I have an interesting situation on my wifes C230. About two months ago the check engine light came on. She called the dealership and had to make an appointment to bring it in. To me that was the start of a set of bad service experience. The vehicle had to be left overnight, a loaner was provided (dodge charger,Humm maybe should have bought up a classs or two). The vehicle was repaired and it was a faulty purge valve. No problem untile this morning. The wife starts the car the check engine light comes on and the vehicle is running poorly. I tell her to shut it off and restart. No light and the vehicle is running better. So now we have a soft fault. She call the dealership for that appointment and thay tell her to open the gas cap and put it back on to solve the problem (never saw the vehicle) and if the light comes back on in a few days to call for an appointment. Now I have been around cars for some 35 years, however this is the first import. I call the service dept and I get the same line to open the gas cap cause an air pocket may have caused this. When I asked why I cannot have the check engine light read/scanned she replie the next appointment is Jan 23 ( over a week away). I informed the service person my wife drives the vehicle around 100 miles a day and I do not want her in the position to possibly break down. I was told the service department is backed up due to it being in season. Believe me had I known that is how I was going to be treated then I would have never purchased the vehicle. I told her that and the fact we were ready to purchase a second vehicle but it would not be a Benz and she passed me to another service writter who after 2 additional hours has not returne my call. One thing is the lack of quality and what I consider poor treatment from the service department. The other is the telling me to take off the gas cap to reset the fault code. Just wondering if any of you readers have experienced this probem with either the same type of problem dealing with service and or the open the gas cap to reset the code.

 

Sorry about your troubles.

I can't comment on the service attitude, my dealership has always been very pleasant and helpful, albeit somewhat expensive.

I have had the Check Engine light on several times. Once was O2 sensor bad and was replaced. Second was the fuel door having been open, my son had the car and put at least $7.50 of gas in, ha ha. Anyway Check Engine light came on and I made an appointment for 4-5 days out, the advisor said try to open the fuel door and close it and it would take sometimes 10-12 engine start cycles to turn it off. Sure enough 2-3 days later it turned off and never to return again.

Hope your issues work out okay.

Cheers,

T.

 

Welcome to the world of automotive dealerships! As you know, they can be as different as night and day.
It was the single reason I switched from BMW to Mercedes this last time. Service was horrible no matter
where I went with the BMW and the story was always the same.....long waits for service, crappy rental cars,
car wasn't ready, had to "order the part from Germany", etc. etc. It has pretty much been the same as you
with my MB experience, although they know now not to give me anything other than a Merc. as a loaner.
One time with the BMW, which I bought brand new, they gave me a Toyota Corolla with about 30,000 miles on it.
You couldn't have sold that car for $1,500 bucks if you wanted to. Sometimes I wonder if I shouldn't just buy
something like that and drive it until it stops running and leave it on the side of the road and go buy another one.
Dealership experiences......don't even get me going. I could write a book. Hey, maybe I will!

 

It is very common for a loose gas cap to trigger a CEL so they are guessing and telling you to try that fix rather than your wasting a trip to the dealer.

Where I live, in asuburb of Los Angeles I have 3-4 different dealers I can go to if I am dissatisfied.

I had poor service at the BMW dealer before I bought the Benz. Fortunately I bought it used and it was quickly beyond warranty and I found a great - but expensive - Independent BMW shop to care for the cars. The experience was much better, still expensive and no free ride while it was in the shop either.....but I have a third car so no problemo.

-Eric

 

do you have the C230 Kompressor which is a4 cylinder1.8ltor the C230 which is a2.5lt V6?