First service and tow bar coding / software update

[StevieG]

Hi, we‘ve had our MP (2020 300d AMG) for a year now and finally had our first away trip with a stay at Loch Lomond.
Unfortunately we suffered a slow puncture on the way home; we got back safely and booked in for repair and first year service at our local M-B dealership.
We’ve come across a sticking point though.
M-B say the MP is due a software update, but M-B cannot guarantee that the software won’t reset the tow bar coding and they don’t seem to know if the tow bar can be deselected from the software update.
The Westfalia removable tow bar (purely for a bike rack) was an aftermarket fitting, and the service centre (non M-B) that fitted it did the coding so that reversIng camera sensors disable correctly when the bar and bike rack is attached. Cost £50 to code.
If M-B run the update and it resets to default then I’ll need to pay another £50 to the tow bar centre to have it recoded.
M-B say they can’t do the coding (intercooler upgrade?)
No doubt this will happen every time we have it serviced or on recalls.
Any experience of this and advice on how to proceed?
Thanks!

 

[Grand Tourismo]

Hi Stevie G, what do the tow bar fitting centre say about the issue, as this is likely to be an ongoing subject for the life of your MP and they must have come across this before on other brands etc.
Also is there a chance that MB are advising a software update because the system has noticed an error code due to the recode work carried out by the tow bar centre? if so you could ask MB to leave it alone.
Just my thoughts, sorry I can't be of assistance.

 

[StevieG]

Hi GT, thanks for your message, I’ve not contacted the fitters yet (PFJones) but will call them today - I know that they used the dedicated M-B electric kit.
MB told me there was a software update due when I arranged the booking before they’d even seen the vehicle, so it won’t be an error code for the tow bar itself that they’ve seen.
I’m not hugely impressed with the local dealership so far - it seems to be that they can service the ‘car’ but aren’t interested in the ‘van’ elements.
Are there any M-P specialist dealerships anywhere?

Steve

 

[Grand Tourismo]

MB told me there was a software update due when I arranged the booking before they’d even seen the vehicle, so it won’t be an error code for the tow bar itself that they’ve seen.

Maybe that could be your MP "talking" to the MB central computer via Mercedes Me? They do strange and wonderful things these cars!

I’m not hugely impressed with the local dealership so far - it seems to be that they can service the ‘car’ but aren’t interested in the ‘van’ elements.
Are there any M-P specialist dealerships anywhere?

After reading on here for a while (and lurking on Fb) I don't think any MB dealers are true specialists in the MP. My local dealer (MB Northampton) can handle the vehicle side OK but not the "camping" side, they keep trying to bat me away to....well I don't know where they expect me to go tbh!
MB Peterborough are a smaller independent group and have a can-do attitude so I seem to get the best out of them. But I always find I need to be fore armed with knowledge of what I really want done from this forum and other any other resources. (even down to advising them to look into the MB workshop TIPP manuals to assist with certain jobs etc)

 

[StevieG]

Thanks! I maybe lucky that there’s a full blown caravan / motorhome / campervan business local to us - I might contact them to see if they‘ve got MP expertise

 

[Samebutdifferent]

@StevieG PF Jones are are specialist in their field and will have far more knowledge than any M-B dealership.

I had a dedicated Westfalia tow bar fitted to a VW T5 and never experience any problems when serviced, but than again that was at a VW commercial van service centre.There lies the problem, unlike VW M-B decided not to sell and service the MP through their commercial network.

There are only two Westfalia dealers in the country that have knowledge of the camping side of the MP, the one I am familiar with say that they regularly get calls form M-B dealers with queries. M-B need to get a grip quickly and start training their staff. It's not as if the MP is new to them as it's been sold in various forms for 25yrs in Europe.

 

[StevieG]

Hi @Samebutdifferent thanks for the info!
We had a small warranty issue a few weeks after buying and that was sorted out via the M-B commercial team in Nottingham; really good experience but when I asked about future servicing they said it’s covered by the regular car dealership network.
Out of interest, where are the two Westfalia dealers you mentioned?
Ta!

 

[Samebutdifferent]

Burgess Hill and another in the south I'm afraid Hayling Island