BATTERY BLUES

Dear Hello Peter

It is with utter disappointment that I resort my complaint with Mercedes Benz SA to Hello Peter.

I have always experienced excellent service from Mercedes. However, I received incorrect advice from the service provider at Mercedes Assist.

My Mercedes repeatedly gave a warning that my battery needs to re-charged. The logic conclusion is that my battery had to be replaced since the car was already 4+ years old. I phoned Mercedes Assist on a Saturday to find out how to go about replacing the battery over a weekend since I couldn't take my car in during the week to a Mercedes workshop. I informed the advisor that my car was on the Mercedes Motor Plan. The advisor established that the warranty on my battery expired because I had my car for longer than 2 years. Unfortunately he gave me the incorrect advise that my battery is not covered on the motor plan and I had to replace my battery at my own cost. I was not told to go to a Mercedes approved fitment center or directed to an alternative battery fitment center who could assist and neither was I told to keep my old Mercedes battery. None the wiser, I went to a battery fitment center to replace my battery.

The next weekend my car failed to start due to a flat battery despite this battery being brand new.

A technician was called who jump started my vehicle.

On Monday I took my vehicle to the Mercedes workshop. On Tuesday I was informed they are not allowed to touch my car since it is on the motor plan and a non-Mercedes approved battery has been replaced. They at least need the old battery if they are to proceed.

Needless to say, I phoned the battery fitment center but my old Mercedes battery had already been recycled.

I took the matter up with Mercedes Assist since I have received incorrect advise from their advisor. I need not to have the battery replaced at my own cost, it was covered under the motor plan, I wasn't warned to take it only to a Mercedes approved fitment center or directed to an alternative fitment center if I can't have it replaced at a Mercedes workshop. Lastly, I wasn't told to keep the old battery.

I have spoken to a manager at Mercedes Assist who also established that my battery's warranty expired and is not covered under the motor plan. They insist they have not given me the wrong advice. Since they cannot verify my version of the telephone call to the advisor, I insist they listen to the recording of the conversation.

It has been 4 days and I am still waiting. My car is still at the Mercedes work shop and nothing has been done yet.

My workshop manager has phoned Mercedes assist numerous times as did I. We are awaiting Mercedes assist to come back with an answer. Today they are not taking our calls at all.

I am at a loss to what to do next because the work shop can't work on my car until the matter with Mercedes Assist is resolved.

This is unexpectedly disappointing service from a first class company.