plazzarino

Hi There - this is my first post and I am looking for help. I bought my wife a GL 350 blutec deisel (2011) for Xmas two years ago. She missed her scheduled maintenance and rescheduled but before she made it in for schedulling the car died while driving. She claims there were no warning lights but that it just stopped. She did say it was running really rough. Now the dealership tells me the engine seized and I need a replacement at $29,000 but Mercedes will cover half but I'm still on the hook for $14,500. The car was 13,000 km (7,500 miles) over the required service. Does this make sense??? Can the engine seize after going only 13,000 km over scheduled service or am I being taken??? Anyone that can help would be greatly appreciated, escpecially anyone that has gone through this and had a better outcome.

BlownV8

Some similar situations occured. Do a search.

plazzarino

thank you for the response - where can i search?

jimmyp

use the search at the top page, also the low oil light should have come on so the dealer should eat it. Someone else had the same problem

N_Jay

I think MB is being generous. How many months did it take to get "rescheduled"?

FastMoneyPlaya

Yes and No. $29K to replace an engine is highway robbery. Think about it, most cars don't even cost $29K, let alone just the engine. You can by a good crate motor for a hot rod for about $5K, so I don't see why a Mercedes diesel should cost $29K. If Mercedes charges only half, I bet they are still making money.

N_Jay

I was referring to covering 1/2 for a person who could not find time to get the car serviced for over 7000 miles after the dash started bugging them.

I think some of the other posed about $25K for a diesel engine.

It's not just the engine it is the R&R at MB's ridiculous labor rates.

They have to cover their lattes and loaner cars some how.

aggst1

Replacing motor with new at $29K in not highway robbery for a car that costs $70K new. It isn't only MBs that are that high but just about every car. For an every day vehicle that costs $20K replacing the motor with factory new at a dealer will cost $10k which is half it's original msrp. Hot rod motors made here in the US are a totally different animal.

In any case, good luck to you. Paying half is not a bad deal for something caused by you. They could have denied any warranty coverage. I am sorry if I sound harsh but you have no bargaining power right now. Yes, going over the scheduled mileage even for as much as 7500 miles might not cause major damage to gasoline motors but you have a diesel which are known for their filter replacement requirements.

alx

the problem is that the engine simply ran out of oil (as most diesels like the taste of their own oil) and the low oil alarm never triggered or it did and was ignored. a code might or might not get thrown so proving either way is hard.

modern mobil 1 is a very sturdy oil. my 997.2 turbo requires oil changes every 2 years or 20k miles. on a 530 hp turbo high performance engine. ofcourse i do it every 7500-10000 miles, but the factory service requirements go to show what are the true capabilities of the oil.

let us know how it goes.

30k for a motor replacement is not bad. remember- this includes many hours @ $150 / hour labor.

for comparison the v12tt engines are $65k....

FastMoneyPlaya

I've read elsewhere that swapping an engine is about 10 hours of labor. So at Mercedes rates, that's about $1,400. But I'm sure they will charge more

BlownV8

The book probably has it as a 20 hr job plus fluids, filters, Etc, Etc.

alx

Have to look. But I know the book time on engines is always much more optimistic than what it takes to do the job.

BlownV8

Did the low oil warning light activate? For some reason, I think MB may be offering to pay half because the low oil warning light may not have worked properly. You may be able to get them to cover more or possibly everything. I'd imagine your Mobile 1 could have withstood the extended interval. If they argue with you, I would do some research to find other GL's that had this issue or contact Mobile 1 and see what they say about their oil failing at that interval and causing a seized engine. For some reason, I think they would cause BS. Your GL was too low on oil and it should have had a low oil warning light on the instrument cluster.

Something doesn't seem right. The dealership may not be totally forthcoming. Do your due diligence and ask many questions at the dealership and verify what they are saying to you is true. Good luck.

JimBarnhart

do you live in a state that forces you to run biodiesel? That can complicate matters as well. Illinois is the most common state for biodiesel of 11%.

N_Jay

Is there a live item from an engine R&R, or do you have to build it up from other component services.
i.e.
R&R Hood
R&R Radiator
R&R various accessories
Then add in;
Oil Change
Air Filter Change
Drive Belt Change
etc.

plazzarino

Thanks for all the feedback - to clarify the oil light never came on. She said there was no warning regarding oil at all and the only message read service due. This is our first deisel so I didn't think 7,500 miles over the scheduled maintenance would lead to the engine seizing and there was no warning. I just read an earlier post of someone who had the same thing happen (thanks for the guidance jimmyp). Further, the car did offer any warning it was going to simply die and is there a limp mode it should have gone into prior to seizing?

plazzarino

Also, no bio-diesel. We live in Ontario, Canada.

aggst1

AFAIK limp mode is for transmission trouble only. Not engine trouble

N_Jay

I believe certain fuel/air/emission issues can trigger limp modes.

canvasback13

This just happened to my. 2001 GL 350. My last oil change was in July, I was 5k over maintenance. engine seized on way to dealer. No warning. The estimate is 18,600. The breakdown was roughly 15k for engine, 3600 in labor.

I may scrap it.

N_Jay

How many miles are on your GL? (What year?)
Have you talked to an independent about installing a used engine?

JediJD

Frankly, I'm torn on this. I was an elected county judge for several years and heard several of these types of cases. I empathize with the OP and hope his resolution can be painless and inexpensive. However, I don't see where the dealership or the brand has any duty whatsoever. Perhaps one light didn't come on, but it sounds like at least a few equally irritating ones did. I could also understand if something difficult...such as raising the car and checking differential fluid was involved...but to go months without any idea what your oil level is, knowing you were overdue service, is largely a self inflicted wound. No disrespect to the OP, but we make decisions and they have consequences. Having said all that it is now a math decision. Value of the car as is...scrapped or sold against any amount due vs. value of car with a used replacement engine vs. value of the car with a new engine partially subsidized by the brand; all measured against relative costs and tested against available financial resources and tempered with the knowledge that the car loses value every day it is parked.

There is another thread where a guy is contemplating diesel v gas and this thread highlights one of my concerns. If you are going to make any decision which affects the livelihood and safety of your family, do some homework and understand the parameters of your decision. Moving from gas to diesel or from anything to electric or hydrogen or CNG brings with it a new risk reward curve that you can take advantage of by understanding it at least a little.

Please forgive my pontification...my kids don't want to hear it either and I think I'll be best served by going out and checking everyone's oil levels.

alx

i think this was an excellent post

ivechris

HI, new to MB World.

3 weeks ago my 2015 gl 350 wouldn't start, dealer sent out their driver who had trouble jump starting it. Service tech. came out and jump started suv and told my wife engine service light was on and that it should be brought to dealer that day. Wife brought car in and service rep. checked out suv and told her everything was fine and sent her on her way (no service was offered or suggested). Suv has 22k miles and is 14 months old, I purchased it from this dealer. They have no records of any service on this vehicle as it has been done outside of dealership.

2 weeks later (about 400miles) suv came to sudden stop. Dealer states oil has turned to sludge and motor seized. We haven't hammered out details with dealer or MB yet. Oil changes are not documented well (performed outside dealership). I'm disappointed that dealer didnt check suv when we brought it for engine light on.
They are now saying that it was tire pressure light and there are no codes noted on computer of suv (keep in mind that it was there service tech who saw light).

I suggested to dealer that there must be some problem with warning system in suv. Surely there should have been oil pressure problems prior to motor seizing.

I did some research and is it possible that a slow coolant leak into motor would have slowly turned oil to sludge and could this be proven? (I'm not talking about enough to make oil creamy, slow leak over many months)
BTW low coolant light has come on a few time and I put fluid in a few times.

I never saw any fluid on garage floor or detected a leak.

Prior to motor seizing suv ran fine and normal gas mileage.

Anybody have any other ideas as to why this would happen??

thanks
chris

JediJD

Engines seize for a variety of reasons and certainly possible that the information you are getting is accurate. However, seizing at 22k is unusual...even if the oil had never been changed (unless it ran completely out?). If the message I'm getting from service is anything other than "this is completely on us", I'd be first finding where the heck the service was performed and get records and second, standing at the service desk when it opened with a small container requesting an oil sample. I'd then send it off (with $25) to any of a number of testing facilities (I use Blackstone Labs) for a complete analysis. It may ultimately be on you in total or in part if nothing has been done, but I'd want to know as much as I could. I'd also be curious what dealer checks were done when the vehicle was taken in by them. With all of this information in hand, I would think I'd be in the best possible position to engage in effective dialog toward solution.