Engine management warning lamp on

[bernieg]

Hi everybody,

I've got a 2001 SLK230.

Back in November 2008, my engine warning lamp came on which resulted in me having the engine loom, O2 sensor, part of the alternator replaced due to oil leaking into the loom. The new loom is a modified version which hopefully will prevent this problem happening again.

I drove the car last Sat (31st Jan) and everything was fine. Due to the very severe weather in the South East I did not drive it on Mon/Tues. When I started the engine up on Wed morning, lo and behold I've got the engine management lamp on. I rang my regular mercedes specialist in West London (who carried out the work before Christmas) who said the car was safe to drive and that I should bring it down to them so they can have a look at the log using their system checker laptop, and advise on what triggered it.

Any ideas as to what this could be, given the cold weather and the above work already having been done before Christmas?

By the way, before Christmas they tried to in their final bill slap on an extra £60 as a diagnostic charge for connecting their checker to the car. I stood my ground, and said that I would not pay that charge. How do other people feel about this aspect?

Thanks in advance.



bern

 

[television]

I have bought test gear over the years when I was doing top end Hi Fi at a cost over over £25k to restore the items to factory spec, my hourly rate includes that test gear, it has to, I cannot and would charge for using this or that, its all a package.

Its the same with STAR, if he did not have it, then he could not do the repairs. Had you just driven in and asked for a read out, that would different, but you had the work done there, £60 is expensive to read out what he did,,most do it for £30 or less.

Imagine buying a new tyre and they charge you for the use of the jack and tyre machine.

 

[turbopete]

im with malcolm on this bern. when i was working in garages, my boss couldnt charge extra just because the fault required use of a diagnostic machine! luckily i keep him sweet giving him any trade i cant do myself (mot's etc) and he usually just let me go to the workshop and borrow his machine on site! im thinking of buying a laptop and the diagnostic kit for at least my own car. does anyone know if theyre any good? apparently the discs can be bought on ebay for about 30quid. if its true, maybe buying a laptop and the discs is cheaper than the diagnostic tool charge long term?