Frank Wiesmann

Hello to all W211 E55 drivers,

I am considering the beast as an option for my next car and have read a lot of things about stalling due to defective crankshaft sensors and failing intercooler pumps causing a loss of power. Have these problems been rectified with the current model year? Are there any other issues that the car has that have stuck with it to this day or has it become a solid car? Any advice or experiences shared would be greatly appreciated!

Have a great weekend!

ClayJ

I wouldn't be at all concerned about a 2006 E55. Not the least bit.

Rock

Hi Frank,

I think it is a great time to get a 2006 E55. There are a lot of great deals on this car. My 05 has been flawless and I'm very happy with "Mercedes quality." I believe you would be safe in assuming that the 06 model should be a trouble free automobile.

WayneE

8600 miles on my 06 and no problems, other than a single incident where the radio freaked out for a day. Ran a 12.16 in the 1/4 mile with it in stock form, too I enjoy it so much, I can't stop driving the damn car.

relisysj4

got abut 12k on mine, failed cooling pump--->loss of power....car was out for a week and they gave me a toyota corolla for a loaner...then, 'Brake Malfunction SBC Visit Workshop' Message....car was out for 2 days...


quite annoying, but you'll still love the E no matter what...your frustrations will be let out once you stomp on the gas.

ENDSMTG

Depending on what you are driving now, I would get used to stopping at the gas station every other day. I drive this car every chance I get!!! No major problems as of yet, had to get a seat bolster replaced.

jangy

The IC pump is a simple upgrade for those of us that love to raise hell and live in warm climates. There are a number of aftermarket ones out there and that mod is actually warranty friendly!! Also, keep in mind that that it is technically not a "problem". It is a safety feature of the SC. Most these days have them and it has to do with the heat exchange. ALL SC cars need extra car. Heck, back in the day you had to let your car (not MB) sit for a bit to let the SC pump spin and make sure the temp was back down before you shut it down. The fancy cars would have the car run for a bit even after you got out just for that. Actually, intercoolers were an option in themselves until not long ago.
The '06 is as refined as an MB comes, especially given the toys and performance.

Can Drive 55

I have 8,000 miles on mine and I have had 2 issues. One light bulb in an illuminated door sill burned out and a steering column relay malfunctioned, causing the SRS light to come on.

So far there have not been any posts that I am aware of where someone regretted the purchase. They all seem to love the vehicle, as do I. Go for it.

WayneE

Yeah, the only regret posts I've read on here is when someone sells their E55

2K6E55

I bought my 06 BEAST 2 months ago, drove approximately 3K miles and I have absolutely no problem at all. However, I wish I have waited until now since MB is having special lease deal on it. I would have saved tons of money! You wont regret it!

JJIII55

I have 5000 miles on mine and all is well. CD changer got stuck but was partially my fault. Dealer promptly took care of it. Otherwise simply an amazing car.

stevebez

Just under 1000 miles now and 2 mnths old ... had a 200mile jounery on Saturday and wow! What a blast.

On the -ve side got 2 very annoying cabin noises.

1- vibration rattle from rear -view mirror area cluster on rough surfaces.... (this one the most annoying).

2- creak rattle from centre dashboard no idea of the exact location - also intermittent.

Will get it into stealer to review - but often they create more rattles than they fix!

Had 2 other mishaps ... One morning fiddling with 3-5-7 trick menu and managed to get the cd chagr stuck open. But this sorted itself when I swicthed car off completly for 10 mins. My Fault.

The other was the heating / cooling system went haywire... would keep heating the car reagrdless of what temp you selected but I was fiddling with the REST menu thing before this happened so again ... My Fault, and it reset it self once the car was switched off for 10 mins.

So overall very happy with all the gadgets I selected, they all work fine. If I could get rid of these noises it would be perfect car!

Just buy it ... you will not regret it. I dont think I will ever sell this ... if I get something else I will let the wife have the E55.

Rgds Steve.

jangy

rest feature on an '06??

stevebez

REST button on thermotronic - keep down for 6 seconds and you get a new menu on a/c display ...

Search for 'REST menu' and you will see what each menu item means.

Rgds Steve.

Easywriter882

Hmmm, interesting. I got mine a yea ago with 50k on it. Tossup between CTSV and the E55. Went with the MB. Only issue I had were as mentioned the crank position sensor, dunno why they freak out but I got stuck in a busy part of town, honking horns. I was more embarrassed than bothered. Tech replaced and nothing since. A year later and now 67k she still runs like the dickens. Question tho, when I have it in "S" mode and manually downshift to 3rd, the car seems to stay in the lower gear longer than I think it should before it upshifts to 4th and on. Also when it bangs off teh rev limiter it feels very sluggish for a few seconds before it regains the snarl. Is this a problem or am I just not understanding what its doing?

Manuyc

It's a very good car e55 as long as you check the scheduled history. And can afford the repair and gas lol

BBBSS

When you run it hard and let off the throttle it will hold the lower gear an extra second or two in case some clown pulled in front of you or you had to hesitate for whatever reason. I think that may be what you're experiencing. It's actually really nice when you need it.

Zax63

Does anyone besides me think it is weird you all have revived a 7 year old thread with nary a mention of said fact?

sloanbj

I guess answers would be different now...

Easywriter882

Uhm, so what. There are a ton of 06s out there so maybe the idea that people still have ??s is pertinent now too. Also, seeing how they are holding up over time is helpful. I did a ton of research especially in there and wanna thank the comments from people prior to buying the car. Personally, I dont actually knwo how to start a new thread...lol Don;t laugh, IM not 20 something, more like 50 something and while I'm net experienced, this is still sorta new to me.

moosejaw

Anything else from the way of BMW M series or Audi S series will wind up costing more.
A Jaguar R type will spend most of its life on the back of flat bed anyways.

AKnight55

Maybe get the TCU tuned from Eurocharged.. Ive heard it really wakes the car up.

cobra101

Love the car.....Had a few issues...

1. My Tranny went at 77k miles (just about 7k after purchase). Tranny flush was due at 85k according to records. Could this have been a factor, I don't know. I was heavy on it when it broke. It was Rebuilt and working well for the last 6k miles or so..

2. Brake - visit workshop message popped up (not the evil Red one). This turned out to be just the computer software update. it was done by mercedes for free, even though I am long out of warranty.

3. Shifter cable clip popped off. left me stuck. it was fixed for free by tranny place. Probably related to the rebuild.

4. Pullies squeaked. I Did the (3) ASP aftermarket idler pullies and new belts, no issue anymore.

5. Definitely check all the keyless door buttons, if equipped. Only one of the three work on mine. (unfixed thus far) And of course, the drivers side buttons are not the one working

6. it needs the infamous ball joints and at least 1 front lower control arm. It creaks quite a bit now, but I am not fixing it as of yet.

7. It has the sometimes common manifold exhaust leak. It's been known to be caused by worn motor mounts. Unfortunately, a shop took it off and told me it was definitely weld-able. (looking back I should have over-ruled and bought a new one). It still leaks and will need a new exhaust manifold. They should give me a break on re-do labor


it makes some weird noises but most seem to be normal for this car. I love the car or I would have given up on it after the tranny. Besides that tranny, most issues are minor and I can deal with easily, it is a used car with 84k miles. Remember, it most likely will not be as reliable as a toyota, or as cheap to fix. Just be sure to save a little cash on the side, expect some minor repairs/upgrades in the first year or so... Most likely, you will be fine Read some threads on some users with high mileage e55's, it will make you feel better about it

cobra101

Easywriter882,

The delay in upshifting shifting in "S" mode is normal, apparently. I found a thread that explained it. Don't recall exactly why, but it had to do with racing and keeping the gear through turns...not sure exactly.

I bet the ECU tune mentioned would fix it, but not certain.

MorneE55

Hi all,

My 2005 E55 (stock) have developed a vibration when driving it, from about +/- 2000rpm.

I am from South Africa so the speed when the vibration is there is about from 110km/h (60 miles p/h) up wards, the vibration stays the same don't get worse when you speed up.

Any advise on that for me?