OM656 Failed Vacuum/Oil Pump and loss of braking.

[moj91]

I think you should be entitled to know what was done to the car upon request, as the customer, regardless of who paid the bill. Dealers always fob off but too many people just let them get away with their antics. Just contact Citizens advice, which is free and will take a few minutes. They will give you a ref number, then just write to the dealer quoting it and most likely they will give you the details of the work done. This is usually more than enough to get dealers to do 30 seconds of actual work.

However, with the complications of modern technology and generally poor materials I see, I'd expect the odd ongoing issues as what you experience as its only the quality of workmanship that will make the car run as it was before.

I'm going through back channels to get the 'dealer principle's' details so i can CC them into the next email i send. One thing i've noticed is that the dealer is overrun with what i can best describe as 'kids', not taking their jobs seriously, messing around on the showroom floor, clueless to the products and services they provide, dressed in streetwear - its not acceptable for any dealer, let alone 'the best or nothing' marquee. The handful of senior staff look like they are about ready to keel over. ...or maybe this is just a Sytner Group issue. I see the same issues in my own industry though - all the good staff have gone (brexit), leaving only underskilled kids with severe attitude and entitlement issues, or 55+ individuals who have 'lost it' since the disruption of covid and can no longer cope with the stress.

 

[DSK]

I'm going through back channels to get the 'dealer principle's' details so i can CC them into the next email i send. One thing i've noticed is that the dealer is overrun with what i can best describe as 'kids', not taking their jobs seriously, messing around on the showroom floor, clueless to the products and services they provide, dressed in streetwear - its not acceptable for any dealer, let alone 'the best or nothing' marquee. The handful of senior staff look like they are about ready to keel over. ...or maybe this is just a Sytner Group issue. I see the same issues in my own industry though - all the good staff have gone (brexit), leaving only underskilled kids with severe attitude and entitlement issues, or 55+ individuals who have 'lost it' since the disruption of covid and can no longer cope with the stress.

Good dealers are now sadly like hens teeth! You have to treat them the same way they treat you. If the can't be reasonable first time, bring out the size 10's.

You will laugh at how different reactions are from organisations who refuse customers their basic rights, after they get the slap of anything remotely legal their way! I've used this a number of times sadly, simply because companies think one will just get bored and give up.

Either way do report any ongoing issues as a log/record.

 

[Phil2]

Thought I’d post an update about my GLE repair. The replacement parts are on back order and won’t be available in Germany til mid April. It will then take at least another week for delivery to UK and the repairs to be carried out. So my car is now sitting at the back of the dealers for the next 2 months while I drive a loan car. Very frustrating!

 

[Jonathon Heap]

Feel for you , mine was out of use for 2 months, and now two weeks into having it back the engine warning light is on again. Might be unrelated to work carried out, but as with you very frustrating.

 

[Phil2]

Well I’ve just asked the dealer if they will take it as a trade-in in its current state on the basis that it will be fixed under warranty. I don’t think any repair that requires an engine removal is without side issues and the thought of it just sitting there for 2 months without being used just rings alarm bells for me. They said in principle they would consider me trading it - just waiting for a call back from Sales Manager. Before I got this car the worst thing that happened on my previous MB’s was a split turbo hose after 80k miles.

 

[Jonathon Heap]

Disappointing, isn't it

 

[DSK]

If you can trade it id snap that up just to get shot of the problem! Just don’t get another problem child model.

Jobs can be done well or poorly but, with dealers it’s usually the latter and the bigger the job, the more complex the car, the worse it is.


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[moj91]

Jonathon/Phil, - Ive had my E400d back for around a month, having been off the road for 3 months. Since then it has needed to be jump started twice (i suspect the batt was left to discharge too low whilst it was sat at the dealer and it has been damaged/lost capacity) and it is doing far too many DPF regens, noted by the average mpg dropping through the floor on similar journeys as prior to the breakdown. It also sounds notably worse on cold starts - sounds like a bad bearing on an aux belt pully if you know what that sounds like, and vibrates much more than before.

MB will have to change these pumps on every 4 and 6 cyl diesel from circa 2016 to 2021 - the 4cyl diesels are starting to see cam gear and timing chain failures at sub 100k miles. Looks like theyve cheaped out again like they did with the Om651 when that came out and its coming back around to bite them, as so they deserve it to.

 

[Phil2]

Sorry to hear that Moj. It is frustrating to hear about these problems on what are supposedly quality cars. I have made my mind up to trade mine in and go with another manufacturer. The GLE was too big and thirsty anyway. I’m not quite ready for full electric but something hybrid may be a possibility. I had a call back and the dealer is willing to take it as is I am just waiting for them to give me a valuation. If they are not stupid about the price I will bite their hand off.

 

[Jonathon Heap]

Depressing reading, not only for our own current cars but also for potential new ones. I just hope that the 2022 300d V class engine does not have the pump or cam issues. If it does then I may cancel my order and start looking at the VW campers.
Its such a shame as the 400d E class is a superb car, easily the smoothest , effortless, comfortable, well specified and most powerful Merc diesel I have had.
Hope all who have issues finally, have them sorted, with minimal trouble. Its sad to have to say, but if I ran my business ( classic car restoration and modification ) as poorly as Mercedes have exhibited to me and many other owners ,then I would have no customers at all.

 

[Jonathon Heap]

Phil, I had a Mere E300de and a C200e both hybrids, the E plug in , the C self gen. The E class did 38mpg and the C only 28mpg. My sons Hyundai Tuscon, does near 50mpg and has a good quality finish as good as the Merc and much higher equipment levels.

 

[Phil2]

Thanks Jonathan. I used to have a Santa Fe myself and loved it. I have noticed a lot of manufacturers have upgraded specs massively and not just in the Premium models. Im thinking of downsizing a bit too as I do less driving since Covid (work from home more) and the kids don’t need ferrying round now. I may have a look at Hyundai, VW and Toyota this weekend to see what they have to offer. If anyone has suggestions they would be much appreciated.

 

[moj91]

Depressing reading, not only for our own current cars but also for potential new ones. I just hope that the 2022 300d V class engine does not have the pump or cam issues. If it does then I may cancel my order and start looking at the VW campers.
Its such a shame as the 400d E class is a superb car, easily the smoothest , effortless, comfortable, well specified and most powerful Merc diesel I have had.
Hope all who have issues finally, have them sorted, with minimal trouble. Its sad to have to say, but if I ran my business ( classic car restoration and modification ) as poorly as Mercedes have exhibited to me and many other owners ,then I would have no customers at all.

In our family we have had merc vehicles dating back to i'd say pre WW2, almost consistently. Currently we have, in our immediate and close family, W124, W210, W211, W212 and now the W213, as well as a W204, W205, W168 and W220, and a host of others which have been and gone. Its clear to see the paths of where MB have 'cheaped-out' in the past 20 years, and where they have made genuine improvements. We regularly work on our own vehicles which are out of warranty. One thing for certain is the W213 is not as well built, from an attention to detail perspective as its predecessors. (But nothing these days is from Germany). However the biggest thing we note is the frequency of major component failures on the newer cars vs. the older ones. The older ones, most with 2-300k miles really only see wear and tear issues fitting to their mileage. Of course, MB only wants to build cars now to show off how sparkly they are, and to last the warranty period (which they are even struggling with). At which point, MB no longer has a USP, so we all may as well buy, nee, lease a 'cheaper' brand, as it is much better value. I can really see it coming back to bite them.

 

[DSK]

Sadly there’s a lot of crap out there with a posh badge and they get away with it as people get suckered by hype, using material things to try and show a status, accept that stuff shouldn’t last and we are in a finance culture where people don’t own what they have so even less of a worry for manufacturers. This further pushes the prices up ensuring that for most the only option is to do all that leasing/hiring malarkey.

It’s very sad when even a w221 is about one of the nicest cars I’ve driven in modern times, but even the w221 feels cheap and half arsed to me. Says it’s all really.


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[Jonathon Heap]

Hmm, engine warning light diagnosis, needs a new water pump, ( how many water pumps do these engines have) on back order. Not impressed one bit !.

 

[LostKiwi]

Never heard of a water pump throwing an EML unless it's overheating.

 

[moj91]

Hmm, engine warning light diagnosis, needs a new water pump, ( how many water pumps do these engines have) on back order. Not impressed one bit !.

Water pump.. that's a new one. I've only seen the tandem oil/vacuum pumps having issues on these.

Also, the dealer had my car back in Wednesday for using/loosing oil and the battery issues. Despite pressuring them to diagnose the issue, their response after two days, was 'we charged the battery and put some oil in'. Great work there guys. See you in two weeks when it needs more oil and recovery again then??

 

[moj91]

Actually - i have heard there are water pump issues... i think a recall has been issued, something to do with the valve which restricts flow failing and the solenoid(?) burning out, with a fire risk associated?? I'm going to have a look into it again now...

 

[Jonathon Heap]

No over heating, and no signs of lost performance. But Mercedes diagnosis found a water pump issue. The guy who performed the test said the same thing, never had a fault code for that before. Strange !

 

[Jonathon Heap]

I did say to Mercedes that they could keep the car if it was yet another tandem pump issue, still never a dull day with a problem engine