Another faulty W213 GPS antenna

[Paul Sharrock]

Had my 2017 E class for 8 weeks and the Sat Nav was showing me in Germany near Munich after a short spell in the Irish sea. My Mercedes me app was showing the same, after looking at the information available on the internet I was convinced the fault was the Antenna.
I spoke to my local Mercedes garage Marshall's of Bolton and they told me before they replace the antenna they need to carry out a diagnostic check of £192 first. I also asked them to enable engineering mode on the vehicle as I will be fitting a tow bar shortly and I would be able to turn it on myself once fitted. Customer service was disgraceful, they offered me a courtesy car while my vehicle was being repaired, not much of a courtesy as they charged £33 for it. The refused to enable engineering mode and said once I fit the towbar come back and they will enable it but guess what £192. The total cost of replacing such a small item came to £449.40, the vehicle was only delivered in November 2017 but was registered in June 2017 so it is outside the 3 year warranty if you take the June date. The genuine Mercedes GPS antennas are available online for £60 and a little video on Utube on how to replace, so it is something easily replaced. As they say I have been caught with my trousers down and will avoid Marshall's of Bolton in the future. I went looking to purchase a new vehicle from them at the beginning of the year for my wife and the service then from sales was very poor, we went to the nearby land rover garage in the end and bought an Evoque.

 

[peterws1957]

Probably better if you had introduced yourself properly before launching into a diatribe against an MB dealer? Forums seem to be suffering nowadays from people who just join to complain about a supplier and then take offence when they don't get a pile of sympathetic responses.
Back to your problem then. Firstly I would have been tempted to dispute that the car was out of warranty given the November 2017 delivery date, but notwithstanding this, the problem has occurred so soon after the alleged expiry date I would have expected MB to cough up at the very least a contribution. I agree the cost was ludicrous for an antenna, but it's entirely in line with MB's pricing, which all MB owners are aware of. I take it you did your research online after coughing up the readies and not before?

 

[Paul Sharrock]

Probably better if you had introduced yourself properly before launching into a diatribe against an MB dealer? Forums seem to be suffering nowadays from people who just join to complain about a supplier and then take offence when they don't get a pile of sympathetic responses.
Back to your problem then. Firstly I would have been tempted to dispute that the car was out of warranty given the November 2017 delivery date, but notwithstanding this, the problem has occurred so soon after the alleged expiry date I would have expected MB to cough up at the very least a contribution. I agree the cost was ludicrous for an antenna, but it's entirely in line with MB's pricing, which all MB owners are aware of. I take it you did your research online after coughing up the readies and not before?

I did my research prior to coughing up the readies but the car was supposedly covered by a 3rd party warranty who told me the repair had to be carried out at a Mercedes main dealer. After the repair was carried out they refused to pay out saying Sat Navs are not covered. Please don't be so shallow with your comments about looking for sympathetic responses, I posted because the forum worked as it should and helped me to determine it was the GPS antenna faulty. As regards a diatribe against a Mercedes Benz dealer my last 4 cars have all been new VW Passats and I was really surprised that the dealer in question was so much inferior.

 

[M80]

A similar charge was made to replace the antenna on the Viano some time prior to my purchase.

A shame really as I don't see why a fackra adapter and a £5 eBay antenna wouldn't do the job. The eBay jobbo could be sited somewhere behind the dash, on the Viano it would be an easy 5 minute job to place it under the document tray.

I've a few of the antenna's if anyone needs one in future.

I guess MB wouldn't want to suggest an easy work around.
For around £7 the diagnosis would be carried out by the cheap replacement and finding if that works, or not.

 

[EmilysDad]

Bolton parts dept are OK though.

 

[EmilysDad]

Probably better if you had introduced yourself properly before launching into a diatribe against an MB dealer? Forums seem to be suffering nowadays from people who just join to complain about a supplier and then take offence when they don't get a pile of sympathetic responses.
Back to your problem then. Firstly I would have been tempted to dispute that the car was out of warranty given the November 2017 delivery date, but notwithstanding this, the problem has occurred so soon after the alleged expiry date I would have expected MB to cough up at the very least a contribution. I agree the cost was ludicrous for an antenna, but it's entirely in line with MB's pricing, which all MB owners are aware of. I take it you did your research online after coughing up the readies and not before?

I don't see Paul taking any offence .....
If you go back a few years you'll see that I also had 'dealings' with Bolton MB too .....

£200 just to take a look is taking the p! Years ago, I asked AN Other MB dealer for a quote to fit something for me. The service woman I spoke to just kept quoting their diagnostic fee .... I knew what needed fitting, I just wanted a quote. Needless to say the MB didn't get the job.

 

[sonic]

I have an excellent relationship with my local service manager. He even collects our cars for service & leave a loan car while the service is being done.
Needless to say any minor issues are sorted at no cost.

 

[peterws1957]

Bolton parts dept are OK though.

Strange how parts department at a dealership can be great and their service department rubbish. Blackpool parts are great, their service department couldn't even recognize that a CL65 was a Mercedes.
Agree that £200 to "take a look" is p taking, but it'll be an hour's standard diagnostic fee which MB dealers seem to charge whether it takes 5 minutes or otherwise. As M80 pointed out the dealer would have not suggested a cheap workround. The indie I sometimes use charges £40 if he has to diagnose, but he charges by the half hour for the resultant work.
In the op's position, I would have spent £60 and done the work myself, knowing how very unreliable third party warranties can be. Still think he was done over by the warranty expiry thing, but I'm always suspicious of someone who joins a forum solely to complain about a retailer of whatever type, particularly when it's deemed necessary to highlight the name of the company. Maybe just me then.

 

[Paul Sharrock]

I am sorry to have to respond again to Peter's post but he is a very assuming guy, I joined the Forum very soon after I bought my Mercedes, please take a moment to look at the date joined on my profile. This site has so far provided me with a lot of useful information of which I am very great full. Please don't accuse anyone of anything without evidence or maybe because you joined in 2016 and have many posts you consider yourself an unofficial moderator. Lets be friends please.

 

[peterws1957]

I am sorry to have to respond again to Peter's post but he is a very assuming guy, I joined the Forum very soon after I bought my Mercedes, please take a moment to look at the date joined on my profile. This site has so far provided me with a lot of useful information of which I am very great full. Please don't accuse anyone of anything without evidence or maybe because you joined in 2016 and have many posts you consider yourself an unofficial moderator. Lets be friends please.

Not assuming anything Paul and I don't consider myself anything other than another forum user. £60 or £450 - I know what I would have done. Quite happy to be friends

 

[jimbg]

If it a Fakra connector then I would put money on a £7 antennae working fine.

In the Land Rover world it is a common fix to use one and works well.

 

[M80]

I've gone the other way twice. The Chinese HU's are adapted to use the MB antenna's and work w/o issue. So t'other way round should be ok.

In fact even better than my suggestion is
GPS antenna for RNS-E BMW Audi VW Mercedes NTG Comand APS Vauxhall Opel Ku | eBay
Same type antenna but w/o need to adapt.

 

[jimbg]

I was being ripped off at £7 !!

 

[M80]

I was being ripped off at £7 !!

It happens a lot these days,
we all have to stay alert so as not to take a £1.97 shafting.

But on the other hand that £1.97 might have kept some one in work, for nearly a second.

 

[davyhoogy]

I think mine has just gone, was saying I was miles from where I was, held power button to reset and it now is in Germany and will not move. Also seems to have buggered up the speedlight on the heads up display which is weird as I thought the camera read those.
MB Just want me to pay diagnostics. I do have a warranty but I think its excluded, see following list of exclusions...

"Chassis, bodywork, interior and exterior trim, locks, catches, latches, glass, panoramic
sunroof, fabric roofs, tyres, batteries (including hybrid batteries), exhaust systems,
exhaust manifold, diesel particulate filters, catalytic converter, glow plugs, fuel tanks,
brake discs, brake drums, seized brake calipers, brake & clutch friction material, wiring
looms, road wheels, incorrect fuel, clearing of fuel lines, water ingress, injectors, oil
seals and gaskets (except head gasket), any sealing material or compound, satellite
navigation, in-car entertainment, head up display, tracker systems, carbon build up, core
plugs, heater elements, centralised locking pumps, car telephone, air bags, sensors,
software, software updates and / or adjustments, keys, key cards, remote fobs, all light
units, bulbs including gas filled, LED’s, Xenon starter units, air conditioning recharging,
anti-freeze, lubricants, filters, transmission fluids, external oil or fluid leaks, hoses
& pipes, hardware e.g. bolts and fixings, perishable rubber items, pulleys/dampers,
serviceable and ancillary items. Instrument gauges are covered only in the event of a
single gauge which can be replaced separately not as a cluster."


Pretty sh#t warranty if you ask me.
Think ill change it myself looking at others' costs.

 

[Paul Sharrock]

Good luck changing it yourself I should have done mine, I believe it is in the Passenger door mirror.

 

[davyhoogy]

Good luck changing it yourself I should have done mine, I believe it is in the Passenger door mirror.

I'll have a good look before I do it, I've read drivers side for UK markets. Left side in USA.
I've challenged the warranty so hopefully hear from them before I order the part

 

[masterfuji]

Hi gents. New to the forum. Its like the old saying. Long time listener, first time caller. Lol.

Glad to be here and love my W213. Would find it hard to change to any other car after this. Have it about 2 years. As with others above my car is now telling me I am in Germany. Can anyone confirm exactly where the GPS unit is. I popped the drivers mirror glass and didn't spot it easily. It may be on the rear of the mirror but said I would ask before I go kick further.

Not sure if there is a simple video out there on it. Also anyone know where to get the original antenna online. I don't mind paying more for the original antenna but won't be paying the money for fitting as should not have an issue doing it myself.

Thanks a million.

Eoin.

 

[davyhoogy]

I didnt try it in the end, car has decided it knows where it is after 5 days, no issues since. Didnt get a response from the warranty.... not very confidence inspiring

 

[Jeffdat]

Hi everyone, my gps is having the German syndrome, can anyone help me the link to the YouTube video so I can change the gps antenna. Thanks in advance