Gear box supply hose failure

[subseaops]

Hi Guys,

A strange question but curious to see if anyone has also come across the same thing. I have a 2014 C63 amp, first service due at 15 and booked it into Mercedes of York as i was working down there. Now, I had a strange smell of oil coming from the engine bat =y and when i lifted the bonnet i saw a small pool of oil on the lower front tray. Getting the AA into the act, they thought it was the power steering oil and not to worry !.

As it went in for its service i asked if they would check the oil leak, of course mercedes being mercedes they honoured the request and the video i was sent revealed the lower supply gearbox oil pipe to the cooler had 'split' at the ferrule. As this is a low pressure hose i was aghast to find it had split, the fact i am also a hydraulics engineer baffled me. I asked why this was so as there is an engine cover over the hose and that as the car had so many short miles, this hose should never have faulted.

I was at this stage informed it was nothing to do with mercedes.. !!
Anyone found anything similar ?

 

[GordonTarling]

Is it really a hose that has split, or is it an all-metal pipe? Those pipes are a known problem area on other models, particularly the E class cars. They are mostly made of alloy and can corrode badly, due to road salt etc. Failure of a pipe may also necessitate rad/cooler replacement - not a cheap job. If it's really a flex hose, then I'd have thought replacement would be a simple job for most mechanics.

 

[zipdip]

I know what you are saying the failure of a flexible hydraulic hose is a rare event,unless it has rubbed against something or is very old,just why it went maybe a manufacture fault,poor fitting of the connection fitting to the hose itself maybe,good job it was found before damage occurred.

 

[subseaops]

The two supply pipes, (flex hose swagged to a stainless hard pipe) have both failed at the stainless fitting. the fitter from MB said there was ne known reason as to why both these hoses should have failed at all... i was charged £1600.oo for the pleasure as MB said it was an 8hour job to change these out.!

 

[subseaops]

A further note gents, was why did the AA engineer who looked at it tell me it was the power steering fluid and that there was no reason as to why i could not drive from london to york... in fact, there could have been catastrophic damage caused to the gearbox itself !

 

[subseaops]

Anyone had contact with the ombudsman from Mercedes B ?