Without prejudice
Thank you for your email. I must express my disappointment with the response received and believe the decision to be unduly harsh given the circumstances. I am writing to respectfully ask that you reconsider your position based on the full context of the incident and the technical faults present at the time.
Background and Incident Summary
Prior to the breakdown, the vehicle's navigation system was faulty and the car was with Mercedes-Benz of Oxford for four days, during which the engineers had to escalate the issue to Germany. I would like to understand whether this fault was connected to the later issue with the cooling system — and, if so, why the vehicle was returned to me in a potentially compromised condition?
On the day of the incident, the following additional faults were experienced:
Faulty parking sensors (video evidence attached)
Cruise control / Distronic system failure
Warning for front left indicator failure
A low coolant warning light appeared, but it did not appear urgent and gave no sign of imminent risk
A “Stop Vehicle” message flashed up but again, the car was driving normally with no indication of engine overheating.
As a loyal Mercedes customer — this being my fourth vehicle — I trusted the engineering and software integrity of the car. I did not expect such a failure on a 16-month-old £78,000 vehicle.
The situation escalated only when the tortoise warning light appeared and the rev counter stopped responding. At that point, I acted as any reasonable person would when travelling on a busy motorway with a toddler in the vehicle — I pulled over at the first safe opportunity, which was a lay-by off M40 J9. This was a frightening and highly stressful experience for me and my family.
To further compound the confusion, upon stopping, the car’s system incorrectly alerted emergency services that it had been involved in a collision and was on fire, which it was not.
Concerns Regarding the Diagnosis
The attending roadside engineer from Mercedes-Benz seemed relatively relaxed and did not suggest any serious damage had occurred. However, Mercedes-Benz Oxford has now advised that the vehicle requires an entirely new engine.
This raises further questions:
Is a full engine replacement the only possible remedy?
I've asked how their complaints department sought a second opinion before approving such a costly diagnosis?
Could there be an incentive to recommend a new engine based on resale value when the lease ends?
I believe this situation warrants an independent inspection by another authorised Mercedes service centre to obtain a detailed, impartial assessment.
Request for Re-evaluation
While I understand your initial view may be based on the technical data available, I urged them to reconsider in light of the broader context. The situation involved multiple software anomalies, mixed signals from the vehicle, and my genuine belief — based on prior experience with the brand — that this was not a serious mechanical fault.
This entire ordeal has left me deeply upset and shaken. I've asked if we are unable to reach a fair and reasonable resolution through this channel, but have heard nothing back.
I had hoped Mercedes, as a brand that prides itself on reliability and customer loyalty, will take this matter seriously and re-evaluate the case accordingly However I'm yet to see this and am still waiting.....