Dealer can’t calibrate backup camera --Advice Requested.
Here are the basic facts of the matter. I’ll refrain from ranting or otherwise describing how I truly feel about it. I am asking for advice and if anyone foresees a positive resolution in a reasonable time.
Sept. 1st I bought a 2021 Getaway at the Fredericksburg MBvans dealer about 5.5 hours away. On the way home, I noticed trouble with the backup camera. The worst of it is that the image is completely reversed left-to-right leaving it unusable as a backup camera. Objects on the left display on the right, etc. There are also no gridlines and no wide-angle or hitch views that are new to the 2021 model year. I assumed I would just clear it up under warranty at a more local MBvans dealership. My 2021 was manufactured in Dec 2020.
When I got home I called the Knoxville TN MBvans dealership about 2.5 hours away. After describing the problem, I was told that due to COVID staffing issues, he had been told NOT to schedule any more appointments for those vans. He took my phone # and said he would call me if that changed, but ultimately never called.
A couple of minutes later I called the Roanoke VA MBvans dealership and they had me a service appointment within a week. They at least tried to fix it, but after about 6 hours, they gave it up and said they could not code the camera and would order me a replacement. 3 months later the camera is in and today they tried again.
I had read the other backup camera gridlines threads and I sent them the following and then printed it out for them to see again today:
The following service description came from someone who had my exact problem fixed successfully: (note this was for a 2017 so the Short Test-Code may be different)
"Customer states backup camera does not show the guided lines.
Incorrect VIN in rear view camera.
Perform Short Test-Code B220600 for incorrect VIN in Rear view camera.
Program and SCN code camera.
Lines Function."
They were hesitant to look at the above text and asserted that wasn’t it when I showed it to them.
They (Roanoke) replaced my backup camera as planned and told me they still couldn’t calibrate the backup system and that they had looked up the Fredericksburg inventory check in report and it indicated a code saying the backup system had never been calibrated. He had an earlier model Metris for comparison with a working backup camera, but said that he didn’t know for a fact that my 2021 wasn’t supposed-to-be-like-that since it was setup that way at the factory.
He suggested that I leave it so he could open up a case with MB. I would have done that, but no loaner or ride home (2.5-hour drive) was forthcoming. He suggested that I call Enterprise to rent a car to get home. I declined to leave my van, and I think I’m lucky I did, because after some probing he told me that he had vehicles awaiting a pending MB case resolution since Feb 2021 still waiting for service. He explained that he was limited to what MB would allow and they would not permit my van to be released back to me before the issue is fully resolved. I asked if I chose to drop off the van in January and it did turn out that it would take weeks or months –could I just come get my van back when I couldn’t wait any longer until something better worked out? He replied no. When I suggested that I would indeed come get it anyway should that situation happen, he said that he would rather not have that conversation. We were both being respectful and polite, but I explained firmly that I could not commit to any plan that could lead to me going months or even weeks without the use of my van. He mentioned I could try the Knoxville dealership and that I was within my rights to drop it off back in Fredericksburg and demand that they straighten it out. Weeks or months without the use of my van is the same no matter which dealership has it parked in their service lot. He mentioned a buyback program.
He said that they cannot open a case with MB until I agree to leave it and that I then couldn’t get my van back until the issue if fully resolved whether that was weeks or months. I told him I would be in touch after the first of the year and reiterated that I could not agree to anything that could result in me being deprived of the use of my van for a long indefinite period.
Given that I would really rather NOT sell my new Metris Getaway back to MB and start all over, what are my options? It seems that if I move forward with them opening an MB case then there is potentially no path forward or backwards to get my van back if the issue drags on.
. . .what to do?
Here are the basic facts of the matter. I’ll refrain from ranting or otherwise describing how I truly feel about it. I am asking for advice and if anyone foresees a positive resolution in a reasonable time.
Sept. 1st I bought a 2021 Getaway at the Fredericksburg MBvans dealer about 5.5 hours away. On the way home, I noticed trouble with the backup camera. The worst of it is that the image is completely reversed left-to-right leaving it unusable as a backup camera. Objects on the left display on the right, etc. There are also no gridlines and no wide-angle or hitch views that are new to the 2021 model year. I assumed I would just clear it up under warranty at a more local MBvans dealership. My 2021 was manufactured in Dec 2020.
When I got home I called the Knoxville TN MBvans dealership about 2.5 hours away. After describing the problem, I was told that due to COVID staffing issues, he had been told NOT to schedule any more appointments for those vans. He took my phone # and said he would call me if that changed, but ultimately never called.
A couple of minutes later I called the Roanoke VA MBvans dealership and they had me a service appointment within a week. They at least tried to fix it, but after about 6 hours, they gave it up and said they could not code the camera and would order me a replacement. 3 months later the camera is in and today they tried again.
I had read the other backup camera gridlines threads and I sent them the following and then printed it out for them to see again today:
The following service description came from someone who had my exact problem fixed successfully: (note this was for a 2017 so the Short Test-Code may be different)
"Customer states backup camera does not show the guided lines.
Incorrect VIN in rear view camera.
Perform Short Test-Code B220600 for incorrect VIN in Rear view camera.
Program and SCN code camera.
Lines Function."
They were hesitant to look at the above text and asserted that wasn’t it when I showed it to them.
They (Roanoke) replaced my backup camera as planned and told me they still couldn’t calibrate the backup system and that they had looked up the Fredericksburg inventory check in report and it indicated a code saying the backup system had never been calibrated. He had an earlier model Metris for comparison with a working backup camera, but said that he didn’t know for a fact that my 2021 wasn’t supposed-to-be-like-that since it was setup that way at the factory.
He suggested that I leave it so he could open up a case with MB. I would have done that, but no loaner or ride home (2.5-hour drive) was forthcoming. He suggested that I call Enterprise to rent a car to get home. I declined to leave my van, and I think I’m lucky I did, because after some probing he told me that he had vehicles awaiting a pending MB case resolution since Feb 2021 still waiting for service. He explained that he was limited to what MB would allow and they would not permit my van to be released back to me before the issue is fully resolved. I asked if I chose to drop off the van in January and it did turn out that it would take weeks or months –could I just come get my van back when I couldn’t wait any longer until something better worked out? He replied no. When I suggested that I would indeed come get it anyway should that situation happen, he said that he would rather not have that conversation. We were both being respectful and polite, but I explained firmly that I could not commit to any plan that could lead to me going months or even weeks without the use of my van. He mentioned I could try the Knoxville dealership and that I was within my rights to drop it off back in Fredericksburg and demand that they straighten it out. Weeks or months without the use of my van is the same no matter which dealership has it parked in their service lot. He mentioned a buyback program.
He said that they cannot open a case with MB until I agree to leave it and that I then couldn’t get my van back until the issue if fully resolved whether that was weeks or months. I told him I would be in touch after the first of the year and reiterated that I could not agree to anything that could result in me being deprived of the use of my van for a long indefinite period.
Given that I would really rather NOT sell my new Metris Getaway back to MB and start all over, what are my options? It seems that if I move forward with them opening an MB case then there is potentially no path forward or backwards to get my van back if the issue drags on.
. . .what to do?