konigstiger

384 fine, 521 within affected range - clean point for 273 is 30 088611

Wadster

Wow, it's a good thing I checked this forum. Was looking at 2006-2008 E350's since I like the body style much better than the newer E-class. First car was a 2006 E350 with 88,200 miles. Would this issue have already occurred given the mileage?

Also considering 2008 E350 with 81k miles (vin WDBUF87X48B241916).

Any help would be greatly appreciated since I'm looking to replace my aging '98 E430.

konigstiger

Fine, 272 clean point 30 468993. If engine is within affected range visit local MB dealer and request they review Vehicle Master Inquiry (VMI) with you to confirm if balance shaft was replaced. Dealer discretion, but you may find one who is cooperative. IMHO mileage or time elapsed is not a factor for problem to simply go away a defective part was installed at production and it will fail eventually (no one can predict when) this is this reason MB replaced it with modified version. Your call.

avman598

From what I have learned in my research on the problem the sprocket prewearing on V6s and the idler sprocket on V8s, not all engines have the problem.The problem with the balance shaft sprocket only affects 10-20 % of engines within the reported serial number range.
I have a 2006 R350 with over 90,000 miles on it build in late 2005. I bought the car used about 6 months ago.
It appears that who ever makes the balance shaft/idler shaft, I think MB out sources it, got some bad sprockets. I talked to the MB dealer that originally sold the car, they looked my VIN up on the MB system and stated it did not have the problem. Being proactive and wanting to verify this, I bought an inspection camera, removed the cylinder cover (valve cover) and inspected the sprocket with the camera and found to be like new. I recorded the inspection and will try to post it. This took be about 5 hours and got me familiar with working on the engine. It is not very hard to work on once you remove the engine plastic covers and the support member above the engine.
I also checked for the problem by using a much simpler method which I found on the web which removes the intake camshaft position sensors. The method on the web shows removing the sensors, rotating the engine to 305 degrees and noting the position of the magnet with characters printed on it in the holes where the sensors were removed. The magnets should be centered in the holes, if the passenger side is not, the sprocket is warn. Luckily mine were both centered.

There for, only 10-20 % of the engines listed on the MB campaign are affected.

I do have the bearing problem in the front differential, have bought the new bearing, seals, and supplies needed to replace them and will be rebuilding it this weekend. For this problem the symptom is a sound like tire noise from the front end when letting off the gas at 55 MPH +. My has gotten to the point where it makes noise without letting off the gas. The way to verify this problem is to drain the lubricant from both the front and rear differential and compare fluid. My front was very cloudy, the rear was as clear as the new fluid.

NEWMLGUY - https://mbworld.org/forums/m-class-w...#ixzz3OCTX4G4S
has a great write up on this forum on doing this job will all parts, tools and special supplies needed to do the rebuild.

For all those with the balance shaft sprocket problem, good luck with the law suit. One item I did run across, I think it was on the Hemmings Motor News forum was someone posted that the MB warranty for the balance shaft sprocket has been extended to 10 years. Whether this is for the original owner only I don't know. I asked the service manager at the MB dealer and he said he was not aware of this. I think this would be the ethical thing for MB to do.

konigstiger

Might I add, MB documents “The material for the balance shaft sprocket and the timing chain guide wheel (idler) was modified on engines past the serial numbers listed above.”

272 - 468993 as of 10/2006 production
273 – 088611 as of 9/2006

GodfatherE550

Wow..
I GUESS IM SAFE.

Vin : WDBUF72X87B143410

ENG NUMBER 273960 30 139469

2007 E550

konigstiger

You're fine.

GodfatherE550

thanks sir i printed it and put it in the car

MoarPOWA

Is it safe to assume that a 2009 model would be clear of this problem?

cetialpha5

2008 and 2009 should be fine, but you should always run the vin just to be sure.

Running the VIN is easy, either sign up for a free epcnet account in the US at:

https://epc.startekinfo.com/epc/subscribe.jsp

Or use a couple of free Russian sites, just use google's translate to english function.

http://carinfo.kiev.ua/cars/vin/mercedes

http://www.neoriginal.ru/cat/mb

The Russian sites are easier and quicker as epcnet takes a while to load and setup, but don't always work.

MoarPOWA

Thank you!

gfmohn

I just got a letter notice from US District Court, Northern District of California: Notice of Pendency and Proposed Settlement of Class Action.

The proposed settlement is:

• for 8 years or 80,000 miles (whichever is less) from the In Service Date, MBUSA will pay 70% of the "reasonable" [as defined by whom? MBUSA?] cost of the repair and
• for 10 years (but over 8 years) or 100,000 miles (but over 80,000 miles), MBUSA will pay 37.5% of the "reasonable" cost of the repair.

This settlement does nothing for previous owners who no longer own the car (like myself). I have received my 2015 C300, and I no longer own my previous 2007 C280. There is no compensation for loss of value, either potential (for present owners) or actual (previous owners). I know I lost one potential purchaser for my C280 because of this problem. At first, he was very interested. But after he returned home, I didn't hear from him. He is a mechanic on high-end cars, so I figured he had checked the engine number. It was not until then that I checked the engine number and found that my car was affected.

Not only did I lose a potential purchaser, I realized that I could not in good conscience sell my car to any friend or relative. Even if I told them about the defect (and took the hit on the price), I would not want to hear later that one of them had suffered the high costs of this repair, let alone had been stranded on the road because of this defect. I was not much more interested in selling to a stranger. A stranger might come after me, as MBUSA customers have come after them. So I could only trade in my C280. (Oddly, there was no mention of this defect at the dealer. I assume it was factored into a lower price they offered me.)

Present owners are the most likely future buyers of an auto maker's products. Compare MBUSA's treatment of their future customers with how Pontiac treated a former landlady of mine. This was 20 years ago, before American auto makers had been humbled. Her Pontiac had a cracked cylinder head. Pontiac had already extended the warranty on this repair to 100,000 miles(!). Her car had 110,000 miles. However, it was not very old. (She had a killer commute.) So Pontiac covered the repair anyway. There is no way that Mercedes should be given a lesson on customer service by an American auto maker!

(Someday I will get around to updating my signature with my present, much appreciated 2015 C300.)

SunshineGirl

I think that i rec'd the same notice. I took my car in this morning about SBC issue and also asked them about the notice that i rec'd. I have replaced brake pads, rotors, lines, sensors, battery, and now they say it is reservoir. They wouldn't even look into legal notice while i was there because it wasn't showing as an issue on their computers yet.
My husband is really upset with MB service last cpl years and will not let me buy another. not that i can't go out and do what i want anyway, but i do not want to make him upset. I still love my clk 550, but i think that i am going to start looking elsewhere. this 06 E has cost us so much money it's ridiculous. The 09 still good, but only has 30,000 miles on it, so we shall see. I kept E350 all along because it was paid for and I kept thinking i would not get much if i sold it. Now this thing with SBC failing is another $1200+ repair and even though everyone else seems to have gotten this covered under warranty extension.. I am not so lucky and they say that because it is the reservoir that is actual problem, i have to pay. $$$$ this car has cost as much as a brand new S550 would have. I should have just bought the nicer car to begin with, as my repairs have added up to the same amount!

Plutoe

Well Ms Determined----you hada drive a older used MB!! If you gotta drive an MB a no whining lease is the way to go!! No fuss or muss!!

bchalou

I don't get it, are you saying we shouldn't expect an older MB to be realiable or are you just being a donkey?

Mine is a 2006 E350 that I bought used 4 years ago with 60k on it. It needed the transmission replaced and now the engine at 130k. Do you think that is normal?

MJ50

https://mbworld.org/forums/mercedes-...ml#post6438939

https://eclaim.kccllc.net/caclaimforms/mse/home.aspx

PurpleS500

i got a letter few days ago stating an agreement will be on Aug 2015...? am I missing something ?


couldn't find within that Russian link to see if my engine is effected my this law suit. if anyone has better knowledge can see if my engine is effected to get it fix. Thank You


2006 E350 4Matic


Engine272972 30 101742

gfmohn

You're included. Reference: "The Court has conditionally certified a Settlement Class INCLUDING: All current and former owners and lessees of Mercedes-Benz branded automobiles model years 2005, 2006 and 2007 that are equipped with M272 or M273 engines bearing serial numbers up to 2729..30 468993 or 2739 ..30 088611, respectively (the “Subject Vehicles”) who purchased or leased their Subject Vehicles within the United States." [The M272 engine is the 3.5 liter V-6 engine in your E350.] And you did get the letter! The court thinks you're included!

cmriv

If services aren't regularly performed on engine, A/B service and transmission, every 39k, then yes, replacing a engine and transmission could very well be normal. By no means is it normal to do these kind of drive-train replacements but it's highly possible if these components aren't taken care of/up to date.

edit: you've driven your car 70k miles in 4 years. 70/4=17.5 miles in a year, 1458 miles a month, 365 miles a week... This is a average of the driving you've done in the past 4 years. That's alot of wear and tear on a vehicle, couple that with the fact no tellin what the previous owners did/or didn't do.

bchalou

Keep drinking the MB coolaid.

cmriv

Don't banter me cause I'm stating facts. You chose that make/model of vehicle it didn't choose you. Bite the bullet and deal with it my friend. The "1200 and 1208" struggle is real!

*Koolaid. Except my Koolaid is anti 1200 and 1208 fault codes

squid23

Yeah I hate what the lack of "A/B" service does to the balance shaft bearings.

sdifox

I fixed mine out of my own pocket. And I don't hear a beep up here in Igloo Nation. Saw my balancing shaft, there was no sprocket (left). Killed one of my lifters too.
I bought mine in the States, but I exported so I guess I am out of luck.

Sorry for the ones requested access to the pdf, I rarely check this email addr. It's mainly used for forums :P

edm163

Contact me for any balance shaft repair in the NYC / NJ area. Will beat any price and job done in 3 days. All work GUARANTEED!

GodfatherE550

can someone run this vin # and tell me if this is safe to buy

WDDDJ72XX7A083397

Thanks in advance