SLK Command unit broken/shorted out, not covered under wrnty!? Anyone else/class act?

[netslayer]

My 2006 SLK350 -- fully loaded -- with a stock NA Command unit (sirius/nav/audio/mp3/etc) no longer powers up and the dim lights on the buttons dont even come on. My car even had to be jumped yesterday by roadside assistance because it was draining the battery apparently. After 2 full days at the dealership (W.I. Simonson, Inc. 1330 Colorado Ave. Santa Monica, CA 90403 PHONE: 1-310-526-4700) they tell me that the buttons are slightly "sticky" and thus something spilled on it and will not be covered under warranty. But apparently they replaced my battery under warranty..?!

On thursday, the day before it stopped working I took it to a car wash/detail place and had it hand washed, waxed and armoraled. When I was leaving I didnt notice anything spilled on the unit, and I believe that if anything it may have been a damp cloth over it (I even went back today and talked with the manager who claims they are very careful with cars electronics). Either way are these $3k all in one (horribly outdated mind you technologically speaking) navigation Command units built that poorly where I would have to worry about having my car detailed and moisture on the faceplate?! Not to mention the design flaw in taking a German car with no cup holders and adding them right above the unit when coming into NA. I want to talk to the design team on that one because I have to be super careful what I put up there.

Verdict: Consumer is screwed for buying a car (fully loaded) for near 70k and having it hand detailed. I was even talking to my service manager about buying the new 08/09 for the 300hp engine and it's this type of frustration that makes me want to switch back to BMW and get the new M3 convertible even though I prefer the SLK...frustrating.

Anyone else have a problem like this? I cant be the only one. Morally speaking I'm not paying for this, and if Mercedes cant stand behind their own products then I will fight it, regional/small claims if need be. It's completely unacceptable. Not to mention why does every other car company have a touchscreen with voice commands and Mercedes uses decade old technology.

** frustrated sigh
Chris

[Diesel Benz]

Now I was not able to figure out what was spilled on the unit but you did not seem to disagree that the buttons were sticky. Whether it was from the detailing shop or yourself, it should be obvious that warranty would not pay for the fix if someone has spilled some liquid on the buttons.

I'd never want to have cup holder in my car (they are usually a free option in Europe but you don't have to order them). I don't want people eating or drinking in my car, at most a bottle of pure water for long trips but even there it would be better to stop for a pause when necessary.

I know cup holders are important for US car owners while MB probably was thinking too much the European way and thought about cup holders too late in the design process. The E-class holder close to the gear stick also causes problems to the switches there (of course only from spilled coke or similar).

I'm not familiar with your class acts but do you mean you would make MB pay for the fix because their design is not good enough for dumb people (I'm referring to the one that detailed your car and probably spilled something on your Comand)?

I would let an experienced expert on fixing electronic devices have a look at your Comand, dismantle the face and clean it with proper stuff. Would not cost a lot.

[UK-C200]

Gosh - so where to start?! I'm an American, so my genetic makeup requires that I have caffeine before my brain engages properly. I've been living outside the US for the last 9 years, so I've adapted a bit to the European way of thinking.

That said, I agree that the placement of the SLK cup holder is an absolute joke. Trying to put anything in it and not knocking the rearview mirror is challenging at best, and then the logic of having a cold drink in a holder above expensive electronics where you *know* there's going to be condensation escapes me completely - 'specally in a car designed to have the top off!

So I think we are all in violent agreement that the location sucks. When I picked up my 350, I knew about the drinks holder, so it's not like I went into it blind. My salesguy also pointed out a number of times during the "new toy orientation" that one needed to be careful about what was put into it, and that MB was not responsible for liquids damage to any of the electronics or mechanical bits on the instrument console of the car. This is also explicitly stated in the owners manual, and I think in the COMAND manual as well. I've mitigated the risks to my satisfaction by using a insulated thermos type cup with a no-spill top on it - gotta have my coffee, and gotta have a place to put it!

I suspect that you would be hard pressed to find something actionable for a lawsuit - but I'm not a lawyer, nor do I play one on TV.

I agree with Diesel here - rather then getting upset at the dealership, take the COMAND unit itself to a qualified electronics shop that you trust. Have them examine the unit for liquid damage. If they don't find any (or even if they do..), have them prepare a written statement for you, and then cruse back over to the MB dealership and let the fun begin. Worse case is that they disagree, and you have to get the lawyers involved - best case is that they cover the unit under warranty, and you are happy.

If you do find out that it's been damaged by liquids (and I've worked on enough electronics to assure you it's pretty damn obvious when it happens), then you really don't have much of a case with your dealer. I doubt that a potential for spillage would ever been seen as a candidate for a class suit or even a private one given that they explicitly warn you about it in the users manual. I guess the next step in this event would be going over to your car wash with the letter certifying liquid damage, and trying to get some satisfaction from them. Based on personal experience in Houston, TX, and can almost guarantee that they have a waver of liability - this is obviously something that can vary from state to state, so your mileage may vary..

In any event, good luck with getting your COMAND sorted. From personal experience, I can tell you that minor condensation on the COMAND has not had a negative effect on mine. My SLK is in Louisiana, and it's just a bit humid there even on a good day. Having looked at the guts of a COMAND for a C class (and yeah, it's a different manufacture), the membrane on the buttons appears to me like it would resist even minor spills - I don't see how wiping the face with a damp cloth would damage it in a way that would completely kill it.

As an FYI, I drove an '09 model SLK350 here in London a couple of weeks ago, and the new COMAND is light years in front of last years model - still lagging a bit behind some of the Japanese OEM systems, but a hell of a step forward from the one in our cars. If you do find out that your COMAND is water damaged, and that you can't assign responsibility and have someone pay for a replacement, look at aftermarket solutions. I've seen a couple of SLK's that have had the factory A20 removed and aftermarket heads install, and they actually look and sound great. I think there's a couple of good threads over at SLKWorld describing the process.

[Skylaw]

I agree with the two prior contributors. You'd have your work cut out for you proving that the COMAND unit wasn't damaged by a spill. Since MB doesn't market the unit as "waterproof," showing liability may be a bit tough.

People sling the term "class action" around as a threat without understanding its consequences. You would have to find a lot of folks who have suffered damage to their COMANDs from liquid because of MB's fault rather than the owner's; there will be notices that must be posted, and large mailings - and either the law firm representing the class, or the class itself, would have to pay a lot of upfront costs. Before a law firm will front those costs, which can get very large in a class action, they will want to be pretty certain they can win - which is not clear, if your situation is the basis for the case. But, of course, there is nothing to keep you from trying.

Except perhaps the knowledge that trying to resolve this further without resorting to a lawsuit may get you further, faster. Take it up to the owner or GM of the dealership. Go to the regional or area manager for MB. This may be successful especially if you have been a long-term customer; and it may be resolved by a cost-sharing offer from the dealer.