Steering rack bolts recall

[flying haggis]

Update. took the car to MB Norwich this morning and was told they need the car all day, Ok says I "how do I get home then?" no courtesy car booked. Turns out that the number I called to book the car recall with was a call centre in Chelmsford and they hadnt passed on the courtesy car requirement. And looking at the service sheet for the work the software update was showing as going to be done despite me telling the call centre "No thanks".
I had taped over the ODB port and had a notice saying no update pinned to the dash .
Luckily I spotted it on the sheet and could get the update cancelled. As they didnt have a car for me I had to rebook the work for another day (October was the earliest!)

And this is where it gets interesting.... aparrently some cars have required a new steering rack not just new bolts BUT the racks are on back order from the factory and might not be available for three months and MB wont offer a courtesy car for that length of time if it is found out that your car does need a new rack. So that to me poses a question if they decide that yes your car does need a new rack and in the mean time you have an accident because of the need for a new rack who is liable??? Would they send you away in a car that they know needs a new rack having left the old one in place and at what point do they ascertain you need a new rack when the bolts come out? do they take the rack out anyway to check it and then put it back even if it needs replacement. Perhaps the lawyers on here might like to comment....

 

[Fastcar155]

Hi , I would have thought anything to do with steering is a safety critical recall.

 

[W1ghty]

Update. took the car to MB Norwich this morning and was told they need the car all day, Ok says I "how do I get home then?" no courtesy car booked. Turns out that the number I called to book the car recall with was a call centre in Chelmsford and they hadnt passed on the courtesy car requirement. And looking at the service sheet for the work the software update was showing as going to be done despite me telling the call centre "No thanks".
I had taped over the ODB port and had a notice saying no update pinned to the dash .
Luckily I spotted it on the sheet and could get the update cancelled. As they didnt have a car for me I had to rebook the work for another day (October was the earliest!)

And this is where it gets interesting.... aparrently some cars have required a new steering rack not just new bolts BUT the racks are on back order from the factory and might not be available for three months and MB wont offer a courtesy car for that length of time if it is found out that your car does need a new rack. So that to me poses a question if they decide that yes your car does need a new rack and in the mean time you have an accident because of the need for a new rack who is liable??? Would they send you away in a car that they know needs a new rack having left the old one in place and at what point do they ascertain you need a new rack when the bolts come out? do they take the rack out anyway to check it and then put it back even if it needs replacement. Perhaps the lawyers on here might like to comment....

I wouldn’t worry either way buddy , I think you are over thinking it .

 

[GP801]

Our neighbours CLS went in for the steering recall in late June. They found all bar two of the bolts had sheared off and disappeared! Parts are not due to arrive until sometime in September. After much complaining they have a GLA 200 courtesy car.

 

[flying haggis]

Our neighbours CLS went in for the steering recall in late June. They found all bar two of the bolts had sheared off and disappeared! Parts are not due to arrive until sometime in September. After much complaining they have a GLA 200 courtesy car.

At least they got a courtesy car. MB, according to the service receptionist, are loath to give out cars as they don't know when the parts might arrive and therefore how long their cars will get booked out for which, if it's long term, will affect the chances of other people getting cars. MB Norwich have,I was told, eighteen courtesy cars! No wonder they charge so much! Surely MB didn't instigate this recall without ensuring enough bolts were available to replace them. Mind you when I was told some cars need a new rack, perhaps that is the real reason for parts non availability. I might see if I can get under the car somehow and if I can see the rack bolts.

 

[Petrol Pete]

At this point I would just get underneath the car and have a look at the bolts , it seems some are being found snapped and others not . My car is subject to the MB sunroof safety recall (along with 750000 others) I still have not had it done ( I will do) because the chances of it flying off the car after 16 years and 151K miles are v v slim.

Steering rack with snapped bolts on the other hand.......

PS . If you want to stop an MB technician from accessing your OBD port fix the cover closed with a small self tapping screw (preferably a black one that looks OE) . He will not find the screw in WIS or on his laptop , his confusion at this undeclared upgrade/deviation from the norm will be such that he will run screaming from the building leaving the OBD untouched.

 

[flying haggis]

I taped over the odb port with "security checked and sealed" parcel tape before I took it in and strangely whilst searching for the port in the first place it appears to have a screwed on cover already.

 

[such01]

Are W212's subject to this recall?

 

[CLSglobetrotter]

I missed this post. I had my CLS 350d SB into a service B and noticed the report of the software update.
In fairness, I didn't notice any change in performance and gears go up to 9th even below 70mph. It is true that I did reset the gearbox recently (to force it to relearn my shifting pattern again).
I suspect they may have done like VW with their software update to remove any CO testing defeating code. Anyone knows exactly what it does?

 

[PRSboy]

Similarly, I had the software 'upgrade' done a few months after I bought my car, before I knew any better! Cant say I noticed any difference at all, to either its driveability or MPG.

I had the steering rack bolt recall notice, and it was done in a day without drama. Its good as you get a full alignment done as part of it.

 

[molgrips]

My car was also unaffected by the emissions update. I googled thoroughly beforehand, and I found no good threads with real issues, just some very angry people complaining about 7th or 9th gear, but this seems to be due to resetting the learned shifting characteristics and it returns to normal.

The throttle response on mine was much sharper when I drove it away, but then it too returned to normal. MPG is great (considering the car).

 

[flying haggis]

Well the CLS is in MB Norwich to have the bolts replaced and I was given a CLA200 as a courtesy car. it only has 326 miles on the clock !! It would also have been nice if it had fuel in it as I got half way home (less than ten miles) and the fuel light came on.
they were going to give me a EQA as a courtesy but someone didnt plug it in last night.........
the CLA I have discovered is a 1.3 petrol and sounds like a diesel when accelerating. the consumption was showing 38 to the gallon when I got home after 20 miles. FFS I get more than that from my CLS estate.

 

[CLSglobetrotter]

Is it one of those Renault engines?

 

[flying haggis]

could be

 

[flying haggis]

Update 2
It appears that MBNorwich managed to replace four out of five of the bolts on the steering rack but couldnt get the last one out as if it were to break whilst doing so that would mean the car off the road till a new rack was ordered and delivered. The racks are made in America then delivered to Germany then on to the UK !
So the car has been booked in again for late November by which time the new rack should have arrived and they can break the bolt and replace the rack ( the bolts are threaded into the rack apparently hence if they break they cant be got out easily). Still i get a another courtesy car for a couple of days.

 

[flying haggis]

just out of curiosity I looked up the price of a steering rack for my car ( i didnt know I appear to have electrically powered steering!)

are you sitting down

Sample photo

BOSCH KS00001956 Steering Gear Control Unit/Software must NOT be trained/updated
Article No.: K S00 001 956

• Left-/right-hand drive vehicles: for right-hand drive vehicles
• Operating Mode: Electric
• Steering: with tie rod, with tie rod ends
• Vehicle Equipment: for vehicles with electric power steering
• Supplementary Article / Supplementary Info Info 2: Control Unit/Software must NOT be trained/updated
• Construction year to: 12/2014
• Condition: new

Read the product details

This kit contains the following items:

£ 2317,01

incl. 20% VAT, delivery costs

Free shipping
Сurrently out of stock


plus of course the labour costs at I suppose north of £100 an hour

 

[CAT220]

Just found this thread today. My car 212 e63 (2015) went in for the steering bolt recall in July, they assessed that it required a new rack. Part on back order, 3.5months later and the rack was replaced today including geometry. No mention of any software updates though!