Please check my VIN for Balance shaft issue?
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2006 c280
Rodney - took 2006 C280 to dealer after getting shaft codes and told it is balance shaft, total repair cost $5,300 with Mercedes covering $500. Car has 108K miles so no warranty. Hard to believe my first (and probably last MB) has this defect with so little care by MB. Any thoughts on further action with MB or whether to repair?
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Two years ago, they were quoting $4K, now it's up to over $5K? Wow! Sorry, the only way to fix this is to pull the engine and replace the balance shaft. Did you contact MBUSA for help, or did you just work with the dealer? I would contact MBUSA - go to the website and send them an email. Be nice, and beg for help. You may get it. If not, then I'd try an indy to see what they would charge. It won't be cheap, but it will be less than dealer prices. Otherwise, you have to decide - drive it 'til it dies or sell it (I'd trade it at a non-MBZ dealer - they may just assume the MIL is something simple).
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2006 c280
Yea, $5480 to be exact...dealer offered $500 off. I contacted MBUSA and supposed to hear from them tomorrow. Also called my local mechanic who said he could do it and is coming up with price - will definitely be cheaper than $5k. MB dealer also said he heard "growling" from transfer case...guess I got a lemon. I'm trying to "be nice" but its hard! Thanks for the reply...Mark
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From: San Diego, Ca
CLK550
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WDBTK72F87F221790 has M273 engine #119881, which is beyond the range for balance shaft problems. 
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Some interesting videos showing the balance shaft failure issue:
http://www.benzworld.org/forums/w203...ml#post5834366
http://www.benzworld.org/forums/w203...ml#post5834366
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From: Parkland FLA
2006 CLK 350
Wife's 2006 CLK350, just purchased
Hi Rodney, and you are definitely a very knowledgeable individual!
I just purchased a 2006 CLK350 for my wife and would ask if you could tell me if my VIN is in the range. WDBTJ56JX6F191051
I just purchased a 2006 CLK350 for my wife and would ask if you could tell me if my VIN is in the range. WDBTJ56JX6F191051
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WDBTJ56JX6F191051 has M272 engine #289800, which unfortunately is in the range for a potentially defective balance shaft. Did you get a warranty? If not, and you can get one at a good price, you might consider it. Remember, just because it's in range doesn't mean it will fail, just that there is a chance.
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From: Parkland FLA
2006 CLK 350
Bought the extended warranty, AMEN
Rodney, I was concerned enough that I purchased the extended warranty that covers all internally lubricated engine parts, harmonic balancer, all timinig components. So from reading your many posts, you suggest I go to a MB dealer and have them pull the error codes log from the onboard computer to see if the error code 16 or 17 was ever displayed?
Also, would the MB dealer have a record of having replaced this in their system?
Also, would the MB dealer have a record of having replaced this in their system?
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If the balance shaft was replaced, it would likely have been done at a dealer, and there would be a record of it. Also, you don't have to go to the dealer to check codes - you can get an inexpensive generic OBDII reader for $40+/- that will do. It won't read any advanced systems (transmission, ABS, SRS, etc.) but it will show the ECU codes, so look for P0016 and P0017.
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From: Portland, OR
2005 E55, 2014 370Z, 2004 Mini Cooper JWC
could someone please check on this vin for me, we test drove am ML350, and might want to buy it... 4JGBB86E77A271366
Thank you in advance
Thank you in advance
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4JGBB86E77A271366 has M272 engine #629682 - that one is outside the problem range.
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From: Portland, OR
2005 E55, 2014 370Z, 2004 Mini Cooper JWC
Oh man, thanks for the good news. I don't even own the car yet but I feel better about it. I will go through the forum and learn more about it, I was always a BMW/Lexus guy but once my wife saw the ML's we really started to like them quite a lot.
Newbie
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e350
Could you please tell me if I am inside the problem range WDBUF56X17B011460
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WDBUF56X17B011460 is MY2007 E350 with M272 engine #426675, which is within the affected range for potential balance shaft failure.
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Mercedes CLS350
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That is possible, but also, it is possible it will never fail, or won't fail until very high mileage. The belief is that not all balance shafts in the range will fail, probably because only a small percentage were manufactured incorrectly. Since MBZ could not tell which ones were bad, the TSB includes all 550,000 engines built during the time prior t when the manufacturing problem was discovered and corrected.
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No, your 1.6l M274 engine will not have balance shaft troubles. That problem only affected the M272 V6 and M273 V8 engines. Basically, no W204 C-Class should ever experience the balance shaft failure because even the C300 and C350 in that chassis were built years after the problem was corrected.
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C-CLass w204
w204
No, your 1.6l M274 engine will not have balance shaft troubles. That problem only affected the M272 V6 and M273 V8 engines. Basically, no W204 C-Class should ever experience the balance shaft failure because even the C300 and C350 in that chassis were built years after the problem was corrected.
Thank you Rudeney
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WDBTJ56H76F189478 has M272 engine #273237, which is in the range for potential balance shaft problems.
