Serious emissions fault shortly after purchase – no reimbursement offered
I purchased a Mercedes-Benz E220 from Car Planet Watford in October 2025. Within a relatively short ownership period, the vehicle developed an AdBlue/SCR fault that triggered a mileage countdown, meaning the car would eventually become undriveable.
The vehicle was initially inspected by an independent garage, which identified SCR/AdBlue-related faults and advised further investigation. Following this, the vehicle was inspected by a garage appointed through the dealer’s own repair network and then by an authorised Mercedes-Benz main dealer.
Mercedes-Benz confirmed a failure of the SCR/AdBlue tank module, a major emissions-control component, which required full replacement. This is not a service or wear-and-tear item.
Due to the active countdown and my reliance on the vehicle for work, I had no reasonable alternative but to authorise the repair under necessity. The total cost was £1,686.36, supported by full Mercedes-Benz diagnostic reports and invoices.
Despite providing this documentation, Car Planet declined to reimburse the repair cost, relying on the position that diagnostics cannot determine the precise moment an internal electronic failure began. No allegation of misuse, contamination, or driver error has been made by Mercedes-Benz or the independent garages involved.
I am disappointed by the level of after-sales support provided when faced with a serious, immobilising fault on a recently purchased vehicle. The matter has now been escalated for independent review.
Prospective buyers may wish to consider carefully how significant faults are handled once a sale has been completed.
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