Battery and service issue

1568 Views 4 Replies 2 Participants Last post by Huey52, 9 mo ago

Ian Slater

Discussion Starter · Aug 17, 2021

Hi all,
I have a 2017 GLA250 with 31,000 miles on it in 2020 the car wouldn't start, no warning or anything.
Ok, I take the car to the dealer, they replace it under warranty. Now in 2021, I didn't use the car much, but drove it weekly.
6 months of doing this, the battery is dead. I get that the electronic cause parasitic drain. But I have never had a car go through batteries like this.

I go to the dealer for B service and the battery. The car was purchased used with CPO. So it should be six years of warranty.
The SA says the battery isn't covered. So I say a year-old battery should be, and he talks to the manager.
I get a call regarding the car. They will pay 90 percent of the battery. But tell me that I should get Hermes software update and test for a current draw for 367 dollars.

The question is: isn't software covered? Isn't testing the charging system, if there is a dead battery 1 year later, covered under extended 2 year warranty? I tried to do an online chat to ask these basic questions at MB-USA but the chat kicked me out saying no one is available. So I emailed but am still waiting for a response.

Also, I usually use an indy garage. Should I take it there to test the charging system?
Thanks.

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Huey52

· #2 · Aug 17, 2021

My Main battery went bad at just One year and was replaced under warranty. If I remember correctly there was some pushback on mine as well ("consumable wear item") until I stood firm with them. Alas dealerships will try anything. 😔 However my 2018 GLA250 bought new rather than CPO, but it would seem you should still be covered. You were wise to get MB-USA involved and will be interesting to see what they email.

Mercedes service departments have proprietary OBDII-computer interfaces that provide more detail than typically available to an Indy shop. But if your Indy says they can do it that would be the way I'd go. But again await MB-USA feedback as should be covered.

btw: Ironically my problematic-for-many Aux battery is still fine. 🤷‍♂️

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Ian Slater

Discussion Starter · #3 · Aug 17, 2021

Thanks for the reply. MB-USA via an email said talk to the Service Manager.
It was a standard reply.
I have had better luck in the past.

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Huey52

· #4 · Aug 18, 2021

Alas not surprising. 😔 In the USA the dealerships take business decision priority over corporate. Same for VW AG and BMW. All the best and here's hoping yours does what's right by you.

Ian Slater said:
Thanks for the reply. MB-USA via an email said talk to the Service Manager.
It was a standard reply.
I have had better luck in the past.

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Huey52

· #5 · 9 mo ago

Well, almost exactly three years after our FL-based MY2018 12V lead-acid battery was replaced (annotated above, which that time was just post its first year annual maintenance), another replacement was required. Ironically problems again arose during a family trip from Ft Lauderdale to DisneyWorld. "Happiest place on Earth?"

In fairness our FL GLA250 sat for quite some time during pandemic inaccessibility. The condo garage staff said they put it on a charger but unknown how reliable their actions and the degree of charger goodness (could have been some old "trickle charger" rather than a smart battery tender).

The vehicle required a jump start and then ran acceptably except that oddly the speedometer & tachometer analog gauges were still inoperable. Was able to make the 4-hour non-stop drive without incident and after dropping everyone else off at the condo headed straight to the Benz dealership. They charged $250 for a diagnosis which came back as expected a marginal battery that needed to be replaced. This time being out of warranty we had to pony up for the new one. Ironically the Aux li-ion battery is still viable.

In our MA-based 2018 GLA250 neither the main L-A 12V nor the Aux Li-ion have needed to be replaced. 🤷‍♂️

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