C180 issues?

[lreeves]

we have a C180 kompressor that is 3years and 2mths old, and after being in the garage for 2weeks (so far) we are being quoted with a potential bill of £3,500 for repairs. The fault is the 'valves not closing properly on cylinder head 1'!

For any 3 year and 2mth old car with 36,000 miles, full dealer service history etc I find this surprising....anyone else had similar problems? or better still, anyone know/had any luck with Mercedes Benz or the dealer refunding part or all?

thanks in advance

 

[Micman]

That sounds very worrying!!

You say the car is 3 years and 2 months old, if you've been keeping it serviced by Mercedes dealer and the car is only 2 months outside of it's warranty I would create with the dealer - a car of that age shouldn't have a problem like that, push for that to be repaired under warranty.

 

[lreeves]

i agree, very worrying and thanks for the reply. Are there any formal procedures or just old fashioned pressure?

 

[jberks]

Agreed - Insist that it's taken up with MB. I would be expecting MB to pick up the whole cost given that it's only 2 months out of warranty. It is wholly unnaceptable for the head to fail at 36k. It is actually unaaceptable for this fault to occur at 136k! Also, call MBUK customer services and get a complaint number. If you get nowhere, insist that this is escalated to someone senior etc. Just don't let go. This is clearly a manufacturing or maintenance fault and in either case, MB's responsibility. Unless you've been racing it, or ignoring warning lights, there is nothing you could have done to cause this.
Also, from memory, there is a known manufacturing fault on the 4 cylinder heads. Not sure if this affects your engine but the manufacturing date would be about right (03). Unfortunately I don't have the details.

In the worst case, if they don't pay up, then pull the car out of the dealer and give it to an indie. I would have thought that the head could be repaired for a fraction of what they are quoting. The dealers rarely repair anything these days, preferring to replace with shiny new (and expensive) replacements. Fine if the warranty is paying but not if you are. There are almost always cheaper alternatives. E.g. MAS sensor £250 from the dealer. Internal components (the bits that fail) £35 from a Bosch outlet.(though you would need to spend an extra 10 mins with a screwdriver!).

My story on this is when my engine failed in my old Ford. A friend worked at the Ford dealer and sourced me one. He told me it had a warped head but would fix up. I paid £200 for the head to be removed, reconned and refitted and had a perfect replacement engine installed in my car. It turned out that a customer had brought their car in to the dealer having overheated it, the dealer had declared the engine dead and replaced it, costing the customer over £1000. Don't be that customer!

 

[lreeves]

thanks for this, I will chase MB and will keep you informed....very much appreciated. Unfortunately car cannot be driven away from the dealer so dont have the indie option!

 

[OmniCognateNeutronRangler]

I would suggest if you get no immediate joy get the indie to come and pick the car up on a truck and take it away from the dealer - maybe inform someone from the motoring press first so they can be there to take pictures. Possibly contact someone like Top Gear and see if they can get a TV crew there whilst the Indie takes the car away. Not good publicity for MB.


btw, who is the dealer?

 

[jberks]

As above, there is always a tow truck. Show the dealer the same loyalty that they show you!

 

[lreeves]

i bought the car through Jacksons in Poole and the car has been serviced through Mercedes Benz in Chelsea

 

[OmniCognateNeutronRangler]

Thanks for that. Whoch one current has it and says it isn't covered? I guess the Chelsea one. Anyone else had trouble with this branch?

 

[kth286]

Ireeves

What was the original problem that caused the dealer to diagnose "a faulty valve closing on cylinder number one" ????????????

Regards