2001 CL500 - Rear Humming noise?

Does anyone have a clue what is causing this. I just picked up my car AGAIN this morning from the dealer. I had 2 minor things that needed to be taken care of, one they totally screwed it up, the second I had to prove there was a problem and have decided NOW that I can live with it and refuse to take it back. After leaving the dealer I heard this distinct HUM coming from somewhere in the rear of the car. It wasn't any louder with the window open or with change of car speed or engine speed or in drive or park. I checked the rear seat area and it almost seems as if it is coming from under the rear seat area, but I can't be sure. I really don't want to take the car back to the dealer because they have already scratched the nice chrome on the door jam replacing the seat belt on passenger side and totally screwing up the auto-glide forward mechanism and internal latch. I brought a car in perfect condition to them and they are screwing my car up with only 2700 miles on it.

Does anyone know what the hum noise may be? Thanks.

This is my last Mercedes for sure. Great cars, but damn dealers are worthless and cause more problems.

[Ashman]

Well if you are unsatisfied with that dealer, you can do a few things.

1. Go find another dealer, explain the problems you had with the other dealer, and see if they will treat you and your car better.

2. Call Mercedes benz USA and complain to the rep for your area about that dealership and what they have done or not done.

3. talk to the manager of your dealer, and tell them your are unhappy with the service you have been given, point out the mistakes made, and the noises that you hear, and tell him you want the problem taken care of.

You are the customer, and you are entitled to proper service on your brand new benz, if they aren't giving you proper service, you need to take it up with them, or take it up with Mercedes benz USA, who does not appreciate it when dealers treat customers poorly.

As for the noise, I think you should find a dealer that you can work with, the car is under warranty. Keep taking it back for the problem, until you have reached lemon law limit, and then demand a new car.

I had a friend who did that with his S600 a few years back, because of a steering shudder at 60 mph. He kept taking it back for the same problem within days of getting the car back, after the 6th time, he drove in, and invoked lemon law and left an hour later with a brand spanking new one.

Alon

Thanks Ashman. You made some very valid points. I am going to try another dealership. When someone loses my trust, it is hard to get it back. I did talk to the service director, told him who I wanted to work on my car and that I wanted a different service advisor, but they didn't listen to me.

It's truly sad to have such a magnificent car, and when you bring it in for service, they muck it up. I am not pleased about them scratching the chrome on the door jam either.

[Ashman]

For any dealership to be like that I think its just incalled for.

Without customers like you buying their cars, that dealership would likely go out of business.

A lot of people say that the customer is no longer always right, but in my book, the customer is always right.

I think there should be two main rules for any business int he way they handle customers.

Rule Number 1. The customer is always right
Rule Number 2. If the Customer is wrong, RE-READ Rule Number 1.



Definately try another dealer, and go straight to the top of their service department before you let them do anything for you. Explain the problems you had witht he previous dealer, and Hopefully they will want to make up for the other dealers mistakes, by treating you with the respect you deserve, and fixing the problems with your car properly the first time.

Another good bit of advise is get to know the tech that works on your car, because you are going to want to tell the tech the problems, and let the service advisor do the paperwork.

I find that too often the Service advisors do not tell the techs everything properly, and a lot of times things are missed.

If all else fails, Mercedes Benz USA is there to help. I think the number is 1800 FOR MERCEDES but I am not sure. Their website will definately have the number.

My father recently went through a horrible dealer experience. They had his car for 5 weeks, and tried to tell him he needed a new transmission and torque converter in a car with 60k on the odo, that has been driven maybe 10k in the last two years. They wanted something like $5000 or so for new tranny and torque converter.

My dad got it fixed at our local independent shop, for Less than $1700 and the problem? The transmission front pump was failing. but the dealer wanted to replace the whole tranny and the torque converter, both of which were perfectly fine.

Best thing to do is use the dealer until the warranty is up, then use a good independent.

When its your dollar being spent, an independent is going to be easier on the wallet because they will fix things rather than just start replacing parts.

My car is at my independent for a Tranny rebuild right now. The dealer wants over twice what my independent is charging.

Alon

I located the exact location of the noise. When the car was in for the couple of problems on Thursday and Friday (which were caused by the dealer in the first place!), there were a couple open campaigns that were to "check and retorque power steering damper line fittings" and "inspect/clear reed valve for air/water". Also, the area under the car where the humming is coming from, there is a "compartment" and it appears that something was done in ther because the plastic cover to this "compartment" has a huge gouge were they were trying to remove it. I am wondering if whatever they did on these campaigns if something is under that panel. All I know is the sound wasn't there when I left the car off on Thursday and I FULLY detail my car so I know there was certainly no gouge on that panel either.

Thanks for all your helpful suggestions.

Well, wish me luck. I am dropping my CL off tomorrow morning. It will have to stay there for 3 days (I HOPE that is all) to have the instrument cluster replaced. They need to verify the mileage and then order the part so the car can't move once they take the mileage down. Also, the problem with the humming noise may be the fuel pump. Don't know anything about that, so hopefully that isn't a big issue.

Once again the service advisor was not helpful, not remembering the conversation with the shop foreman on Friday, so it will be interesting to see if he even orders the correct part. My only hope is that this will be the end of warranty type problems and I can just enjoy the car with regular oil changes.

Well, the instrument cluster has been replaced. It is the 2001 style, making me wonder if the cluster they put in the 2000 CL's and S's are defective or troublesome. Anway, I am just glad it functions correctly and it appears so far that it was installed correctly. Will know more when I detail the interior.

They also replaced the fuel pump, which I guess was defective. So no more humming noise.

Now, I wait and see if the car behaves. If not, then I have my eyes on the new mid-size Bentley that will be here in 2 years. :-)

[Ashman]

Ooo better watch out for them bentley's.

I remember reading an article that they vent gas fumes into the doors or something, and can explode when the windows are operated.

But I havent seen that happen on any to my knowledge.

The bentleys are definately awesome cars.

Alon