MB S500L electrics

[robertjrt]

My S500 2001, 50,000 miles has had its eletrics "fried", MB Chelsea want to charge me £6,500 for the repairs. The car was still under the "signature" warranty last November, MB said that as they did not "jump start" the car and burn out the "main fuse" it must have been me!

The question I am posing on this "thread" has any other member done the same and been able to drive the car after the "short out".

MB recovery drove my car on to a transporter last November and is still with them.

My solicitor, cost so far £5,000, has so far managed a "goodwill" payment, but, MB are refusing to pay my legal costs and give a warranty on the work undertaken.

A report by DEKA showa the car has had a re-spray while with them and every body panal has damage/ Nappa leather "scruffy" ect.

I am I being unresonable? Should I take my damaged car on their terms or
shall I continue to Court and ask for my money back?

Has any other member experenced a similar problem, and if so, what was the outcome?

Robertjrt

 

[television]

I do not think that the Short out bit can be applied to to different cars, with overload or short circuits, once one component goes down it normally protects the rest. What happened in the first place, did the car refuse to start and has any attempt been made by you tou start the car with an external device.

malcolm

 

[jberks]

MB clearly believe they have a case - and with these things there is often an aspect we don't know. I must admit, it seems hard to accept that even if you did jump start it, you could fry the electronics in this way, plus what electronics do they think you need for £6500? That would cover an ECU 2-3 times over. To blow the main fuse they are presumably implying that you plugged it into the mains! Seriously I would have thought that a faulty alternator regulator could have the same effect and it is reasonable for MB to have built in sufficient protection for such an event (Isn't this what the main fuse is for).
Also, are you saying that they've damaged and repaired the car whilst having it? And damaged the leather? Why would they?
At the very worst, they would have parked it in the corner of the yard, it clearly isn't driveable so its doubtful anyone would have been messing with it.
I'm happy to accept that the dealer service is poor and they are being intransigent, but the whole story sounds a bit much, even for the worst dealer.
What are we missing?
Finally, £5000 for a solicitor and all he's got you is a goodwill contribution? (which you could get yourself with a single phone call to MB HQ or your dealer principle - happens all the time) - I don't know about MB but someone is ripping you off!

 

[robertjrt]

My S500

I do not think that the Short out bit can be applied to to different cars, with overload or short circuits, once one component goes down it normally protects the rest. What happened in the first place, did the car refuse to start and has any attempt been made by you tou start the car with an external device.

malcolm

My car refused to start, it was as dead as a doornail, no power at all!

MB came out, "jump started" the car, blamed the mobile phone unit, recommended replacement.

The next time I went to use the car, same story, this time I drove the car to MB Wandsworth, two weeks later, car came back "fixed".

The next time I went to use it, same thing. This time I left the car, called recovery, and that was the begining of this problem.

MB said that I had "jump started" the car incorrectly and that all the cost of the repair had to be paid by myself.

They told my solicitor that they, MB, had asked if any of their staff had started the car and caused the damage and as they had not, therefore it must have been his client and that I was lying.

According to the reports from the engine download(?) there has been a massive power surge and "fried" everything.

Are you able to give an opinion as to what could have happened, and why?

I am told the Main fuse melted!

The recovery people drove the car from its parking place to the recovery truck, if it worked then, "its only a flat battery" was the comment, what could have happened?

 

[robertjrt]

No start

To Television


The first (of three) time the car had no power, none, no lights, ignition, nothing.

I called MB, the men came, used a battery pack, it started pronto, was told it was a "leak" from the mobile phone cradel, leave the phone out, take the car for a drive, all will be well!

Then the next time I went to use it, ditto, back to Chelsea, car back two weeks later, went to use it for the first time since it was returned to me after extensive repair and Ditto, recovered to Chelsea by their representative company.

When I phoned MB Chelsea after the frist no-start to ask for a replacement cradel, my request was rebuffed, therefore when they started blaming me for the damage, "you melted the main fuse" I knew I would need legal advice.

This little drama has been going on since last November.

The reason I posted this thread is to find out, and comformation off, If the "main fuse" was burnt out, how did the recovery driver drive the car onto the truck?

Any ideas?

At no time did I even think about "jump" starting the car, I had only driven it 1500 miles and I had a 12 month warrany on the car.

What I need now is a really good barrister, someone who can fight my case
in court, preferably who has taken on MB before, and won.

I won't go on about the body/interior damage to my car, which includes a respray down the whole of the R/H side!

I have had a full report done by DEKRA which includes the fact that my spare wheel has changed shape, size and make, I cannot remember a "space saving"
spare in my S500L? The report does not make pleasant reading.


Robertjrt

 

[aazapf]

Fried Electrics

Hi R,

I have a 2001 S500 with 40k on it.

I've never heard of anything like this happening before. The fuse should protect all of the electrics. From the sound of it, the maintenance / service may have tried to jump start the car. They are extremely complicated vehicles and if you have someone who doesn't know MB S class vehicles, they could have screwed up. To melt a fuse completely and allow a voltage to transmit to the rest of the vehicle sounds like more than 12volts was used.

As much as I sympathise with you and believe you could have a case, I'd be careful about pumping too much money into this. 5k for legal and 6.5k for repairs seems a bit steep. You can buy S500 2001 models in autotrader for around 15k now. Proving that the service guys screwed up is also going to be difficult, regardless of who is right in this matter.
See if you can find a case that sets precedent.
I'm sure there is something out there.
Cheers
A.

 

[psr]

If it can be proven that you caused the damage to the car, surely you can claim this against your own vehicle insurance. I once destroyed the navigation screen in by getting Windolene on it and my insurers paid out without a problem.

 

[robertjrt]

I do not think that the Short out bit can be applied to to different cars, with overload or short circuits, once one component goes down it normally protects the rest. What happened in the first place, did the car refuse to start and has any attempt been made by you tou start the car with an external device.

malcolm

Was it that long ago!!

 

[turbopete]

certainly was! what was the outcome?

 

[robertjrt]

certainly was! what was the outcome?

Its still ongoing! But, its OK, Mercedes-Benz tell me that as the car has not done any mileage, it has only deprecated by £1,000.

 

[barry jones]

I have an S500L in pieces in my unit. If you need any wiring looms or bits, let me know

Baz

 

[turbopete]

crikey! almost 3 yrs and still ongoing.............