PeteyV

I dropped my 2004 C230 off at the dealership during non-business hours in order to get my car coded to Xenon=Present for OEM BiXenons I purchased (I know, I'm about 10 years late). Next morning the SA calls me and lets me know that my car idled terribly for 45 seconds and that I should get it checked out.

I already knew about this because I have been dealing with this issue for years now and have just learned to let my car run for a minute before I put it in drive. The rumble lasts for 45 seconds until the car drops to under 1000 RPMs. Tried everything on the forums to cure it. Throttle Body cleaner into the throttle body, into the MAF, and taken out the TB to clean it but it has continued to happen.

The SA advised me that the tech was sure I needed a new MAF. With labor it would cost me about $700. Knowing it was worth a shot and the fact that I have not thrown any money into this car other than normal wear and tear items i thought I would give it a shot to cure the problem and hopefully have it run nice for a few more tens of thousands of miles.

I call the SA back today to see whats going on with my car and he tells me the tech installed the MAF and the car was still running the same way so he tried diagnose some more. This included the tech taking the engine apart and examining parts and finding that I had oil in my wiring harness and ECU. At this moment I realized I F'd up and that the dealer was just going for a money grab and throwing whatever parts they could in there to charge me for.

HOWEVER, the SA then tells me that there is an extended warranty on the oil/wiring harness issue and that any damage that has happened due to that oil dripping onto various parts. The thing is the Mercedes representative would have to approve the work and he was not in today. I am hoping that this works out in my favor and am just wondering if anyone else in the forums have experienced this? I'm guessing the oil came from the leaky cam sensor campaign but I had that warranty service performed in 2011.

Also was talking to one of the porters as they were driving me to my loaner car and he mentioned my car and how he likes it. Also mentioned that the tech that was working on my car is the person right under the shop foreman and that I shouldn't worry about my car since it is in good hands.

VVF

Yeah, also is yor wallet in 'good' dealership hands...

Hope they do it again free of charge since the replacement magnets turned out to be POS as well.

PeteyV

They are trying to get all of my work done for free so I'm hoping it's in "good" dealership hands. And refund me the $200 diagnostic fee.

Roger161

My main issue was rough idle when I came to a stop. Currently having this done right now for my 2005 C230. Mercedes says that they will cover the parts and labor 100% since the main issue was from the leaky cam sensors that cause oil into the wire harness and ecu. I had my cam sensors changed out back in 2011 as well under the campaign at the dealership. Also, they'll be changing out the coils in my car as well. I'm hoping for a smooth idle after everything is done. I'll update this as soon as I receive the car by week's end.

PeteyV

Roger161

Pete: It's been about 5 months since i had this changed out. As I mentioned up top, the dealership took care of all the parts and labor for the fix. I didn't have to pay anything; and that's including the car loaner that MB provided me. This was under the leaky cam shaft magnets campaign. My car today has a brand new engine wire harness and cam shaft magnets. The car was in the shop for about 3 days because most of the work was due to changing out the engine wire harness. They had to remove the whole intake side, including the supercharger, starter, intake manifold, etc....They also replaced all seals on the intake manifold. I asked about the ecu if there was oil that made into it, but they opened up the ecu and didn't find any oil in there even after the oil made it's way to the ecu connectors. One other thing that found out that I was getting a misfire in chamber 1. The coil was changed out as my mechanic already changed out the plugs a few months before. This was also at no charge.

As of today, the car is running like it's brand new. The idle is super smooth and back to normal. The car has been through it's stages of maintenance and repairs through out the years and has gone through a lot with the common issues of the W203 M271 motor. Right now in the works is changing out the lower and upper control arms in the front. No biggie as I am doing this myself with the guidence of my mechanic that works on the car.

On another note, the day I dropped off the car at the dealership for the leaky cam magnet campaign, I had documents and a copy of the campaign that my mechanic made for me. There was another owner of the same car as mine and he had the same issue with leaky cam magnets and oil coming out of the wires into the ecu. I told him in the lobby that i had the same issue and I gave him a copy of the campaign. I'm sure he had the same work as my car and most likely covered under the recall.

Hope this helps. ~ Roger

courtice_m

Hi Roger,
Read your article, i experiencing same issues on same veicle.
If you dont mind me asking, howd you get warraty coverage for your mentioned repair if your veicle is an 05 C230 ??
Also are you saying this covered repair was done in the present time(2018/2019) ?
Possible perhaps to get a copy of this warraty campaign for the cam sensors and harness?
Ive been trying to cure my same problems as you for over a year,replacing numerous parts only to be back to the same thing'
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Im in canada tho so i dont know if same applies here?
Cheers!!

Roger161

I'll take a photo of the work order and post it. Yes, the dealership still covered my vehicle (2005 C230 Sport Kompressor) under the cam sensor leak campaign and this repair was done back in 2018. I'll ask my mechanic and find out where they found the document they gave me to give to the dealership when I had it fixed.

Roger161

Found this on another thread, but this was the same document from what I remember:

Campaign No. 2012070002, September 2012
TO: ALL MERCEDES-BENZ CENTERS
SUBJECT: Models 164, 171, 203, 204, 207, 209, 211, 212, 216, 219, 221, 230, 251, 463
Engines 272 and 273
Model Years 2005 - 2011
Retrofit Adapter Wiring Harness on Camshaft Adjustment Solenoids
Revision Date Purpose
A 9/12/12 Inclusion of Consequential Damage and Customer Reimbursement to Warranty
information
– 9/7/12 Initial Issue
This Service Campaign has been initiated because Daimler AG (DAG), the manufacturer of Mercedes-
Benz vehicles, has determined that due to the settling properties of the seal, oil may leak from the
camshaft adjustment solenoid. Dealers will retrofit four adapter harnesses onto the engine wiring harness
as a precautionary measure at the next workshop visit
Prior to performing this Service Campaign:
 Please check VMI to determine if the vehicle is involved in the Campaign and if it has been previously
repaired.
 Please review the entire Service Campaign bulletin and follow the repair procedure exactly as
described.
Please note that Recall and Service Campaigns do not expire and may also be performed on a vehicle
with a vehicle status indicator.
Approximately 557,108 vehicles are affected.
Order No. S-SC-2012070002
This bulletin has been created and maintained in accordance with MBUSA-SLP S423QH001, Document and Data
Control, and MBUSA-SLP S424HH001, Control of Quality Records.
2
S-SC-2012070002
Procedure
1. Remove top engine cover to get access to camshaft adjustment solenoids as required.
2. Disconnect camshaft adjustment solenoids from engine harness connectors (A, Figures 1 and 2):
 Carefully unlock engine harness connectors (A) by squeezing and partially pulling out locking tabs
(arrows) using pocket screw driver.
 Disconnect camshaft adjustment solenoid connectors (A) from camshaft solenoids (B).
Figure 1
Figure 2
Note: Shown on engine 272
3
S-SC-2012070002
3. Connect adapter harnesses (A, Figures 3 and 4):
 Connect adapter harnesses (A) between connector on camshaft adjustment solenoid and engine
harness.
 Push locking tabs (arrows, Figures 1 and 2) into connectors to secure (total of 8 locking tabs).
4. Secure adapter harnesses with cable ties.
Note:
Ensure harness adapters are properly secured using cable ties (arrows, Figures 3 and 4) to prevent wire
chafing and/or damage from hot engine parts, (e.g. oil cooler [B]).
Figure 3
Figure 4
4
S-SC-2012070002
Primary Parts Information
Qty. Part Name Part Number Estimated Replacement
Rate
4 Adapter wiring harness for camshaft
adjustment solenoids
A 271 150 01 56 05 100%
4 Cable tie A 002 997 24 90
Note:
 Please be aware that only the part number(s) referenced in the Campaign Bulletin is/are
approved for use to repair the vehicle. Repairs performed using any other part(s) will not
have been performed in accordance with the campaign. Accordingly, warranty claims
submitted with reference to an improper part number(s) will be denied.
 The following allowable labor operation should be used when submitting a warranty claim
for this repair:
Warranty Information
Operation: Install electrical wiring harnesses for camshaft adjustment solenoid (02-7325)
Damage Code Operation Number Model Indicator(s)
59 900 02 7 02-7325 AA, AD, AH, AF, BA, BE, CB,
CC, CA, DA, DE, EA, EC, FA,
FB, FC, FD, FF, HA, HB, HC,
HD, L7, Q6, Q7, Q8, Q9, QA,
R5, S7, S8, SA, SB, T7, T9, T8,
TA, U6, U7, X1, X3, X4, XA, XB,
Y3, Z1, Z5, Z8
Note- Consequential Damage:
If the vehicle requires additional repairs due to damage from the oil leak, submit all necessary
labor operations and parts on the same Repair Order Line as the Campaign. Do not submit
an additional repair. These additional operations and parts cannot be submitted as a Sublet.
Additional repairs require dealer text explaining the extent of additional damage.
PLEASE NOTE THE REPLACEMENT OF LEAKING CAMSHAFT ADJUSTMENT
SOLENOID (S) IS NOT PERMITTED UNDER CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGE, CUSTOMER
REIMBURSEMENT, OR UNDER THIS SERVICE CAMPAIGN.
Note
Operation code times are subject to change. Please refer to StarTime for current labor times.
5
S-SC-2012070002
NOTE REGARDING CUSTOMER REIMBURSEMENT
Reimbursement to customers for repairs performed prior to this service campaign:
If the customer already paid to have this service campaign condition repaired and provides
adequate documentation to support their claim of a non-warranty repair of this item, they may
be eligible to receive reimbursement.
Requests for reimbursement may include parts, labor, fees and taxes.
Reimbursement is limited to the amount the installation of the camshaft adjustment solenoid
adapter harnesses or the cost of any consequential damage (less the cam adjustment
solenoid) if completed by an authorized Mercedes-Benz dealer under this campaign.
Submit a warranty claim, utilizing Damage Code 59 900 02 8 as a sublet, utilizing the sublet
code of “SUB.” Sublet repairs require dealer text as stated in the Warranty Policies and
Procedures Manual. Repair date should be the date that the customer paid for the repair.
Note:
Please note the claim submitted for customer reimbursement will not close the campaign (if
still open). If the customer is still in possession of the vehicle with an open campaign, please
arrange to close the campaign in the usual manner as described in this bulletin.

Hope this helps. I'll still provide pics of the work order of my car.