Advice please

[Ryann]

Hello,

My cluster just went the other day. It just went while I was driving. I took a Mercedes Service Station. I also knew my brake pads were wearing down as I got a warning signal two weeks ago.I posted it on this forum. However, the service station said that my disks were 99% worn and below the legal limit. I thought the just the pads were gone. I don't really know should I trust Mercedes Service Centre when they say this? Would you?

So far, fixing the above has cost my close to £2K.

Secondly, since sending the car to them, they have also said that my SRS warning sign comes up. Since getting the car back from them my parking sensors are playing up. My parking sensors were absolutely perfect before. I don't trust garages much and I was hoping the Mercedes Service Centre would be a lot better. Does anyone have any advice about what I should do?

 

[television]

The brake disc should be measured for wear, and the minimum thickness is stamped on the center of the disc, did they measure them with the correct gauge or was it just a visual observation.

Have you seen the SRS lamp on while you were driving the car before it went in.

The parking sensors, what are they doing wrong, and what is the car

 

[Ryann]

Thanks for your reply.

I don't know if they measured them or not. I was hoping it being a Mercedes Benz Service Centre, they would do things the right way. I am just very surprised that the disks and pads have both gone.

Secondly, SRS never came on before.

The parking sensors know start going off when I am cars are quite far away.

 

[eGuru]

Regarding the cluster, there was a recall on these a couple of years ago. Had mine replaced under recall at no cost to me. When I first started the car after cluster replacement, the SRS light stayed on. I told the garage about it and they fixed while I waited.
Have a look at the sticky at the top of this section.

 

[Ryann]

Thanks eGuru,

I am surprised that Mercedes Service Centre did not tell me about this. I have had the Cluster changed and Brake Pads and Disks (based on their advise) at a cost close to £2,000. Do you think there is any chance that I will Mercedes will compensate me. If so, do I contact Mercedes direct in the UK.

Also, my command audio info is not being displayed on my cluster/dashboard anymore, and my TV is not working - this is all after getting it back from Mercedes Benz Service Centre.

 

[eGuru]

Thanks eGuru,

I am surprised that Mercedes Service Centre did not tell me about this. I have had the Cluster changed and Brake Pads and Disks (based on their advise) at a cost close to £2,000. Do you think there is any chance that I will Mercedes will compensate me. If so, do I contact Mercedes direct in the UK.

Also, my command audio info is not being displayed on my cluster/dashboard anymore, and my TV is not working - this is all after getting it back from Mercedes Benz Service Centre.

MB messed up a lot of my settings when the cluster was replaced. They are meant to download all the settings before removing the old cluster. After replacement the original settings are reinstated. I discovered after a long time that even the alarm had not been activated! I suggest you go back and ask them to make sure that everything is working as it should be.

I know at least one other member who was refused a replacement cluster. It seems there were batches that were identified as faulty and the owners were informed. Why not ask another dealer to look up the VIN to see if your car is affected?

 

[MB TECH WARRINGTON]

Thanks eGuru,

I am surprised that Mercedes Service Centre did not tell me about this. I have had the Cluster changed and Brake Pads and Disks (based on their advise) at a cost close to £2,000. Do you think there is any chance that I will Mercedes will compensate me. If so, do I contact Mercedes direct in the UK.

Also, my command audio info is not being displayed on my cluster/dashboard anymore, and my TV is not working - this is all after getting it back from Mercedes Benz Service Centre.

1. the clusters are repairable for about 500 with guarantee

2. get a second opinion on discs as ive seen a lot of STEALERS quoting discs when discs are fine

 

[Ryann]

I just get a bad feeling that the disks were fine. However, I fell for a classic case of trusting Mercedes and fear technique used by some sales people. My brakes were not even squeeking. I had a bad opinion of garages anyway, and I was expecting so much more from a Mercedes Service Centre. I would have expected all of a back street garage.

I am very angry at my self for falling for it and secondly at them for doing a bad quality work.

If anyone knows the contact number for Mercedes regarding warranty or recall can they please let me know as I want to speak to them about the cluster, although I have had it fixed now.

 

[eGuru]

PM me your email address and I will send you the details.

 

[Ryann]

I spoke to Mercedes Customer Service and they have told me that my car is not eligible on the recall of cluster issue. To add to this, I had to spend 2 hours at Mercedes Service Centre this morning explaining that those faults did not exist before I handed the car to them.

I getting fed up with all this. I expected more from Mercedes. I am now going seriously consider selling it and changes make/model.

 

[jberks]

I getting fed up with all this. I expected more from Mercedes. I am now going seriously consider selling it and changes make/model.

Persevere - its still an unbeatable car.
Too late now but as MB Tech said, they are repairable - though I thought it was less than £500 - more like £250 but he knows better than me. I suspect it was just the cold cathode bulb that went - easily replaced.
Yes they messed up the repair, but don't get mad, get even. Use their shoddy workmanship to get a really good deal on your next service.
As far as the discs go, it may be a fiddle but it could equally be legitamate. There will be no obvious symptoms of worn disks and since they banned asbestos from brake pads, disks do wear a lot more than they used to. In the old days I never replaced a disk, even on a 150,000 miler. These days in my experience, disks last around 2 sets of pads, no more - so around 40-60,000 miles. So it might be right.

 

[Ryann]

Thanks J,

I know it's a superb car. That's why it's hard letting it go.

I have paid Merc Service Centre and had the cluster and brake disks and pads replaced. They need to do the job right, with regards to the few issues that were not there before and NOT charge me for it. I didn't appreciate having to spend so much time convincing them that those issues were not there before.

I'd hate to sell it after spending around £1700 pounds on cluster and 4 disks and 4 pads.

 

[Ryann]

Thanks eGuru, for all your help on this. I got your email.

 

[jberks]

Mine came back from its service last night. "Needs 4 x disks and pads Sir"!
I said I'd wait for the light to come on but looking at the inspection sheet, whilst the disks are "down to minimum thickness", the pads are "40-50%" (not sure if the 40% is worn or left - anyone know?). Anyway - the way I see it, I have 40-50% of the pads left and whilst the disks may be past their best, I am assuming that the they will see the pads out - minimum thickness or not. I have no trips to the Nurburgring planned so I simply need normal 30-0 and the occasional 80-0 stopping power.

Anyone know how much leway there is on the disk at minimum thickness? Clearly when the pads do get lower I will change the lot but I'm reluctant to throw half worn pads away unnecesarily. Am I being daft/dangerous waiting for the pads to wear out before replacing the lot or, as I am assuming, are we dealing with the usual "technically its worn out but the leway is huge and they're well within safe limits yet" situation

The 2 bald tyres on the other hand, I won't be leaving....

 

[television]

On the 211 re the pads.
New pads 17mm thick, wear limit MB say is at 11mm, service limit at 6mm and lamps come on at 2mm

The disc.

New for a 211029 car 32mm, wear limit 30mm and service replacement at 30.5.

So you would appear to be OK as they have said the service limit, and you still have 25% left.


I would have let you borrow a micrometer but it has gone from the face of this earth, a normal caliper cant be used because of the lip


I cant recall a disc fracture in my whole time anywhere on forums

 

[television]

Just comming back here as this post by Jberks has answered many questions asked on the forum.

How many times have we read "MB want to replace my pads and or disc"

MB have different standards or views on this than us.

If the pads come with 17mm and MB want to change them when worn down to 11mm, we all here think that this is a little premature as the warning lamps turn on at 2mm.

The same goes for the disc, where MB want to change them when 3/4 worn and on many models there is some 10k miles or more left, certainly enough to get the car to the next service.

Care must be taken when replacing the disc on a 211 as the there are 3 differences in thickness from new, and they are VIN dependent.


I am pleased that I have looked at all this and it explains so many complaints that we get here.

Thank you Jberks for posting and opening up this subject

 

[dbmoylan]

I'm located in the U.S. & understand this may be a UK forum. In U.S. there's a toll free no. to report problems w/ a dealer & the factory rep. will oversee their performance/open a separate case no.

You might want to start talking w/ the factory's rep. for your area that oversees the dealer you're having a problem w/.

 

[television]

I'm located in the U.S. & understand this may be a UK forum. In U.S. there's a toll free no. to report problems w/ a dealer & the factory rep. will oversee their performance/open a separate case no.

You might want to start talking w/ the factory's rep. for your area that oversees the dealer you're having a problem w/.

Wel with what I found out, they are working to rules laid down by MB,, I still cant believe that they want to change a 17mm thick brake pad when it is less than half worn at 11mm, when it is still good right down to the end of its life at 2mm

 

[jberks]

Wel with what I found out, they are working to rules laid down by MB,, I still cant believe that they want to change a 17mm thick brake pad when it is less than half worn at 11mm, when it is still good right down to the end of its life at 2mm

Absolutely Malc, I have no argument with the dealer. They have to have laid down limits which give sufficient headroom to get you safely to the next service. If they didn't, we'd be flooded with complaints that the car had 'just' been serviced and now the brakes have 'failed'..." What the hell did they do for £300?" etc.
Judging brakes when the wear will vary greatly on the driver and use must be a nightmare. In my case, I am covering 75/25 motorway/town miles a day at the moment so for 90 of every 100 miles the brakes aren't being used. Hence chances are they will last up to and possibly beyond the next service. If i was commuting in London style traffic they'd probably not see half of that and put the light on, well before the service is due. To be fair, it's impossible for them to judge, but thats fine, I can do it for them.
They also quoted around £400. I suspect the parts are around £150 all in? so unless business improves dramatically, I'll probably be getting my spanners out and tapping Malcolm for a work sheet ;-)

 

[television]

Thanks for the above reply, and once again you show the side of things that I never think of