Should I tollerate a Merc garage responding to a Vito injector issue like this??

[Hannah09Vito]

Hi folks..My vito went in to the local Merc garage as it was having problems starting on cold mornings. Glow plug issues were eliminated. Hard sooty build up was found around the injectors (the back death as i understand it) and two of the injectors werefound to be 'blowing'. Hours were spent removing the very hard sooty deposits and the injectors were re-fitted with new washers, as well as a crank sensor being changed. I've been without the van for two weeks now and when i went to pick it up today, apparently job done and £700 later, it wouldn't start! Exactly the issue i took it in for .. they sent one of the mechanics out to squirt some ether down the air intake to get me started and away and i was like, no! They agreed to look at it again on monday morning but i'm somewhat at a loss as to what to expect from them or what i am entitled to demand. Its taken them quite a while to do the work, they have obviously depriorised it. At one point they called and said we might be looking at replacing the injectors, but then phoned a few days later to say, good news, we think the injectors just need refitting with new washers as they were found to be blowing.
Any advice on how i should deal with the garage would be so much appreciated... merry Christmas! Hannah

 

[merc85]

If it started before it went in, and now it doesn't id say its down them.

 

[bob6600]

Not familiar with Vitos but if they have engine covers remove them, let them start it (even with easy gas) and see if it still blowing, you will hear it chuffing.

They do sometimes take a while to start first time after repair, but once the fuel is where it should be, it should start first time.

 

[Hannah09Vito]

If it started before it went in, and now it doesn't id say its down them.

No, unfortunately it wasn't starting when cold before it went in and still isn't!

 

[Hannah09Vito]

Not familiar with Vitos but if they have engine covers remove them, let them start it (even with easy gas) and see if it still blowing, you will hear it chuffing.

They do sometimes take a while to start first time after repair, but once the fuel is where it should be, it should start first time.

Well maybe there's a spot of hope there then. I would have thought it would be standard to test again for blowing once they had done the work wouldn't you?

Also i need to quiz them on whether they actually cut new seats into the head to achieve proper mating with the new washers.. this is what i'd expect rather than just cleaning back the sooty deposits and refitting the injectors .... that would be the proper way to undertake that work don't you think?

 

[bob6600]

I have never cut the seats on mine. Some say it is necessary, some say only if the seats are pitted badly. I go with the latter and have not had a problem.

yes they should check that the injectors are no longer blowing but seeing as it didn't start afterwards I would double check.

From reading your original post it seems you asked them to fix the starting problem, they diagnosed it as leaking injector seals, fixed them but the problem potentially is still there. They need to sort it.

 

[renault12ts]

£700???

To clean and replace the washer is about £200 tops. So, that's a very expensive CPS!!!!

 

[Flackadder]

This is Mercedes you are talking about. They do not have mechanics, they have technicians. They have little or no idea how to solve and fix a problem. And getting some sort of unhappiness issue through to service managers etc is, well, a waste of breathe. They do not care in the slightest. My personal views, obviously.

 

[a111r]

Same injectors replaced...
They should have done diagnostics to rule out high leak off, or other low fuel rail pressure causes that mean hard starting.

 

[John]

I would post up your rough location so that a trusted local inde can be recommended from here...!

You might save a few bob and end up with a working van.

 

[panason1c]

Cold morning non-starts is usually attributed to ingress of air in the fuel pipes/system in my experience.
The rubber seals on the fuel pipes become hard in the cold weather and don't seal properly.

 

[Headhurts]

This is Mercedes you are talking about. They do not have mechanics, they have technicians. They have little or no idea how to solve and fix a problem. And getting some sort of unhappiness issue through to service managers etc is, well, a waste of breathe. They do not care in the slightest. My personal views, obviously.

My experience so far with dealership has been positive, Robinsons, Norwich.

All warranty work on previous E300 Hybrid.

Current car not had any cause to take in other than windscreen judder that was eventually fixed.

But there are a couple if independents not too far away which I may try once out of warranty.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[jaymanek]

Also i need to quiz them on whether they actually cut new seats into the head to achieve proper mating with the new washers.. this is what i'd expect rather than just cleaning back the sooty deposits and refitting the injectors .... that would be the proper way to undertake that work don't you think?

Yes this is the procedure. There are tools to clean and there is a tool that cleans/cuts the seat.
They will have done this.

If the engine didnt start then air is getting into the system. Most likely one of the plastic pipe seals. Best to change the whole lot.

good luck!

 

[Hannah09Vito]

Yes this is the procedure. There are tools to clean and there is a tool that cleans/cuts the seat.
They will have done this.

If the engine didnt start then air is getting into the system. Most likely one of the plastic pipe seals. Best to change the whole lot.

good luck!

So i spoke with them today to get a rn down of what had actually been done and they didn't cut new seats as they said it wasn't needed when they cleaned them back and that they tested them for blowing once completed and said that problem had been solved :/

They are going to test the rail pressure on the injectors tomorrow to see if any need replacing, i'm literally weeping at the cost!

I'm in Oxford and they are the only garage around with the merc diagnostic machine that i could find

 

[John]

MSL Performance are excellent - based in Brum and have Star diags...

As said, they are just technicians and not mechanics. No old school diagnosing from symptoms but instead "computer says no".

I'd consider shifting the van there before you incur more horrendous-cost-per hour work!

 

[neilrr]

I'm in Oxford and they are the only garage around with the merc diagnostic machine that i could find

Mercedes vehicle specialists in Reading by Star Motor Service Ltd

 

[Hannah09Vito]

MSL Performance are excellent - based in Brum and have Star diags...

As said, they are just technicians and not mechanics. No old school diagnosing from symptoms but instead "computer says no".

I'd consider shifting the van there before you incur more horrendous-cost-per hour work!

Thanks for that advice. I have booked to pick up one of their courtesy vehicles this morning. Yesterday they called to say that all four injectors now need replacing at a cost of £1500. They have offered to refund me the £750 from the original work while i 'have a think and consider my options'. A friend's trusted garage is going to quote me for replacing the injectors this morning... i think what i'd like to do is keep the coutesy vehicle over Christmas, get my van to another garage after and get the work done somewhere else. That means this Merc garage will have made £ 0 out of me, will i get away with that i wonder?

 

[bob6600]

Take the refund and go elsewhere.

neilrr's link is to a reputable and knowledgeable garage. If you want to travel the other way we have MSL in B'ham and Mercland in Nuneaton

 

[John]

I should probably clarify my last post - the second line relates to MB, not MSL!

I forgot about Mercland (I remember them for car sales but forget they do mechanics!) - also recommended.

Thanks for that advice. I have booked to pick up one of their courtesy vehicles this morning. Yesterday they called to say that all four injectors now need replacing at a cost of £1500. They have offered to refund me the £750 from the original work while i 'have a think and consider my options'. A friend's trusted garage is going to quote me for replacing the injectors this morning... i think what i'd like to do is keep the coutesy vehicle over Christmas, get my van to another garage after and get the work done somewhere else. That means this Merc garage will have made £ 0 out of me, will i get away with that i wonder?

I guess radio silence or "I need to think about it"...?

I too would ultimately take the refund, chalk it up as one of life's PITAs and get it shifted to somewhere good and more reasonable.

 

[BlackC55]

Let me know if we can help.