Recently, my check engine light and glow plug light came on. Sometimes, the glow plug light would stay on for a few minutes and go off. Sometimes it would just stay on.
Anyway, I took to the MB dealer in town. They read the code and said that indeed, number 4. Glow plug was bad and while they are " in there" (as if it were invasive surgery) I should replace the other 3. Total cost $720.
I Had recently read a post by another member which, in articulate detail, laid out the argument as to why this should be a warranty issue. I had copy and pasted it to a word doc, just in case I ever needed to reference it.
The dealer said glow plugs are not a warranty item and that everyone "tries to get it covered out of warranty".
I then regurgitated what I had read on the post that went like this:
"Glow plug under warranty?
Re: Glow Plug - Glow Plug Module
Just encountered the same glow plug light problem. For the last couple weeks my 2008 NCV3 Sprinter has had the glow plug light on intermittently with the check engine light. It also took about 5 to 10 seconds or cranking to start on cool mornings. Brought my 3 year old van with 59K to the dealer and they replaced all the glow plugs and the glow plug module under warranty. All parts and labor were covered under warranty due to the glow plug system being part of the emission system which has a 100K mile warranty. Without the glow plugs working properly the Diesel Particulate Filter cannot regenerate, hence the glow plug system is part of the emission system. I'm sure this would have cost well over $1,000 if it was not covered. Hope it does not happen again in 60K miles! "
So, the service writer grudgingly went back to the service "manager" who said it might be covered under warranty but I'd have to take it to a Dodge dealer.
I asked him to tell me what part of the engine, tranny, chassis was made by Dodge but he declined to educate me and declined to do the repair under warranty.
I contacted MB customer service and the rep was genuinely sorry that I had been caught up in this custody battle between divorced partners. He said he was going to contact the dealer and tell him that a) glow plugs are in fact part of the emissions system and b) Mercedes techs are trained to repair Mercedes, Dodge techs are trained to repair Dodge products. I thought that was a great line!
30 minutes later, I get a call from the MB service writer who sheepishly asks me to come back and they would replace the glow plugs under warranty.
His excuse was that since the build date of the chassis was 2008, the warranty had expired. He did not "realize" that warranty starts when the vehicle first goes into service. In my case, The Winnie wasn't built out and sold until 2010.
That of course was a bunch of bull because he initially said it was a "dodge" issue. The "dodge" warranty is 8/80,000 so it would have been covered under their warranty anyway...
So, I tried to search for the poster above to thank him for his contribution but I couldn't find the post again. I just wanted to thank everyone for their contributions. They do make a difference.
Anyway, I took to the MB dealer in town. They read the code and said that indeed, number 4. Glow plug was bad and while they are " in there" (as if it were invasive surgery) I should replace the other 3. Total cost $720.
I Had recently read a post by another member which, in articulate detail, laid out the argument as to why this should be a warranty issue. I had copy and pasted it to a word doc, just in case I ever needed to reference it.
The dealer said glow plugs are not a warranty item and that everyone "tries to get it covered out of warranty".
I then regurgitated what I had read on the post that went like this:
"Glow plug under warranty?
Re: Glow Plug - Glow Plug Module
Just encountered the same glow plug light problem. For the last couple weeks my 2008 NCV3 Sprinter has had the glow plug light on intermittently with the check engine light. It also took about 5 to 10 seconds or cranking to start on cool mornings. Brought my 3 year old van with 59K to the dealer and they replaced all the glow plugs and the glow plug module under warranty. All parts and labor were covered under warranty due to the glow plug system being part of the emission system which has a 100K mile warranty. Without the glow plugs working properly the Diesel Particulate Filter cannot regenerate, hence the glow plug system is part of the emission system. I'm sure this would have cost well over $1,000 if it was not covered. Hope it does not happen again in 60K miles! "
So, the service writer grudgingly went back to the service "manager" who said it might be covered under warranty but I'd have to take it to a Dodge dealer.
I asked him to tell me what part of the engine, tranny, chassis was made by Dodge but he declined to educate me and declined to do the repair under warranty.
I contacted MB customer service and the rep was genuinely sorry that I had been caught up in this custody battle between divorced partners. He said he was going to contact the dealer and tell him that a) glow plugs are in fact part of the emissions system and b) Mercedes techs are trained to repair Mercedes, Dodge techs are trained to repair Dodge products. I thought that was a great line!
30 minutes later, I get a call from the MB service writer who sheepishly asks me to come back and they would replace the glow plugs under warranty.
His excuse was that since the build date of the chassis was 2008, the warranty had expired. He did not "realize" that warranty starts when the vehicle first goes into service. In my case, The Winnie wasn't built out and sold until 2010.
That of course was a bunch of bull because he initially said it was a "dodge" issue. The "dodge" warranty is 8/80,000 so it would have been covered under their warranty anyway...
So, I tried to search for the poster above to thank him for his contribution but I couldn't find the post again. I just wanted to thank everyone for their contributions. They do make a difference.
