Dealer refusing warranty repair

[WardyBoy2]

Hi everyone wonder if anyone has any advice.

I've got a new C-Class (manufactured Aug, purchased Sep) and it's got a problem with the rain sensor which turns out to be that it's come away from the glass. I took it in for what I thought would be a straightforward warranty repair but the Service Manager is refusing to fix it under warranty as I have fitted a dashcam, with it's wire tucked internal windscreen cover. He says that as the wire is near the sensor it must have dislodged it!

I have explained that firstly, the fault existed before the dashcam was fitted and secondly even if not, the dashcam wire is nowhere near the sensor itseld and wouldn't \ shouldn't have been able to dislodge a bonded rain sensor!!!! It seems as though they're just trying to get out of paying for these repairs.

To make matters worse he called me back today to tell me that it can't be repaired and that the whole windscreen needs replacing at £600 (he'd previously quoted £300 to have it re-bonded).

I've tried to complain to MB UK but got short shrift - they just said the service manager said the dash cam had done it and I'd removed the cover - which it didn't and I haven't ever!

Any ideas what I should do next? Pursue with MB international? Could I get it repaired elsewhere without impacting my warranty \ PCP?

I'm just to furious with them, that the don't believe me and are just trying to get out of helping me.

Any thoughts appreciated.

Steve

 

[markjay]

Welcome.

Sorry to hear about your problems.

I agree that the wire passing near the sensor wouldn't have dislodged it.

I would remove the dashcam completely then take the car to another dealer (preferably not from the same dealer group) and try again.

 

[WardyBoy2]

Welcome.

Sorry to hear about your problems.

I agree that the wire passing near the sensor wouldn't have dislodged it.

I would remove the dashcam completely then take the car to another dealer (preferably not from the same dealer group) and try again.

Wouldn't they see the history on the service report etc?

 

[markjay]

Wouldn't they see the history on the service report etc?

Maybe yes, maybe no... worth a shot.

 

[23 Romeo Tango]

I would remove the dashcam completely then take the car to another dealer (preferably not from the same dealer group) and try again.

Wouldn't they see the history on the service report etc?

It’s worth a try and probably the next course of action I would take, but I would think when the new dealership put a warranty claim through to MB UK, MB UK would see the VIN / registration number flash up against the original claim attempt on file and therefore see the original notes for rejection.

£300 to re-bond the sensor turned into £600 for a new windscreen. I’m pretty sure a new windscreen would be a lot more than £600, I smell horse sh*t.

Even if the dash cam installer had dislodged the rain sensor from its bonding, obviously there was an issue with the bond in the first place.

I know I haven’t been of much help and I’m sorry you find yourself in this ‘sticky’ situation.

Edit:
If a new windscreen is in fact required, than maybe you could take that to your insurance company. As far as I know some/most insurances only have a low excess to pay for windscreen replacement and shouldn’t be classed as a claim.

 

[John N]

Hi everyone wonder if anyone has any advice.

I've got a new C-Class (manufactured Aug, purchased Sep) and it's got a problem with the rain sensor which turns out to be that it's come away from the glass. I took it in for what I thought would be a straightforward warranty repair but the Service Manager is refusing to fix it under warranty as I have fitted a dashcam, with it's wire tucked internal windscreen cover. He says that as the wire is near the sensor it must have dislodged it!

I have explained that firstly, the fault existed before the dashcam was fitted and secondly even if not, the dashcam wire is nowhere near the sensor itseld and wouldn't \ shouldn't have been able to dislodge a bonded rain sensor!!!! It seems as though they're just trying to get out of paying for these repairs.

To make matters worse he called me back today to tell me that it can't be repaired and that the whole windscreen needs replacing at £600 (he'd previously quoted £300 to have it re-bonded).

I've tried to complain to MB UK but got short shrift - they just said the service manager said the dash cam had done it and I'd removed the cover - which it didn't and I haven't ever!

Any ideas what I should do next? Pursue with MB international? Could I get it repaired elsewhere without impacting my warranty \ PCP?

I'm just to furious with them, that the don't believe me and are just trying to get out of helping me.

Any thoughts appreciated.

Steve

Ask a Windscreen Repair Centre for their advice and a quote for either re-bonding the sensor or replacing the windscreen, if it's no where near the Service Managers figures go back to him as as for a written explanation!

 

[markjay]

Edit:
If a new windscreen is in fact required, than maybe you could take that to your insurance company. As far as I know some/most insurances only have a low excess to pay for windscreen replacement and shouldn’t be classed as a claim.

I think that the insurance will only cover the cost of windscreen replacement in the event of actual damage to the glass?

 

[WardyBoy2]

Thanks all. I've done a couple of online quotes for a new windscreen without insurance. Autoglass, for example, want over £2k! So now I don't know if Mercedes are "doing me a favour" of having me off with £600.

Mercedes CS have replied to my latest email with a complete shut-down "we won't be investigating this matter any further". Gave me ombudsman contact details.

Don't know whether to just get it done and pursue the money with the ombudsman afterwards - don't want to get a 2nd opinion and end up paying more.

I've learned a lesson about dashcams and their removal before taking the car in for any inspections at least.

In the meantime I think I'll check with the insurance to see if it would be covered as a windscreen job? Or maybe wait until the winter and be liberal with the boiling water on the frosty glass

 

[WardyBoy2]

UPDATE: Aviva say they'd cover this for my windscreen excess. £100. But I'm nervous about this as the glass isn't actually damaged

 

[Gollom]

UPDATE: Aviva say they'd cover this for my windscreen excess. £100. But I'm nervous about this as the glass isn't actually damaged

A heard once of a friend who MAY have used a glass punch on a mythical car so that the windscreen had to be replaced under their glass insurance

 

[ALFAitalia]

"My mate Dave"......may (or may not) have done similar with the car thieves friend, the sprung centre punch....... when the insurance company wanted to just repair a large chip right in front me "Dave" rather than replace the screen....which they would only do if it cracked......a week later the screen did indeed crack....well, well, well.

 

[W1ghty]

Can the rain sensor not just be superglued back to the screen again ?

 

[WardyBoy2]

Can the rain sensor not just be superglued back to the screen again ?

I did think about this, but worried that would make matters worse with regards warranty \ PCP. Mercedes say it cannot be rebonded as they're factory fitted to the windscreens - which makes a mockery of thier view that a dashcam wire could dislodge it!

 

[DSM10000]

I did think about this, but worried that would make matters worse with regards warranty \ PCP. Mercedes say it cannot be rebonded as they're factory fitted to the windscreens - which makes a mockery of thier view that a dashcam wire could dislodge it!

If they cannot be rebonded how would a new windscreen help or are they saying that the new windscreen is supplied with new sensors etc ?

 

[WardyBoy2]

If they cannot be rebonded how would a new windscreen help or are they saying that the new windscreen is supplied with new sensors etc ?

The replacement windscreen comes with everything preattached - apparently

 

[John N]

The replacement windscreen comes with everything preattached - apparently

Again, I would ask the advice of the local Windscreen Replacement Company!

 

[DSM10000]

The replacement windscreen comes with everything preattached - apparently

I smell farmyard confetti!

 

[WardyBoy2]

Again, I would ask the advice of the local Windscreen Replacement Company!

I smell farmyard confetti!

I think you're both right. I've watched some videos of how \ where the sensors sit and clip in on a W205 model and unless the W206 is completley different then this all sounds like crap. The fittings shouldn't de-bond from the glass - if they have the whole assembly would be loose. The sensor should be clipped in and removable. So either the clips have failed or part of the middle of the bonded fittings (where my cable would never reach) or the Service Manager is hiding something.

If I can't remove the cover myself then a windscreen company could easily advise.

I'm feeling pressured to make a quick decision but actually I can wait, it's only the bloomin' rain sensor and it's summer now anyway

 

[John N]

I think you're both right. I've watched some videos of how \ where the sensors sit and clip in on a W205 model and unless the W206 is completley different then this all sounds like crap. The fittings shouldn't de-bond from the glass - if they have the whole assembly would be loose. The sensor should be clipped in and removable. So either the clips have failed or part of the middle of the bonded fittings (where my cable would never reach) or the Service Manager is hiding something.

If I can't remove the cover myself then a windscreen company could easily advise.

I'm feeling pressured to make a quick decision but actually I can wait, it's only the bloomin' rain sensor and it's summer now anyway

Can you supply a Inside and Out Photo of the Offending Area?

 

[WardyBoy2]

Can you supply a Inside and Out Photo of the Offending Area?

These aren't the best. But you get the idea. You can see the circle and the diagonal line where the rain sensor has come away and where it is in relation to the dashcam. Then the inside is self-explanatory.