Importing a Vehicle (Subaru) Without TPMS - Success!

[Xeon Zhang 0]

 

On 12/18/2023 at 1:50 PM, Piotr1995 said:

 

I had same back and forth with MB customer service regarding Non-Compliance Letter on MB letterhead. I was about to start small claims court process but I first send an email to MB CEO, asking for the change of policy and a letter and two days later I got it emailed to me. 

I imported the 2014 MB successfully last week in Alex Bay, NY. (U.S. Customs and Border Protection - Alexandria Bay Port of Entry). I provided the MB letter, invoice for the aftermarket installation of TPMS sensors and filled Declaration.  I was asked for form CBP 7501 which I had blank. Officer took all papers and start filling up the Entry Summary form right away without asking me anything.  He spoke with the another office and they mentioned some dollar amounts. I was told that I have to pay import duty of $300.

 

Thank you for the posts and help with the process. 

 

Yes I meet the same problem this week for my GLC300 2020, the TPMS problems resulting product_compliance@mercedes-benz.ca rejects to provide compliance letter to me and their online link https://www.mercedes-benz.ca/en/compliance-letter is definitely a fake trap aiming to cheat their customers, you can never submitting your requesiting form online through their portal as the system is always shows error occurs in the final submitting step.

 

Even if you email their product_compliance@mercedes-benz.ca goup, they find thousands of way to refuse provide a compliance letter, they will kick you back and forth with same message until you are dessperated.

 

I just want to be informed how to successfully get a "non-compliance" letter from MB canada, or any detaied steps to sue them to get that letter, currently I have confronted with dealership, the service group, but nobody gets any positive feedback.

[GCPeace 1]

Recent successful import of a Subaru Crosstrek Touring 2020 from Montreal to Vermont through the Highgate border. No pricey importer was needed, did it myself. Here is what I did:

 

I prepared everything beforehand. They really appreciated this and it calmed everyone down.

 

I gave them:
--Subaru Compliance Letter [Noting the lack of TPMS and the FMVSS units issue. I easily changed km to miles in the Subaru Control panel. I bought The Amazon Jansite TPMS kit at $30 US. Got a mechanic friend to write a receipt showing it was professionally installed, even though I did it (took 10 min). No charge. Showed the receipt. The agent didn't really care about the TPMS, shrugged his shoulders.]
--vehicle registration [He took it and checked that it matched the one on the car.]
--HS-7 DOT, checking the 2b box.
--EPA from 3520-1
--Form Entry Summary 7501 [I could not fully fill out all the boxes beforehand and just filled out what I could and asked for help. They helped me.]
--List of comps from Canada's Carfax [I took the lowest figure (Trade In Price) and calculated the US exchange amount for the day and wrote it on the print out. He said, fine, but he will look up Carfax in the US and see what totals he gets. He took the lowest trade-in figure. He found my car was worth $18K and I found $14K so he said: "Split the difference?" I said sure! He then only charged a flat 2.5% because the car was made in Japan, and the bill for the duty was only $345 USD.]
--Didn't wash car, or remove snow tires. [It is March so the roads are crummy anyways, and snow tires are mandatory in QC. They said they couldn't care less.]
--They did not ask about loans/debts on the car [I own it].

 

I now live in the USA, and recently moved to VT last year. I bought the car used in QC last year to help with the move. The car was in the US with me, so I had to drive it out of the US and turn right around, get in line and then drive it back into the US, declaring that I wanted to import a car. They called over an agent right away, and he walked me to a covered car park area, took my keys and walked me into the CBP Welcome Center which had 8 counter places and a set of chairs, and lots of agents hanging around. It was not busy. He took me right away. He said he was new to this and his supervisor helped him. In all it took 45 minutes.

 

NOTE: I am a 60 year old white guy who is fluent in English. I dressed professionally and was calm and not rushed. Your experience might be different depending on gender and race. The agents were all White at the QC/VT highgate border, with 2 women among the dozen there. That said, the border guards have their last names printed on their vests and they were all French. This is the Northeast Kingdom of VT so many French-Abenaki people live here and likely work at the border.

 

Hope this helps.

 

I post this here in gratitude to all those who shared their experience here--I could not have done this without you all!!

[vk787 3]

On 3/23/2024 at 12:08 AM, Xeon Zhang said:

 

 

Yes I meet the same problem this week for my GLC300 2020, the TPMS problems resulting product_compliance@mercedes-benz.ca rejects to provide compliance letter to me and their online link https://www.mercedes-benz.ca/en/compliance-letter is definitely a fake trap aiming to cheat their customers, you can never submitting your requesiting form online through their portal as the system is always shows error occurs in the final submitting step.

 

Even if you email their product_compliance@mercedes-benz.ca goup, they find thousands of way to refuse provide a compliance letter, they will kick you back and forth with same message until you are dessperated.

 

I just want to be informed how to successfully get a "non-compliance" letter from MB canada, or any detaied steps to sue them to get that letter, currently I have confronted with dealership, the service group, but nobody gets any positive feedback.

Write an email to Mercedes CEO and wait for one week. If they do not reply you can take next step of giving them a legal notice.

[vk787 3]

On 3/23/2024 at 12:08 AM, Xeon Zhang said:

 

 

Yes I meet the same problem this week for my GLC300 2020, the TPMS problems resulting product_compliance@mercedes-benz.ca rejects to provide compliance letter to me and their online link https://www.mercedes-benz.ca/en/compliance-letter is definitely a fake trap aiming to cheat their customers, you can never submitting your requesiting form online through their portal as the system is always shows error occurs in the final submitting step.

 

Even if you email their product_compliance@mercedes-benz.ca goup, they find thousands of way to refuse provide a compliance letter, they will kick you back and forth with same message until you are dessperated.

 

I just want to be informed how to successfully get a "non-compliance" letter from MB canada, or any detaied steps to sue them to get that letter, currently I have confronted with dealership, the service group, but nobody gets any positive feedback.

Send an email to erica.luu@mercedes-benz.ca . She is para legal there. Tell her that your friend had such an issue and she helped resolve it. Can she help you, so that you don’t have to reach court for relief.

[Xeon Zhang 0]

13 hours ago, vk787 said:

 

我只想被告知如何成功获得 MB canada 的“不合规”信函，或任何起诉他们以获得该信函的必要步骤，目前我已经与经销商、服务集团对峙，但没有人得到任何积极的反馈。

Thank you so much for the information!!! I will try soon, and if I get any updates I will share to everybody who needs it！

[Xeon Zhang 0]

May I know the Mercedes CEO email address?

I have email to the headquater's CEO Ola Källenius on ola.kaellenius@daimler.com two weeks ago but no update so far, I thought I should email MB canada CEO email but I cannot find it on google

[vk787 3]

1 hour ago, Xeon Zhang said:

May I know the Mercedes CEO email address?

I have email to the headquater's CEO Ola Källenius on ola.kaellenius@daimler.com two weeks ago but no update so far, I thought I should email MB canada CEO email but I cannot find it on google

 

1 hour ago, Xeon Zhang said:

May I know the Mercedes CEO email address?

I have email to the headquater's CEO Ola Källenius on ola.kaellenius@daimler.com two weeks ago but no update so far, I thought I should email MB canada CEO email but I cannot find it on google

You can also try the following email id: Andreas.Tetzloff@daimler.com

[vk787 3]

Just now, vk787 said:

 

You can also try the following email id: Andreas.Tetzloff@daimler.com

 

1 minute ago, vk787 said:

 

You can also try the following email id: Andreas.Tetzloff@daimler.com

He is the new CEO as per the news: https://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/mercedes-benz-canada-announces-andreas-tetzloff-as-new-president-and-ceo-805972896.html

https://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/mercedes-benz-canada-announces-andreas-tetzloff-as-new-president-and-ceo-805972896.html

[JohnSparrow 0]

I just successfully import my 2016 SUBARU Crosstrek  at Buffalo Peace Bridge, less than 15Mins it was done.

Following day, went to DMV, got it registered and  now with NY license plate.

Thanks to this thread!

 

what I did was:

got all the Documents needed (some spaces is not been filled in, I asked for help with officer about it)

-proof of sale

-registration

-letter of compliance

-EPA

-DOT form

-receipt from auto shop

 

for the TPMS I went  to a reputable auto shop on that area, So that the officers won't have second thoughts about the installed TPMS and receipt. The Officer ask me about the car, if it is modified  to standards of US (TPMS), I said yes and  When the Officer saw the receipt and he knows the shop. He said to the other Officer (maybe a new Officer) that it can be trusted but if the receipt is sketchy (not professionally made) it may have a problem. 

 

Be respectful in talking to them, always say "Officer".

The Officer that handled my case is very helpful even in filling in the documents. 

 

I went there around 6:30PM, there were only few cars that time so it was not busy for them.

 

Hope this experience could help others! 

[MicherCA 0]

My girlfriend and her hubby successfully imported their Subaru Forester yesterday through Sweetgrass  / Coutts brooder crossing, with market TMPS, no issues. Thanks for all the people who contributed here. As soon as I am done mine, will also come back here and update. 

[vantosea 0]

In the same boat. MB canada replied same email that cannot issue compliance letter (or non-compliance letter).

 

Please was anyone recently able get the compliance letter successfully.

 

Also, I am in BC, so does anyone know what are the process to open small claim here?

 

Thanks in advance!

[vk787 3]

16 minutes ago, vantosea said:

In the same boat. MB canada replied same email that cannot issue compliance letter (or non-compliance letter).

 

Please was anyone recently able get the compliance letter successfully.

 

Also, I am in BC, so does anyone know what are the process to open small claim here?

 

Thanks in advance!

Hi,

Please reach out to erica.luu@mercedes-benz.ca. She is a paralegal at Mercedes. Ask her if she can help you get the letter. Let me know how that goes.

 

Regards

 

[Xeon Zhang 0]

I emailed the CEO ola.kaellenius@daimler.com, they forward me back to MB canada and they finally send me a email like this, I am still wondering if this is the "non-compliance" letter they need, but I decide to have a try with boarder officer next month.

 

[vantosea 0]

My vehicle is non-compliant with respect to below ones:

 

1. FMVSS #101, namely: Instrument Cluster
2. FMVSS #138, namely: Tire Pressure Monitoring System

 

For 2, I can install an after market TPMS as mentioned in this thread earlier.

For 1, I can change digital instrument cluster display to show in miles/mph)(currently shows in km/h as per Canadian standards)

But analog speedometer/instrument cluster only had KM/h . Will this be a problem?

 

Is there any workaround?

 

Thank you

Edited May 2 by vantosea

[vk787 3]

1 hour ago, vantosea said:

My vehicle is non-compliant with respect to below ones:

 

1. FMVSS #101, namely: Instrument Cluster
2. FMVSS #138, namely: Tire Pressure Monitoring System

 

For 2, I can install an after market TPMS as mentioned in this thread earlier.

For 1, I can change digital instrument cluster display to show in miles/mph)(currently shows in km/h as per Canadian standards)

But analog speedometer/instrument cluster only had KM/h . Will this be a problem?

 

Is there any workaround?

 

Thank you

I think there is a sticker with MPH that a mechanic can put.