I used Autotek Electronics in Bournemouth who repaired my water damaged 350 SL vacuum pump a couple of months ago, despite my MB specialist repairer being somewhat sceptical.
I checked out a number of outfits offering repairs after the shock of finding out the cost of a new one. A couple said they wouldn't repair this particular unit or wouldn't guarantee a repair due to the well known boot leakage problems. In the end I found only 2 companies who would repair with any sort of warranty. ECU Testing offered a £250 rebuild and lifetime guarantee but would only repair if the unit was in good condition?? So I opted for Autotek Electronics in Poole, Dorset, who were reasonably local and offered a free assessment service and a 3 month warranty. The repair cost me £175 with a 2 day turnround.
Following their advice the unit was refitted sealed in a plastic bag, wrapped in and sitting on bubble wrap with the foam casing discarded. My specialist cleaned and refreshed the boot seals, adjusted the bootlid fit against the rear screen seals, since which the boot has been dry.
Despite all this, the pump is back with Autotek for repair under warranty, with my specialist repairer wearing his best "told you so" look......... make up your own mind.....
the unit is back withrepair with 10 days of the warranty remaining.
I checked out a number of outfits offering repairs after the shock of finding out the cost of a new one. A couple said they wouldn't repair this particular unit or wouldn't guarantee a repair due to the well known boot leakage problems. In the end I found only 2 companies who would repair with any sort of warranty. ECU Testing offered a £250 rebuild and lifetime guarantee but would only repair if the unit was in good condition?? So I opted for Autotek Electronics in Poole, Dorset, who were reasonably local and offered a free assessment service and a 3 month warranty. The repair cost me £175 with a 2 day turnround.
Following their advice the unit was refitted sealed in a plastic bag, wrapped in and sitting on bubble wrap with the foam casing discarded. My specialist cleaned and refreshed the boot seals, adjusted the bootlid fit against the rear screen seals, since which the boot has been dry.
Despite all this, the pump is back with Autotek for repair under warranty, with my specialist repairer wearing his best "told you so" look......... make up your own mind.....
the unit is back withrepair with 10 days of the warranty remaining.
grober
MB Master
In a way you can see why some companies won't repair them since the primary cause of failure is not the pump but leakage in the car itself which they have no direct control over and must rely on the owner " to do the right thing" to repair any leaks adequately. It also highlights the misleading phrase lifetime warranty which should read lifetime warranty TILL ANY FORTHCOMING REPAIR when it ends. Still its good such facilities for economic repair exist
even if their warranties should be read with a degree of realism .
even if their warranties should be read with a degree of realism .grober is spot on. Further investigation of my pump showed it was leakage and not the pump. In one way I am relieved but the leak is proving hard to pin down. I am sorely tempted to take a pump apart and see what it consists of . I am sure the price of the components comes nowhere near the price MB charge.
According to Autotek and my MB specialist repairer, water damage affects both the electronic components and the circuit boards, which then start to delaminate, so unless you're an electronics engineer with access to the circuit diagrams, a diy repair may prove challenging. And in the worst cases the boards are so bad they become impossible to repair.
Having said that, it has been known for a temporary fix to be achieved by opening the unit and carefully drying it out with a hairdryer on its lowest setting before reassembling it and giving it a quick spritz with WD40. Just don't refit it inside its soggy sponge casing. P.S. Don't be tempted to use a hot air gun in the hope it may work a little faster, because the smell of melting plastic is quite acrid and tends to linger.
Latest update is that having just spoken to Autotek, they are still trying to diagnose the problem with my unit and will get back to me.....
Having said that, it has been known for a temporary fix to be achieved by opening the unit and carefully drying it out with a hairdryer on its lowest setting before reassembling it and giving it a quick spritz with WD40. Just don't refit it inside its soggy sponge casing. P.S. Don't be tempted to use a hot air gun in the hope it may work a little faster, because the smell of melting plastic is quite acrid and tends to linger.
Latest update is that having just spoken to Autotek, they are still trying to diagnose the problem with my unit and will get back to me.....
The leaks usually come from where the separate seals at the base of the rear screen and side pillars overlap. This design feature is necessary because the side pillars fold under the rear screen when you retract the roof, and creates an immediate point of weakness for leaks. Add to that the gradual deterioration of the rubbers, years of accumulated dirt and grime in those overlaps, and the age related widening of tolerances in the operation of the extravagantly complex boot hinges and roof mechanism, and its not surprising the joints leak.
What is surprising is that MB then mounted the electronics on the boot floor almost directly below the joints and then encased them in foam rubber which sucks up the water and ensures they sit in a moist, humid atmosphere 24/7.
My specialist cleaned the rubbers, spayed them with a silicone based product made specially for the job, and then adjusted the non-adjustable bootlid so it sat down a little lower and closer to the rear screen without affecting the operation of the roof or boot. Problem 95% solved - still get water dripping in when the boot is opened after it been raining. Hope that helps.
What is surprising is that MB then mounted the electronics on the boot floor almost directly below the joints and then encased them in foam rubber which sucks up the water and ensures they sit in a moist, humid atmosphere 24/7.
My specialist cleaned the rubbers, spayed them with a silicone based product made specially for the job, and then adjusted the non-adjustable bootlid so it sat down a little lower and closer to the rear screen without affecting the operation of the roof or boot. Problem 95% solved - still get water dripping in when the boot is opened after it been raining. Hope that helps.
lxi
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I'm sure the circuit board can be repaired no problem - the last one I had replaced had shattered the compressor vanes, locking the motor so instant fuse blow - that sadly cannot be repaired as the compressor is not available separately
knockerblip
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Resurrecting this old thread to ask if anyone knows of any electrical engineers that might repair one of these PSE pumps
knockerblip
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Bump
