I just received a call from our service advisor at Greenway Mercedes in Houston, TX for our 07 ML350 with 43k that our CEL error was on the bad end and the quote of aprox. 6k would be covered under MB. Our ML fell outside the warranty time period a few months ago but still within the 50k. Our advisor fought for us and had it covered.... We were speechless when we received the call and immediately went over there and thanked him with a generous gc from Starbucks. We're one of the lucky ones!!!

Way to go!

MB "should" step up & fix any issue like that up to 100K w/o questions!

__________________
MERCEDES Benz Master Guild Technician (6 TIMES)
ASE Master Technician
Mercedes Benz Star Technician (2 times)
44 years foreign automotive repair
27 Years M.B. Shop foreman (dealer)
MB technical information Specialist (15 years)
190E 2.3 16V ITS SCCA race car (sold)
1986 190E 2.3 16V 2.5 (sold)
Retired Moderator

Hi all:

Wanted to ask if anyone else had any experience with issues occuring after the shaft repair. Have an 06 ML350 that had 101000 miles. After the CEL came on, took car into dealership and was told the bad news. MBUSA covered the entire repair. After car came back, we had no AC and about a week or so later realized we also had an oil leak. Called the service rep and told her of our issue. Had also told her and svc mgr that I would bring car back in after 2000-3000 miles for an additional oil change. She said no problem, will take care of everything at oil change.

Took car in at 104000 miles for oil change and these repairs. Turns out my service rep no longer at the dealership. Service Manager tells me we have a leak from high pressure AC line and a leak from oil sensor. Then offers to cover parts only, with labor estimated at $625. Total repar estimated close to $1000. We refused to pay for labor as these problems resulted from repair; we never had any AC problems or oil leaks. Service Manager then denies that this could have happened and asks me to pick up car (I paid for oil change and a yearly state inspection).

Contacted MBUSA. MBUSA tells me this is my problem with dealership and they have nothing to do with this and they decline to get involved at all.

Looked over invoice from balance shaft repairs and turns out the dealership never road tested the car after the repair, as mileage out is only 3 miles more than mileage in.

Anyone else have any similar issues? Anyone suggestions on finding a resolution other than civil litigation?

When MBUSA covered the repair in full, we were happy to think we were valued customers. Then we were told by MBUSA that "Mercedes feels that owners should take responsibility for their own vehicles at some point." And yes, that's a quote. Here we were thinking that paying for and maintaining the vehicle (at dealership) over the span of 100000 miles WAS taking responsibility for our vehicle. How foolish of us!

Thanks.

Bought my certified pre-owned 2006 ML350 in 2009 with 30,000 miles on it. Check engine light just lit up with 60,000 miles on it and a few months after my warranty expired- no outward signs that anything was broken. Was told that it would cost $5,800 to fix my balance shaft which was missing teeth and to have my husband call if he had any questions. ( A little irritating- like I can't handle the subject matter or something). SO, instead of bothering my already busy husband I googled it and called my Maserati mechanic for his opinion. Apparently balance shafts should not break and if they do it should not be for a long, long time- certainly not after 60,000 miles. Armed with word of internet information like- the balance shaft metal was not properly hardened and thus breaks prematurely, and that mercedes knew this was a problem since 2007 (2 years before I bought my car), I called the dealer and ask him to confirm. He admitted both of these things to be true. SO I told him I was really angry they sold me a car they knew would have a $6,000 repair without warning me. They apologized, emailed mercedes USA and are now fixing it for free. Although this is an inconvenience for me, I can't be too mad in light of the free fix and with very little hassle to obtain it. My advise to others with this problem is to follow a similar course of action as myself. Given the consumer service on this issue, I would consider buying another mercedes (at least from this OK dealer).

Thanks for the GOOD feedback!

__________________
MERCEDES Benz Master Guild Technician (6 TIMES)
ASE Master Technician
Mercedes Benz Star Technician (2 times)
44 years foreign automotive repair
27 Years M.B. Shop foreman (dealer)
MB technical information Specialist (15 years)
190E 2.3 16V ITS SCCA race car (sold)
1986 190E 2.3 16V 2.5 (sold)
Retired Moderator

Howdy
First I have to say that this thread BARELY saved me from making a costly mistake. I was "cashiers check in hand" close to getting a 2006 MB-350 with 52k miles.
This was a corporate car used by an exec. It was purchased and maintained at the MB dealer in Fremont, CA. Everything looked really clean, it ran like a top, was loaded to the hilt and the maint records that i got during the pre-purchase inspection looked complete. I setup the appointment in my name, paid for the inspection letting the dealer know i would base my purchase decision on their inspection. I asked very frank questions about everything and got responses that indicated all was good and all the issues worked on were minor and pretty typical.
My question to the group is whether the inspection should have let me know about this issue. Seems that at 52k, this is right on the cusp of the problem range.
I am fortunate that I am only out $165 instead of a $5000 repair bill. But still I am disappointed that my $165 only pointed out thin brake pads and a burned out headlight. I think they were loyal to their corporate customer by keeping this issue from me, the guy paying the inspection.

Thanks for any feedback.

My CEL came on a couple days ago. Next start it did not come back on. Couple of trips later it came on & engine was running rough & misfiring. Turned engine off & restarted and it was fine. CEL stayed on so I took it into the dealer.

The dealer said the codes were 0649 and 0637, misfires on cylinders #4 & #6.

We moved the coil packs to other cylinders to see if the misfire follows the coils.

Has anyone seen this problem before? Is this the start of the sprocket on the balance shaft going bad?

Thanks!

No, simply misfire codes. not related to the "soft" balance shaft gear issue.

__________________
MERCEDES Benz Master Guild Technician (6 TIMES)
ASE Master Technician
Mercedes Benz Star Technician (2 times)
44 years foreign automotive repair
27 Years M.B. Shop foreman (dealer)
MB technical information Specialist (15 years)
190E 2.3 16V ITS SCCA race car (sold)
1986 190E 2.3 16V 2.5 (sold)
Retired Moderator

Ok, thanks. I'm going to clean up the MAF this morning too. So far no new CEL or misfires. I'll post back with more info as it comes along.

Is there a case or docket number for this lawsuit? Just curious.

Hi Great info in this forum.
I have looked but cannot find any reference for a change in engine on newer models, is MB still using the problematic M272 or M273 engines in the newer cars? (2014)

I have a 2007 CLS 350, 47000 miles, a 2006 ML 350, with 38000 miles (company cars) and a 2012 C250.

I am looking to either run the two company cars till they die or replace both.

I want to check on the 2014 CLS500, ( I would rather have the 350, but it looks like it is not being offered, a V8 in Japan is overkill and the 350 was plenty fast.)

But now I am worried about engine problems after reading these posts and would rather sell off or trade in the two older cars and just replace them instead of waiting to have a problem and getting stuck with two cars with engine problems.

I will go to my dealer the next service, and check on the CLS, but only after I know if the motor has changed.

If its the same motor in every full sized 2014 model, I may be looking at BMW instead.

Appreciate the info.

The M272/273 were replaced with the M276/278 in the US. Not sure about elsewhere.

Thanks for the info ILUVMILS, I feel much better, searched and found no instances of problems associated with the older engines.

I feel very lucky reading all these posts,so far so good! I have 71,000 on my 2006 ML 350 and my engine is within the range of bad serial numbers. I have a good relationship with my local dealer they know I fix my own cars but have still honored stuff after the waranty has expired. Since I am the original owner and purchased at this same dealer I am very confident they will honor it if the balance shaft gear goes bad

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88 W124 3.0
96 R129 119eng
06 ML350
98 ML320 sold
02 CLK55 amg

M272 Engine bearing Knock
I have a 2008 ML350 that I purchased in Jul of 2014. it had 79,000 KM / 49,000 miles on it. It appeared to be in good shape and relatively low mileage so I went ahead and bought it from Local Mercedes dealer who said they gave a complete go over from top to bottom.
Second day i had it I went to restart it after about an hour of sitting and got the Knock knock knock for about 5 seconds or so and then quiet. I took it back right away and told them about it and of course they have never heard of such a thing. It took me about 2 seconds to find many others with the same problem on the forum. For some reason it has taking months to get this dealt with and after it being into the shop a couple of times they had oil drained and found metal in it so decided a new engine was way to go. The extended warranty wants to put a used engine in with same or lower mileage. I understand that and was told same year engine was found and going to be installed. This one apparently only had 60,000km on it so sounded fine. After several days I went to look at the new engine that came in from the auto wreckers and it was still in plastic wrap with a label that says 2007 and R350. I am not excited about an older model year going in and let them know. I told them I was not OK with it and was told I would probably be stuck with it as far as warranty was concerned. My thoughts are that the 08 engine would have updated parts and less likely to have Balance shaft problems etc. Does anyone know if there were updates from the 07 to 08 engine?
I was also told Mercedes knows nothing of any bearing problems on these engines and had no bulletins.Crock?