E350 having a hissy fit

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Sezpet

New Member
Joined
Nov 21, 2018
Messages
10
Location
Preston
Car
E350 AMG Bluetech
Morning All

I’m a newbie with a big headache

I have an E350 amg bluetech saloon 2014 which I bought from new... it has only 25000 miles on clock... out of warranty March 2018.
Whilst driving along at the weekend it threw up an error ‘safe functions inoperative message’
I stopped the car and removed the key for a couple of minutes... on restart the error was gone so I continued.
A short while later in threw up another error, this time the lane assist was inoperative... I headed home!!.
Before I reached home I got the red message and bleeps of without gear change consult workshop.

I stopped the car 100 yards later on a pub car park and removed the key... the dashboard remained illuminated.
The car was now stuck in park, the interior lights came on and off erratically, the doors locked and I was unable to leave the vehicle.
There was no communication with the key fob and the car and nothing appeared to work... it would not run.
A short while later the door locks released... but now the damn thing wouldn’t lock.
I got a lift home and left it there until the following day... when I went back it was just the same so I called Mercedes assist.
The first thing the tech found was the main battery was only throwing 5 volts... so that was replaced... he then set to work with his laptop but couldn’t erase and error codes to reset .. he believed there was no communications through one half of the car.
So recovery were called to take the car to the dealership.... stuck in park and dead as a dodo, it was dragged onto a flatbed and whisked away.
Mercedes called to ask for permission to start diagnostics( £140 plus vat) which I authorised.
Yesterday Mercedes called again..asking things like.... had it been through a flood?... NO
Had it been in an accident?... NO
Had I been off road?... NO
What errors came up before it stopped etc etc.
They then asked for 2 more hours of diagnostics to be performed at £140+ vat per hour and they would get back to me.... so far I’ve heard nothing.
So... battery £150
Recovery £110
Diagnostics 3 x £140 + vat
And still no idea.
What do you think is going on here and will the diagnostics always find the fault eventually?
One careful lady owner from new and only 25000 miles... this seems a bit shit to be honest☹️

Sarah
 
The car was stuck in Park? and they dragged it? Or lifted it?
 
The Problem is solved ( hopefully)
Mercedes just phoned....they say it was caused by mud on a sensor... We live down a farm track which may of caused the problem.
The car is being repaired and serviced today.
My bill is frightening but at least it’s sorted.
Thanks all
 
You paid over £700 for them to clean mud off a sensor?
Wow.
 
You paid over £700 for them to clean mud off a sensor?
Wow.
To be fair, I didn’t know what was wrong with it, and it would not drive so I had to do something..... I wish the bill was £700... with diagnostics, repair and a service B that Mercedes said it was due..... it is 4 x that... and apparently I ought to buy some mud flaps!!
 
Sorry, I can't see how mud on a sensor can possibly cause it to be stuck in park. Imagine how many Mercedes you'd see on the side of the road ...

R
 
Sorry, I can't see how mud on a sensor can possibly cause it to be stuck in park. Imagine how many Mercedes you'd see on the side of the road ...

R
Well Richard... I’m just a woman, what do I know hey?... I’m only telling you what Mercedes told me on the phone.
However, come later this week I will have a hefty bill in black and white with a breakdown of exactly what they have done to it.... they definitely did say mud caused it, they even sent me a video from the workshop to show me the underside of the car.
 
So MB design and build a car that has sensors that can disable a car if they get muddy - really. Are MB cars not supposed to be driven in the real world or must you only drive them on special MB approved roads. This is not any road, this is a MB road.
 
So MB design and build a car that has sensors that can disable a car if they get muddy - really. Are MB cars not supposed to be driven in the real world or must you only drive them on special MB approved roads. This is not any road, this is a MB road.

I found this forum yesterday, but rather wishing I hadn’t ...
My car is sat at Preston Mercedes having its electrical fault fixed... whether or not you choose to believe that the damage was caused by mud on the road is entirely up to you.
I have no reason to come on to any forum and tell lies about what Mercedes have said to me.
The mud has accumulated and apparently caused moisture to build up in the park assist sensors which has caused damage to the electrical system.... either that or they are bending me over... me being so naive and all that
They even told me to buy mudflaps to stop it happening again
Make of it what you will.
 
Sezpet, no one is distrusting / not-believing you :) - I think many are believing this is a MB dealer not quite explaining everything.

We all hope that this solves your issues, as no one wants anyone to break down, especially at this time of the year

ps, the labour rate of the MB dealers round here is far north of £200/hour + VAT !!

R
 
I found this forum yesterday, but rather wishing I hadn’t ...
My car is sat at Preston Mercedes having its electrical fault fixed... whether or not you choose to believe that the damage was caused by mud on the road is entirely up to you.
I have no reason to come on to any forum and tell lies about what Mercedes have said to me.
The mud has accumulated and apparently caused moisture to build up in the park assist sensors which has caused damage to the electrical system.... either that or they are bending me over... me being so naive and all that
They even told me to buy mudflaps to stop it happening again
Make of it what you will.

Apologies that I wrote this in a way that you mis-interpreted. I was taking a poke at MB and their inability to build a car that could cope with mud, and worse still that it fails catastrophically leaving you stranded. You genuinely have my sympathies and if I was the dealer I would be seriously embarrassed to have tell a customer what they told you.
 
Well... I am hoping to collect it before the end of the week all being well, so hopefully it will be explained to me in a greater depth when I get there.
I have asked them to do the service B on the vehicle whilst it is there as this was overdue... the service I am told is £778 + vat, and with the work already being done on the fault, diagnostics parts and repair etc they have suggested the total to be somewhere in the region of 3k.
All will be revealed when I collect it.
Thanks
Sarah
 
Hopefully someone on here will suggest an independent MB specialist in your area for future servicing as that could save you a small fortune compared to MB's prices - someone has to pay for the glitzy palace that they operate from.
 
Hopefully someone on here will suggest an independent MB specialist in your area for future servicing as that could save you a small fortune compared to MB's prices - someone has to pay for the glitzy palace that they operate from.
My husband likes to think that Dealer service history is more valueable if you decide to sell it later on...I personally couldn’t care less as long as i get in it and it takes me where I want to go
 
Personally I would place more trust in a service history from a well respected independent rather than an official MB service history. Most independents contribute to these forums and have a reputation to maintain. They don't charge £150-200 an hour either - at those rates the extra value a main dealer service history might add to the s/hand value is soon wiped out.
 
Personally I would place more trust in a service history from a well respected independent rather than an official MB service history. Most independents contribute to these forums and have a reputation to maintain. They don't charge £150-200 an hour either - at those rates the extra value a main dealer service history might add to the s/hand value is soon wiped out.
Exactly, I would trust a good independent specialist over the dealer all day long.
I hope MB see some sense and give this lady a hefty goodwill discount.
 
I would sort of agree with Larkone and ShaunB to a point, there are some well respected independents on here and I have only got to know them through the forums.

Most Mercedes buyers purchasing a fairly new car may not have a clue who these people are and would be looking for a car maintained within the dealership this is particularly so if the car is not long out of warranty and you are looking for some goodwill from Mercedes.

Robin
 
To be fair, I didn’t know what was wrong with it, and it would not drive so I had to do something..... I wish the bill was £700... with diagnostics, repair and a service B that Mercedes said it was due..... it is 4 x that... and apparently I ought to buy some mud flaps!!
Sezpet, no one is distrusting / not-believing you :) - I think many are believing this is a MB dealer not quite explaining everything.

We all hope that this solves your issues, as no one wants anyone to break down, especially at this time of the year
R

What Richard said.
I absolutely believe what you’re saying is what you’v been told, as already said, it’s MB where the question marks are. I certainly don’t think you’re naive, just a person who quite rightly trusted a MB repair centre.
I suppose it’s that low level of service and high level of expense you’re experiencing that makes many of us shy away from the main dealers in favour of a good independent Mercedes specialist. How dare they charge you for 3 x diagnostics!!?? To then tell you it’s was as simple as mud on a sensor.
I just had my B service and MOT on my 61 plate E350, just needed rear brake pads and sensor for £340 all in. Authorised independent so they have access to MB digital records so can update my service record etc. All available to view on the Mercedes website / Mercedes Me. Just for comparison, I don’t mean to sound smug.

Main thing is you get sorted and can continue to enjoy your lovely car.
 
I've had 2 dealings with MSC Prestige at Burscough so not a million miles from Preston. Both occasions have been positive. Home Page if you want to go the independent route i the future.
 
7675A078-0207-4B25-9EA6-0B9F80F67D47.jpeg


Collected the car last night... note the problem was caused by a build up of mud on sensors.
Any recommendations for an alternative to main dealer welcomed
Cannot fit mud flaps to an AMG apparently!

Sarah
 

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