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german6563 · 10-22-2015, 11:52 AM

Hello Weirdstuff
smog check if you need, you can ask Volkswagen, in that they are professiona l

weirdstuff · 10-22-2015, 02:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by german6563

Hello Weirdstuff
smog check if you need, you can ask Volkswagen, in that they are professiona l

haha!!! I'm sure they could help me out!!!

weirdstuff · 11-04-2015, 09:35 AM

Update:

On Friday, I spent a while at DMV to pay $50 for an extension on my registration. That got me a 60 day extension while I work out this smog b.s.

I submitted the requested paperwork via email to the Smog Ref. Paperwork included invoice from Mercedes which detailed the tests and checks they did on my AI, which showed that all systems are working per Mercedes specifications.

Yesterday the Smog Ref calls. They will not give me an appointment until Mercedes runs more tests. They require Mercedes dealer to run drive cycle tests, and to contact manufacturer to see if there's anything else they can do, and to check for any recalls/service bulletins. Then the dealer must document these things and send me the paperwork, which I will then submit to the Smog Ref to try to get an appointment.

EDIT: Just got email from dealer. They said there's nothing they can do...that we have already taken vehicle through drive cycle by actually driving it, that there are no service bulletins on the vehicle, and that contacting the manufacturer will take at least a week and they'll probably just tell us to drive it more. insert EXPLETIVE here!!

KJRitchie · 11-04-2015, 10:31 AM

Sounds like you are stuck between two rocks; DMV and dealer. I'm surprise the dealer hasn't had this issue with other customers. Can you request the dealer to contact the Mercedes factory representative so you can have a face to face meeting? If their vehicles can't complete smog tests can a lemon law be invoked?

You can always go rogue and drive it unregistered or will you end up in Folsom?

Kelvin

SilverGate · 11-04-2015, 10:45 AM

Thanks for the update.

Sounds like its time for another pollute-gate cruise around beautiful San Diego.

And now that you have a 60-day extension, you might try to do the Mercedes Drive Cycle reset yourself (a couple of times if needed)...

Or check out how other Sprinter owners managed to reset their monitors and pass the smog test!

Good luck!

weirdstuff · 11-04-2015, 12:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KJRitchie

Sounds like you are stuck between two rocks; DMV and dealer. I'm surprise the dealer hasn't had this issue with other customers. Can you request the dealer to contact the Mercedes factory representative so you can have a face to face meeting? If their vehicles can't complete smog tests can a lemon law be invoked?

You can always go rogue and drive it unregistered or will you end up in Folsom?

Kelvin

The dealer has had other customers with the same problem. But, they claim that the others have been told to drive 200 miles, and that none of them have come back to complain that that didn't work.

I'm gonna look up the lemon law. Not sure what the criteria for that is.

Quote:

Originally Posted by SilverGate

Thanks for the update.

Sounds like its time for another pollute-gate cruise around beautiful San Diego.

And now that you have a 60-day extension, you might try to do the Mercedes Drive Cycle reset yourself (a couple of times if needed)...

Or check out how other Sprinter owners managed to reset their monitors and pass the smog test!

Good luck!

We are NOT gonna do another Pollute-Gate cruise!!

Thanks for that link. I've read through that before. Seems that a lot of those peeps have purchased and installed something called a GDE, or a a GDE tune. I don't really understand it, but I thought some of those people said that it's not legal to do in California. Confusing.

Ron_CA · 11-04-2015, 01:17 PM

B.S. I would just contact a lemon law attorney.

PM if you want the name of a good one a friend used a couple years ago.

weirdstuff · 11-04-2015, 01:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ron_CA

B.S. I would just contact a lemon law attorney.

PM if you want the name of a good one a friend used a couple years ago.

I just looked up Lemon Law. Seems that only applies in the first 18 months and 18,000 miles of purchasing a new vehicle.

Ron, pm-ing you. It's worth calling your source.

Ron_CA · 11-04-2015, 04:06 PM

Maybe it won't apply for lemon but maybe it will since it can't pass smog. Maybe it never did when new. Think about it. I can't imagine that MB would want bad publicity over this.

73shark · 11-04-2015, 04:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ron_CA

Maybe it won't apply for lemon but maybe it will since it can't pass smog. Maybe it never did when new. Think about it. I can't imagine that MB would want bad publicity over this.

Especially not after the Volkswagen debacle.

weirdstuff · 11-04-2015, 04:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ron_CA

Maybe it won't apply for lemon but maybe it will since it can't pass smog. Maybe it never did when new. Think about it. I can't imagine that MB would want bad publicity over this.

Yea, makes you wonder, doesn't it?

I have thought about calling the local news channel and local paper. I just keep thinking it'll be over soon and I'll have my smog test passed one way or other, and be on my way.

weirdstuff · 11-10-2015, 06:10 PM

Had appointment with the Smog Ref today. We passed with only 2 monitors not complete. Our original failed test showed 3 monitors not complete.

Smog Ref said this is a known problem with Mercedes diesels. i.e., that Mercedes is aware that their monitors have a hard time completing, and they haven't come up with a fix yet.

Well, 2 more years, then we do this all over again. Fun, eh?

UKDUDE · 11-10-2015, 06:39 PM

We felt your pain but it made interesting reading!

Sent from my iPhone using Airstream Forums

Ron_CA · 11-10-2015, 07:02 PM

Congrats on cracking THE CODE

weirdstuff · 11-10-2015, 07:41 PM

Thanks! I feel like I should get some kind of award 'cause I never used the F word with any of the peeps I had to deal with!

73shark · 11-10-2015, 09:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by weirdstuff

Thanks! I feel like I should get some kind of award 'cause I never used the F word with any of the peeps I had to deal with!

You should probably have told them to do something anatomically impossible while using the F word.

SilverGate · 11-10-2015, 10:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by weirdstuff

Thanks! I feel like I should get some kind of award 'cause I never used the F word with any of the peeps I had to deal with!

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!

:c lap:

And I bet you are so happy, you could dance and sing:

Happy in San Diego

Jpetrovich · 11-23-2022, 11:45 AM

This is an old thread, but in case it helps anyone, we just got through the drive cycle process on our Airstream Atlas. The Mercedes dealers we spoke to said that we needed to drive it about 50 miles, let it cool fully overnight, drive it another 50 miles and after a few days it would be reset. Not so much. It is easier than this post, but definitely not intuitive or fast. The first video I found said to do the following:
Lock the RV overnight, take the key inside the house out of range. In the morning, turn off the air conditioner, drive 35mph for 5 minutes, then 55 for 15 minutes, then 55-65 for 10-15 minutes, coast all the way to zero.
In the same trip, we also did this second method: Lock the RV overnight and take the key out of range. Turn on the engine, turn off the AC, with the transmission in park run 2 minutes 2000-2500 rpms, idle 6 minutes, then drive 43 mph for 3 minutes, increase speed to 48-54 mph for 3 minutes OR 5 mins @ 43 mph, 3 mins at 51 mph and roll to a stop. For $20 on Amazon you can buy this: "MOTOPOWER MP69033 Car OBD2 Scanner Code Reader Engine Fault Code Reader Scanner CAN Diagnostic Scan Tool for All OBD II. It will show you as you clear each test. We wasted a LOT of gas trying the 50 miles a day method.