Any advice - Mercedes ignoring ruling of Ombudsman
Discussion
http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/news/miscellaneous/201...
Currently in a hire car with associated costs. Would appreciate any advice on legal action.
Currently in a hire car with associated costs. Would appreciate any advice on legal action.
Her husband's an engineer we've been through the Ackerman geometry thing. I said the same as my Turbo did it (only on full lock) but her point is the X5 she had before with 21" alloys didn't and the Merc does it when not on full lock.
Mercedes were saying it was because she didn't have winter tyres on and only happens below 12 degrees C (!) But it happens all the time. They told her to buy winter alloys and tyres £4k on top to solve the issue. From reading the other complaints with this issue the winter tyre thing doesn't help. Others have come forward and said their cars don't display the fault so all very strange.
I suppose the key point is can Mercedes just ignore the Ombudsman? The Dealer Principal has told her 'yes' and see you in Court.
Mercedes were saying it was because she didn't have winter tyres on and only happens below 12 degrees C (!) But it happens all the time. They told her to buy winter alloys and tyres £4k on top to solve the issue. From reading the other complaints with this issue the winter tyre thing doesn't help. Others have come forward and said their cars don't display the fault so all very strange.
I suppose the key point is can Mercedes just ignore the Ombudsman? The Dealer Principal has told her 'yes' and see you in Court.
Edited by Vron on Friday 13th January 11:04
Yes she exhausted all the normal complaint channels and Mercedes Benz UK said take it to the ombudsman so she did. I understand the inference was that they didn't think the Ombudsman would decide against MB so that would be that. She has been trying to reject it since the day after delivery.
hornetrider said:
Does it affect all cars or just some?
It only appears to affect RHD cars.Could be Mercedes have cocked up here - they could never do this car in RHD before (previous version was called GLK, available in LHD only) so it looks like something has gone in whatever they've had to bodge (sorry, engineer) to make it in RHD.
The dealer defying the Ombudsman is bizarre, although Mercedes have form for taking things all the way.
Magic919 said:
I think you have discovered the answer to that. The Motor Ombudsman doesn't seem to have any real power and I really can't see Mercedes, Porsche, Audi, Maserati and the other manufacturers accepting the view of the Ombudsman here.
I'd suggest they sell it and move on.
It's got nothing to do with the manufacturer, the Ombudsman's decision is binding on the retailer.I'd suggest they sell it and move on.
They've got to enforce this, otherwise the scheme becomes a nonsense.
Large thread on this in the Mercedes area that is well worth a read. I was considering one of these in the next 12-18 months but will now stay well clear until this issue is sorted.
Good on the lady who has gone to the ombudsman service as Mercedes appear to know all about the issue and are ignoring it at the moment.
Good on the lady who has gone to the ombudsman service as Mercedes appear to know all about the issue and are ignoring it at the moment.
Sheepshanks said:
Magic919 said:
I think you have discovered the answer to that. The Motor Ombudsman doesn't seem to have any real power and I really can't see Mercedes, Porsche, Audi, Maserati and the other manufacturers accepting the view of the Ombudsman here.
I'd suggest they sell it and move on.
It's got nothing to do with the manufacturer, the Ombudsman's decision is binding on the retailer.I'd suggest they sell it and move on.
They've got to enforce this, otherwise the scheme becomes a nonsense.
Sheepshanks said:
It only appears to affect RHD cars.
Could be Mercedes have cocked up here - they could never do this car in RHD before (previous version was called GLK, available in LHD only) so it looks like something has gone in whatever they've had to bodge (sorry, engineer) to make it in RHD.
Let's not forget that the GLC is just a W205 C-class platform, as the GLK was a W204.Could be Mercedes have cocked up here - they could never do this car in RHD before (previous version was called GLK, available in LHD only) so it looks like something has gone in whatever they've had to bodge (sorry, engineer) to make it in RHD.
The GLK wasn't available RHD because there wasn't a 4wd version of the old-shape W204 C-class, since the driveshaft fouled the steering, but the W205 is available RHD and 4wd.
These illustrate the driveshaft issue quite clearly...
So, surely, this would affect 4wd W205s, too? And since the W205 and GLC are the first cars on the new MRA modular platform...
Reading their website https://www.themotorombudsman.org/ makes me wonder what actual enforcement powers they have - other than imposing 'penalty points' or revoking the dealer's/garage's membership of their scheme.
Can't find anything to suggest that membership is compulsory, which would make them about as effective as the old League of Nations.
Your next course of action appears to be the courts.
Can't find anything to suggest that membership is compulsory, which would make them about as effective as the old League of Nations.
Your next course of action appears to be the courts.
cptsideways said:
Is this not a differential issue? That looks quite simply to an issue where the centre diff/coupling system is not allowing a speed difference between front & rear wheels. eg its locked!
Any car with a lockable centre diff does exactly this when locked
That is indeed how it came across to me; especially when this morning on slippy ground (ice/snow) it behaved beautiful on full lock without any judder/crabbing etc. I used to have that with my boat tow vehicle (Nissan Patrol / Navara Pickup) if I left it in gear on dry ground. It is not good when this happens. No reports at all from LHD vehicles doing this.Any car with a lockable centre diff does exactly this when locked
PS. My previous car, Mercedes GL did not do this at all.
But lets stick with the OP story primarily, it is interesting how having the ombudsman behind you doesn't count for anything, and how Mercedes publicly just ignores it all.
It certainly sounds like they've messed up something. It could be the steering geometry, but I also agree with the people above in that it seems to present itself in exactly the way I've experienced a "tight" LSD or viscous coupling causing a car to "push on" badly at tight parking-speed turns.
Either way, I can't say I'd regard it as acceptable in a new car of that kind of price.
Either way, I can't say I'd regard it as acceptable in a new car of that kind of price.
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