W205 Merc C63, oil cooler damage caused engine breakdown

[Samby87]

Hi all, new to the forums here, hope you're all well.

Trying to get some advice on a bit of a problem with my C63. To summarise I was driving along an A road at 40mph when a stone punctured my oil cooler under the engine. I received no critical warning light (except to say "add 1 litre of oil when next refuelling") and the car lost a lot of oil very quickly. The engine now needs replacing and the bill from Mercedes is the equivalent of a house deposit.

I'm not the most technical person, but I have questioned why there was no undertray or mesh fitted to the oil cooler given its in such a vulnerable position. I have also asked if this car comes fitted with an oil pressure sensor as someone raised this on another forum but in the US. The service team is refusing to answer my questions, they quite literally change the subject in every one of their responses, and are now threatening me with storage fees if I do not collect my car.

Has anyone had experience of this before or any advice on how I can proceed with getting this resolved by MB? I don't see why I should have to pay anything here, the oil cooler is totally exposed, and there is no critical warning message which makes me suspect there is no oil pressure sensor.

Any help will be much appreciated!

Sam

[Skd884]

Ouch !!

[steve_n]

Try approaching Mercedes UK but I think your best bet is an insurance claim because you were driving, hit something and it's broken your car. They'd probably write it off though...

[Samby87]

The insurance company is refusing to pay out because they think I should’ve stopped the car immediately. The problem is there is no engine stop message in these vehicles, apparently because there is no oil pressure sensor. Currently locked down as the ombudsman is reviewing everything. Hoping it works out, and will continue to update this thread in case this happens to anyone else (God forbid).

[jahill]

I'd get some legal advice before responding to the insurer's further. It sounds like there was no reasonable indication you should have stopped immediately, only within a reasonable period of time (and when practical to do so).

[C63sxb]

Hi Sam,

Any update on your situation? My car is having its first (1800) service and I’ve just been informed that the oil cooler has been punctured,

Thanks

James

[Fat hippo]

C63sxb said:

Hi Sam,

Any update on your situation? My car is having its first (1800) service and I’ve just been informed that the oil cooler has been punctured,

Thanks

James

I’d be interested in finding out as well.
Also, is there an approved guard that can be fitted to mitigate this?