A few things going on with my S (w221)

[zuby84]

Hey there all,

I've got a few things going on with my S320cdi (06) w221.

I've always had a problem with creaking noises which I think is coming from the windshield seals and/or dashboad region.

About 2 weeks ago; I noticed my heating just not working well at all. It used to take about 30 minutes for any air to come out of the vents (if at all) even after turning up the temp and fan speed etc... I never really had to use any heating over Summer; so I'm not sure how long this has been going on for.

A few days ago, about to drive back from work at about 10pm ish I noticed the inside of the windscreen was complete coated in condensation. I mean totally caked in it. It wasn't even a terribly cold day. My heating/vents obviously weren't working so I had to remove the water with my hand and drive home carefully. I then noticed my rear windshield (heating lines?) also weren't working.

Ever since that day, the creaking noises are a lot worse becoming unbearable. Constant creaking/popping noises. So my hypothesis is that the water (from the condensation) obviously got into the seals someone leading to more noises. I don't know if it's my imagination; but I think my heated seat doesn't get as warm as it normally does.

Could all of these things be related? Condensation, which I don't think should be happening on a S class, the climate control system going kaput and the seals which seem to be driving me mad with their creaking/popping?

If anyone with more than my limited knowledge could shed any light on this; would be much appreciated!

Thanks

 

[BlackC55]

It needs plugging in really but I suspect the AC control module is duff.

 

[partsspecialist]

This is all warranty stuff, take it to your dealer and get them to sort it.

 

[evdok]

The dealer can reset the ventilation flaps, or maybe the stepper motor controlling the flaps has failed .

 

[hawk20]

Zuby84, I don't understand why you don't just take it to your MB dealer and get it all fixed under warranty?

My local dealer (Southampton) has a great machine. Put the car on it and you can sit inside with an engineer while the car is put through every kind of rock and roll. It is much easier to isolate squeaks, rattles etc than on a road test.

 

[zuby84]

Thanks guys,

Yeah I've booked it into the garage for this Thursday, but truth be told; I don't trust them that much.

It recently had some "work" done and was in for 4 days and at the end of the day; they hadn't really fixed much:

The driver seat had some "give" in it. They took the seat out, put it all back together. Now the seat doesn't go as low as it used to via the electronic controls and imo the heated seat doens't get as hot as it used to. And there is still plenty of give in the seat.

My passenger side wiper was "shuddering" when in use. They replaced the wiper control module. My driver side wiper now has started shuddering and to add insult to injury; whilst driving down to London (from Scotland) both my wipers stopped working in the rain. (turned out that the mechanic hadn't tightened the screw/bolts on the wipers well enough)

This time; I booked it into another garage, but the service guy I was explaining my issues to just couldn't be bothered. I talked to him for about 5 mins explaining my problems and all he wrote down on the service form was:

creaking noises - my worry is that they'll take the dashboard apart and not reconstruct it properly
heating

Not very good service I feel, so I was hoping to point them in the correct direction so they don't mess up with the car again.

Thanks

 

[normanr]

I get very concerned when I read things like this regards main dealers we get posts on a regular basis regards there incompetence surely with the price of these cars this should not be happening.

What is the answer I don't think anybody knows?

 

[umedc]

Thanks guys,

Yeah I've booked it into the garage for this Thursday, but truth be told; I don't trust them that much.

It recently had some "work" done and was in for 4 days and at the end of the day; they hadn't really fixed much:

The driver seat had some "give" in it. They took the seat out, put it all back together. Now the seat doesn't go as low as it used to via the electronic controls and imo the heated seat doens't get as hot as it used to. And there is still plenty of give in the seat.

My passenger side wiper was "shuddering" when in use. They replaced the wiper control module. My driver side wiper now has started shuddering and to add insult to injury; whilst driving down to London (from Scotland) both my wipers stopped working in the rain. (turned out that the mechanic hadn't tightened the screw/bolts on the wipers well enough)

This time; I booked it into another garage, but the service guy I was explaining my issues to just couldn't be bothered. I talked to him for about 5 mins explaining my problems and all he wrote down on the service form was:

creaking noises - my worry is that they'll take the dashboard apart and not reconstruct it properly
heating

Not very good service I feel, so I was hoping to point them in the correct direction so they don't mess up with the car again.

Thanks

so take it back and tell to sort it out ,letter to m.b as well ,if is was my car i would play hell with them,

 

[glojo]

I get very concerned when I read things like this regards main dealers we get posts on a regular basis regards there incompetence surely with the price of these cars this should not be happening.

What is the answer I don't think anybody knows?

I think for every complaint we read regarding poor service there are far more that are complimentary. If a car owner is getting bad service then that issue has to be addressed and I don't give a fig whether they drive an A-class or a CL, service is what keeps a customer loyal to a brand (regarding new vehicles)

Have you had the car from new and did you buy it from the dealer that you are talking about? It should not make any difference, but in the real world we develop a relationship with the service department and that improves as they get to know the customer.

Was that creaking noise there when you purchased the vehicle? If it was then why on earth put up with it. Are you happy it is not bodywork that is creaking, in other words has it had accident damage?

I would go in and have a long chat with the service manager. I would voice my concern in an extremely polite, friendly manner but let them know I am loosing confidence in their professionalism and this issue has now been going on for far too long. I would request they arrange for me to have a suitable courtesy car, they then take my vehice and keep it until they have corrected all the issues that you have documented. I would also hand them a written copy of all the listed faults.

 

[evdok]

I too suffer from wiper 'shuddering' and it drives me mad if its raining, was told changing the arm would sort it. Question is does it?

 

[zuby84]

I bought the car privately a few months ago and the creaking noises have always been there, but like I mentioned they are now unbearable. A reason I never got these looked at before is because my BMW series also had many creaking noises. It went into the garage 10+ times and it just never got fixed. They took apart all the trim in trying to diagnose the problem, but that just led to more creaking.... I thought as the noises in my MB were bearable in the first place; I would just leave them alone incase mercedes too mess it up even more.

I am going to give a list of faults in writing. But as I said I am now taking it to a new MB dealer in the hope they'll do a better job. But this new dealer is a lot smaller and definately does not service anywhere near as many cars/ s classes as the other one. But like I said; I did not receive a great vibe from the service guy so I'm still not terribly confident.

Thanks guys

 

[hawk20]

My local dealer (Southampton) has a great machine. Put the car on it and you can sit inside with an engineer while the car is put through every kind of rock and roll. It is much easier to isolate squeaks, rattles etc than on a road test.

Zuby 84, you need to get to a dealer with the machine I mention in the quote above. It is amazingly efficient at finding squeaks and rattles.

You don't show your location. Are you anywhere near my local dealer who is excellent. And they have a diagnostic specialist.

Unusual to buy an S class privately and not from a dealer. Just wonder what the history was?

Have a look at this useful thread on the new S class showing all updates, issues, service campaigns, recalls etc. Several postings in the 60’s seem relevant. Make sure your dealer has done all the updates.
http://forums.mbworld.org/forums/showthread.php?p=3074450#post3074450

 

[zuby84]

I'm located around the Glasgow area up in Scotland and I'll definately try to find out if any near me have the machine you're talking about. Any idea what it's called?

I wanted to a buy a used car as like many, I don't like taking the first hit on brand new cars. I had a very clear spec in mind that I wanted (mostly LWB and amg bodystyling) and at the time I bought mine, there weren't any cars at all that were anywhere near competitively priced through MB dealers compared to private sellers. Infact I paid around £8k less than what the cheapest AMG styled car was listed at through the MB dealers. I figured, the car would be under warranty so why give the dealers all that profit?

 

[fuzzer]

sorry to hear about your problems.

Ive got no time for MB glasgow which is where i assume you have taken the car.

Try John R weir in Grangemouth or Western in Edinburgh as ive found them far superior in the past.

 

[st4]

sorry to hear about your problems.

Ive got no time for MB glasgow which is where i assume you have taken the car.

Try John R weir in Grangemouth or Western in Edinburgh as ive found them far superior in the past.

I always thought MB of Glasgow were okay, although 5 months of chasing for my service book have proved fruitless, I'll pop in unannounced soon. I have heard good things about Grangemouth, but its a fair treck if you work in Glasgow.

 

[zuby84]

Hey there guys,

I put the car into MB Hamilton (outside Glasgow) just to get someone else to have a look at it and perhaps hoping they would do a better job. I gave them a list of about 5-6 faults, and they only fixed two despite the car being in there for 5 days.

The creaking noises are still there and doing my head in. In all fairness they did attempt to fix it by putting some sort of tape at the contact points in the dash, but they're still there. I recently took a drive in a E class and the drive is flawless and no interior noise at all.

In addition, my alloy was curbed (doesn't matter as I'm switching to bigger ones anyway,) there was a little scratch on the pantwork and 2 very small cuts on the leather steering wheel. All very difficult to prove that it was them that done it.

Do you think I should send a letter to MB head office and voice my concerns? has anyone ever had any luck in going this way around rather than booking it in time after time after time.

 

[mr. shr]

I think a letter would be a good idea seeing as you're not having much luck directly with your dealership.
Not the sort of thing that should be happening to a new(ish) Merc, let along their flagship product.

 

[fuzzer]

I always thought MB of Glasgow were okay, although 5 months of chasing for my service book have proved fruitless, I'll pop in unannounced soon. I have heard good things about Grangemouth, but its a fair treck if you work in Glasgow.

Its about 20 miles and 30 mins drive. Worth it for the service

 

[SilverSaloon]

if its under warranty (which it is) then just keep on taking it back (or dont accept it back) until all the bits are sorted.

Maybe once they have repaired the issues they created (ie the seat issue), then take it to another dealer.

Its often worth driving past one dealer to get a good job done at another.

My BMW dealer was over the moon when i took my 7 series there for warranty work - fixed loads of things i didnt even know was wrong! THese large barges are a dealer dream! The 1st time i took it there and got a lot of stuff sorted (just after i bought it at 2 years old), the dealer manager guy came out to thank me in person! he must have made a packet on the repairs!

MB Grangemouth were good when I took my CLK there once.