Very Nearly a Disaster

[Balernock]

So there I am merrily filling up the new CLS at the BP station at the end of the road. 50 litres of Premium Unleaded in the tank when the bell rang -- I have been driving diesel cars for the last 3.5 years WHY oh WHY am I doing this.

Stopped filling didn't start the engine and rang Mercedes assistance and about an hour later the car ahas been taken away to be fixed and about 90 minutes after that a new model C class with 303 miles on the clock is sitting on my drive

Quite impressed with the service and hopefully the tank just needs draining

 

[scgfull]

Very lucky that you realised in time.

 

[Wheelsnuts]

I have to admit that I have done that as well. I did drive about 50 yards to a car park before an overwhelming smell of petrol warned me something was wrong. Called Mercedes Assist and got the tank drained in the car park and the system flushed out with no harm done - apart from a £200 bill and the loss of £60 worth of petrol. Apparently, some Merc tanks are difficult to empty because of their fuel-thief proof design. They had to use the car's fuel pump to empty the tank which took quite a while. I am now much more cautious when refuelling!

 

[pembssurf]

is this that mercedes mobilo life service coming into play?

 

[stwat]

i just hope it doesn't come back to bite you in the butt if you ever have to have anything engine and fuel system done under warranty at a later date.

They now have it on record that the car has been miss fuelled and could use that counter any claim.

 

[Wheelsnuts]

i just hope it doesn't come back to bite you in the butt if you ever have to have anything engine and fuel system done under warranty at a later date.

They now have it on record that the car has been miss fuelled and could use that counter any claim.

Good point but the car is long gone. It was put in part exchange at a stealer's. so good luck to them.:bannana:

 

[renault12ts]

You didn't start the engine...so what needs doing other than siphoning the fuel from the tank?

I can't wait to hear what they will do to "fix" it!!

 

[def90cars]

i just hope it doesn't come back to bite you in the butt if you ever have to have anything engine and fuel system done under warranty at a later date.

They now have it on record that the car has been miss fuelled and could use that counter any claim.

Mobilo/Mercedes Assist warrant their own work.

If they don't fix it and as long as you have the car service correctly you are all good i would think.

 

[Balernock]

You didn't start the engine...so what needs doing other than siphoning the fuel from the tank?

I can't wait to hear what they will do to "fix" it!!

Be interesting to see how much they charge for emptying the tank.

Strangely enough I have just had to have my boat's fuel tank emptied as the fuel was stale due the the boat not being used for 14 months. We have been too busy to play on the river. That is being done as part of the winterisation process so I may be able to get a direct comparison between a main dealer and a local boat yard

 

[markjay]

You didn't start the engine...so what needs doing other than siphoning the fuel from the tank?

I can't wait to hear what they will do to "fix" it!!

Quite right.

I have seen AA vans carry this out at the roadside, so not sure why the need to tow the car to the garage and give you a courtesy car - does seem a bit OTT.

Perhaps MB are playing this one 'by the book' - i.e. they are not taking for granted the owners' word saying that the engine has not been started...?

 

[nick mercedes]

You didn't start the engine...so what needs doing other than siphoning the fuel from the tank?

I can't wait to hear what they will do to "fix" it!!

New pump, new injectors new fuel lines and new tank often.

If you don't let them bend you over they tare up the warranty...

Oddly if you take it to an indi they just pump out the fuel and change the filer and no ill effects ever seem to happen.

 

[Balernock]

It appears that due to the anti fuel theft systems the tank has to be accessed, which due to its position in the CLS Shooting Brake means that the rear seats have to be removed.

Now glad I called Mercedes Assist as if the RAC, AA or anybody else had done it by the roadside I guess the 3 week old Porcelain leather seats would have been taken out and be in the rain.

Going to cost about £500 which in the great scheme of things is only 5 tanks full of fuel, but probably enough to ensure I don't do it again (or at least admit to doing it again.)

On the upside had a new (303 mile) C Class C220 to use for a few days seemed a nice car but I think I would have to go for airmatic which is, I believe, now available.

 

[mbmac]

£500 to fix! wow...that's steep!

 

[ras8963]

New pump, new injectors new fuel lines and new tank often.

If you don't let them bend you over they tare up the warranty...

Oddly if you take it to an indi they just pump out the fuel and change the filer and no ill effects ever seem to happen.

If that is factual then fair enough but..... several years ago I loaded my diesel CLK 50% with petrol and drove off just barely a mile later it spluttered and I realised my error....(the car was 3 -4 months old).....I called Mobilo who took the car to MB Croydon, I wouldn't allow it to go to the nearer MB garage at Epsom. Next day they called me told me their plan, the removed emptied the tank then removed and cleaned not "replaced", the fuel lines injectors etc. My service plan and warranty work for the next 3 years of ownership seemed unaffected.......

Roll on a couple of years wifey does a similar thing with another of our cars, that one went to an indy as it was slightly older, guess what, same thing, same repair etc etc...

Now that view is factual.......but if we simply want to pop at the main dealer I guess thats your choice.....

ATB

 

[ras8963]

IF I recall the same solution in my CLK, (see earlier post) cost around £380.....but that was likely a smaller tank and a few years back.....TBH for a **** up like that as you say £500 is a pretty good escape for most...

ATB

 

[flango]

Just call "fuel doctor" £99 all done and dusted just don't tell MB or any other manufacturers used to use them all the time on customers cars when they had misfuelled

Sent from my iPhone using MBClub UK

 

[jaymanek]

I think dealers do take advantage of this mis fuelling thing. It is just a matter of draining the tank and changing the filter if the car hasnt been run.

those fuel doctor type companies are fine... Some of them dont replace fuel filter though.. always best to,.. just incase.

 

[Giantvanman]

Just call "fuel doctor" £99 all done and dusted just don't tell MB or any other manufacturers used to use them all the time on customers cars when they had misfuelled

Sent from my iPhone using MBClub UK

Now in my mobile just in case. Cheers

 

[Spin_bowler]

Funnily enough I saw the same AA van at the same garage on both days this weekend dealing with mis-fuelling. It was even liveried as 'fuel-assist.' With 150K people doing it a year it must be a nice little earner for them.

 

[Dieselman]

Now glad I called Mercedes Assist as if the RAC, AA or anybody else had done it by the roadside I guess the 3 week old Porcelain leather seats would have been taken out and be in the rain.

Why take the seats out? They would just disconnect the filter feed pipe and pump the tank dry.