks for your help!
  • jrct9454jrct9454 Member Posts: 2,363
    ...but that's baloney.

    IF you have an actionable case against MB in this situation, any reputable attorney willing to work on contingency should be willing to take it. Without seeing pictures of the vehicle, I can only guess at whether the threshold for airbag deployment was reached in this case. Any lawyer who is hesitating is probably hesitating for the right reasons....and here's why:

    The car manufacturers have been beaten up lately [by the same legal profession] because of the deployment of airbags that caused MORE injuries than they were designed to prevent in the first place. For this reason, most car makers have set the deployment level quite high for any situation where the seat occupant in front is wearing a belt. You were, your injuries were minor in comparison to the physics involved, and the car did what it was supposed to do - crumple around you to save your life. IF the driver's airbag had deployed, depending on how close to the wheel you sit, you might very well have wound up with far more serious injuries than actually occurred.

    I have been hesitant to comment on this, because there is much data that would need to be gathered to make a real judgment - but since you've made it clear that you think Mercedes did not take care of your safety in this case, I have to say....I doubt it very much. I do agree that it should be easy to find a competent attorney to take this case, IF you have a case. The fact that some people have already expressed reservations about doing so without charging you [what was it, over $100,000 ?], makes me wonder about how solid it is.

    You've used this forum to tell us that MB makes an unsafe product and doesn't care; I'm using the same forum to disagree about as strongly as I can

    And let me make one final point: it is not as if I am unfamiliar with your situation - in the late '80s, my wife and I, and my best friend [who was sitting in the back seat] were involved in a similar incident, with similar speeds and weights involved [a mid-'70s Toronado, weighing nearly 5000 lbs, hitting our '88 Camry from the rear, stopped, with the speed difference being at least 50 mph]. Injuries were minor, including a pretty serious head hit on my buddy against the glass in the back seat [no concussion, but a trip to the hospital anyway]. The car was literally folded up from the back window into a 12-18" clump of metal and rubber. We staggered away, but never thought to blame anybody but the driver of the Olds. I actually was grateful for the fact that Toyota had done its homework, and seemed to have produced a car that would keep us alive in that situation [no fire, no one permanently disabled]. I guess we missed something.
  • ryericryeric Member Posts: 2
    Stupid, I have a c220 CDI, a 1998 and it still has the original battery. Its never been charged and does a lot a short trips.
    I had a friend who had a nissan that done this and it was part of the main wiring block. In your case I'd suspect the alternator or something is not charging the battery and then draining it when it sits idle.
  • gbrowngbrown Member Posts: 4
    By now I am sure that you have read the "sorry...but that's baloney" response to your unfortunate situation. I'm sure that he could have expressed the same opinions in a more constructive manner with much less acerbity of tone. I will attempt to refute with a more amiable approach. Based on his description, the auto accident he was involved in did not involve front-end impact/damage. Your seatbelt should have restrained you enough to prevent you skull from striking the steering wheel. I am sure the attorneys that you met with did not tell you that you did not have a case, only that because you did not sustain a threshold of injury - "loss of life" or "loss of limb" would they be inclined to aggresively pursue a case against Mercedes that would not yield a settlement worthy of their efforts. They are correct when they informed you that Mercedes would drag out the litigation process for as long as they possibly could (years). We currently have an ongoing lawsuit with Mercedes (not involving injuries, but engine failure), and we were advised by the attorneys that Mercedes is indeed known for being one of the worst, if not the worst, in drawing out the "discovery phase" of a lawsuit. We are not paying our attorneys upfront, but on a contingency basis. I hope in your case that the person who injured you, and left you with permament scarring, had adequate BI insurance to cover the extend of damages they caused. That in no way should release Mercedes from liability, but litigation is a challenging process, especially when dealing with vicarious liability.
    Don't let others make you feel powerless or crazy, your seatbelt should have deployed and even Mercedes knows that. Unfornately, they also know the laws. They knew you would have difficulty in finding contingency representation. They had nothing to lose by telling you that your seatbelt operated as designed. If you do find representation, Mercedes will "deal with you" then. Again, good luck.
  • jrct9454jrct9454 Member Posts: 2,363
    ...without apology for my tone, I will repeat that the original post contained an explicit charge that Mercedes had failed in its duty to protect this driver from harm.

    I disagree. Strongly.

    And I wish that the uniquely American approach to this, i.e. immediately invoke the legal system to sue everyone in sight, were leavened with just a bit of common sense. That is another discussion.

    Let's just say that if you are looking for a car that will be safer than any contemporary Mercedes-Benz, be sure you are asking the right questions. Apparently, in this case, the right questions would include getting an engineer to evaluate the airbag deployment thresholds for all four directions of possible hits, and making sure that whatever new car you pick will be BETTER than an MB in the particular circumstance described in this incident. BMW? Volvo? GM? Ford? Toyota? Honda? Which of these makes a car that will better protect you in this circumstance than an MB? Once you've answered that question, AND can cite the engineering data to back up such an answer, I guess you know what to do.

    Acerbic? You bet. The more I thought about this incident, the more disturbed I got. We are being urged to boycott MB and Chrysler products because they "don't care" about safety. We can agree to disagree that this is an appropriate response to this case.
  • gbrowngbrown Member Posts: 4
    Airbag deployment aside (I agree that is a discussion which warrants extensive debate), any insights as to why the seatbelt did not properly restrain the driver's head from striking the steering wheel during an accident with front and rear impact/damage resulting in a total loss?

    I am unaware that "we are being urged to boycott MB and Chrysler..." You are obviously an advocate of Mercedes and I respect your enthusiasm and insights. Unfortunately, there are those of us who have had bad experiences with the company through no fault of our own. I am sure the majority of automobiles manufactured by MB perform optimally, but they should accept responsibility when they do make the occasional error.
  • jrct9454jrct9454 Member Posts: 2,363
    "I hope that this does not happen to you all and hope that if you are thinking of buying a car from Mercedes or Chrysler (who owns Mercedes) then please think again."

    You can put your own spin on that statement from the original post. It sounds to me like advice not to buy their products.

    I am most certainly NOT an "advocate" for Mercedes. They have made more than a reasonable number of mistakes lately, and should be [and are being] taken to the woodshed in the marketplace as a result.

    I can't put this any more plainly: I do not believe MB is making an unsafe car. I would need a lot more proof than this one accident description to believe that. And I would want some equal proof that the competitive products [brands cited above] would behave differently in the narrow circumstance of this crash.

    Here's my problem: we have here a single crash situation [ and they are all different, by the way ]; the victim says that the car didn't protect him properly; his description of what happened, and how it happened, leave me with a lot of doubts that this is true. We are asked to then draw the conclusion that he is being treated unfairly by MB because they refuse to pay for his injuries. You are willing to agree with him; I am not. I think he has every right to go after the at-fault party [the other driver], but am unwilling to blame MB for any aspect of this. [As noted, I think I would have been a lot more likely to be grateful for a car that protected me as well as this one did him in the circumstances]. I would feel this way whether he were in a Mercedes or a Hyundai, and that is why I challenge everyone reading this to find a safer car [in the described crash situation] than this one.

    I just don't buy into the idea that his C240 had some defect that prevented him from walking away unscathed. The seat belt tensioners and the airbags both have thresholds for deployment - the former seems to have been reached, but didn't prevent contact with the steering wheel; the latter clearly wasn't reached, and it might have been just as well, or you could have added a broken nose or fingers to the injury list. I guess I don't believe these systems are going to prevent all injuries in every circumstance. No defect has to exist for this to be true.

    I'll shut up, now. Too many of these forums get spoiled by verbal tennis matches. I respect your opinion, but just disagree.
  • techiejohntechiejohn Member Posts: 2
    Hi All,
    My 1995 C180 Elegance :cry: has a strange fault that has developed, All my electric windows and the sun roof will only work with any door open, as soon as you shut the door nothing. this has only happend in the last few weeks, first two windows and then them all.
    If anyone is looking for genuine parts you can get them from german & Swedish at 80% off the list price, they are available on line.
    Please try to find a solution to my strange problem.

    Many thanks

    John :)
  • marfmarf Member Posts: 1
    Paul, i have a c230 and i am looking to change the sparkplugs,
    where can i get a manual on how to do that?
  • ccnhmanccnhman Member Posts: 1
    I have an '01 C320. On startup it makes a click sound from under/inside the dashboard (driver's side) about every 3-5 seconds for the first 20 seconds or so after start. Dealer said something about an "a/c actuator" and $1300 repair job. Anyone know what this is about?
  • paul_ppaul_p Member Posts: 271
    marf,

    I have not tried to change the plugs myself. For all maintenance I go to the MB dealer. Wish I could be more helpful.

    - Paul
  • lmadenlmaden Member Posts: 2
    I have a 96 C280 MB, only had it 2 weeks and on Sunday I dropped in to pickup golf balls and my wife sat in the car, she was getting hot and unlocked the door from the inside and then tried to start the car from passenger side, the car would not start for about 5 minutes. I was wondering if the car has a security system that cuts gas while starting in these cases.
  • kravchenkokravchenko Member Posts: 5
    My C230K with only 24,000 miles has developed a strange problem.... when cold (meaning "in the morning" no matter how warm it is outside), it just cranks without starting; the second attempt to start makes it run rough at first, then eventually it levels off. After this, drives okay till next morning. No fault has been detected by dealership... any idea what it can be? Many thanks!
  • dknoxdknox Member Posts: 1
    :confuse: My '99 C230 is having suspected air flow meter problems at 77K and this is the second time I've had problems with it (the first was at about 65K. The first replacement cost me about $450. So far, I haven't had to replace the current one. Around town it's doing OK, but at highway speeds (and especially uphill) the car is hesitating. Temporary solution may be to clean the chip inside with a high pressure spray on solvent (like a carburater cleaner) It takes only about 15 minutes from taking the meter off to putting it back on. The meter failure is only symptomatic though, I think, of a fine mist of oil that is contaminating the chip. The mechanic that first replaced the meter told we his thoughts on where the oil was coming from and why, but I forget. ANYBODY??
  • jcolbyjcolby Member Posts: 5
    Hope you're not using one of those air filters that require soaking with an oil compound. If so, that would be the first suspect. I just replaced an air flow meter on my 1995 C220 myself, at 106,000 miles. All you need is a screwdriver. I got the new part online for $307. The air filter should be replaced at the same time, checking for a good seal all around. Dust and dirt particles will wear out the air flow meter, also.
  • jcolbyjcolby Member Posts: 5
    I posted this in the care and maintenance discussion, also, but no answer there:

    Has anyone had any experience with this? I just bought a 1995 C220.

    The previous owner was experiencing shutdown while driving. One
    mechanic said there was a Mass Air Flow Sensor diagnostic code and
    several oxygen sensor codes. Another mechanic said there was only a
    Mass Air Flow Sensor diagnostic code. I bought the car and figured
    out what kind of scan tool I needed, etc. Prior to getting the scan
    tool I started the car just to run it a while so it would be easier
    to start later. While idling there was significant vibration which
    seemed to come from the right rear and the engine shut off. Wouldn't
    start again.

    I got the scan tool and when I ran it the Mass Air Flow Sensor
    diagnostic code came up and this came up on the "freeze data": Fuel
    System 1: CLSD.

    I got a new Mass Air Flow Sensor and installed it. I erased the MAF
    code and now everything checks out OK, no codes. When I go through
    the "view data" feature I now get: Fuel System 1: OPEN.

    It still won't start. I put a full charge on the battery to make
    sure that wasn't the problem.

    My question is this: I'm assuming that the fuel pump is programmed
    to shut off if the Mass Air Flow Sensor problem isn't fixed within a
    certain period of time and that this is what happened when I was
    idling. Is that correct? Second part of question: is there something
    I have to do in regard to the fuel pump once the Mass Air Flow
    Sensor problem is taken care of? If no answer I'll probably have to
    tow it in to a mechanic- I don't think I want to mess around with
    measuring fuel pressure, etc.
  • charlespcharlesp Member Posts: 10
    Morning all,

    Just to let you know of our first service reaction.

    We bought the car new 11 months ago and May 19 2005 picked it up after completion of "A" service some minor trim warranty things. Primarily, my wife drives this particular car to support her Real Estate work and in the 11 months we've owned it, we accumulated 12,292 miles and took the car in for its first service 700 miles before the FSS computer said it was due. I had made my appointment 3 weeks in advance to guarantee a loaner since work in addition to the A service was contemplated, and was kind of concerned I might be told I had shown up too soon (because of some of the horror stories I've read elsewhere.)

    Not one problem from the dealer regarding the fact that we hadn't reached the FSS magic number. Net cost to get out of the dealer after they had the car for threee days to investigate some concerns about minor squeeks and noises my wife had (loaning us a 2004 MBZ C240 "Sport" Wagon), $0.00.

    Looking on the Edmunds site, before we went for service, I was able to find out exactly what an "A" service included, and that's exactly what was done to the car. Not once did they try to sell me other things.

    But also, one thing surprises me. We didn't make one single complaint about the A/C, and they changed out a group of seals and did a recharge and evac. There aren't too many dealerships that throw around free maintenance. Is there any A/C related recall or tech notice out there that MBZ is working quietly?

    Next I have a question: Checking through my receipts, I see that the dealer provided an oil change using Mobil One 0-50., while my book says MBZ recommends Mobile One 0-40 European Car Formula. I can't even find in any of the Auto Parts stores Mobile One 0-50. Did they use the right oil? I want to keep a quart in my garage just in case.

    Lastly, the reset FSS computer calls for a B service in 10,000 miles. Kind of interesting since the same computer had us looking at nearly 13,000 miles before calling for the first service since the car was made.

    Chuck
  • jrct9454jrct9454 Member Posts: 2,363
    Well, you've covered a lot of ground here, but let me throw out a couple of comments:

    -Oil - no problem with what they used; the official MB recommended list changes so often that owners never receive updates as the list moves on - dealers do. Nothing to be concerned about.

    -I know of no widespread service bulletin on the AC - obviously they found something of concern during the inspection, and took care of it. [Yes, that is the way it is supposed to happen, and yes, it's OK to tell us who this virtuous dealer is and where located. Lord knows the dealer body gets enough slams in this forum that a little positive feedback is good to hear.] Remember, if you have ANY questions at all about what they did to the car, and why, the time to ask is on the spot before you leave the dealership. A phone call later works, too, but if you speak up before you leave, you can usually talk to the Tech who actually did the work.

    -The FSS defaults to 10k miles when the system is reset. After that, it will vary up or down depending on conditions and how the car is driven. Your initial service interval makes it sound as if the car gets optimum use, i.e. more miles on the freeway and not a lot of short trips or stop-go.

    -Dealers rarely balk at an FSS-driven service once you get within 1k miles of the magic number. Much earlier than that, and they have to explain to MBUSA why, though lately, the dealers have been given a LOT of leeway to make the customer happy, in the wake of all the negative publicity that is sweeping over the company.

    In case you're wondering, the FSS is programmed to chase you in for service at the 2 year mark, regardless of mileage. Our '02 C240 was purchased in Sept of 2002, a full 8 months after it had rolled off the assembly line in Bremen. It called for the first service in January of '04, even though we had covered less than 10k miles, and even though it had been [up to that point] predicting the service would come up at 12k or so.

    In our case, I had to gently remind the Service Advisor that there were things that were called for at the 2 year mark [like brake fluid replacement] that should be done, notwithstanding the fact that the car had been "in service" less than 16 months. No problem, no arguments, cheerful compliance.

    There are indeed horror stories out there about the dealers; our experiences at MB Sacramento and MB Portland [OR] and MB Reno have been quite positive for the most part. Knock on wood...
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