05 Dec Cleveland Cool: Keeping Your Mercedes-Benz in Top Working Order
Few automobile brands have the automatic respect and wide admiration of the Mercedes-Benz. This isn’t a new thought, as this brand was even immortalized in Janis Joplin’s famous a cappella song “Mercedes Benz” all the way back in 1970. That’s over 50 years of recognized quality in European luxury automobiles, and that legacy continues to live and thrive!
For local Cleveland Mercedes-Benz owners, there’s a lot to love about what their luxury vehicles bring to the table, but to get the most out of your favorite (and Janis’s) European import, you need to know how to take care of your automobile and what signs to watch out for.
Mercedes-Benz Maintenance Best Practices
You can take several steps as a Mercedes-Benz owner to help ensure a longer life for your high performance vehicle. One of the first and most important is to perform regular maintenance checks – a practice that will always be a good idea regardless of a car’s age or model. By keeping up on basic maintenance, you’re able to catch issues while they’re small and prevent them from becoming large problems. Best of all, you can do several of these tasks yourself without needing a Mercedes auto repair specialist!
The short list for typical Mercedes maintenance includes:
- Checking the oil regularly and changing it every 8,000 miles or after one year, whichever comes first
- Making sure your cooling system is properly filtered and changing filters at the recommended times
- Keeping your Mercedes clean to prevent general wear and tear
- Checking your tire pressure on a regular basis and keeping it at a recommended level for maximum performance
- Checking fluids like coolant, windshield wiper fluid, and brake fluid to make sure you’re ready for the road
- Learning about any common repair or maintenance issues with your model and how to look out for them
- Listening for any weird, new, or unusual noises and getting them checked by a licensed & certified Mercedes auto repair specialist ASAP
If you make sure to keep up on each of these areas, your Mercedes-Benz will thank you by allowing you to enjoy many more years of high end performance.
More Common Problems to Watch Out for
Owning a Mercedes isn’t just a point of pride – they’re also some of the most reliable cars on the road.
Right off the bat it’s important we cover one thing: just because a problem is more “common” among certain Mercedes-Benz models doesn’t mean there are a lot of defective vehicles out there. Quite the contrary – these are considered high end automotive imports for a reason! Every vehicle eventually breaks down though, and with some brands or models certain things have a tendency to go out more than others.
That’s what we’re focusing on here, to give you the knowledge and insight to identify a potential issue before it becomes a much bigger (and more expensive) problem.
So what potential issues are “common” among one of the most reliable vehicles you’ll find on the road anywhere? Read on to learn about 7 of the most common Mercedes-Benz repair issues you will want to keep an eye out for.
#1: Leaky Rear Air Springs
This is a problem that most often pops up in the E-Class Mercedes-Benz models that were made from 2003 to 2009, and it definitely hurts the level of control and smooth driving experience that you should otherwise have with a Mercedes. If you are buying a used model from these years make sure to ask if this problem has been resolved before or whether it has come up at all.
This does require some moderate labor to fix, but it is a repair that once properly finished once should be a relative non-issue moving forward.
#2: Noisy Struts in E Class Models
A possible issue for some old school Mercedes-Benz owners – specifically those proudly driving a Mercedes-Benz E Class made between 1989-1995. If you’ve heard rattling, banging, or loud noises start up, then there might be a good chance the struts are leaking or have come loose. This happens every so often with E models from these years in particular and that means it’s time to bring the car in for repair.
#3: Engine Harness Wire Insulation Damage
This is a general issue that seems to be climate related for the most part. If you live in temperate or seasonal climates, chances are this won’t come up, but for individuals who live and do a lot of day driving in hot areas like Texas, the Southwest, or other consistently hot regions, you may find that the continued exposure to extreme heat will cause engine problems.
The specific cause of this issue arises when the insulation in your engine’s harness wires cracks due to prolonged exposure to too much heat. If you live in a hot climate, this is something worth mentioning during your next maintenance session. Catching this early is much better than the alternatives.
#4: No Heat While Idling
C-Class & S-Class models most commonly run into this problem, but it has come up with a few different vehicles beyond them as well. There are a few potential causes for this, but most of them come back to auxiliary pumps, engine wear, or a faulty thermostat. While this can seem like a minor inconvenience, it’s still something that needs to be checked out as it could hint at more serious issues that would require significant repair work for your Mercedes-Benz down the line.
#5: Mass Airflow Sensor Malfunctions
You will most often notice this issue when your Mercedes starts roughly. This can be the engine hesitating to catch and start, unusually rough idling, or any other sign that is associated with a hard start. Those signs all point towards this sensor malfunctioning. A proper cleaning and inspection can smooth out this issue before those hard starts start putting premature wear on your engine.
#6: Spark Plugs & Ignition Failure
If your spark plugs aren’t replaced every 70,000 miles or so, this can eventually lead to much more serious engine problems. While basic, this is a bit of Mercedes-Benz maintenance you do not want to ignore!
#7: Oil Leaking into Electronic Transmissions
This generally only occurs in the Mercedes-Benz models that were:
- Made after 1995
- Feature an electronic transmission
In this case, it’s possible your transmission could be prone to a buildup of graphite, normally from an oil leak. If you were wondering why it is important to keep an eye on those fluid levels and report any funny business the moment it begins to appear, this is a major reason.
What to Look for in a Local Cleveland Mercedes-Benz Specialist
Not every local automotive specialist is going to be able to provide you the quality of Mercedes maintenance and repairs that you want. Most standard garages won’t have the specialty tools, the specialized training, or the experience to properly take care of your Mercedes-Benz. You need to find a local Cleveland automotive specialist to get that done.
Look for certifications
You not only want mechanics who are ASE-certified and properly licensed to work in the state of Ohio, but you want to also look for any additional certification or training when it comes to specifically dealing with Mercedes-Benz auto repair. After all, these highly specialized examples of German engineering aren’t going to be like your average off the assembly line car, and that means you’ll need mechanics who understand the specific designs and challenges that come with these vehicles.
Look at experience
Nothing against new trainees, but when you have a local import specialist like Larchmere with over three decades of experience, that is a lot of peace of mind when it comes to knowing your Mercedes is in expert hands. A high level of experience working with these automobiles is a major plus when dealing with any repairs or maintenance issues.
Look at location
You want a Mercedes-Benz repair specialist near you. Finding the best one in the world is great – but if it’s four states away then it might as well be across the ocean! The good news for residents of Cleveland and Chagrin Falls is that you have the perfect option right here in your own backyard!
Contact Your #1 Rated Mercedes Repair Specialists Today!
There are many choices when it comes to Cleveland Mercedes-Benz repair services, but you’ll be hard pressed to find anyone who can compete with what Larchmere Imports brings to the table! Larchmere Imports takes pride in being ready and able to tackle every single one of your specific Mercedes’ needs.
Chagrin Falls Location: (440) 591-5488
Cleveland Location: (216) 229-8000