W205 engine light fault. NEWBIE on Forum

[johncoops70]

Hi all,
I have recently bought a brand new Mercedes C Class 250D AMG_line Night Edition. This is my first Mercedes which I'm loving very much, but I am experiencing the orange engine management light coming on.

The car has only done 2500 miles with first engine lamp fault coming on under 1200 miles.

Faults experienced as follows:-

1. Orange engine management light comes on
2. Reduced power from engine (limp home mode)
3. Manual paddles stop working
4. Limp home mode makes auto gear change happen at a higher RPM
5. Engine light will reset itself after 4 or 5 engine restarts
6. Once engine is at normal running temperature the fault doesn't appear

I have noticed that this fault normally happens when:-

1. Soon after cold starting and engine will sound quite lumpy and on occasions it has stalled for no apparent reason directly after start up.
2. My wife has noticed on occasions that when starting the car it will crank for much longer.
2. Engine light can come on a few minutes after start up when putting a bit power down.

The car has been back to dealership 3 times now.
The second visit the dealership updated to software which they thought would solve the problem.
On the last visit the fault was diagnosed to a faulty "Quantity Control Valve"
It is booked in again to go back tomorrow.

I believe the fault/issue is related to fuel management control system. It all most seems that when the car is left for a matter of hours or overnight the fuel rail has drained back to fuel tank causing ECU to think there is lack of fuel or pressure in a given time; hence the engine light comes on.

Its such a shame to be having faults like this so early on, unfortunately it is beginning dampen and cast a dark shadow on what should be a wonderful and exhilarating experience.

I was just wondering if anyone else has had similar issues with engine light coming on and if their symptoms have been similar to what I have experienced. It would be great to hear any news from others who may be able to shed some light onto this fault or even a solution.

I look forward to hearing from the you all.

 

[ernieh]

Sorry to hear that you're having such problems with your new car...and welcome to the forum.

The problems you are having are more common in an older car, due to air leaks in the fuel system and fuel run back, but I haven't noticed many like that on here on new cars.

However, after 3 visits to the dealership, I would be making noises about rejecting the car as 3 attempts at a repair is definitely a fair crack at the whip; I also hope they are giving you an equivalent courtesy car in the meantime. When you take it in next, I suggest you tell them to keep it till it is fixed, and you will keep their courtesy car as long as you need it. At the same time be firm that a £35k car needs to be 'fit for purpose' and you will be rejecting it for a full refund if there are any more problems.

I'm sure that once it is running properly, you will enjoy it to the full.

Ernie

 

[John Laidlaw]

With Ernie in this one - rejection time looming sounds like a rogue, similarly sounds like your dealer is clueless !

 

[television]

What dealer is it in Dorset.

 

[malcolm E53 AMG]

A difficult one as you don't really know whether the car has been fixed when you leave the dealers with it.

As above they have had three attempts to fix the car consequently as you like the car I would ask for a replacement due to having no confidence in the vehicle.

Hope you get a speedy resolution!

 

[JBell]

With Ernie in this one - rejection time looming sounds like a rogue, similarly sounds like your dealer is clueless !

Ditto

 

[johncoops70]

Good morning all,
Thanks for all your comments

I can confirm that the car is now back at the dealership.
Whilst driving down there the engine light came on again which is ironic; still i carried on driving down there in "limp home mode" as I thought that may be this time there would be a different code written to ECU.

Upon arrival at dealership I left car running a requested that a technician come out and drive possibly with laptop. He took it for a drive with me and agreed that it was in limp home mode and was basically flat as a pancake but this is what Limp home does. We came back and I left it with him to plug into diagnostics whilst I went and sorted loan car out.

I met up with the one of the Service Manager and discussed the fault and basically told him that I was pretty much ready to hand back the keys; for which he did understand my position and gave info to start the ball rolling if that's what I wanted to do. Despite this he was confident that he could resolve the problem given the chance. I said that I was losing confidence with the car and felt that the whole issue scenario was now making the entire ownership of the car go very sour very quickly.
I signed the necessary docs for loan car then proceeded into the showroom to speak to one of the sales team about my experiences so far.

I sat down with one of the Sales Managers to discuss problems we have experienced over the last couple of months and how disappointed we were with all the running around we have done to try and get it resolved and that I was ready to reject the car and hand back the keys; he was most apologetic regarding this and wants me to rest assure that he will do a full investigation with the workshop to see why the problem hasn't been able to be sorted. We discussed the issues a little more and the bottom line is they are wanting to put the sparkle of owning a Mercedes back into our eyes and will do their best to put confidence back in the brand to us; which is were it should be right now.
It was left that the Service Manager would report back to me tomorrow and give me a full update of the situation and options.

On the whole the entire Dealership experience has been second to none, we have always been met and greeted with a coffee during the buying process where the car basically sold itself to us. The communications to Service dept have been good although I reckon the Service and Sales Departments need to communicate to each other more as I don't think Sales are kept up to date so well with their NEW customers.

Enough for now, I drove away still feeling a bit sour about everything, but hey on the plus side the E220 Amg-Line is a very very nice car to drive.

 

[Rory]

...although I reckon the Service and Sales Departments need to communicate to each other more as I don't think Sales are kept up to date so well with their NEW customers.

They don't normally talk to each other at all, and I'm surprised sales are even getting involved in your current issue. Your dealer is at least trying to sound helpful, which is unusual.

 

[John Laidlaw]

They don't normally talk to each other at all, and I'm surprised sales are even getting involved in your current issue. Your dealer is at least trying to sound helpful, which is unusual.

Agreed and it's nice to hear a dealership trying to make amends and equally nice that the OP is recognising that ....

 

[johncoops70]

UPDATE of fault

Good evening all,

I thought I'd give you all an update on the situation regarding my new C250d AMGline

I can confirm that the dealer ended up replacing the following parts:-

• Commonrail complete with all sensors
• High pressure fuel pump
• brand new set of injectors

They had the car 3 weeks and were not able to hand back to me until a full diagnostics had been carried out and reported to MB Germany. Once Germany had gone through with a fine tooth-comb they advised the dealer to put a new set of injectors in as pressures recorded although within spec were felt to be slightly low.
I collected car on the 9th December after 3 weeks and took the car away.
I had told the dealership how disappointed I was and they said drive it for two weeks and call back to confirm all is fine with the car and then we would talk about some form of compensation or sweetner.

Well the car drove well and I was so busy with work I forgot to call them back until last Wednesday; I reported the car was good to drive and that it seemed to have much more performance than before

I believe that phone call to be the kiss of death as last Saturday morning the car started then promptly stopped, I started it again and it seemed fine for the rest of the day; but on Monday 16th January it sounded all lumpy on start up and within the first half mile the engine light reappeared.
As you can imagine I was fairly p..sed off.

I rang MB dealer up and they arranged courtesy car and I dropped off car with them.
I demanded to see the Service Manager who couldn't believe it as we had only just spoken a few days before. I told them that I wanted to know what my consumer rights were as I told them on the previous occasion that that was the last chance of getting it sorted.
I left feeling pretty hacked off with the entire situation and drove home.

I took a call from MB dealer today who said that the injectors that had been installed on the previous time which apparently need to be coded to ECU had changed back to previous coding all by itself. They checked out coding against previous visit and sure enough it had reverted back.
They have put the correct codes for the injectors back into ECU and will test drive again tomorrow.

I have lost all confidence with this car and I am in the dilemma of having to either hand the car back or give them yet another chance to get it mended.
Lets bear in mind that the previous repair which I thought had sorted it failed in less than 800miles. The car has only done 3400miles from NEW of which 20% of those are a combination of driving to and from dealership and test drives. It works out they have had the car at the dealership a total of nearly 7 weeks out of the 20 weeks I've owned it !!!!

Really not sure what to do but have been informed that I would have to put in a complaint to the Principle of MB UK.
I guess my choices are either let them mend it again.
Jump up and down and demand a replacement !!
Demand a complete refund of all investment costs an walk away from the MB Brand altogether.

The trouble is I do like the car and its much better looking than some of its rivals.

This is going to be a hard one sort .

What do you guys reckon and let me know your thoughts.

Cheers

John

 

[JBell]

Ask for a new car

 

[Craiglxviii]

They don't normally talk to each other at all, and I'm surprised sales are even getting involved in your current issue. Your dealer is at least trying to sound helpful, which is unusual.

Are you sure you're using a Mercedes dealership? It sounds like you've gone to a Kia one by mistake

 

[Craiglxviii]

Right, being serious it sounds as though you have a bad example of the car. I have its bigger brother with the 220 engine (same lump, different turbo) and it's an absolute peach- deliverer mileage only when I got it. They're really nice cars across the board in general and very rare to hear of this sort of issue.

I strongly suggest you hand the keys back and demand a replacement car. They will try to haggle on the £££ front, your flexibility should hit the wall of 7 weeks usage out of the 20 weeks you've had it (or whatever that fraction works out to be). That's the line the courts will take most likely if it should go that far, MB will know that and try to push past it so you should know that and try not to let it get that far.

Just to be clear- you were sold a vehicle demonstrably not fit for purpose, you gave multiple chances for the dealership to fix the problem beyond what would be considered reasonable, they were unable to do so to the point where you have no confidence in the reliability of the car.

It seems as though you have been shown excellent customer service so far which is a good sign, let's all hope that if you pursue this course of action that will continue and they help you out to a new car. It is encouraging that MB Techno got involved as the dealership evidently have a clear route to reject the car back to the factory (so they won't lose out on their transfer purchase price)- that should work in your favour to get a replacement.

 

[ernieh]

Difficult one! They need to find out what caused the codes to revert otherwise it's going to happen again. Just resetting them isn't going to give you confidence to continue with the car.

Problem is you like it, so personally I would give them another chance,, provided they can give you the assurances you need, perhaps with an extended warranty on the fuel system and service contract.

Ultimately, though it's your call, but whatever I hope you get it sorted to your satisfaction.


Ernie

 

[Andy.M]

Difficult one.

Once repaired - again - would you have the confidence, say to take a euro driving holiday in it?

Rejecting it for a replacement now would cost you less than in another 20 weeks of ownership and (hopefully) you'll have a car you love and trust.

 

[SL63 Mark]

What a nuisance, I do feel sorry for the OP who has done everything he can to achieve a good resolution.

My gut feel is to press for a replacement car from MB, I would want one with a bit more "bling", maybe a V8. Nothing to lose by doing that.

 

[V6Matty]

I think OP is now in a position to reject the car but have the dealer source a replacement with a few more toys and some free servicing

 

[Craiglxviii]

I think OP is now in a position to reject the car but have the dealer source a replacement with a few more toys and some free servicing

Or a 350 engine

 

[JBell]

Or a 350 engine

Not available, the C350 is a hybrid

 

[johncoops70]

Good afternoon all,
Thanks for the comments.

I have been given several E220's as courtesy cars and like them very much.
All have gone very well and with the 9speed auto box seems much quicker that the C250. I also noticed the "gliding mode" when in ECO is a great feature and works seamlessly; it's a shame the C Class don't have that on the 7speed Diesels.
I do like very the widescreen cockpit dash layout. I don't like the piano gloss black centre console, my preference would be that should have been in a black ash but I don't see that as an option on the configurator.

May be I push for a E350 AMG-line Estate although I think that the C250 AMGline looks just that little bit more aggressive.

I am still waiting to hear back from Dealership.

Keep you posted

John