Dealer Fraud

daepp · 08-06-2007, 07:46 AM

I purchased a GL450 12 months ago, but I couldn't get it with the optional 19" wheels. I found some brand new OEM takeoffs last month from an out of state dealer complete with brand new tires - for the price of a new set of tire - which, btw, I needed.

The new wheels and tires came without the federally required tire pressure monitoring sensors. So I removed the one from my old rims, and sent them with the GL to a So Cal MBZ dealer where the car needed a service.

They called and explained that it would cost $600 to install and "program the sensors. Now, I had removed the sensors - there are no special tools req'd and they are easier than a standard valve stem to remove. I figured I would just have to pay them to mount and rebalance the tires. The dealer claimed that programming via the MBZ laptop was necessary since I had changed tire sizes and pressures, and The (Rube Goldberg) system needed to be told to find the new sensors.

I *****ed and moaned and they called back, knocking $280 off of the price.

Sunday evening, while browsing my owners manual, I find the actual instructions for doing the above if you've changed tires. You find the right message "screen" on the dash, and push "Reset." That's it.

Do I:

a) Do nothing and accept this as the price you pay for having an MBZ and getting new tires?
b) Complain to the Service Adviser?
c) Complain to his manager?

Is this fraud?

rammstein · 08-06-2007, 07:56 AM

We'd need a critical piece of data that is currently missing from your post- in your owners' manual, the section that you quoted refers to using the dash screen to perform a reset after changing tires. Is this valid for a tire change that includes a new size and pressure, or just a standard change?

Joe Bob · Joe Bob's Garage

Call the Mercedes Regional Manager and scream.....and next time read the freaking manual .....

I tell my wife and kids that all the time when they ask me how to do something.....I'm NOT tech support when they keep asking...kill me now....

daepp · 08-06-2007, 08:00 AM

That section is silent on tire size. But upon further quesition on the MBZ froum, many before me have gone to 20's and 22's where there local tire shop indicated to them how to reset via the dash - no tire size input required.

legion · 08-06-2007, 08:01 AM

There are two kinds of systems (that I know of) for monitoring tire pressure. One directly measures the pressure of the tires, the other basically measures how long it takes a tire to make one revolution and derrives the pressure from that. The first setup works regardless of tire size (my Silverado has such a system). The second system is very sensitive to tire size. I don't know which system your MB has, but it is conceivable that it does take a laptop reprogram.

daepp · 08-06-2007, 08:02 AM

You are very right about reading the manual. However, I cannot mount and balance the tires, so I was willing to just let the dealer do that. They owed me a free alignment anyway. It was only after they had the car that I learned of any resets or supposed programming.

Rick Lee · Rick Lee's Garage

I don't think it's fraud that stealers charge outrageous prices for stuff almost anyone can do at home with a little reading. It's just more incentive to DIY or go to an indep. shop. Whay does anyone ever go to a stealer for non-warranty work? BMW charges around $40 to reset the service indicator lamps, if not performing the service. If you really needed their special tool, then, it would be cheaper to buy it and use it 3-4 times than to take it to the dealer. BUT you can actually do it with just the buttons on the dash console and need no special tool!!!!!! They don't tell you this, but it's readily available on the Internet and it's free.

tabs · 08-06-2007, 10:04 AM

I think U need to find out exactly what the Dealer needed to do..if it was a Lap-top reset...pay the money. If all they did was press a button on the Dash...SCREAM to the Store Manager and DON't Stop tell them is it any fking wonder why people hate Dealers as ...It was not HONEST of them not to tell you it was a simple reset. It is their responsibilty to make information about their PRODUCT available. Kind of like Tech Support with IT.

Simply put that MB Dealer would have created alot of Good Will and a possible return customer if he took care of you by telling you it was a simple Dash Reset. I would even go so far as to write to MB and tell them you will never buy another of their cars and you are going to tell everybody you know the reason why. They don't like people with a Mission from Gawd.

the · 08-06-2007, 10:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by daepp

The dealer claimed that programming via the MBZ laptop was necessary since I had changed tire sizes and pressures, and The (Rube Goldberg) system needed to be told to find the new sensors.

I *****ed and moaned and they called back, knocking $280 off of the price.

Is this fraud?

If what they told you was untrue, and you simply reset by pressing a button in the car, then yes, that's fraud.

LakeCleElum · 08-06-2007, 12:56 PM

For $600, I'd $hit-canned the sensors and checked my pressure the old fashioned way...

Joe Bob · Joe Bob's Garage

Yeah...there is THAT....Federally mandated means they have to be on the model when sold. MY FEDERALLY mandated bumpers fell off when I hit a large pothole.....