SRS fault, was I treated right?

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BOBBYO

New Member
Joined
Jul 1, 2004
Messages
4
My first post. I need your collective advice on this please.

I own a W208 with full MB service history (private sale: '2000'yr model 230 CLK Kompressor '40,000' miles and full AA vehicle inspection).
After only covering 3000 miles myself, I was recently presented with an 'SRS' light on my instrument cluster.
I contacted Mobilolife helpdesk and was told that I had to have the vehicle seen by a technician if I wanted to retain the full 'Mobilolife' cover, I asked about the options available to me and the cost of the 'call-out' and was told that the service was free of charge.
The technician could not pinpoint the problem, but advised that the cost of a Mobilolife call-out would be incurred by me if I refused to use an approved Mercedes workshop for any repairs!
Shouldn’t I have been told this by the Mobilolife customer help-desk?
I could have easily taken the car to one of the many highly recommended ‘independent’ Mercedes service garages in London for a second opinion.

Despite this, the technician advised me to go to a Mercedes service centre to have the vehicle repaired. I followed his advice and took my car to the 'Mercedes Service Centre’ in Uxbridge, Middlesex'.

The MOT was running out so I could not just drive around for a better estimate and the Mobilolife cover would be breached if I tried to use an independent, the car had also been diagnosed and I would incur the Mobilolife call out charge, so I had little choice but to give the go ahead for the work to be carried out. I was told that a ‘further diagnosis’ would need to be carried out on top of the call-out diagnosis. Later, I received phone call to inform me of a 'wiring issue' with my car, a high-resistance fault/break was found in the cable harness behind the instrument panel, so the dash and centre console had to be taken apart and a wiring kit would ned to be ordered from Germany....TOTAL ESTIMATE: £1112.81 (including 20% discount for older cars).

I didnt have any issuses with Uxbridge, they were fine, gave me a replacement CLK for over a week while they repaired mine, so whats my argument?

I am annoyed that a wire failed in the first place, how could this occur? Is the harness so fragile that a wire can break, how else could this wiring fault have developed? I do not expect this in a high quality motor car with relatively low mileage, Mercedes or equivalent, I also do not expect any instrument panel to have to be taken apart at such an early stage/mileage of a vehicles service life, particularly for a faulty wiring issue related to the SRS system. In my opinion, a fault so simple yet so potentially serious is a manufacturing design fault, and therefore a financial burden that should not have to be placed directly onto a Mercedes owner.
As a result, I am now very concerned that my car will begin to give me major problems in the future, I expect a Mercedes to be very reliable for up to 100,000 miles at least.
What do you all think, am i right?, Technically I know that my warranty has run out but a wire in a harness should not just 'break' should it?
I wrote to MB twice and they just threw it back to the service centre who defended their costing, thus missing the whole point of my argument.
 
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Buy a Lexus/Toyota/Honda etc. I finally took the plunge and bought a Landcruiser to replace my ML270 CDi after what seem like a fault every week. In my opinion MB does not build quality cars anymore. You have to be lucky to get a good one.
Unfortunately, in one of my businesses we still have an 05 Vito, 05 Viano and a 02 S500. The S500 hasn't had too much bother other than a few suspension, wiring and water ingress faults (these shouldn't have occurred on a £80K car either) but the Vito and Viano seem to go back to the dealer all the time for warranty repairs.

This is a great forum, I wish the MB cars were as good.

Regards,

Job
 
Moved to Electronics section.

I think you were treated OK, but MB reply is not good. I suppose it depends how you worded it, as they have replied about the costs not the Goodwill Warranty aspect which I would have asked for in the circumstances of the low mileage and full service history. Should you not look at the wording and perhaps send another letter asking specifically for assistance with the payment in view of the facts.
 
Thanks for your replies, I worded the letter from a 'very annoyed and concerned owner', 'poor quality and reputation' point of view and 'shock at the incredibly high cost' point of view.
It was quite a long letter but it just went straight back to the guy I spoke to at the service centre, and he replied on both occasions with a '20% discount' angle, for labour as goodwill however, I was told prior to the work that MB offer this regardless for vehicles over 3years of age so where did the goodwill go?
I recently got a call from Customer Services telling me that I was being offered a rebate but the second call from them quashed the chances of this. the agent said that I had been given the 20% discount already so that would effectively close the case! I explained the main issue with her but she had no idea of how this could be progressed. I do want some sort of compensation but I also want them to recognise the nature of the fault.
Not too sure now how to pursue this now.
(I would be happy to post the letter here for you if you think it may help in anyway).
 
By all means run the letter past us to see if anyone can improve it mate.
 
MB after sales is a laod of crap... I have had enough and the Stealer that I did have ties with (where my technicinan friend works) has finally pi$$ed me off big time that I am not going to give MB any further business now. Glad that teh C55 was cancelled after all... :)

When I am able to by my nexy purchase I'm going for Porche/BMW...

Off Topic: BMW 645I cab developed an air bag fault/error - other half dropped car off and was given a M3 convertible as courtesy car on the spot with full tank of fuel. Fault was rectified within 3 days and an update report was given given by BMW on a daily basis without ud having to chase them. They even put a bottle of champaigne in the pasenger seat and flowers for the Mrs... Fault has been sorted... and 645I was returned with a full tank of fuel when around half a tank in it :)
 
Flash said:
MB afters ales is a laod of crap... I have had enough and the Stealer that I did have ties with (where my technicinan frined works) has finally pi$$ed me off big time that I am not going to give MB any further business now.

When I am able to my my nexy purchase I'm going for Porche/BMW...

Off Topic: BMW 645I cab developed an air bag fault/error - other half dropped car off and was given a M3 convertible as courtesy car on the spot with full tank of fuel. Fault was rectified within 3 days and an update report was given given by BMW on a daily basis without ud having to chase them. They even put a bottle of champaigne in the pasenger seat and flowers for the Mrs... Fault has been sorted... and 645I was returned with a full tank of fuel when around half a tank in it :)


Its all down to the dealer , some are good some are bad ... try and find a good one for next time.
 
fuzzer said:
Its all down to the dealer , some are good some are bad ... try and find a good one for next time.

I've been through quite a few MB Stealers and they are all just as bad as one another - Some of them are listed below:

MB Brentford
MB Collindale
Greenoaks - 4 branches and tehcnciians rotate - the same
Hughes of Beaconsfield (2 branches and the same)
MB Uxbridge

I'm not pepared to travel rediculous milrage anymore to try and locate a decent sealer for servicing/repairs/warranty work... I have had enough of MB after sales support/servicing.
 
Shude said:
One little word makes one story completely different to the other: "warranty".

W203 has been in for several warranty repairs/jobs as well an A Service - on each occassion I had to fight for a courtesy car/or was not given one and the work was never carried out to a satisfctory standard first timr round - and one Stealer Hughes even refused to insure the car for warranty work (when they said they would over the telephone prior to the booking and once i had arranged insurance on the spot with my insurance company teh Stealer had decided to give the loan car to another cus. Simple warranty jobs that should take no longer than 1.5 to 2hrs max they wanted to keep car for "whole" day without giving me a courtesy car and would not evrn work on the car whilst I waited and the bookings had been made in advance and car was dropped off before the technciians even arrieved to the w/shop.

At some point we will be moving up North (West Yorkshire) in the near future - have heard that MB Harrogate are good but thats not going to be for a while yet... Until then there is not a single decent Stealer in the South East area that is within reasonable distance from me to rely on for good quality after sales service...
 
Flash said:
W203 has been in for several warranty repairs/jobs as well an A Service - on each occassion I had to fight for a courtesy car/or was not given one and the work was never carried out to a satisfctory standard first timr round - and one Stealer Hughes even refused to insure the car for warranty work (when they said they would over the telephone prior to the booking and once i had arranged insurance on the spot with my insurance company teh Stealer had decided to give the loan car to another cus. Simple warranty jobs that should take no longer than 1.5 to 2hrs max they wanted to keep car for "whole" day without giving me a courtesy car and would not evrn work on the car whilst I waited and the bookings had been made in advance and car was dropped off before the technciians even arrieved to the w/shop.
I think you've upset someone.
Flash said:
At some point we will be moving up North (West Yorkshire) in the near future - have heard that MB Harrogate are good but thats not going to be for a while yet... Until then there is not a single decent Stealer in the South East area that is within reasonable distance from me to rely on for good quality after sales service...
Harrogate would be North Yorkshire, West Yorkshire has Derwent but I think I've read one or two comments that would steer me away from that place.
 
Shude said:
I think you've upset someone.

Harrogate would be North Yorkshire, West Yorkshire has Derwent but I think I've read one or two comments that would steer me away from that place.

I have heard alot of bad feedback/threads about Derwent and I would NEVER touch them - especialy after they stole the alloys of Adams W211 and botched up servicing for another W203 owner ont his forum - I am aware that Harrogate is in North Yorkshire BUT it would not be too far from where we would be living in West Yorkshire to travel too Harrogate... (if I was to buy another new MB)


PS. I have not upset anyone at the Stealerships and I am always polite and treat people how I want to be treated in return to begin with first - unforuntaley, MB Stealers just have bad attutude/customer service in south east that I have used and I have used many believe me. I have seen customers walk into Stealerships and give teh SA soo much abuse and then get their way in the end - But I only give it back to them as good as they get...
 
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First of all Bobby, I must say that I am sorry to hear of your recent bad experience with your car :(

Whilst it is of little comfort when presented with such a bill, your fault does not seem particularly common and I sympathise that you were left in an awkward position with the mobilo call-out.

Buying any secondhand car without a warranty is unfortunately a bit of a gamble. Apart from the Audi that I have just acquired, all of my cars, bar company vehicles, have been secondhand and without warranty. Doing this I have had to accept that although I stand to save a fair amount of cash, I also take on the responsibility should any faults arise. As they say, 'You pay your money and take your choice'.

It seems as though the dealer has been relatively accomodating for the repairs, in that they supplied a courtesy vehicle, diagnosed the fault and completed the repair, and offered a 20% discount for the labour.

Maybe consider the cost of the repair bad luck, and look at offsetting what it has cost you against the money you should/would have saved by buying it privately as opposed to going the dealer route, such as MB Signature etc?

Without wanting to get involved in the finer details of such areas as 'Sales of Goods' acts etc, I would imagine that as far as MB are concerned you have bought a 4/5 year old car that is outside of it's warranty period by a considerable period. I can see the position from both sides in that they have already given a 20% discount on the labour and that you expect a goodwill contribution. Had they offered a 20% discount as a matter of 'goodwill' instead it might make the whole experience appear less painful :eek:

Here's hoping that the car is trouble free from now on :)

Good Luck,

Will
 
Flash said:
I have heard alot of bad feedback/threads about Derwent and I would NEVER touch them - especialy after they stole the alloys of Adams W211 and botched up servicing for another W203 owner ont his forum - I am aware that Harrogate is in North Yorkshire BUT it would not be too far from where we would be living in West Yorkshire to travel too Harrogate... (if I was to buy another new MB)


PS. I have not upset anyone at the Stealerships and I am always polite and treat people how I want to be treated in return to begin with first - unforuntaley, MB Stealers just have bad attutude/customer service in south east that I have used and I have used many believe me. I have seen customers walk into Stealerships and give teh SA soo much abuse and then get their way in the end - But I only give it back to them as good as they get...

Derwent sold us a w202 with remoulded tyres on it :crazy:
 

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