Ask Me Anything You Need To Know - B-Class

Good Morning,

My name is Tim and I do work for a MB dealership and am extremely familiar with the B-Class. I do have a 2014 B-Class EV and I figured I would contribute back to the community.

Ask me anything you need to know. I will be happy to do my best and provide an answer.

Note: I do work in sales, how ever will do my best to answer the tech questions from my day to day experience.

timr said:

Good Morning,

My name is Tim and I do work for a MB dealership and am extremely familiar with the B-Class. I do have a 2014 B-Class EV and I figured I would contribute back to the community.

Ask me anything you need to know and I will be happy to provide an answer.

Click to expand...

Thank you for offering your help timr.

Which dealership do you work for? How long have you owned your 2014 MB B EV?

Please read the following links and let us know what you know about the sudden loss-of-drive issues some owners are experiencing:

Message for new buyers:
http://www.mybclasselectricdrive.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=370

LIST:
http://www.mybclasselectricdrive.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=380

Sudden loss of drive:
http://www.mybclasselectricdrive.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=359

Drivetrain:
http://www.mybclasselectricdrive.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=374

Two important questions we have are:
1) Can you find out how many MB B EVs are on the road today? and
2) how many incidents of sudden loss-of-drive have been reported?

Is this statistic available to you to look up at MBUSA?

tom said:

timr said:

Good Morning,

My name is Tim and I do work for a MB dealership and am extremely familiar with the B-Class. I do have a 2014 B-Class EV and I figured I would contribute back to the community.

Ask me anything you need to know and I will be happy to provide an answer.

Click to expand...

Thank you for offering your help timr.

Which dealership do you work for? How long have you owned your 2014 MB B EV?

Please read the following links and let us know what you know about the sudden loss-of-drive issues some owners are experiencing:

Message for new buyers:
http://www.mybclasselectricdrive.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=370

LIST:
http://www.mybclasselectricdrive.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=380

Sudden loss of drive:
http://www.mybclasselectricdrive.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=359

Drivetrain:
http://www.mybclasselectricdrive.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=374

Two important questions we have are:
1) Can you find out how many MB B EVs are on the road today? and
2) how many incidents of sudden loss-of-drive have been reported?

Is this statistic available to you to look up at MBUSA?

Click to expand...

I have leased my B-Class since 12/29/14. I work for Mercedes-Benz of Silver Spring in Silver Spring, MD.

I can not see how many are on the road today, how ever there are 83 available 2015 B-Classes for sale in the country if that helps.

The only acknowledgement of issues with these vehicles I have noticed is below. Their maybe an open case on other issues, how ever it has not officially been released. It takes time when a case is opened.

MBZ has determined that the software in the Powertrain Control Module may not meet current production configuration.

880 vehicles were reported affected. No parts are required the software update is available and has fixed the problem. Fault messages such as "Visit Workshop" or "Do not shift gears" may appear. To correct this MB dealers will update the Powertrain Module software.

I do not believe this information is available on MBUSA, how ever not positive.

I have arranged updates on two of my personal clients and it has fixed any issues. The software update is also needed on my vehicle as it was affected. This is the only issue and solution I have personally seen on these vehicles so far. Thank you for asking I just found a turbo recall for my GLA while looking through those! :lol:

Hope this helps!

Can you tell me where the windshield washer tank is located? In a quick view I do not see it. I tried the front windshield washer today for the first time and nothing happened. The rear one works fine.

My vin is WDDVP9AB7EJ003426. My dealer said the update did not apply to my car. Is this true? I saw the error once but it has not returned.

GlennD said:

I tried the front windshield washer today for the first time and nothing happened. The rear one works fine.

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When you push the button, no water comes out right? I had the same experience, but then I got it to work. Push that button a bit harder and you will feel a click, you will then hear the pump pumping the water out to your front windshield.

tom said:

GlennD said:

I tried the front windshield washer today for the first time and nothing happened. The rear one works fine.

Click to expand...

When you push the button, no water comes out right? I had the same experience, but then I got it to work. Push that button a bit harder and you will feel a click, you will then hear the pump pumping the water out to your front windshield.

Click to expand...

You were right it takes a firm press. A light press just turns on the wipers.

If the software update resolves the issue, are dealers performing an update as they sell/lease them?

If we were to request an update, is there a specific reference we'd have to mention to the dealer?

Let's say I want to lease a new B-class, how can I make sure I leave the dealer with the proper fix?

rkleemann said:

Let's say I want to lease a new B-class, how can I make sure I leave the dealer with the proper fix?

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The problem is there is no proper fix yet, not even for RAV4 EV owners with the same drivetrain. It's a bit complicated to explain, you should read the threads suggested here: http://www.mybclasselectricdrive.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=370

nearly 1900 B class has been sold Tom. Insideev has a monthly tracker for it. I think they sold about 700 in 2014 and 1200 in 2015 so far

Thanks for that pointer cossie. I will dig around and see if I can find a second source for the 1900 number. I know Insideev sometimes does estimates, and that's why I did not use it. I live in the SF Bay area where I see the development of this industry first hand and I don't see that many Bs on the road (as I do the RAV EV). Of course I see tons of Teslas and Leafs.

The other thing is we know Toyota's deal with Tesla was for 2600 units total over three years. I suspect Mercedes's deal is in the same ball park and 2016 might be the last year of this model.

Anyways, I will dig around and see if we can find a second source for the 1900 number.

GlenD

Can you tell me where the windshield washer tank is located? In a quick view I do not see it. I tried the front windshield washer today for the first time and nothing happened. The rear one works fine.

Glenn your car does not show it applying to your car. Windshield wiper question seems to be answered and does happen all the time with a lot of our vehicles. I even did it a couple times the first time I was with the brand.

Rkleemann

Dealers sometimes will perform them before, or sometimes after. It depends on the dealership honestly. If you ask them they can check and see if it's open and request it to be done if it is open before you take the car. After the sale if your car was affected and you request an update they will be able to look it up in their internal system. They should not give people a hard time about this. I can only speak on behalf of our dealership. If my client calls me and says he wants an update, I check and see if there is an open update, and if there is I set up an appointment and get it taken care of.

I have never personally done this but you might be able to call MBZ customer service with the VIN to see if it is open. Shoot me a PM if you have any questions.

tom - From what I have seen in the NE it is similar. I have only seen one or two B EV's on the road, besides the three people who lease them at my work.

I would say there are a couple of reasons why I would say you don't see as many of the B EV's on the road. People barely know this car exist and are just finding out about it. There was not a whole lot of marketing around the launch of the B-Class. People are slowly finding out though word of mouth, from that neighbor/friend down the road with a Tesla or EV.

The normal luxury MB buyer is not thinking about electric vehicles and generally has no idea the car even exists. Most luxury car buyers thinking electric go straight Tesla, and that is because their branding screams upscale EV cars. The B-class is quite honestly what I find to be the biggest values on the road in the EV world. (How cliche I would say that, :lol: but seriously even if I didn't work for the brand I would say that and here is why) For close to the price point of a Toyota or Nissan. The luxury feels exactly like a Mercedes vehicle, extremely quiet and looks just like if you were in the interior of another MB. It is a very versatile car, and when the seats are folded down you have close to the space of a small SUV. On top of all of this you get a taste of that Tesla performance.

Toyota and Nissan buyers are generally more green conscious, and the idea is generally much more attractive to that market for the time being. Which is probably why you see many more on the road.

For example when I worked at Honda almost every client that walked through the door asked me the gas mileage on every vehicle. I would have to fight for those deals over 1MPG difference from a competitor. Now that I work for MB it happens maybe once a month, and generally it catches me off guard when they do. Luxury buyers generally do not think about nearly as much. Like I said 90% of the people who walk through the door have no idea the B-Class exists.

Almost any new release in the car industry with the amount of technology these cars are going to have bug or two. As far as the issues, I do not know first hand but I am sure MB/Tesla is working on an answer for the unresolved problems. Cars have recalls and issues all the time, and especially vehicles that are literally an entire new model. There are so many computers and technology now days it's almost inevitable for them to be perfect. I know it's frustrating when it's your car, how ever you can literally look at almost any brands line up and I am sure there will be issues with a new release somewhere.

Well, Tom was right and I just need to push the button stronger. I still do not see the washer tank. The manual is no help.It talks about the proper fluid but it does not show where to put it.

GlennD said:

Well, Tom was right and I just need to push the button stronger. I still do not see the washer tank. The manual is no help.It talks about the proper fluid but it does not show where to put it.

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It is located behind the driver side headlamp. It has the oval blue cover on it, and hopefully the visual below will help. Be careful not to touch any of those orange wires. (High Voltage Lines)

B is sold in the east coast where RAV4 is sold in California only, that's why you see more RAV4 than B Class. Also there are about 2500 RAV4s running around vs 1400 (assuming 75% were sold in CA)

cossie1600 said:

B is sold in the east coast where RAV4 is sold in California only, that's why you see more RAV4 than B Class. Also there are about 2500 RAV4s running around vs 1400 (assuming 75% were sold in CA)

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The RAV4 EV was sold from Sept 2012 until March 2015. Production stopped 28 August 2014.

Toyota was subject to California Air Resources Board - Zero Emission Vehicle (CARB-ZEV) starting in 2012.

Daimler / Mercedes was not subject to those rules until 2015. They will keep selling B-Class at least through 2017, when they may introduce a hydrogen car to meet CARB-ZEV.

Starting in 2012, the six "Large Vehicle Manufacturers" (LVM) were required to sell a minimum number of California Air Resources Board - Zero Emission Vehicle (CARB-ZEV) qualifying vehicles for compliance in California:


Manufacturer - ZEV used for CARB compliance, model years 2012-2014:

Ford - Focus EV
Honda - Fit EV
Chrysler/Fiat - 500e
Toyota - Rav4 EV, iQ EV
GM Chevrolet - Spark EV
Nissan - LEAF


For model years 2015 and beyond, both LVM and Intermediate Vehicle Manufacturers (IVM) must comply with CARB-ZEV:


BMW - i3, including gasoline hybrid version dubbed "REx"
Fiat/Chrysler - 500e (CEO of Fiat famously said, "Don't buy my car")
Ford - Focus EV, hydrogen by 2018 or more capable EV, like GM?
General Motors - Spark EV, future Sonic platform Bolt EV, possibly hydrogen by 2018-2020
Honda - absolutley hydrogen, may hedge bets with an EV
Hyundai - absolutley hydrogen, but may hedge bets with an EV
Kia - Soul EV, other EVs in the future
Mazda - Demio EV, plus hydrogen car with Toyota technology
Daimler/Mercedes - B-Class ED, Smart ED, hydrogen by 2018, Tesla Model S like car by 2020 called eLux
Nissan - LEAF, eNV-2000, probably other future EVs (perhaps hydrogen in Japan, though)
Toyota - absolutely hydrogen only in USA / Europe / Japan
Volkswagen - eGolf, hydrogen by 2018?, 310 mile Audi Q6 e-tron SUV, and 265 mile Porsche sedan for 2017/2018 "Tesla Model S competitor"


Auto manufacturers that are NOT subject to CARB-ZEV due to their small sales in California. These additional manufacturers are required to comply with the ZEV requirements, but would be allowed to meet their obligation with Plug-In Hybrids (PHEV):

Tesla - Roadster, Model S, Model X, Model 3 (all EV)
Mitsubishi - iMiev (EV) and Outlander Plug-in hybrid
Fuji Heavy Industry (Subaru) - ?
Jaguar Land Rover - EV
Volvo - plug-in hybrid CUV
Aston Martin Lagonda - DBX EV

Update, May 18, 2015

The California Air Resources Board rejected a plea from Jaguar Land Rover, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Subaru and Volvo to be exempted from the ZEV mandate. They had argued that their small r&d budgets will keep them from developing and selling electrified cars as easily as full-line automakers such as Ford, General Motors and Nissan, which already must sell ZEVs.

Automakers with less than $40 billion in annual global revenue -- which includes Jaguar Land Rover, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Subaru and Volvo -- now will have the option to sell plug-in hybrids only to earn "credits" toward compliance, rather than being forced to sell some all-electric or hydrogen cars. If they don't sell enough, they'll still need to buy credits from companies such as Tesla Motors Inc. that sell electric cars in large numbers. Tesla banked $51 million in the first quarter from selling ZEV credits to other automakers.

Thanks for the excellent info Tony! I got an invite from Toyota & I am scheduled to test drive the MIRAI in mid August, they said they will give lessees who lease that car three years of free hydrogen. Exactly where in the SF bay area are the fueling stations, I don't know yet. Maybe they will drive a fueling truck to people's home and fill up every night?

I have been driving pure electric cars for three years, I think all BEV drivers will agree, we are getting close to the tipping point where pure electric cars will take off big time.

It puzzles me why the MB B EV isn't selling better, perhaps it's because it's not promoted at all. With its range of 100 miles (not 87), its very powerful Tesla drivetrain (motor and battery technology), it's an excellent pure electric car for the price. The total out-of-pocket cost of my B over three years is $9600, crazy cheap for this excellent 4000 lbs. pure electric crossover that's pretty well built and very fun to drive (if we ignore the sudden loss-of-drive some have experienced).

It's clear to many, as soon as low-end electric cars have range of 100 to 125 miles or more, a lot more people will be driving them in urban and suburban environments. I can see big cities such as Shanghai and Beijing (or Manhattan, central London) mandating pure electric cars in the not too distant future.

The whole fuel cell drama is really strange to watch, really amazing how big auto is thinking about this whole thing. People at Toyota and Hyundai are clearly not stupid or irresponsible. I would really like to understand their internal studies, discussions, and politics.

The electric car industry is about to become very very exciting in the next 3 to 5 years. Consumers should see some fantastic products from the industry, and it will be like the smartphone when it first came out, every two years the products will improve significantly vs. the previous year's models.

Thanks for the photo. Even with a picture I had to search to find it.

I love the car but the documentation sucks. My dealer Mercedes Benz of Long Beach has yet to reply to my email despite a claim 0f same day reply. Thanks for everyone, especially tom for your help

LB Mercedes has a good rating but it must not include Email.

Thanks for all the info on this forum. I just helped a family member shopping for an electric car and end up taking home one last night. Today the charging door is stuck and won't open. We tried looking behind the compartment in the rear cargo and didn't find anything that looks like a manual release. Any idea how or if there is a manual release?

sparqi said:

Thanks for all the info on this forum. I just helped a family member shopping for an electric car and end up taking home one last night. Today the charging door is stuck and won't open. We tried looking behind the compartment in the rear cargo and didn't find anything that looks like a manual release. Any idea how or if there is a manual release?

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When the car is locked the charging door is also locked! That gets many.