Official test proceedure for Valeo radiator issue.

[Dieselman]

1 further thing,

"Valeo has designed the 5 Axes methodology, which is the backbone of the firm’s identity. Its aim is to satisfy the client by achieving zero quality incidents, whichever the product and wherever it is manufactured. The 5 Axes are:

• Involvement of personnel;
• Production system;
• Supplier integration;
• Constant innovation;
• Total quality." - I think not.
  

Yeah right, their components on my Fiat were also crap.

I wonder who makes my engine ECU as thats crap too as are most of the suspension components

Valeo stuff is good stuff but subject to the cost and quality constraints placed on them by the vehicle manufacturer.

They probably get paid about £20 per radiator, if that.

Are you sure you had Valeo on the Fiat, they usually use Magnetti Marelli.?

 

[JC180]

Valeo stuff is good stuff but subject to the cost and quality constraints placed on them by the vehicle manufacturer.

They probably get paid about £20 per radiator, if that.

Are you sure you had Valeo on the Fiat, they usually use Magnetti Marelli.?

Yeah the instrument cluster and ignition system were definitely Valeo, I am generalising a bit as probably the worst components were Italian rather than French.

In two years from new, my 2001 Punto had; -

Power steering motor
new gearbox
new clutch
new wheel hub (completely seized and could not be removed from car)
new electric window regulators

And a bunch of other stuff I cannot remember, those were the days when I was single and this warranty stuff didn't bother me, on the merc however, any problem is a Bl00dy nuisance.

 

[BlackC55]

Mlore info.

https://aftersales-net.daimlerchrys...do?valid=full&langId=en&id=10013562&version=7

 

[BlackC55]

This shows ALL the cars affected.

 

[jaymanek]

username/password!

 

[television]

You have to log in?

 

[jaymanek]

yes i get a login screen

 

[television]

We will have to raid black and get his pass word

 

[BlackC55]

hold on gents....

 

[Robbo]

I have a service due soon and am thinking about getting this done as preventative maintenence. what would we be talking about in terms of parts cost for a new radiator, coolant and ATF?

How many hours labour would be a reasonable charge for a radiator, coolant and ATF change?

 

[glojo]

hold on gents....

Too late we're on route

I have a service due soon and am thinking about getting this done as preventative maintenence. what would we be talking about in terms of parts cost for a new radiator, coolant and ATF?

How many hours labour would be a reasonable charge for a radiator, coolant and ATF change?....

Is there a gaurantee that this will manifest itself?

If you are that worried, then what about just having the fluid checked?

John

 

[Robbo]

Hmm, my chassis no is WDB2030642F0***** and this chassis number doesnt seem to match any of the ones listed in the TSB. I cant see the Valeo identification sticker anywhere on the radiator either. Maybe mine isnt affected? the car was made august 2000.

C Class 203646722***C Class 203612.990****C Class 203111722.616***C Class 203112722.668***C Class 203112722.618***C Class 203112722.696***C Class 203112722.667***C Class 203271722.695***

 

[television]

C Class 203646722***C Class 203612.990****C Class 203111722.616***C Class 203112722.668***C Class 203112722.618***C Class 203112722.696***C Class 203112722.667***C Class 203271722.695***




You are reading it all wrong, lets take the first number 230646722 that is a 203 fitted with the 646 engine and the 722 gearbox

Your car is on the list and comes under the 203 with 112 engine and722 gearbox

 

[Robbo]

Some more information on this that I found from a US forum. It appears that there were two manufacturers of radiators during the period up to 09/03, Valeo and Behr.

The cars that have Behr radiators are apparently not affected by the glycol issue. Attached are a couple of pics of the Behr radiator so that people can identify whether they are safe or not. The labels are on the underside of the radiator so you cant see easily.

As far as I can see, I have the Behr radiator, so I am safe. When my car goes in for service in a couple of weeks i'll discuss this issue and ask them to look and tell me which make my radiator is to be sure.

 

[Martin]

This text write up from the US forum to go with the above Valeo radiator tsb and photos of the Behr radiator helped me to identify what to look for:-

"Also attached is a photo of the connections on the good radiator.
Note the 2 attachment points on the tank end shown.
That is where the tranny fluid connects.
This is the Behr radiator, which is GOOD!
You are looking at the passenger side in USA (ie right side if you were sitting in it)
the big hole is for the cooling system and will be at the bottom.


The pics in the tsb aren't very clear. What you are looking at is the view from underneath the car. As you can see from the pic of the rad., it's really about how the end tanks are attached as from the pic in the tsb, you can't see squat. If you have the type of radiator shown in this pics you are OK!"

 

[Martin]

Some more information on this that I found from a US forum. It appears that there were two manufacturers of radiators during the period up to 09/03, Valeo and Behr.

The cars that have Behr radiators are apparently not affected by the glycol issue. Attached are a couple of pics of the Behr radiator so that people can identify whether they are safe or not. The labels are on the underside of the radiator so you cant see easily.

As far as I can see, I have the Behr radiator, so I am safe. When my car goes in for service in a couple of weeks i'll discuss this issue and ask them to look and tell me which make my radiator is to be sure.

Robbo, did you ever get confirmation that you have a Behr radiator or any tips on how visually different it is to the Valeo one when checked in situ?
Or is it possible to see the makers label on the underside without removing rad from the car?
I have a Jan 2001 C200K (RHD Dec 2000 German built saloon) 98K miles with original rad and from what I can see it looks like the rad is very similar to the Behr one shown in the US forum picture......ie. black ribbed plastic end tank with 2 small transmission pipe connections with wire clips.
On the Tsb pictures figure 2 and 3 can anyone explain the visual difference between the "Old Crimping Method" (highlighted with 2 arrows) and the "New Crimping Method" (not arrowed) as the photos especially Fig.3 don,t seem to show very clearly what to look for?
If anyone has removed or is going to replace a Valeo radiator please post a few pictures of the old one before you throw it, to help us on how to easily identify the problem ones that should be replaced.

 

[television]

I am looking at the paper now Martin on the crimping, and I cant see the difference

 

[Martin]

I am looking at the paper now Martin on the crimping, and I cant see the difference

I have a pdf file of the paper with fig.2 & 3 clearer but even when zoomed in on fig.2 the 2 (red arrowed) metal crimp tags onto the tank look very similar to the row of tank crimps in the USA Behr radiator photo. On fig.3 the 2 crimps (if thats what they are) look wider?
Very confusing...............

 

[Martin]

Making some progress on this, I just had another look under the bonnet with a small torch through the holes each end of the black bonnet slam panel, near the headlights........the black plastic end tanks on my radiator appear to be crimped on to the rad with a continuous wavy silver metal strip all round the edges of the tanks. Each crimp is indented in a semi circular shape and is about 10mm wide with a small aperture in the base of each crimp where the metal has been formed. (Similar to the crimping on my old W202's radiator header tank).
The suspect crimping shown in the Mercedes Tsb Fig.2 shows small metal square shaped crimp tabs about 5mm wide spaced around the edges (like the Behr rad photo) and bent over to crimp the tank in position.
Therefore does anyone know if wavy shaped crimping is ok and means you don't have an old Valeo rad.......also why does the USA Behr rad photo show the suspect square crimping if thats how the dealers identify potential Valeo problem cars?

 

[1998K]

.
......also why does the USA Behr rad photo show the suspect square crimping if thats how the dealers identify potential Valeo problem cars?

really I don't know and this matter appear quite unclear and confused but, as possibility, may be the crimping metod is only a criteria to identify old vs new Valeo radiator and it does not means that the defect is relevant with this particolar part ...i.e. the leakages are coming "into" the radiator,

...but as I said it's only a supposition!

If not may be that the same crimping method used by Valeo is not as good as the same used by Behr.


In any case we need a confirmation by someone that really know