GLE 3l d engine seizure

[st13phil]

Dear me. So much confusion.

First point is that the MB New Car Warranty runs for three years from date of registration, is transferable to a new owner, and requires that servicing is carried out according to the manufacturer’s published schedule to maintain cover.

The service interval for non-AMG cars is annually or 15,500 miles, whichever is soonest. The allowed leeway to maintain warranty cover was 1 month or 1,000 miles, but this was waived and extended during the COVID lockdown in 2020. I could look it up, but can't be bothered, so from memory it was extended to 3 months and 3,000 miles. In the instant case this seems to be an irrelevance because the car hasn’t been serviced since August 2020 so is well outside even the extended parameters.

Servicing does not have to be carried out by a Mercedes dealer, but when you get into grey areas that require goodwill, services outside the dealer network mean it’s less likely to be forthcoming.

My gut feel is that the most likely cause of the engine seizing was a component failure, nothing to do with whether the car had been serviced or not. However, by failing to adhere to the service schedule (late by 5 months from what I can deduce) the OP has given MB a cast iron reason to void the warranty.

 

[grober]

It had one service in august 2020 (3 months late due to covid and before it was sold to me).

I cannot remember the exact mileage of when I bought it but I’m thinking it was around 12k. I will know for sure tomorrow when I find out the mileage at last service.

It’s now done 24,900.

I have found that the engine is I believe a C292.

ITS A W292 THATS THE MODEL NO the engine no will start with OM*********
The new straight 6 diesel is a OM656 OM 656 - Most powerful diesel car in Mercedes-Benz history | Daimler

 

[Will]

Really? Total engine failure for going over the service time in a pandemic? Don't think so.

Back foot? He's spent 42k on a nearly new car that shouldn't seize

I don’t know if you read my post properly, I was simply explaining the way MB would/could see it - not taking sides

Simple facts are the OP has not maintained their vehicle properly and has breached the T&Cs of the warranty.

They are now in an unfortunate position that could easily have been avoided.

Nobody can say at this stage that the damage suffered would have definitely still occurred if it had been serviced anyway, but to an extent that’s a moot point if they’re outside of the warranty terms. The onus is on themselves to contest this and prove if they think they have a case not the dealer or MB themselves. The terms of the warranty relating to servicing are black and white in this instance. It’s not as though it was a few weeks late, or a month or two, it still hasn’t been serviced as of today and was several months overdue when the engine failed.

There seems to be some confusion from the OP anyway, bought with 9000 miles, now 12k miles? But they don’t know because they haven’t got the paperwork - all a bit strange when you can look up on the DSB or on MB service booking site.

I do have some sympathy at this unfortunate situation but there seems to be little MB have done wrong to date other than what sounds like some communication issues and the OP doesn’t seem to have played this out very well so far (what’s this about a new battery in August anyway - a month after the service due messages would have been pinging up every single day the car was started )

You can’t make excuses for not getting the car serviced because it suits your narrative. They managed to buy the car during a pandemic to begin with and somehow got the battery replaced last August? MB dealers offer collection/delivery, loan cars etc - can’t see any reasonable justification at this stage from what’s been posted so far.

 

[Petrol Pete]

I am curious as to how an MB workshop would handle this type of failure when it arrived in the workshop.

M first instinct would be to drain the oil and keep it to one side to check it's volume and possibly send it for analysis if it all got legal.

But my gut feeling tells me that the oil was simply dumped in the drain barrel with all the other workshop old oil ,now no one knows (or remembers) what it looked like and -more importantly - how much of it was in the sump. Just as Bellow alludes to in post #32.

OP , I think things are looking a bit glum , I hope i'm wrong.

 

[Absolutelygutted]

I don’t know if you read my post properly, I was simply explaining the way MB would/could see it - not taking sides

Simple facts are the OP has not maintained their vehicle properly and has breached the T&Cs of the warranty.

They are now in an unfortunate position that could easily have been avoided.

Nobody can say at this stage that the damage suffered would have definitely still occurred if it had been serviced anyway, but to an extent that’s a moot point if they’re outside of the warranty terms. The onus is on themselves to contest this and prove if they think they have a case not the dealer or MB themselves. The terms of the warranty relating to servicing are black and white in this instance. It’s not as though it was a few weeks late, or a month or two, it still hasn’t been serviced as of today and was several months overdue when the engine failed.

There seems to be some confusion from the OP anyway, bought with 9000 miles, now 12k miles? But they don’t know because they haven’t got the paperwork - all a bit strange when you can look up on the DSB or on MB service booking site.

I do have some sympathy at this unfortunate situation but there seems to be little MB have done wrong to date other than what sounds like some communication issues and the OP doesn’t seem to have played this out very well so far (what’s this about a new battery in August anyway - a month after the service due messages would have been pinging up every single day the car was started )

You can’t make excuses for not getting the car serviced because it suits your narrative. They managed to buy the car during a pandemic to begin with and somehow got the battery replaced last August? MB dealers offer collection/delivery, loan cars etc - can’t see any reasonable justification at this stage from what’s been posted so far.

Right, the car was 3 months late on service (2740 miles over).

I bought the car with 12k miles on it.

Yes it had a battery change in august, the car was not flashing up any service needed lights at that time.

I apologise for confusion over the numbers, it all banked on me thinking the car had 27k on the clock however when I’ve checked my AA who looked at it at break down I was wrong.

I cannot get onto anything online showing exact date or mileage of last/first service but we were in a pandemic at the time and it was late due to that.

If it is as black and white as no service/no warranty then that should have bern said at the beginning and I shouldn’t be left with a 4K bill.

 

[Absolutelygutted]

I am curious as to how an MB workshop would handle this type of failure when it arrived in the workshop.

M first instinct would be to drain the oil and keep it to one side to check it's volume and possibly send it for analysis if it all got legal.

But my gut feeling tells me that the oil was simply dumped in the drain barrel with all the other workshop old oil ,now no one knows (or remembers) what it looked like and -more importantly - how much of it was in the sump. Just as Bellow alludes to in post #32.

OP , I think things are looking a bit glum , I hope i'm wrong.

If that is true then they cannot prove that the oil caused the failure, they have lost an important component to that and I will take it the motor ombudsman for them voiding an entire warranty without cause as from what I’ve read they are not allowed.

 

[Will]

Right, the car was 3 months late on service (2740 miles over).

Yes it had a battery change in august, the car was not flashing up any service needed lights at that time.

This is interesting, usually on 12 month intervals you get a reminder a month before the service is due, and then the car will continue to remind you each day that the service has been exceeded - did your car not do any of this? Because if you’d had if for a year already and never had it serviced (August 2020-August 2021) something isn’t right. Is it asking for a service now, and if so when did that begin?

I cannot get onto anything online showing exact date or mileage of last/first service but we were in a pandemic at the time and it was late due to that.

What does is show if you enter the reg number into this website:

Online appointment booking | Mercedes-Benz

Book appointments for a main inspection or another service at a workshop near you – conveniently and online with Mercedes-Benz appointment booking. Find a date that suits you right now!

mymercedesservice.co.uk

 

[st13phil]

Right, the car was 3 months late on service (2740 miles over).

Which service? Things have become very confused, but there are many people on this thread who want to give you good advice, so please help us all by posting up the following:

1. Date the car was registered
2. Date of first service and odometer reading (also, was it carried out by an MB dealer or another garage?)
3. Date of second service and odometer reading
4. Date of engine failure and odometer reading

Also please post up the VIN or car Registration Number so we can understand which particular engine is fitted. This is important as there seems to be evidence of oil pump failures on one particular engine type.

 

[Absolutelygutted]

Which service? Things have become very confused, but there are many people on this thread who want to give you good advice, so please help us all by posting up the following:

1. Date the car was registered
2. Date of first service and odometer reading (also, was it carried out by an MB dealer or another garage?)
3. Date of second service and odometer reading
4. Date of engine failure and odometer reading

Also please post up the VIN or car Registration Number so we can understand which particular engine is fitted. This is important as there seems to be evidence of oil pump failures on one particular engine type.

Thankyou, things have definitely become confused because people are saying things that just are not correct, also asking questions I’ve already answered.

I will these exact figures after the meeting today.

 

[st13phil]

The allowed leeway to maintain warranty cover was 1 month or 1,000 miles, but this was waived and extended during the COVID lockdown in 2020. I could look it up, but can't be bothered

I've now looked it up and the information I gave in post #81 regarding service leeway is incorrect. Mercedes-Benz UK emailed owners in April 2020, and the relevant information is as follows:

"If you’re unable to attend a service appointment when your car’s service is due, we’ve implemented a temporary revised limit for overdue services:
​

For Mercedes-Benz cars, the limit has increased to the sooner of 180 days past the current due date for a service to be completed or the vehicle reaching the 3,728 mileage interval for a service to be completed (previously 90 days / 1,864 mileage interval). ​

​

Please be advised that delays to your vehicle being serviced, which are within the temporary revised limits for servicing set out above, will not invalidate your vehicle’s warranty. However, all of your other obligations and exclusions in relation to your vehicle’s warranty remain."​

I am not sure when these extended limits reverted back to the 90days / 1,864 miles, but I don't recall any subsequent communication advising that they have.

Apologies for the erroneous info.

 

[KennyN]

Yes it had a battery change in august, the car was not flashing up any service needed lights at that time.

Did you pay for the battery in August or was it covered under the 36 month manufacturers warranty, as i would imagine it should have been ?

It wouldnt be showing any (oil) service requirements at that time (August) as if the car was registered 03/19 then the services would have been - 03/20 -> 03/21 ->03/22.

K

 

[Absolutelygutted]

I've now looked it up and the information I gave in post #81 regarding service leeway is incorrect. Mercedes-Benz UK emailed owners in April 2020, and the relevant information is as follows:

"If you’re unable to attend a service appointment when your car’s service is due, we’ve implemented a temporary revised limit for overdue services:​

​

For Mercedes-Benz cars, the limit has increased to the sooner of 180 days past the current due date for a service to be completed or the vehicle reaching the 3,728 mileage interval for a service to be completed (previously 90 days / 1,864 mileage interval). ​

​

Please be advised that delays to your vehicle being serviced, which are within the temporary revised limits for servicing set out above, will not invalidate your vehicle’s warranty. However, all of your other obligations and exclusions in relation to your vehicle’s warranty remain."​

I am not sure when these extended limits reverted back to the 90days / 1,864 miles, but I don't recall any subsequent communication advising that they have.

Apologies for the erroneous info.

This is important information as I am within these parameters and so was the first service that was done at Mercedes Stourbridge. It was never missed one (unless you count this one) but the first was late and this one it’s blown before I had a chance b

 

[MancRick101]

If it is as black and white as no service/no warranty then that should have bern said at the beginning and I shouldn’t be left with a 4K bill.

The problem with that is when should it have been said? At the beginning of what? I say this because I believe you are relying on the 3 year manufacturer warranty but bought from a non franchised dealer used, therefore it might have been explained to the original purchaser from new, but I wouldn’t necessarily expect the seller to explain anything to you over and above “the car is still covered by manufacturer warranty”.

For the record, I agree that this failure is likely unrelated to going over the service schedule.

EDIT: I now see that you mean it should have been explained by the dealer at the beginning of the repair. In which case I agree.

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

This is important information as I am within these parameters and so was the first service that was done at Mercedes Stourbridge. It was never missed one (unless you count this one) but the first was late and this one it’s blown before I had a chance b

The first service is not the problem because it was in the extended grace period, as long it was serviced in line with Mercedes schedule by a VAT registered garage and you have evidence to prove it, eg the digital service book has been updated, or perhaps you have a receipt or paid invoice. Ideally this would be at a Mercedes main dealer if goodwill is to be considered an option.

The second service is the key one. If you can prove that the service was definitely completed in line with the schedule in August 2020, and can prove that Mercedes never communicated that the extended grace period was ending or would end, then you have a stronger case.

Regardless of whether the extended grace period has now ended, you could use the 180 day and 3728 mile extended grace period to argue that Mercedes do not consider there to be a risk of catastrophic engine failure if serviced within that tolerance, and that yours was within that, but that’s also accepting that you were outside the terms of the warranty.

The specific information @st13phil has requested is important for anyone to give you good advice. Dates rather than months, and exact mileages rather than estimates are what is required. I really hope this works out for you, but for further help we need some specific information.

 

[pmcgsmurf]

OP seems very reluctant to post the Reg. Number or VIN to allow us to assist him fully.

All very starnge!

 

[Will]

It’s probably worth mentioning that the extension to the ‘grace period’ for servicing was communicated directly to existing customers in April 2020.

The only reason they allowed this extension was due to an unprecedented global pandemic at its height - in basic terms they had no choice - the majority of MB dealers were physically closed and national restrictions meant that many people were either not allowed out of their homes or were in isolation etc. In the same way that the MOT test expiry dates were given a six month extension - desperate times, desperate measures.

The OP wouldn’t have received that communication, stating the temporary revised limits in relation to their car as they didn’t buy their car (from an non-MB dealer) until September of that year. Regardless, the following year in July/August when the service was due, businesses including MB were all back open and the car even went into an MB dealer to have the battery replaced - doesn’t really make any sense?

All seems like a lot of wishful thinking to me at this stage - but I wish the OP good luck anyway as I think they will need it

 

[Will]

It wouldnt be showing any (oil) service requirements at that time (August) as if the car was registered 03/19 then the services would have been - 03/20 -> 03/21 ->03/22.

K

Not sure that’s correct - the service interval relates to the previous service date (ie August 2020 - August 2021)

It won’t call up for a service in March 2021 if it was serviced in August 2020, unless you’ve exceeded the mileage limit

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

Unfortunately Mercedes approach to goodwill has changed dramatically in recent times.

I have few Mercedes, all on service contracts with Mercedes, and all serviced on the button by them but goodwill is now very difficult to get for repairs not covered by warranty, even when the parts concerned are clearly substandard.

The newest and most expensive is actually serviced more than annually, despite doing very few miles, and there was a fault with fuel filler flap. It’s not covered by the warranty and they point blank refused, and I had to pay £210 for the repair. Not fit for purpose on any car.

I complained because that really should not happen on that car, at that age and mileage, and with that maintenance record and they eventually they reluctantly gave me a £200 voucher against further spend.

The parts probably cost them less than £10 and maybe 30 minutes actual labour. But they refused point blank. If that’s my most experience of good will then a very robust argument and persistence will be required for a new engine.

The only reason I post this is to reinforce the importance of having the full facts. I think the only real options here are:

1. If it’s affected by the known oil pump failure, but we need the VIN to be sure. It may still be a long and drawn out process but may eventually work out.

2. If Auto Express do still feature cases like this then they may take it on. It’s a relatively unusual and dramatic story and so has potential to fill column inches.

 

[audiavant]

OP seems very reluctant to post the Reg. Number or VIN to allow us to assist him fully.

All very starnge!

Maybe to avoid future sales "complications"?

Cynical-I know.

 

[Spider10]

Ive got a funny feeling the OP is female not that it matters ofcourse