C350e owners club

[sxileander]

I've just booked mine in for its first service and requested the software update to add the external temperature. They have acknowledged this and also stated that " we will also be replacing the plug-in hybrid socket as part of a warranty update to the vehicle." Is this another way of referring to the charging loom change or something else?
I have had no problems with charging so far thank goodness.


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[Deleted member 126969]

@Joe. Ah, thanks for that, interesting. Mine was built in July 2016 and came with the blue brake calipers which I think points to it being the latest model? Given it's a warranty program and I went to the trouble of actually asking, I should probably just get over myself and accept it!

I think the weather will have a big impact on electric range, it takes a lot of power to heat the car and the issue with the charging socket and cable was limited to causing charging problems, as in, would it or wouldn't it, rather than something more subtle.

@sxileander, yes, that would be the same thing. I think the issue is poor sealing at the back of the charging socket that allows moisture ingress into the HV charge lead that goes to the charging unit in the boot. I saw some pictures (on here I think) that showed the moisture had got all the way to the charger on one partcilarly bad example so it had to have a new one of those too.

 

[Dodgy]

@Joe. Ah, thanks for that, interesting. Mine was built in July 2016 and came with the blue brake calipers which I think points to it being the latest model? Given it's a warranty program and I went to the trouble of actually asking, I should probably just get over myself and accept it!

I think the weather will have a big impact on electric range, it takes a lot of power to heat the car and the issue with the charging socket and cable was limited to causing charging problems, as in, would it or wouldn't it, rather than something more subtle.

@sxileander, yes, that would be the same thing. I think the issue is poor sealing at the back of the charging socket that allows moisture ingress into the HV charge lead that goes to the charging unit in the boot. I saw some pictures (on here I think) that showed the moisture had got all the way to the charger on one partcilarly bad example so it had to have a new one of those too.

I managed 9 miles last night with no pre-heat and just one splash of petrol heading up a steep hill and 15% battery left at the end. Over 400mpg. 10C warmer makes a huge difference.


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[doh69]

Yesterday, I experienced my first real gripe with my c350e - the "distance till empty" reading.

On my previous car (Audi), this was really quite accurate - on one occassion I even managed (somewhat scarily) to get it down to 3 miles remaining before filling up.

Yesterday, I was driving home from work - a 39 mile journey - on petrol only as I hadn't had the opportunity to re-charge after the journey there. The car said I had 70 miles distance remaining on petrol, so I thought no problem - I'll refuel at my local (cheap) garage when I get home.

The journey was fairly typical - motorway driving in rush hour, so mostly moving but with a little stop/start.

The DTE counter seemed to reduce by 2 miles for every mile I drove - no matter what I did or how well I caressed the pedals.

To make matters worse, when it got down to about 40 miles remaining (23 actual I think), it no longer showed the DTE figure - it just showed the "refuel now" graphic, with the fuel gauge flashing, leaving me with absolutely no clue if I was about to run out of fuel or not.

I had to stop ASAP and top-up at a mega-expensive motorway service station as I didn't want to risk running out.

What are other people's experience of the DTE reading?

 

[JonH]

Hi,

Sorry to hijack the thread - I posted previously about bike racks for the C350e estate, and had some good replies, I've done a bit of digging though, and it seems a) you can't have a towbar on a c350e estate on 17s (which I've ordered), and b) you can't have ANY sort of bike rack on the back because the boot is not strong enough and may damage the plastic skirt/spoiler.

Does this leave me with only roof bars and racks? I was trying to avoid this if possible as I see them waving in the wind on the motorway on other cars, and just wait for them to fall off!

So my question - has anyone actually fitted a rear bike rack to their estate, or fitted a towbar to one with 17s? I can't see why we can't have a towbar - I know the batteries are heavier but I only want to tow up to 3 bikes - not a caravan!

TIA
Jon

 

[sxileander]

Yesterday, I experienced my first real gripe with my c350e - the "distance till empty" reading.



On my previous car (Audi), this was really quite accurate - on one occassion I even managed (somewhat scarily) to get it down to 3 miles remaining before filling up.



Yesterday, I was driving home from work - a 39 mile journey - on petrol only as I hadn't had the opportunity to re-charge after the journey there. The car said I had 70 miles distance remaining on petrol, so I thought no problem - I'll refuel at my local (cheap) garage when I get home.



The journey was fairly typical - motorway driving in rush hour, so mostly moving but with a little stop/start.



The DTE counter seemed to reduce by 2 miles for every mile I drove - no matter what I did or how well I caressed the pedals.



To make matters worse, when it got down to about 40 miles remaining (23 actual I think), it no longer showed the DTE figure - it just showed the "refuel now" graphic, with the fuel gauge flashing, leaving me with absolutely no clue if I was about to run out of fuel or not.



I had to stop ASAP and top-up at a mega-expensive motorway service station as I didn't want to risk running out.



What are other people's experience of the DTE reading?

I have had equally alarming messages. I have checked the "you're going to run out very soon" reading in the car against the App which showed I had 50 miles range still!
Whilst I am prepared to trust the App, when Mrs L is in the car I have to panic fill to avoid her over stressing!


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[Dodgy]

I have had equally alarming messages. I have checked the "you're going to run out very soon" reading in the car against the App which showed I had 50 miles range still!
Whilst I am prepared to trust the App, when Mrs L is in the car I have to panic fill to avoid her over stressing!


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I've never had a car that wasn't utterly paranoid about refuelling. My Audi would get scared when it was reporting 30 miles range, which in reality would be more than 50. I had a BMW before that which managed a 100 mile journey after reporting 50 miles of range. The last 15 miles were completed with the 0 range warning displayed.

Having said all that, the Merc is probably even more paranoid - maybe because range estimates are harder in a hybrid?


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[Driver15]

Hi,

Sorry to hijack the thread - I posted previously about bike racks for the C350e estate, and had some good replies, I've done a bit of digging though, and it seems a) you can't have a towbar on a c350e estate on 17s (which I've ordered), and b) you can't have ANY sort of bike rack on the back because the boot is not strong enough and may damage the plastic skirt/spoiler.

Does this leave me with only roof bars and racks? I was trying to avoid this if possible as I see them waving in the wind on the motorway on other cars, and just wait for them to fall off!

So my question - has anyone actually fitted a rear bike rack to their estate, or fitted a towbar to one with 17s? I can't see why we can't have a towbar - I know the batteries are heavier but I only want to tow up to 3 bikes - not a caravan!

TIA
Jon

Read this about EC type approval -

Towbar EC Type Approval

If your car* is registered on or after 1st August 1998 and you fit a towbar, it MUST by law be approved to EC94/20 and installed correctly according to the manufacturers' instructions. It is an offence under the vehicle Construction & Use Regulations to fit, use or permit to be used, a non-approved towbar on the vehicle


An estate require's 18 inch wheels for the towbar to be fitted. The car is not approved to have a towbar fitted if on 17 inch wheels.

Thats if you can find a suppler..

 

[JonH]

Weeellllll Driver15. I think you just possibly saved me from plodding on anyway and possibly invalidating my warranty, insurance, and getting into trouble with the law! Thanks

So unless anyone's used first hand a rear mounted carrier it looks like roof bars for me! Just what I was trying to avoid.

This would have been a showstopper if I'd have known before ordering the car. I hope it's as good as it's meant to be to make up for it

 

[Deleted member 126969]

Not a cheap option, but you could always fit 18" wheels once it arrives then get the towbar fitted.

 

[CaptainChaos]

The other way to check about the towbar is to look at the V5. It will show the "towable mass". If this is blank, you can't tow. If it's got a figure, you can. My estate on 18s has a figure in there. I don't have a towbar but I would like one for a bike carrier. Some people have managed to do it:
http://www.mbclub.co.uk/forums/gene...350e-plug-hybrid-towbar-w205.html#post2344459

 

[JonH]

Looks good. I hadn't realised it was so involved I must admit... I thought you just screwed them to existing holds under the bumper without having to take the bumper off. Perhaps I am better off with a roof carrier after all.
Just had a quick look for W205 estate bike carrier and perhaps not surprisingly the only photos on google really are roof mounted!
Thanks all... looks like my decision is made!

 

[Joe Blank]

@Joe. Ah, thanks for that, interesting. Mine was built in July 2016 and came with the blue brake calipers which I think points to it being the latest model? Given it's a warranty program and I went to the trouble of actually asking, I should probably just get over myself and accept it!

I think the weather will have a big impact on electric range, it takes a lot of power to heat the car and the issue with the charging socket and cable was limited to causing charging problems, as in, would it or wouldn't it, rather than something more subtle.

@sxileander, yes, that would be the same thing. I think the issue is poor sealing at the back of the charging socket that allows moisture ingress into the HV charge lead that goes to the charging unit in the boot. I saw some pictures (on here I think) that showed the moisture had got all the way to the charger on one partcilarly bad example so it had to have a new one of those too.

Mine's pre-blue brake. It charged fine, which makes me sceptical about the wiring loom/charger socket being at fault, but it's been running fine so far.

Had my first good go in Sport+ today. It's not slow, is it?

 

[Driver15]

Looks good. I hadn't realised it was so involved I must admit... I thought you just screwed them to existing holds under the bumper without having to take the bumper off. Perhaps I am better off with a roof carrier after all.
Just had a quick look for W205 estate bike carrier and perhaps not surprisingly the only photos on google really are roof mounted!
Thanks all... looks like my decision is made!

When i ordered my C350e, I wanted the estate... but due to BIK I ordered a saloon as that can have a towbar, panno roof and be fitted with 17's.. at the time, there were no aftermarket towbars for the c-class.

In the end i cancelled the order anyway.. but this was my factor of going for the saloon v estate.

As above, check the V5 doc if in doubt, but this is only as good as the info supplied, so if merc documentation states otherwise, even in the future it maybe able to be retrospectively changed.. but thats a whole new ball game together...

The reason approval is for the car regardless of what is mounted on the towball is to protect future buyers etc.. 99% sure the towbar will fit once the breaker bar is removed, but its all about that EC approval and as you say.. warranty.. insurance questions etc..

I have a towbar mounted bike rack as i prefer the bikes there and gives option for the roofbox.

Couple of posts here -

http://www.mbclub.co.uk/forums/general-discussion/189799-c350e-anyone-considering-one-7.html

http://www.mbclub.co.uk/forums/general-discussion/189799-c350e-anyone-considering-one-51.html

 

[Deleted member 126969]

Mine's pre-blue brake. It charged fine, which makes me sceptical about the wiring loom/charger socket being at fault, but it's been running fine so far.

Had my first good go in Sport+ today. It's not slow, is it?

I think the issue is one of those that can depend on use and environment so when it hits is hard to predict, but if left uncorrected, will likely cause problems up to and including ruining the charger in the car (which is expensive) so I can see why there is a program to fix it. Ultimately, MB probably see it as cheaper and better to fix these before they fail. Notice I didn't say they see it as the right thing to do.....

If my car was one affected, I'd want it sorted sooner rather than later I think.

Chap I know had one soon after launch and his developed the fault within a couple of months. I don't know if the water gets in from the top where the plug goes, or underneath sprayed up off the road. If underneath, you're at the mercy of the elements completely, if from above, the time it takes to develop could well depend on how careful you are about drying the socket when connecting and disconnecting the charge lead.

Still taking it a bit steady in ours but have tried Sport + briefly and yes, it goes OK doesn't it

 

[Pmg102]

Hi,

b) you can't have ANY sort of bike rack on the back because the boot is not strong enough and may damage the plastic skirt/spoiler.

Hi Jon - curious where you've heard about the rear rack not being suitable? I'm tempted with a Thule Raceway 991. Is it just the Estates that can't take one, as I have the saloon.

 

[Pmg102]

Whilst I am prepared to trust the App, when Mrs L is in the car I have to panic fill to avoid her over stressing!

Ha ha. Same this weekend. I'm often going 25 miles into the 'refuel now', but when the wife is in the car I have to fuel up straight away and get audible reminders every 30 seconds until I do

Joking aside - I don't understand why it goes from 40 miles range to zero.

 

[Dodgy]

Ha ha. Same this weekend. I'm often going 25 miles into the 'refuel now', but when the wife is in the car I have to fuel up straight away and get audible reminders every 30 seconds until I do



Joking aside - I don't understand why it goes from 40 miles range to zero.

So that it's absolutely definitely your fault if you run out? Do you think it's an engineering or legal decision?


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[CaptainChaos]

I've had quite a few cars which wouldn't read less than 50 miles range. I never like going that low anyway, so it's not really an issue for me.

Sport+ really goes well, but I find it very brutal. Sport seems that bit smoother up and down the gears and not much slower.

Back to the towbar issue. The other check is the chassis plate on the door jamb. It will give you the weight of the car and another figure for the maximum combined weight. If it only shows the car weight it can't tow. Mine can, as the max weight is something like 4,000kgs, and I know that isn't just the batteries!

 

[JonH]

Hi Jon - curious where you've heard about the rear rack not being suitable? I'm tempted with a Thule Raceway 991. Is it just the Estates that can't take one, as I have the saloon.

@Pmg102 - I've not seen a definitive 'no' anywhere, but if you try Halfords, RoofBox and other places, you put your model in, it comes up that none are supported for the estate.

You'll be pleased to hear for the Saloon the Raceway 991 is suitable! Check the Halfords website there's a good tool there. The 991 is the one I was looking at too but I read somewhere the spoiler/bootline isn't strong enough on the estate. Couple this with Halfords website showing it's not suitable I think I'm in trouble.

Slightly annoyed I went for the estate now