I don't have an MB, yet, but I can tell you that my former 1986 Volvo 740 Turbo did have a similar harmonic balancer. It did have to be replaced because the rubber seperated from the metal. It did not cause any damage to the engine. The engine could not be timed after a distributor replacement so that's how the shop knew it needed to be replaced.

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Regards

Warren

Currently 1965 220Sb, 2002 FORD Crown Vic Police Interceptor

Had 1965 220SEb, 1967 230S, 280SE 4.5, 300SE (W126), 420SEL

ENTER > = (HP RPN)

Not part of the in-crowd since 1952.

Visited my local dealer concerning the damper on my wife's 1998 C280 as it has a slight wobble, the rubber is cracking and it has the 00 00 part number being one of the original design dampers.
Of course they wouldn't admit there have been problems but it is going in tomorrow for their analysis and decision.
While there I saw my friend in the parts department, an SCCA corner worker, and he told me the damper is now up to version #13 and they don't stock the stretch bolt indicating they use the old one over. I told him to order me one as it would be used on the replacement of the damper whether the dealer did it free gratis or refused the change and I do it myself. BTW the car only has 38,425 miles on it.

Tobias MB
4 MBs

Had the same problem on my 98 ML320 at about 55,000 miles - and one month after purchase from a private party. My mechanic broke several power wrenches trying to get the bolt off and ended up having to CUT it off. Thankfully he didnt' charge me the full amount of hours they spent on it.

At that point there was no evidence that the oil pan was cut into, but since then 10 miles later, a slight leak has appeared. I'm now on alert to watch the oil level. The dealer mechanic doesn't feel it's a problem, but we'll keep an eye on it.

Can't remember right now the other part that was ruined by the balancer being off, but that was another few hundred bucks too.

I wasn't able to take advantage of a "good will gesture" as I stupidly took it to my very accomplished Mercedes mechanic through whom I found the car.

I now only go to the local dealer for the ML.

Been there, done that. 98 ML320, 47K but out of warranty. No warning, burning rubber smell, noise, oil leak. MB dealer bill was $3800, best they offered was 50%, negotiated it down to $1500. This is outrageous that the failure of a rubber gasket can lead to so much engine damage so fast. Bad bad bad design. Admit it , Mercedes, fix it, and move on. How can I add to a failures database to get someone to initiate a recall review. Mercedes knew I was an owner and did not bother to alert me to this disaster. They also didn't bother to tell me that they are extending warranty coverage to oil lubricated parts to 100K(?) as part of a class action settlement. Anyone have more specifics on this? This is not the Benz that I knew and grew up with. This never happens at Lexus, folks, and I'm walking. Listening DCX?

Go to the first post on page 6 for the link to report your complaint.

Is this news to anyone? It's been a problem for a while.
Mine failed on my 98 ml320 around 48,000 miles. It scored the timing chain cover... but thankfully did not cut through.
My local mechanic busted his ass to get the nut off.
He completed the job and charged me $250.
I cringe to think what would have happened if my wife was driving and was far from home. She would have continued to drive, not knowing what catastropic damage she was doing to the engine, not to mention the danger she was putting herself and our child in!
Mercedes should be ashamed. I still have that balancer in a plastic bag! Just tell me where to send it, and I'll include a note to tell Mercedes WHERE TO PUT IT.

Please go to page 6 of this forum and follow the instructions on the 1st posting... help us build a case. Thanks.

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Jim

ladfalat - actually, this stuff DOES happen at Lexus. Toyota/Lexus was dragged kicking and screaming to the table over sludging and subsequent failures of their V-6 engines.

Did anyone notice the following thread posted in the Diesel Discussion?

The guy has an LS400 and spent over $4,000 doing front end work and replacing the timing belt.

He's now looking for an older MB diesel:

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/showthread.php?threadid=77606&highlight=lexus

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Paul S.

2001 E430, Bourdeaux Red, Oyster interior.
79,200 miles.

1973 280SE 4.5, 170,000 miles. 568 Signal Red, Black MB Tex. "The Red Baron".

Last week, I spoke with MBUSA tech and local dealer parts dept. to inquire about the balancer part # on my 2000 E320. Both claimed that they could not (or would not) tell me the balancer part # built on my 10/99 production date vehicle.

Of course, both claim to be unaware of any balancer problems on M112 or M119 engines.

I checked the part # myself today using info. from this thread.

ShopForum is the best!

There is no way for us to know what balancer you have unless we
open the hood and read the number. Parts does not have access to that info. All they know is what your car calls out for
currently. (Updated part or not.)
Dr.D

Key thing with NHTSA is the 'Volume' of complaints related to same part or equipment. Yes, its no big deal to point to NHTSA that the gouged oil pan or timing belt cover would cause catastrophic injury/accident. Obviously, we can't claim unless it happeened to us. For sure, when it reaches a 100 complaints, we will be contacted, and an investigation would be launched. at that point, some of us will be contacted. Also, we SHOULD complain about every vehicle, with similar failure, but trying to classify the type of failure is the key. (I have seen some folks complaining as 'cooling syustem failure' and some as powertrain failure). This failure is all that.

I believe that this forum may not be the appropriate place to discuss actual strategy, as there are implications to the forum facilitator, from legal action etc., from the defending parties. Obviously, we can only 'state facts' and experiences here. We will do emails for the rest. Please call me or contact me by email if you are contributing/recruiting/educating others to lodge complaints.

Yes, we should complain about MLs, C320s, and C280 and so on.

NHTSA is interested in all 'trend ' of failure situations.

Please take a moment and LET AT LEAST ONE PERSON you know to launch their personal complaint.
I talked to NHTSA CSR and the MB Corporate Service support number.. Its so pathetic that MB CSRS are only allowed to say 'Your concern has been documented' and "Since your vehicle is operational as disgned, there is no further action MB would take' He told me that for every questions I asked. Obviously that is not customer service , it is covering ther 'ASS'ets..

there I went to NHTSA and lodged a complaint. As you all kknow NHTSA responses are based on volume of complaints.

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE do launch your experience as a complaint!

http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/ivoq/
is the link. go armed with your VIN Number, and ytour dealer advice words and dollar cost of fixing and extent of damage.


Thanks

Suresh Palakurthi
717 222 9779
palakurthi@usa.net

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I am an enthusiast but you can't pry money outta my hands... Help me to get to full throttle on the Harmonic Balancer Crank Shaft Pulley RECALL!

logikman,

Thanks for the great information. According to the NHTSA link you provided, it's not required to have 100 complaints before an investigation is launched. If you go to http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/ivoq/ under general information, a bullet item reads:

"We do not have to receive a specific number of complaints before we look into a problem. We gather all available information on a problem. Your complaint is important to us. "

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Dave

1998 E320
2001 SLK320
2000 Lexus RX300

dateline.consumeralert@nbc.com

mailto:dateline.consumeralert@nbc.com

I have started a PR effort in this matter, starting with Date Line NBC.

Here is my text...

PLEASE USE THE SAME SUBJECT for Added Impact.

=====================

Hello:

I have been an owner of a 1999 Mercedes Benz E320, bought used about 1 year ago. Recently some thing went wrong on this vehicle and it started wobbling and making external engine noise. Soon, I discovered that there was a non-metallic part, a ring, the size of a palm was found in my engine bay. I took it to my local MB dealer, Sun Motor Cars in Harrisburg, Pa and spent about $424. The dealer's service manager told me its not a problem commonly seen but it sounded like awfully too popular as they knew exactly what it was when I described on the phone.

I did my research and visited several Mercedes enthusiast websites. Here are some of them, for your references:

www.peachparts.com

You will easily find dozen, if not hundreds of people letting their anger about same story repeat... on their own vehicles. In brief, here is the technical description of the problem.

The Mercedes E320 engine (supposedly 1998 through mid 2000) called M112 as well as the same engine or substantially similar engine on C280, ML320, E430 etc., has a Harmonic balancer, a rubber ring sandwiched between 2 metal pulley to isolate the engine vibration from the rest of the pulleys being driven by the engine. this is what the serpentine belt rotates on.

Over time, the poorly designed harmonic balancer pulley fails, the rubber ring cracks, breaks or falls off, depending on the temperature of the vehicle driving conditions and stress/load. It is typically seen on ML320 in the range of 40,000 miles, but is not as commonly reported as typically it is still under warranty. On E320, it tends to be around 60 ,000 miles though, often it could be as low as 25000 miles. The issue is, when this part fails, the engine timing belt cover , oil pan etc get seriously gouged by the rotating pulley. Typical estimates being around 2500 to 4000 dollars. Often dealer profess innocence or lack of similar failure (common across board, every user in my group mentions that the dealer said 'never heard of it'.) . The issue become more dangerous and expensive as well, when less mechanically inclined people just keep driving until something smells or makes terrible noise etc., often resulting in a middle of the road complete breakdown and seize of the engine. Several of us, in the group nearly 20 to 30 of us, lodged complaints with NHTSA website and found several already logged.

I and others called MBUSA and we all get the canned 'your concern has been noted' and no further action will be taken' for literally every question we ask. Its definitely worth recording that 'customer service' and playing it in public to demonstrate how terrible the problem is being guarded by Mercedes. We all love our cars but we don't like to pay over 2500 dollars for fixes that could be resolved with a 83 dollar part recall.

Please contact me if you like further information. I will initiate a PR campaign with as many people as I can to get your attention .

Please call me back at my business phone number below or my cell, 717 222 9779 or my email.

Thank you for your attention

__________________
I am an enthusiast but you can't pry money outta my hands... Help me to get to full throttle on the Harmonic Balancer Crank Shaft Pulley RECALL!

Trying NOT to pick nits here, but PLEASE proof your notes before sending them - you are trying to get some sympathy from folks, and when you own a MB, fat fingers aren't permitted.

__________________
Bill Streep
San Antonio
'57 190SL (toy)
'08 S5500 (mine)
'09 CLK550 (wife's)
'06 SLK350 (daughter's)
'11 GLK350 (daughter's)
'03 CLK310 (spare)