2002 S320 cdi seatbelts stuck?

[dwrights]

Hi,

I have a 2002 S320 cdi. Both of my front seatbelts have decided to play up and not want to reel out. I'm not sure if they have started to play up at the same time or not? My wife and I both sat in the car last night to go out and neither of us could get our seatbelts on! Even if you are very carefull and made sure the car is on level ground they still won't reel out more than a few inch.

Has anybody else had this problem? or does anybody know how to fix it? The car has just come back from the dealers because it has had a setbelt buckle replaced because it was making the srs light come on. Would this have anything to do with it?

Thanks,

David

 

[hawk20]

Sounds as though they've upset something. I'd go back and get them to check it over.

 

[dwrights]

Thanks for your reply. I went to drive the car yesterday and the belts work now? Seems to have mended itself.

 

[hawk20]

Ain't technology marvellous? Think I'd still be tempted to phone the Service Manager say what happened and hear what he has to say. \or e-mail him so you have a record just in case it comes back. Then it's their baby, not yours. Good luck.

 

[dwrights]

Well finally fixed the seatbelt problem. Had to buy a new belt!! Total price was 425.00 pounds fitted.

The total cost for repairs this month comes to a whopping 1670.00 pounds.

SRS light problem = Needes new seat buckles.
Stuck in 2nd gear = Needed gearbox control valve gear
Seatbelts won't work = Needed new seat belt.
Pre safe warning lights on = needed gods now what to fix that!
Headlights stuck on = software fault
SRS light on again!!!!!!!!!!!!

Total cost for three months motoring comes in at over 3.5K in repairs and fault finding.

Time has come to sell this crock of sh*t. Mercedes are so unreliable they make me weep.

Back to Audi or BMW for me. Putting my S class through the auctions this week and I wish never to see it again.

Cheers,

David.

 

[jberks]

Back to Audi or BMW for me. Putting my S class through the auctions this week and I wish never to see it again.

To be fair, from what I hear, they aren't doing much better at the moment!
Banging it through the auction - where you're guaranteed to get a crap price?

Actually, from heresay and personal experience, MB is clawing its way back up from the quality problems of the 97-03 period. So, a new MB should be a pinnacle of reliability, especially the new S class. My 04/5 E is fine anyway. Seems a shame to endure the problem period and then jump ship as the storm passes. I'd avoid BMW - they are having MB style issues with electronics and the 7 series is a depreciation nightmare as no one is buying them. I hear ok things about Audi at the moment though.

Anyway, didn't MB make any goodwill payments on your car? Alternatively suggest to the dealer that they might like to do you an excellent deal (with MBUK's help if necessary) to keep you as a customer. Worked for me with Audi a few years ago - see they're all as bad!

 

[hawk20]

Lot of sense in what you say, jberks. BMW shown as one of least reliable in US survey and depreciation is horrendous partly because most think they fell from the ugly tree hitting every branch on the way down. Audi is sort of OK if you can take the new-look front end, but the ride is like being in a brick lorry (see Clarkson and others on this).
I agree that the first the port of call should be to approach Mercedes via the dealer re goodwill. Second, to see if a fair and reasonable deal can be done to reflect the cost and trauma gone through. If all else fails ask if they will use their trade contacts to get best price from their network of contacts. That only costs them a few phone calls. But if you are going to change, part ex will get you the best deal.

Seems such a shame to sell up when you may have cured it all. I had a couple of years away from Mercedes after one bad one and the Honda CRV was amazingly reliable. But withdrawal symptoms brought me back since when I've had 6 years in different Mercs and all been good ones.

If you really need a couple of years respite after the trauma then sad to say all surveys suggest Japanese is your best bet for reliability. Lexus is a great car. Different, but credit where it's due.....

 

[dwrights]

To be fair, from what I hear, they aren't doing much better at the moment!
Banging it through the auction - where you're guaranteed to get a crap price?

I take on board what you are saying. It,s going through the auctions because I wouldn't want to enflict any more bad luck or misery on a potential buyer. I'm a firm believer in good Karma. I don't mind if a trader buys it,thats his trade but I couldn't sleep if I sold it privatly. It needs driving off a cliff or setting fire too.:-D

 

[jberks]

Actually, if you want revenge on MB, trade it in against another. That way, the dealer will sell it off their forecourt and instead of the poor mug who buys it off an innocent trader, or the trader if anything goes wrong in the first month, paying out for repairs, MB have the pleasure of honouring a shiny new 12 month signature warranty and if it's a real lemon, then possibly buying it back!

It probably won't give any trouble though. My dad recounts the story of selling my mums hopelessly unreliable MG. Each day she'd set off for work, it would get part way down the A61 and die. It became so reliably unreliable, friends used to schedule their leaving times so they could pick her up from the side of the road! Eventually he decided to sell it and held his breath as the poor mug who bought it trundled away, hoping he'd at least get beyond the end of the road.
A few months later they found themselves filling up at the same petrol station. The chap recognises him and comes across to my rather worried dad. The car is fantastic, starts first time, he's been everywhere in it! Go figure!

 

[hawk20]

jberks is right. Auction is the worst place. Lots of private people buy there and small traders who've done neither you nor Mercedes harm. Forget revenge. Sleep on it. Choose calmly the most sensible thing to do for you and yours. That is what matters.
But if you do want revenge - the dish that is best served cold- then a Merc dealer has to guarantee it, as jberks correctly says.

 

[dwrights]

Point taken gents. I shall shoe horn her into my local Mercedes dealer for a new ML. Let them sort out the crap heap.

I do feel better for the rant.:lol:

 

[hawk20]

Point taken gents. I shall shoe horn her into my local Mercedes dealer for a new ML. Let them sort out the crap heap.

I do feel better for the rant.:lol:

Good. Delighted you feel a bit better. I've been there and know what it's like. It really gets you down.
One good thing on a new car -3 years guarantee of no repair bills! AND if you decide to keep it longer Merc have now got a longer term service deal that appears to cover almost everything. I'm hoping someone will start a new thread on it so the technical experts can tell us if it's as good as it looks. The brochure is at dealers and is called "The Gold Standard. For Less" and provides service contracts for 3 to 6 year old cars.

Let us know if you get the ML and a good deal. Drove one recently. Wonderful ride. Great comfort. Loads of space.

 

[mioba]

now why dont you get a used ML say from 03 onwards, trade in your 320, and as part of the deal, although you will get one years warranty demand 2, give them all the emotional harp that your a loyal customer bla bla.
try lots of dealers, its surpriseing how much discretion they use in giving you a "good deal"

 

[hawk20]

Point taken gents. I shall shoe horn her into my local Mercedes dealer for a new ML. Let them sort out the crap heap.

I do feel better for the rant.:lol:

Let us know how you get on. I'd stick to the new model as it is such a step forward from the old one all experts seem to agree and certainly seemed it when I drove one. Secondly, given your recent problems new would be really nice for you. Of course, a nearly new demonstrator at a good price would be nice too and may be more economic. Good luck. Keep us posted