Battery in my C280 is leaking

[BenzMeister]

IK think. About a 18 months ago I received from MB a recall on the battery, they replaced it and put a sticker on the CPU box and owners manual the battery has to be checked at each serive. I check it once a month, during the 18 months I only added water to two cells twice, 1 and 3 and 5 and 6. I did my usual inspect in the beginning of April, I checked it over the weekend end and there was this white stuff all over the one side, not on the terminal but the bottom of the battery, I cleaned as much off with baking soda and water as I could, as I can't lift it out, it is too heavy for my back. Has anyone else had any bad experiences with Mercedes batteries?

[GDawgC220]

Some MB batteries have been known to be bad...such as running dry in a year or so. I had a problem with a few batteries, two of them ran out in two years, back to back. But MB is good about their battery warranty. When I replaced my first one, I paid for it full price cuz it was out of warranty. Their batteries carry a 4 year warranty, so after two years when it failed, I only paid 50% of the new battery.

It's a 4 year warranty, so each year, it's a 25% pay of a new battery.

1 year fail = pay 25%
2 year fail = pay 50%
3 year fail = pay 75%
4 year fail = pay 100%

I haven't had a problem for 3 years now since the last one was replaced, so I think I finally got a good one

[BenzMeister]

Originally posted by GDawgC220
Some MB batteries have been known to be bad...such as running dry in a year or so. I had a problem with a few batteries, two of them ran out in two years, back to back. But MB is good about their battery warranty. When I replaced my first one, I paid for it full price cuz it was out of warranty. Their batteries carry a 4 year warranty, so after two years when it failed, I only paid 50% of the new battery.

It's a 4 year warranty, so each year, it's a 25% pay of a new battery.

1 year fail = pay 25%
2 year fail = pay 50%
3 year fail = pay 75%
4 year fail = pay 100%

I haven't had a problem for 3 years now since the last one was replaced, so I think I finally got a good one

today and said the battery warranty is only 2 years and I am a month over, so I will have to pay full price, $109.00 less 15% MBCA discount. I asked about the 4 years warranty you mentioned and I am being told no such thing, can you send me to a site or something that says this? Thanks

[GDawgC220]

Originally posted by BenzMeister
today and said the battery warranty is only 2 years and I am a month over, so I will have to pay full price, $109.00 less 15% MBCA discount. I asked about the 4 years warranty you mentioned and I am being told no such thing, can you send me to a site or something that says this? Thanks

The 4 year warranty was told to me by the roadside tech. I don't know if i have a receipt showing that I paid 50% for a new one...maybe MB changed their policy?

[BenzMeister]

Originally posted by GDawgC220
The 4 year warranty was told to me by the roadside tech. I don't know if i have a receipt showing that I paid 50% for a new one...maybe MB changed their policy?

I wrote to MB America yesterday, and I am going to call around to other dealers and see what they say. I let you know latter today, as I need to replace the battery before it does more damage to the floor of the trunk.

[bobcat]

The MB roadside assitance tech who replaced my battery
gave me a receipt showing "two-year no-deductible replacement
warranty" on it.

He "hinted" that I can call them a week before then end of
the 2-year period and get a new one put in for free... hint hint...

As I have mentioned elsewhere previously, the new MB battery
is made in Spain. (the one that came with the car from the factory
was made in France)

[BenzMeister]

Originally posted by bobcat
The MB roadside assitance tech who replaced my battery
gave me a receipt showing "two-year no-deductible replacement
warranty" on it.

He "hinted" that I can call them a week before then end of
the 2-year period and get a new one put in for free... hint hint...

As I have mentioned elsewhere previously, the new MB battery
is made in Spain. (the one that came with the car from the factory
was made in France)

stamped on the side, perhaps it was made in the rain in Spain. Anyway, I didn't get a 2 year no deductible, 25% I pay the first year and 50% the second. I am going to inquire why you can a full warranty and I don't. I am German ancestry also, that should count for something. My 3rd cousin is the Prince of the Netherlands by the way.

[Rocky]

My OEM battery lasted 7 years before it gave out with no servicing to it. It was a bad alternator that killed my OEM battery

[BenzMeister]

Originally posted by Rocky
My OEM battery lasted 7 years before it gave out with no servicing to it. It was a bad alternator that killed my OEM battery

the original battery on my wife's 1994 Audi 100S, 10 years the battery lasted. So far my W202 is on its 3rd battery. I got a battery mat from Griot's it absorbs battery acid, so if this ones leaks it won't be such a mess. By the way I tested the battery with the engine off it showed 12V on the meter, witch the engine running it was between 13 and 13.5V, my meter shows 14V and over as overcharging.

[bobcat]

Originally posted by BenzMeister
stamped on the side, perhaps it was made in the rain in Spain. Anyway, I didn't get a 2 year no deductible, 25% I pay the first year and 50% the second. I am going to inquire why you can a full warranty and I don't. I am German ancestry also, that should count for something. My 3rd cousin is the Prince of the Netherlands by the way.

the original battery on my car lasted 6 and half years...
It didn't actually die. The car was not operated for several
months and the battery completely discharged.. almost.

The tech came out and I decided to get a new battery anyway...

[1998K]

Please how to see if the battery is OK or out? What kind of measurement do you have to do?

Volt normally are still OK more or less also if the battery is discharged?

thanks

[BenzMeister]

Originally posted by 1998K
Please how to see if the battery is OK or out? What kind of measurement do you have to do?

Volt normally are still OK more or less also if the battery is discharged?

thanks

you can pick up a battery tester for $20 US in most part stores, one side is ground and the other is positive. ground wire to the negative terminal and red to the positive, if the tester show the volts below 12 when running or not running, there could be a problem, the max a battery should be putting out when the car is not running is 12.5V, next turn the engine on, if the charge is below 13V or above 14V you might have a problem. If there is dryed out white substance around the body get a new one quick, it is leaking, also if you post have the same substance get a new one. If the battery is over charging 14V or over have a shop check the alternator first to find out why it is overcharging, you might need to replace that also.

[1998K]

Originally posted by BenzMeister
you can pick up a battery tester for $20 US in most part stores, one side is ground and the other is positive. ground wire to the negative terminal and red to the positive, if the tester show the volts below 12 when running or not running, there could be a problem, the max a battery should be putting out when the car is not running is 12.5V, next turn the engine on, if the charge is below 13V or above 14V you might have a problem. If there is dryed out white substance around the body get a new one quick, it is leaking, also if you post have the same substance get a new one. If the battery is over charging 14V or over have a shop check the alternator first to find out why it is overcharging, you might need to replace that also.

Thanks a lot BenzMeister. I've just changed mine but (I've a multimeter of course) the old one still had ab. 12.3V when changed because not able to start the engine. Mechanich tolds me, after I've already purchased and installed by myself the new one, that there is nothing to do with the old one.

thanks a lot

[BenzMeister]

Originally posted by 1998K
Thanks a lot BenzMeister. I've just changed mine but (I've a multimeter of course) the old one still had ab. 12.3V when changed because not able to start the engine. Mechanich tolds me, after I've already purchased and installed by myself the new one, that there is nothing to do with the old one.

thanks a lot

I have a problem with dealers that do that, you should have asked them first to check the car out, as a no start, the reason I got my new battery it was leaking like crazy and the alternator wasn't over charging. I've read quite a few articles and post on various boards about C Class battery problems.

[1998K]

Fortunately I've not had a lot of problems with my battery. In my case I've discharged mine because of MAS failure (see my other post in repair) and I've started a lot of times the car keeping the engine at low rev for a lot of time. The battery was completely out so I had to buy a new one. That was really a bad day.