ADBLU

Rob-B

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ML class w166
So the adblu light came on in my M Class in April so topped it up to no avail, and the run down counter forced me into putting it into the dealer for a diagnostic. They said it just needed reset, great. Two days later it came on again and went in for another diagnostic and they discovered the adblu pipe needed replaced £££'s. two weeks go by and the adblu light and engine light came on, yes it had to go in for a diagnostic and the MAF sensor needed replaced. Diagnostics at £90 a time. MAF sensor £500 plus fitting. Two days ago the adblu light came on again and once again a diagnostic and they have found two sensors in the exhaust have gone, £990.

It just strikes me that firstly there is a big concern with adblu in general and secondly sensors are there to protect the vehicle yet it always seems to be the sensors that are the problem. This is my forth Merc, I will think twice before there is a 5th.
 

Craiglxviii

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970 Panamera Turbo; W221 S500L AMG Line, C215 CL500, W251 R350L AMG Line, plus several more now gone
So the adblu light came on in my M Class in April so topped it up to no avail, and the run down counter forced me into putting it into the dealer for a diagnostic. They said it just needed reset, great. Two days later it came on again and went in for another diagnostic and they discovered the adblu pipe needed replaced £££'s. two weeks go by and the adblu light and engine light came on, yes it had to go in for a diagnostic and the MAF sensor needed replaced. Diagnostics at £90 a time. MAF sensor £500 plus fitting. Two days ago the adblu light came on again and once again a diagnostic and they have found two sensors in the exhaust have gone, £990.

It just strikes me that firstly there is a big concern with adblu in general and secondly sensors are there to protect the vehicle yet it always seems to be the sensors that are the problem. This is my forth Merc, I will think twice before there is a 5th.
It isn't MB who make the sensors. They buy the same sensors from the same people (Valeo, Robert Bosch etc) as everyone else.

MAF tend to be around £130 and 5 minutes fitting on your driveway........

What year is your ML? Have you considered using an independent garage instead of main stealer?
 

flowrider

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SL500 (R230)
Sounds like this could be a case of not knowing for sure what the problem is so throw parts at it and charge the customer. Wouldn't be the first time.
 
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Rob-B

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ML class w166
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Well, I've just had a phone call saying Mercedes will cover it under warranty. Happy days, it must be Christmas.
 
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Rob-B

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ML class w166
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It isn't MB who make the sensors. They buy the same sensors from the same people (Valeo, Robert Bosch etc) as everyone else.

MAF tend to be around £130 and 5 minutes fitting on your driveway........

What year is your ML? Have you considered using an independent garage instead of main stealer?


I have Craig, but only Merc software tends to read the diagnostics. The only reason I went to the dealer this time is that I need to be travelling some distance over the Christmas period and need this sorted, have me over a barrel. If sensors are being sourced from the same people then the manufacturers reputations are being dragged through the mud by these people, so you would think they would clamp down on it.

Thanks for the advice on the MAF cost I'll bear this in mind just in case. Where would you source this part?
 

flowrider

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SL500 (R230)
Well, I've just had a phone call saying Mercedes will cover it under warranty. Happy days, it must be Christmas.
A vital bit of info missing from your post......the car is still in warranty. Good result. Presumably MB are going to refund your already incured costs?
 

Craiglxviii

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970 Panamera Turbo; W221 S500L AMG Line, C215 CL500, W251 R350L AMG Line, plus several more now gone
I have Craig, but only Merc software tends to read the diagnostics. The only reason I went to the dealer this time is that I need to be travelling some distance over the Christmas period and need this sorted, have me over a barrel. If sensors are being sourced from the same people then the manufacturers reputations are being dragged through the mud by these people, so you would think they would clamp down on it.

Thanks for the advice on the MAF cost I'll bear this in mind just in case. Where would you source this part?
Rob, first you need the MB part number. From that you can find the manufacturer’s part number- which you can then search for via Google.

In terms of “Merc software” this is called Star. Every MB Indy has this so they can read the same systems as MB main dealer can. We have some indies with more advanced Star systems than MB main dealers do yet. Where in the country are you?

However- MB Grangemouth offer very competitive pricing to forum members- call and ask for Fraser.

Regarding sensors failing, you must understand that the UK alone has total car sales of around 2.5 million per year. Typically the industry would expect failures of below 0.05% which would equal 1,250 failures/ yr for this country, for new cars, for each sensor fitted to them (around 70 per car). As they age beyond 5 years that failure rate becomes exponential... it isn’t an industry problem. It’s just the realities of materials science meeting engineering application.
 

John Laidlaw

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Land Rover Discovery 4
Rob, first you need the MB part number. From that you can find the manufacturer’s part number- which you can then search for via Google.

In terms of “Merc software” this is called Star. Every MB Indy has this so they can read the same systems as MB main dealer can. We have some indies with more advanced Star systems than MB main dealers do yet. Where in the country are you?

However- MB Grangemouth offer very competitive pricing to forum members- call and ask for Fraser.

Regarding sensors failing, you must understand that the UK alone has total car sales of around 2.5 million per year. Typically the industry would expect failures of below 0.05% which would equal 1,250 failures/ yr for this country, for new cars, for each sensor fitted to them (around 70 per car). As they age beyond 5 years that failure rate becomes exponential... it isn’t an industry problem. It’s just the realities of materials science meeting engineering application.
Just a quick update, Fraser has moved on to a different job in Grangemouth, Steven Kilgannon is now your man, very helpful too....
 

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