Rodney,

Just got my clk back. Mercedes-Benz of Hagerstown, MD has fully taken care of my issue. I am very thankfull for your advice! Unfortunately, I picked it up late and the service guys were already out for the day. It seems like they will bill $3800 the corporate. Also, according to my 0-balance invoice, multiple parts have been replaced, even the oil pump. Once again, your help is greatly appreciated. I wish everyone on the forum to resolve their balance shaft issues as painless as I did!

Alex

 

WDBTK56G26T067679 has M272 engine #276101, which is, unfortunately, within the affected range. Remember, though, that not all engines in the range fail. Yours may e perfectly fine.

 

Could someone please tell me if this car is in the affected range?

VIN: 4JGCB56E98A086823

Thank you!

 

4JGCB56E98A086823 is an R350 with M272 engine #953727 - which is beyond the affected range. You're good!

 

Hi Rodney,

I am in the process of purchasing a 2008 CLK350 cab and would like to know/ensure that my engine is out of the range of known balance shaft issues. My VIN# WDBTK56F68T095902.

Thank you,
Paul

 

That one's good: http://www.benzworld.org/forums/w209...ml#post5608402

 

Thank you very much for the quick response and verification! I appreciate it.

Paul

 

Hey there, would you please check my '06 CLK350? *prayers said* VIN is WDBTK56G46T063262.

Thanks so much.

 

Rodney,
Is our 2008 CLK350 VIN#WDBTK56F38T091886 in the affected range?
Thanks,
Ben

 

Sorry ModestStud, WDBTK56G46T063262 has M272 engine #204135 which is within the range for potential balance shaft problems. Just remember - it doesn't mean yours will fail - it could last a long time. Just watch for P0016/P0017 errors if you get an MIL.

Ben, WDBTK56F38T091886 has M272 engine #739949 which is beyond the affected range, so you are good.

 

I have a 2007 R350 with VIN 4JGCB65EX7A056431 Can someone please check if I'm potentially affected?

 

Hi. Would you please be able to check one more VIN to see if this engine is effected? I would really appreciate it. A 2008 CLK350. Thank you.

WDBTJ56H78F244756

 

You have M272 engine #83673, which is beyond the range for balance shaft issues. it is still within the range for camshaft magnet problems, but hose are an easy/cheap fix if they do fail.

 

You have engine M272 engine #787029 which is beyond the range for balance shaft problems and also is beyond the range for camshaft magnet issues, so no worries there!

 

hi, I'm looking at a 2010 C250, VIN WDDGF8FB2AF399700. Can someone tell me if its within the affected range? thanks

I already had a 06 r350 with the problem....

Im telling the sales to prove it not affected and she said the parts were corrected for the later 2008 models and on.

 

Hi I just bought a 06 slk280 ..... and then I found this site... Can anybody please check for me if my engine being affected VIN: WDBWK54F86F081656
Also anybody know if there is any website, or any place that I can input my VIN and all the option, package that came with the car will show up?? (just want to keep as record) thank you

 

WDDGF8FB2AF399700 has M272 engine #31-332073, which is well beyond the affected range for balance shaft issues. And yes, it's rare for any My2008's to have affected engines (though I have seen 2 via EPC lookups). With MY2009 or later, I'd say you are safe.

 

That SLK280, WDBWK54F86F081656, has M272 engine #089894, which is within the affected range. Remember, not all of the engines in the range have the failure, they just don't know which ones have defective parts and which don't, so the TSB covers all in the range up until the point where the improperly forged parts were no longer in the supply chain.

 

Thanks soooo much. I kind of figured it should be good from what i've read in this post and others but then i found this website which shows some 2009, and 2010 C230 which has the same engine as the 2010 C250 i'm looking at(as far as i know) and it got me worried. But as long as I have the 31 i guess i'm good.

http://www.topclassactions.com/lawsu...e-class-action

Is there anything else I should be worried about?

Once again, You are a great help to us all and dont get the proper credit.


THANKYOU!!!!!!!

 

thank you so much for the quick reply.... Look like I have lots of reading to do in the coming days

 

Basically, all M272 (V6) and M273 (V8) engines used in late-model MBZs could fall into the affected range. The M272 was used in the MY2006+ C230, C280, C300, and C350 (plus most other MY2006+ 230, 280, 300, 350 models). It was actually introduced in the MY2005 SLK350. The M273 is used in the CLK550 (and other "550" models, though not he "55" AMG models - that's an M113), and the GLK450. These engines each started at serial number 30-000001 and ran sequentially. The one millionth engine (of each) rolled to serial number 31-000001.

From what we can gather, the balance shafts (V6) and main timing gear sprockets (V8) were forged by the same company, but something in their heat hardening process was performed incorrectly so that the metal is too soft. It seems that not every shaft or sprocket was improperly forged. Maybe it was only the "Friday" parts, or maybe the one's forged in oven #8, or the ones forged by "Bob". Regardless, they seem to know that some fail and some don't. Actually, all timing parts will eventually fail from normal wear, but they should go a long time, say 250K+ miles. So we should say some of these parts in the affected range fail at a "normal" rate, where other fail "prematurely". Some incredibly prematurely, like mine that failed under 30K miles.

Anyhow, it seems that MBZ cannot track which bad parts went into which engine, but they know that the problem was caught and corrected after M272 engine #30-468993, and M273 engine #30-088611. So, anything before that could have a bad part, but the ones after that do not.

There is one other problem with early version of these engines. They got a bad supply of magnets for the camshaft sensors. This affects engines up to 30-759427 for the M272 and 30-193592 for the M273. Luckily, this is a very easy (even DIY) and fairly inexpensive (about $150 in parts) repair job.

 

just wondering if you could run my 06 r350 VIN 4JGCB65E46A008308. I have the 1200 and 1208 codes so i'm assuming it has the issues, BUT i have been driving it for atleast a year and it drives fine whenever I drive it. (its the wifes) So I was thinking maybe its just the magnets, but from what you said in an earlier post, the magnets/sensors have a different code??

Thanks

 

Yep - M272 engine #187772. And the magnets will not cause 1200/1208 - only the balance shaft failure causes that. Eventually, the gear will either start breaking apart or become so "rounded" that the timing chain will skip and then best case is that the engine dies and you are stranded with a few bent valves. Worst case is that those valves break, go bouncing around the cylinders, crack the block and puncture pistons, and now you need a whole new engine.

 

I have a question.. sorry Im a little confused here: Since my engine is within the defective range.. should I contact MB dealer now and try to have them fix/replace the defective parts, or do I have to wait until they actually break down then they will interven??

 

Rodney,
Please check if I am in the defective range.
2009 CLK350 - WDBTJ56H69F265292
2008 E350 - WDBUF56X28B210681
2007 C230 - WDBRF52H57A935202

Thank you,
Nik