Another Bad Motor-Class Action

[snowds]

Here we go again. I have two 2014 BEDs. In 2017 both of them had the drive motors replaced under warranty due to the whining problem, at around 18K miles. Now one of those is getting a "Without starting return to workshop" error, and is a bit jerky when driving. Dealership says it is the drive unit, and will cost $21k to replace!!! That means that of 4 motors (the original two that were replaced and the two we have now) 3 have failed with around 20k-30k miles. In our small sample size, 75% failure rate.

Two questions for the community:
1) Does anyone know of any EV repair shops in the Southeast (GA/FL)? It definitely seems some shops have built an expertise (for example QC Charge in California.

2) Do we have any lawyers on the forum who can tell us whether a class action is starting to make sense here? This is such a widespread issue, that it seems MB (or Tesla) should be taken to account on it. These motors are clearly defective and there are damages to the consumer, but is it looking like there is a case that justifies putting MB through discovery and seeking damages?

Thanks to all who participate here!

Stephen

 

[MbNeverAgain]

My drive unit failed, too, on my 2017 with about 40k miles. MB wants $17500 for the repair.

 

[Electric Benzo]

Same here. Just bought mine a few weeks ago as is with 34k, 2014 and was told it would cost me $15k here in VA at the MB dealership.

 

[MbNeverAgain]

Same here. Just bought mine a few weeks ago as is with 34k, 2014 and was told it would cost me $15k here in VA at the MB dealership.

I am so sorry. This is crazy how this is happening so often and MB does not care. I wonder what the percentage of failures there have been across all those they made.

 

[glegrande]

My 2014 drive motor failed last year with 55k miles on it. I was quoted almost $20k to replace it. I'm parting it out instead, hoping to get some of my money back out of it.

 

[MbNeverAgain]

My 2014 drive motor failed last year with 55k miles on it. I was quoted almost $20k to replace it. I'm parting it out instead, hoping to get some of my money back out of it.

How are you going about selling the parts?

 

[Jaywlker]

Hi, Glegrande;

Where are you located? Does your car have the 100% charge button selection? Paddle shifters on steering wheel? Rear view camera?

Kindly,

-Jay

 

[kendebono]

My 2016 original started whining around 45k. I took it to the only mb dealership here in Malta and after some questions and arguments back and forth MB germany accepted to replace the unit at their own cost including labour. i hear of others having MB replace them, maybe they where less than 8 years old. not so sure why they replace some and not others

 

[glegrande]

I'm selling the parts on eBay primarily. I also happen to manage an auto salvage yard which is why I decided parting mine out was the best option for me. I have my parts listed available through the yard as well. I'm in Denver CO. Mine does not have the 100% or paddle shifters, or a rear view camera.

 

[glegrande]

When I took mine into MB, they knew absolutely nothing about the car. The techs there didn't even know Mercedes had electric cars, they had never seen one. Every question I asked they had to call corporate to get an answer. They did diag for a week before deciding the drive unit was bad. They weren't willing to do anything at all for me to get it replaced, not even a discount. I took it to an EV specialty shop after that for a second opinion because the dealer seemed incompetent. The EV shop diagnosed it in a day and came up with the same issue. They told me it was quite common for a seal to go bad and coolant to leak into those motors.

 

[Electric Benzo]

When I took mine into MB, they knew absolutely nothing about the car. The techs there didn't even know Mercedes had electric cars, they had never seen one. Every question I asked they had to call corporate to get an answer. They did diag for a week before deciding the drive unit was bad. They weren't willing to do anything at all for me to get it replaced, not even a discount. I took it to an EV specialty shop after that for a second opinion because the dealer seemed incompetent. The EV shop diagnosed it in a day and came up with the same issue. They told me it was quite common for a seal to go bad and coolant to leak into those motors.

Wow!!!

 

[asavage]

The EV shop diagnosed it in a day and came up with the same issue. They told me it was quite common for a seal to go bad and coolant to leak into those motors.

Indeed. The rotor coolant seal is shared on the Model S, RAV4 EV, and your B250e/Electric Drive, and they fail at an alarming rate. There are a lot of PO'd early Model S owners, your pain is shared. Only the early Model S (and our variants) use the water-cooled rotor design; none of Tesla's later designs do this.

Tesla is now selling remanufactured drive units that have a "coolant delete" manifold which eliminates water cooling the rotor entirely; after 11 years they've given up trying to make this seal (and several designs of it) work to keep the water on the wet side of the system. But Tesla will not sell this part to you and me.

QC Charge in San Diego has developed their own $600 coolant delete manifold for field replacement, instead of trying to seal up old drive units for a third, fourth, fifth time.

And, some of us are working on a DIY "cap" that installs inside the OEM coolant manifold, to convert it to bypassing the rotor in the cooling loop -- for a LOT less than $600.

Some have done some crude coolant bypass workarounds already, but they involve welding and/or epoxy; the "cap" we're developing should require no more than a Dremel, maybe a bandfile ($70 at Harbor Freight), and a press or big vise to install. On the Model S, the drive unit needs to be removed with the rear subframe in order to R&R this coolant manifold; the RAV4 EV it may be possible to R&R it with the DU still in the car. IDK about the B250e as I've not see pics of its install.

 

[kendebono]

I'm selling the parts on eBay primarily. I also happen to manage an auto salvage yard which is why I decided parting mine out was the best option for me. I have my parts listed available through the yard as well. I'm in Denver CO. Mine does not have the 100% or paddle shifters, or a rear view camera.

I am looking for a replacement charge cable. Mine got damaged by a faulty type two charger. is this availabe?

 

[Jaywlker]

I'm selling the parts on eBay primarily. I also happen to manage an auto salvage yard which is why I decided parting mine out was the best option for me. I have my parts listed available through the yard as well. I'm in Denver CO. Mine does not have the 100% or paddle shifters, or a rear view camera.

Please provide a link to eBay. Thanks!

 

[glegrande]

I sold the battery and whole charging system already. They were the first things to go. They went to a guy who was converting a VW bug to electric. I'll put up what I have in the classified section.

 

[Hussain]

When I took mine into MB, they knew absolutely nothing about the car. The techs there didn't even know Mercedes had electric cars, they had never seen one. Every question I asked they had to call corporate to get an answer. They did diag for a week before deciding the drive unit was bad. They weren't willing to do anything at all for me to get it replaced, not even a discount. I took it to an EV specialty shop after that for a second opinion because the dealer seemed incompetent. The EV shop diagnosed it in a day and came up with the same issue. They told me it was quite common for a seal to go bad and coolant to leak into those motors.

How much EV shop asking to repair the motor and after repairing any warranty?

 

[Hussain]

I am so sorry. This is crazy how this is happening so often and MB does not care. I wonder what the percentage of failures there have been across all those they made.

75% failure of ev motors in 250e model 2014 to 2017 cost to replace 15k to 21k

 

[nrkmann]

That is the cost to replace not repair. The two seals, bearings and labor is $1K-$2K to complete the repair. A repair shop can also put a weep hole in the case the coolant leaks again. Note: the weep hole needs a one way valve so water cannot enter the unit while driving.

 

[Hussain]

Where is the shop In houston

 

[ronan281]

That is the cost to replace not repair. The two seals, bearings and labor is $1K-$2K to complete the repair. A repair shop can also put a weep hole in the case the coolant leaks again. Note: the weep hole needs a one way valve so water cannot enter the unit while driving.