As many of you know, I had the problem with my pistons misfiring with my brand new 2005 SL600 that was produced on December 1, 2004.
They diagnosed the problem as needing a new fuel pump. With this new fuel pump came a new control module and fuel filter.
I insisted on seeing my original and new parts and noted the part numbers. I then called a "friend" overseas that is very familiar with Mercedes Benz if you get my drift.
This is what I found out. My new fuel pump is the third generation of pumps for the SL600. Along with this new fuel pump, it needed the new control module and the new fuel filter.
What I was amazed to find out is that the fuel pump that originally came with my car was the original pump that was released when the new SL's came out in 2001.
I also found out that this original pump was replaced with a new pump that was released some time in the middle of 2002. Furthermore, this second new pump was again superceded by yet another pump released shortly after the middle of 2004.
Thus, the pump that I had in my car was the original fuel pump that the car came out with in 2001 despite the fact that they had two upgraded pumps released prior to the production of my car.
In othe words, my brand new 2005 SL600 had a pump that was over 2 1/2 years old and there had already been two more upgraded pumps released prior to it's production.
My question is the following:
How many of you that bought brand new 2005 SL600's or possibly any other SL realized when you bought your car that it could contain a fuel pump or any other part that is over 2 1/2 years old that is known to possibly have problems to which they have upgraded that pump on two separate dates prior to your car being built but decided not to give you that upgraded pump?
Do you find this acceptable?
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It is common practice to put in parts older than the build date of the car. But it is not acceptable to not put in the latest build series of that part that was changed because of a design change.
To me that is very wrong of Mercedes putting in a part that they know will fail. I wonder if it is under the lemon law.
Well, this rather well quinches my desire for an SL 600, which I had before reading this! In my state of Oklahoma, the lemon law states "three strikes and you're out." In other words, if a problem effecting the operation of the vehicle can't be fixed after three trips to the dealer under warranty, the manufacturer must buy it back. This doesn't mean something like a CD changer that won't work, but it DOES mean a car that won't go! These laws vary from state to state, and some states don't even have such a law. If I had spent as much as the price of an SL 600 on a car with these problems, I'd surely check with my attorney as to my state's "lemon law."
Even though our little, inexpensive '04 C 320 has been fairly well flawless in its first 18 months, it is clear that too many owners of new MBs have not been as lucky. So, I advise checking with your attorney, and I wish you good luck.
Well, this rather well quinches my desire for an SL 600, which I had before reading this! In my state of Oklahoma, the lemon law states "three strikes and you're out." In other words, if a problem effecting the operation of the vehicle can't be fixed after three trips to the dealer under warranty, the manufacturer must buy it back. This doesn't mean something like a CD changer that won't work, but it DOES mean a car that won't go! These laws vary from state to state, and some states don't even have such a law. If I had spent as much as the price of an SL 600 on a car with these problems, I'd surely check with my attorney as to my state's "lemon law."
Even though our little, inexpensive '04 C 320 has been fairly well flawless in its first 18 months, it is clear that too many owners of new MBs have not been as lucky. So, I advise checking with your attorney, and I wish you good luck.
I understand your thoughts as believe me I am living some of the problems with my car right now. I do however know that these issues will get resolved.
The bottom line is really what are the other car manufactures doing? I truly believe Mercedes is screwing up its brand and if it doesn't fix it, they are really going to have real problems. That is the future however and that will take some time in the event they don't screw on their heads.
The problem is today and look at the SL600. I am not sure, for the money, what car is better.
Yes, what they do really gets me upset at times, but I don't mean to talk anyone out of buying this car.
If I had the chance to do it all over again, you would probably see the same SL600 sitting in my driveway.
Let us all hope that you now have a "fix." Even at its lofty price, I can recognize that the SL 600 is a bargain for the performance obtained. Yours is a beautiful automobile. Truly world class. As is the case with our C 320, I don't know when all the parts were made, as the engine has been around since '98 in the E 320. It does not matter as long as they work. In my experience as we upgrade our automobiles over time, the complexities of the cars means more complexities and more chances for problems. At the same time, we tend to expect more initial perfection, as is only natural. So the fact that I had a couple of loose bolts in my C 320's door stop causing a rattle, and the fact that my Honda S 2000 was recalled a couple of times, and the fact that my Ford truck had a few problems initally --- well these things were largely fixed and forgotten. But had any of these been in the class of the SL 600, I too would have been greatly concerned.
I wish you good fortune with your SL 600. Perhaps one day I will join you in ownership.
NO I do not find this acceptable!! Do you have the numbers for the correct fuel pump?? Please share. Thank you
The first generation fuel pump that my car came with has a part number that ends in 13 94. The second generation fuel pump has a part number that ends in 58 94. The third generation fuel pump which I now have in my car has a part number that ends in 87 94.
Remember, if you have an earlier fuel pump than the third generation that came out in the beginning of the 4th quarter last year and you want to replace it with this new fuel pump then you will need a new updated control unit and an updated fuel filter.
The bottom line is really what are the other car manufactures doing? I truly believe Mercedes is screwing up its brand and if it doesn't fix it, they are really going to have real problems. That is the future however and that will take some time in the event they don't screw on their heads.
Well, BMW has certainly had its share of blunders lately. The first iteration of the E65 - the current 7-Series BMW was an unmitigated disaster in public relations if not also in profit terms (any losses burried in silent recalls, buy backs and fire-sale leasing factors). The E65 was sort of like the early W220 S-Klasse or the early R230 SLs - riddled with problems; in the E65's case, electrical, transmission and engine. In many cases the cars simply stopped running. The problems are now mainly resolved although the car still looks stupid ugly. Of course the iDrive was another blunder that BMW can't seem to get its head around admitting. How do you improve anything when you can't even admit the problem is there? Someone desperately needs to get fired at BMW. However, I have not heard of people finding outdated parts in their newer cars.
My own car is known to have a plastic radiator that will invariable crack open at the most "inconvenient moment" after 3 to 4 years of use, especially in hot climates. I just replaced mine at the first sign of imminent failure. Many other makes use the same radiator design and experience similar problems. BMW does diddly squat about that unless it occurs within warranty. They have upgraded the radiator but it's till plastic and the design cannot be economically retrofitted to older cars. Otherwise no major problems with the E39 have been uncovered. The replacement E60 is supposed to be better but looks like a Honda Accord / Kia on steroids - unfortunately there are no recalls on cosmetic screw-ups. [:o)]
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