SBC unit replacement

[merc110913]

Dear All

I wonder if anyone has recently been through negotiating price on a replacement SBC unit after having the 'Service Brake - Visit Workshop' message/issue? I had a failed software update and am visiting MB for next steps today. Is MB currently doing any FOC or offering goodwill price reductions on SBC unit replacements?

Thanks

 

[MWCLS]

Have a search on here, seems to be a little hit and miss, if and when my unit does decide to die I will take it to a dealer who has done the foc fix..even if it's a couple of hundred miles a lot cheaper than a new fitted unit. Good luck.

 

[grumpyoldgit]

More chance of finding hen's teeth... IMHO.

 

[flango]

or rocking horse droppings

 

[MWCLS]

More chance of finding hen's teeth... IMHO.

or rocking horse droppings

I have infact found both

 

[Mrhanky]

My BIL is a merc tech and we discussed this the other day. He said MBUK have not entertained any warranty claims for SBC exceeding serviceable life span for a long time now.

 

[grumpyoldgit]

I have infact found both

Wow, I'm impressed!

Bet you a beer that you won't find that elusive Main Dealer who will replace the SBC unit FOC though.

 

[John]

http://www.mbclub.co.uk/forums/wheels-tyres-brakes-suspension/174986-w211-sbc-pump.html

Posts #4 and #7 are interesting on the above thread...

 

[MWCLS]

Wow, I'm impressed!

Bet you a beer that you won't find that elusive Main Dealer who will replace the SBC unit FOC though.

I will have ago lol in all fairness if you can't afford to maintain these sort of vehicles... You shouldn't have one, not that I condone spending ££££ on a sbc unit, if it fails, it fails, if I have to pay, I will. But I will have a damn good go at MB uk for some sort of goodwill I managed it with BMW and they were adamant ( clearly not sbc related )

 

[Mrhanky]

My old daily hack was a Honda Accord and it required a new abs pump unit. It was a common failure part as if it was knocked during a service or a tool was dropped on it a part would break internally.

Typical Bosch reliability so I guess Honda was let down by their part vendor. However this repair was only done under warranty if the car was less than five years old and upto 60k miles.

I saw the warranty claim by the Honda dealer and it was £1400. So its not just Mercedes that suffer.

 

[Satch]

Well I can tell you what it has just cost me: £1408 but that was something of a distress purchase: had to be done ASAP to avoid being stranded

 

[MWCLS]

Well I can tell you what it has just cost me: £1408 but that was something of a distress purchase: had to be done ASAP to avoid being stranded

Ouch, considering theses cars aren't getting any younger! Which dealer replaced it? PM if you prefer or keep it too yourself

 

[merc110913]

Thanks for your comments everyone. It's interesting I took my car into an MB dealer to get the SBC software update completed. Unfortunately the update froze and could not be completed so I was told to go back another day. My business took me 35 miles away so I gave all the details of what had happened to a neighbouring MB dealer over the phone and they found the notes from the other dealer on the system. When I arrived I was told they couldn't get the tech information from the other MB dealer and they'd have to charge me £67 just to plug it into STAR to tell me what I already know! Amazing in this day and age an MB dealer down the road can't transfer STAR info to another dealer! So I told them I'll go back to the other dealer where it costs nothing to plug into STAR and costs nothing to complete the software upgrade (if it eventually works!).

Does anyone know what the main causes for SBC software update freezes are? Thanks

 

[BlackC55]

I can replace3 the units with a new on for just over £1k.

 

[Welshmerc]

My SBC System failed on the M5 with no prior warning and with me doing 75 miles an hour. I consider myself extremely lucky to be here to tell the tale.

No compensation or gesture from Mercedes has been forthcoming despite letters and phones calls. Even the dealer I bought the car from does not appear to care as they have not even had the decency to return my calls about the dealings they have had with Mercedes.

I sincerely hope that what happened to me does not happen to anyone else on this forum. This is clearly a ticking time bomb and someone is going to get badly hurt here on what is a design issue involving a primary system on the car.

 

[John]

My SBC System failed on the M5 with no prior warning and with me doing 75 miles an hour. I consider myself extremely lucky to be here to tell the tale.

No compensation or gesture from Mercedes has been forthcoming despite letters and phones calls. Even the dealer I bought the car from does not appear to care as they have not even had the decency to return my calls about the dealings they have had with Mercedes.

I sincerely hope that what happened to me does not happen to anyone else on this forum. This is clearly a ticking time bomb and someone is going to get badly hurt here on what is a design issue involving a primary system on the car.

Fear not, they will be holding your letters up, sticking two fingers at them and laughing.

 

[Dieselman]

My SBC System failed on the M5 with no prior warning and with me doing 75 miles an hour. I consider myself extremely lucky to be here to tell the tale.

No compensation or gesture from Mercedes has been forthcoming despite letters and phones calls. Even the dealer I bought the car from does not appear to care as they have not even had the decency to return my calls about the dealings they have had with Mercedes.

I sincerely hope that what happened to me does not happen to anyone else on this forum. This is clearly a ticking time bomb and someone is going to get badly hurt here on what is a design issue involving a primary system on the car.

Have you contacted VOSA and the BBC programme, Watchdog?

 

[jaymanek]

I think some publicity is needed on this issue as mb either need to go back to doing them free or at least heavily subsidising the cost.

However these reports of them suddenly failing without warning make me wonder...

All these cars that are having the counters reset on the black market....

 

[Harrythedog]

It would certainly be nice if MB took a leaf out of Citroëns book BBC One - Watchdog - Citroën suspension, although there was a concerted customer campaign

 

[merc110913]

Hi All, I'm pleased to report that the software update was completed by the MB dealer and went through successfully at no cost, so all solved. What I don't understand is why the other MB dealer 30 miles away wanted to charge me £68 just to plug the car into STAR and this neighbouring dealer did diagnosis and software update for free?!