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W213: Problems


swissfondue

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I have decided to start this topic to share experience with problems I've encountered so far and hopefully will help W213 owners here.

1) A week after taking delivery, I noticed that the ambient lighting surrounding my widescreen panel is faulty (segment of it wasn't lighting up). I reported it the second week after delivery and C&C replaced the widescreen only earlier this week, after almost 4 months! Why it took C&C so long is a story for another day.  Then I noticed that they did not unpack the widescreen properly and left lots of glue and plastic wrapping on the widescreen that is difficult to remove. Took it in again yesterday for them to clean up.

2) Side foot well panel wasn't afixed properly, came apart. Took it in and C&C blamed it on the dash camera man's workmanship.

3) This morning, I just noticed that the steering column adjustment did not function.

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Now, to tell the story of the ambient light failure ...

When I first took the car in to report the problem, the SA handling (I was told later she was a relative newbie) did a check, took photos and told me it was a problem she has not encountered before (of course, since W213 is new) and she had to check with her technicians.

Later that day she called me and said the technician told her that the next time I come in for service (which would be a long way to go), they will do a software update and should solve the problem. I blew my top because I'm an engineer (and a rather good one :)) and I know that this is a hardware fault that cannot be solved by a software update. I told her to order the parts for me for a replacement. She said she will get back to me. 

2-3 weeks past and I did not hear from her. So I called and was told that parts were ordered and they are also arranging a courtesy car for me during repair. Another month past and no one called me. So I called and this time was told that still no courtesy car. I told them they don't have to wait for an E-class courtesy car, S car can do too since it is their fault. My SE's reply angered me. She said cannot because different class. The more I think the more I got fed up because it was alright for their customer to wait and suffer but not alright to pamper their customer. At the same time I also found out that they had in fact not ordered the parts, and was using the courtesy car arrangement as an excuse to delay. 

I threatened to write to MB SEA's MD and invoke my rights under the lemon law that C&C had failed to make good a problem since delivery. That's when everything at least started to move. I got a call from their service manager and I told him the whole story with timeline to prove. He apologized and ordered the parts immediately. But no parts were available in the Singapore warehouse (Singapore has the largest MB parts warehouse in Asia) so they had to order it from Germany. This took another 2-3 weeks.

Finally they solved the ambient light problem earlier this week but with a W212 courtesy car, not W213.

C&C doesn't seem to want to go an extra mile for their customers.

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C&C just resolved the steering column adjustment failure problem for me.

Reason they gave was sometimes it gets "hang" and "stuck" (their exact words). When I asked how they reset it (because I tried on/off the system and still it did not work) just in case I encounter the problem again, the SA said he didn't know and had to check with the technicians and get back to me.

I'm still waiting for his reply.

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2 minutes ago, Merc Fan said:

Why so many problems with such a great car! :(

I wonder do the problems you encountered are just pertaining to your car or does it affect other E class Mercs as well? 

That's why I started this thread to see what other problems W213 owners encounter.

Some software bugs are obvious (well covered in the MBWorld forum) that result in bad Apple CarPlay integration. Garmin map also has navigation problems in the US. 

Our Garmin map for SEA is outdated, but C&C doesn't have the latest map yet for a refresh.

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On 7/28/2017 at 9:15 AM, swissfondue said:

Now, to tell the story of the ambient light failure ...

When I first took the car in to report the problem, the SA handling (I was told later she was a relative newbie) did a check, took photos and told me it was a problem she has not encountered before (of course, since W213 is new) and she had to check with her technicians.

Later that day she called me and said the technician told her that the next time I come in for service (which would be a long way to go), they will do a software update and should solve the problem. I blew my top because I'm an engineer (and a rather good one :)) and I know that this is a hardware fault that cannot be solved by a software update. I told her to order the parts for me for a replacement. She said she will get back to me. 

2-3 weeks past and I did not hear from her. So I called and was told that parts were ordered and they are also arranging a courtesy car for me during repair. Another month past and no one called me. So I called and this time was told that still no courtesy car. I told them they don't have to wait for an E-class courtesy car, S car can do too since it is their fault. My SE's reply angered me. She said cannot because different class. The more I think the more I got fed up because it was alright for their customer to wait and suffer but not alright to pamper their customer. At the same time I also found out that they had in fact not ordered the parts, and was using the courtesy car arrangement as an excuse to delay. 

I threatened to write to MB SEA's MD and invoke my rights under the lemon law that C&C had failed to make good a problem since delivery. That's when everything at least started to move. I got a call from their service manager and I told him the whole story with timeline to prove. He apologized and ordered the parts immediately. But no parts were available in the Singapore warehouse (Singapore has the largest MB parts warehouse in Asia) so they had to order it from Germany. This took another 2-3 weeks.

Finally they solved the ambient light problem earlier this week but with a W212 courtesy car, not W213.

C&C doesn't seem to want to go an extra mile for their customers.

Bro swissfondue, you electrical? Hehe...

M & e industry?

 

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Another problem I find frustrating with C&C is that while in their newsletters to us, they always remind us to use original parts for our cars, it has been impossible to order parts through them. I wanted to order an original W213 boot lid spoiler. SE told me cannot. Wanted to order 19" rims. SE told me cannot. Want to order badges. SE told me cannot. Everything cannot. She even told me to go outside and buy!

Latest episode is recently, I noticed that the black central console cover has many tiny scratches (they scratch very easily) and am contemplating changing to an open pore ash one, which seems to be more resistant to scratches. Asked the SA whether can order. First, try to push me off again saying need to check whether it is for my car. I told him it is available for W213. I even have the part number. Then he kept quiet and pretended that question is not even asked.

If C&C management is reading this (which I'm sure they are), you can contact me to verify my statements and/or if you are feeling apologetic, you can always apologise, compensate for inconvenience :) (I have wasted don't know how much fuel by driving in/out of the service center to check on status and rectify problems), improve your service, and make sure you live up to your marketing messages.

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Bro...why go to C&C to buy original pats & accessories? You should be thankful that your SA isn't helpful here as C&C will surely charge you a lot more for their parts & labour. I would never go to them for parts that are not covered under warranty. Just go to any Merc stockist (eg Goldenlink) with your part number. Most parts are available, if not they will order from Germany with a 2 weeks wait time. Bring your part to a reliable installer or workshop for installation or better still...DIY.

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4 minutes ago, jtang said:

Bro...why go to C&C to buy original pats & accessories? You should be thankful that your SA isn't helpful here as C&C will surely charge you a lot more for their parts & labour. I would never go to them for parts that are not covered under warranty. Just go to any Merc stockist (eg Goldenlink) with your part number. Most parts are available, if not they will order from Germany with a 2 weeks wait time. Bring your part to a reliable installer or workshop for installation or better still...DIY.

Hi Bro, some parts I don't have the part numbers. But the easy ones like hub cap, hood emblem, I buy from eBay.

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Ongoing saga of the widescreen ambient light ... I just discovered that in the course of cleaning out the glue and plastic, they scratched the side of the widescreen panel (the silver bezel). Have to bring it in again next week and show them. Sigh. I really hate for this thread to become a personal grumbling blog, but seems my problems are never ending :(

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Based on your detailed description of the problems you have encountered with your brand new E250ACG, it seems that Mercedes manufacturer quality control is lacking and C&C needs to be very vigilant when they inspect the cars that are brought into Singapore as we are the only country in the world that pays a premium to have the ownership of a car :(

 

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4 minutes ago, Merc Fan said:

Based on your detailed description of the problems you have encountered with your brand new E250ACG, it seems that Mercedes manufacturer quality control is lacking and C&C needs to be very vigilant when they inspect the cars that are brought into Singapore as we are the only country in the world that pays a premium to have the ownership of a car :(

 

For the sake of W213 owners here, I'm hope I'm the few unlucky one facing these problems.

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I also have a problem with the W213 (Manufacture date 2016) a few days after receiving it and notice that the engine don't sound right with fluttering sound when the accelerator was depress. It really sound like the ignition timing was off. Send it to C&C and it require 1 full day to do the diagnostic and reset the car software. After the software was reset or car was calibrated, the engine return to normal. 

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55 minutes ago, jmt510 said:

I also have a problem with the W213 (Manufacture date 2016) a few days after receiving it and notice that the engine don't sound right with fluttering sound when the accelerator so depress. It really the the ignition timing was off. Send it to C&C and it require 1 full day to do the diagnostic and reset the car software. After the software was reset or car was calibrated, the engine return to normal. 

Glad they got your problem solved. C&C's QC is really lacking.

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