BravoEchoUniform
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- Jul 10, 2009
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Hi All,
2003 SL55 80k miles.
2 mths ago had front struts and ball joint replaced on Tier 2 approved used warranty. 5 weeks later "ABC Visit Workshop" & "ABC Drive Carefully lights" came on. At first occasionally but then couldn't drive more than 30 secs without one of these warnings.
Took it to dealer who did the warranty work. They diagnosed front valve block needs replacing at cost of £960 + similar amount for labour. I said no thanks and collected the car meaning to get the part replaced elsewhere.
That was 4 days and several hundred miles ago. ABC Warning hasn't come on since. There are no probs with the suspension. Height adjustment works, level doesn't drop when parked. No visible leaks. Sport and normal modes work fine, have given it a good testing out.
I have a couple of questions:
1) Could there have been an air bubble or similar that the rodeo test at the dealership sorted out?
2) Could there be some fluid contamination that the rodeo test has temporarily alleviated, but will cause probs later on?
3) Could the dealer have ironed out a problem due to lack of attention when they changed the struts a few weeks back, and then tried it on with getting £1800 of free money out of me on the offchance I am a sucker?
4) Am I best off leaving what appears to be well alone? Or should I get a fluid flush and filter to try to save my expensive valve block?
I have absolutely no faith whatsoever in Merc main dealers in general, and my local one in particular, having had 5 Mercs over 14 years, and plenty of estimates to fix work that didn't need doing, and attempts at billing me on services for jobs I never requested, so have learned to take their diagnoses with a pinch of salt and try to get it verified elsewhere.
Thanks for any insights.
2003 SL55 80k miles.
2 mths ago had front struts and ball joint replaced on Tier 2 approved used warranty. 5 weeks later "ABC Visit Workshop" & "ABC Drive Carefully lights" came on. At first occasionally but then couldn't drive more than 30 secs without one of these warnings.
Took it to dealer who did the warranty work. They diagnosed front valve block needs replacing at cost of £960 + similar amount for labour. I said no thanks and collected the car meaning to get the part replaced elsewhere.
That was 4 days and several hundred miles ago. ABC Warning hasn't come on since. There are no probs with the suspension. Height adjustment works, level doesn't drop when parked. No visible leaks. Sport and normal modes work fine, have given it a good testing out.
I have a couple of questions:
1) Could there have been an air bubble or similar that the rodeo test at the dealership sorted out?
2) Could there be some fluid contamination that the rodeo test has temporarily alleviated, but will cause probs later on?
3) Could the dealer have ironed out a problem due to lack of attention when they changed the struts a few weeks back, and then tried it on with getting £1800 of free money out of me on the offchance I am a sucker?
4) Am I best off leaving what appears to be well alone? Or should I get a fluid flush and filter to try to save my expensive valve block?
I have absolutely no faith whatsoever in Merc main dealers in general, and my local one in particular, having had 5 Mercs over 14 years, and plenty of estimates to fix work that didn't need doing, and attempts at billing me on services for jobs I never requested, so have learned to take their diagnoses with a pinch of salt and try to get it verified elsewhere.
Thanks for any insights.