I'm Back - 2004 C240 4-Matic Wagon Won't Start

[AJ1861]

Unfortunately I'm back - some of you may remember that on 21 Aug my 2004 C240 4-Matic wagon wouldn't start - the radio and lights worked. It was towed to the dealer and they had to order a master control unit - they received the car on a Monday-diagnosed the problem and ordered the part on Tuesday and the part didn't come in until Friday, 25 Aug. I received the car back on Friday, 25 August and today, 4 September the very same thing happened. The car won't start, radio and lights work, but the engine is dead and there's a loud fan sound coming from under the hood. Of course the dealer is closed on Labor Day so the car has to be towed again tomorrow. So exactly two weeks from the first bad experience and just over one week from receiving the car back the car died again with the very same problem. Could the service department had diagnosed the wrong problem? But then why would the car have worked for just over 7 days and then die again? Is it time to believe that I did in fact get a LEMON? :mad:

Thanks for your help.

[Scott Singer]

2 additional sites to search www.mercedesshop.com & www.mbklasse.com

is the fan sound the HVAC (heating A/C) blower?

[AJ1861]

Thanks for the additional sites.

No the sound is not from the A/C blower - it is a loud sound coming from under the hood - it's exactly the same problems that occurred two weeks ago that the service dept said I needed a main control unit replaced (which it was).

[Ferdman]

Ann, make sure the dealer provides a loaner this time. Tell them to keep the car until it's fixed properly. Apparently the Service Department overlooked something or you're having a string of bad luck. You may want to check into the qualifications for a "lemon" in the event you try to pursue that route. In the meantime I'd ask for a printout of all the warranty work that's been done on your C240 so you know if it's had a troubled history.

[AJ1861]

Thanks Fred. I just spoke to the Service Rep. They did get to look at the car late this afternoon and found the cause of this second problem. Water caused this second issue. The drain near the windshield area was plugged up allowing water to back up near the driver's side. The water got the main control unit wet. He doesn't know if water was the cause of the first main control unit to go bad. He's going to look at the old unit they took out to see if he can tell. A new part has been ordered and he's hoping it will be in tomorrow but if last time is any indication it won't be in until at least Friday. In the meantime they are allowing the inside of the vehicle to dry out. They have fixed the problem of the back-up of the water (so they say).

Hopefully this will be the end of my bad luck because I'm loosing confidence in this car more and more. :(

[Ferdman]

Ann, it's a shame that the first tech who worked on your C240 didn't diagnose the cause of the failed master control unit ... a simple thing like a clogged drain line. Unfortunatley many techs simply replace parts and fail to search for the root cause of problems. Obviously you're annoyed to have this repeat problem, but I'm sure MBUSA will be wondering why the Service Department needed to replace the master control unit in your car twice in 2 weeks. Hopefully the tech and the Service Advisor file this under "lessons learned" and don't repeat this sequence with another customer. By the way your Owner's Manual probably recommends that the various drains be cleaned out periodically ... especially important if the car is parked outside 24/7.

[bill streep]

Fred, that's a good note for EVERYONE, no matter what model you own.