Please check my VIN for Balance shaft issue?
Junior Member
Joined: Jul 2016
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CLS-55 AMG
Thank you Rodney
Thank you very much for all your help Rodney. I get check engine light after i change the oil myself, i check with ODBI and i get code P0014. Should i change all 4 cams sensors?
R-350 2012 has 80.000 miles
Thank you
R-350 2012 has 80.000 miles
Thank you
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Your car has a different engine (M276) than the ones affected by the balance shaft and camshaft solenoid problems (M272/M273). Note that generic OBDII "P" codes can actually translate to more than one MBZ "DTC". I'd get a proper diagnosis with equipment that read MBZ codes.
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Joined: Nov 2016
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C300 4MATIC Luxury
I drive a 2010 C300. Purchased from MB dealership in July 2013 with 31K miles. I'm the second owner. Car has been babied and meticulously maintained. Regular driving, mainly to and from work daily. Car is now at 66K.
CEL came on last week. Took into local imports guy and he ran the code. Got the dreaded PO017. He suggested it would be the timing chain issue and told me to call dealership as they may cover all or part of it. Also provided me with a copy of the service bulletin and information on the wiring harness campaign, just in case it applied to me. Of course, my car isn't currently under any warranty.
Dropped it off at MB dealership this morning. Was just emailed that the timing chain and timing tensioner do need to be replaced, and the cylinder head covers need to be resealed. They quoted me $3100 to fix. Price is lower than I expected from what I'd gathered lurking here (thank you for all the info, BTW). It seems to me that a failure on chain and tensioner at 66K miles would be a rarity on a well maintained car without defective parts.
I'm guessing that MB hasn't *really* fully resolved this issue in model years after the class action settlement. Been digging around the recesses of the internet and it still seems to be reported at rates higher than what would be expected in cars with fairly low mileage.
Just wanted to report in so owners of MY after 2007 are aware that they may still face this issue. Thanks again for all of the info you've shared here!
CEL came on last week. Took into local imports guy and he ran the code. Got the dreaded PO017. He suggested it would be the timing chain issue and told me to call dealership as they may cover all or part of it. Also provided me with a copy of the service bulletin and information on the wiring harness campaign, just in case it applied to me. Of course, my car isn't currently under any warranty.
Dropped it off at MB dealership this morning. Was just emailed that the timing chain and timing tensioner do need to be replaced, and the cylinder head covers need to be resealed. They quoted me $3100 to fix. Price is lower than I expected from what I'd gathered lurking here (thank you for all the info, BTW). It seems to me that a failure on chain and tensioner at 66K miles would be a rarity on a well maintained car without defective parts.
I'm guessing that MB hasn't *really* fully resolved this issue in model years after the class action settlement. Been digging around the recesses of the internet and it still seems to be reported at rates higher than what would be expected in cars with fairly low mileage.
Just wanted to report in so owners of MY after 2007 are aware that they may still face this issue. Thanks again for all of the info you've shared here!
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P0017 can actually be unrelated to the "balance shaft" problem. There are four translations from that generic OBDII code to MBZ-specific DTCs:
http://benzbits.com/DTC/DTC%20209.372.pdf
Of course all of these are timing related, but only DTC 1200 is balance shaft specific. Of course timing chain issues are rare, but the do happen. $3100 is VERY high for this job as the engine does not need to be pulled - this is a top-end job only requiring that the head covers be removed.
http://benzbits.com/DTC/DTC%20209.372.pdf
Of course all of these are timing related, but only DTC 1200 is balance shaft specific. Of course timing chain issues are rare, but the do happen. $3100 is VERY high for this job as the engine does not need to be pulled - this is a top-end job only requiring that the head covers be removed.
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Joined: Nov 2016
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C300 4MATIC Luxury
P0017 can actually be unrelated to the "balance shaft" problem. There are four translations from that generic OBDII code to MBZ-specific DTCs:
http://benzbits.com/DTC/DTC%20209.372.pdf
Of course all of these are timing related, but only DTC 1200 is balance shaft specific. Of course timing chain issues are rare, but the do happen. $3100 is VERY high for this job as the engine does not need to be pulled - this is a top-end job only requiring that the head covers be removed.
http://benzbits.com/DTC/DTC%20209.372.pdf
Of course all of these are timing related, but only DTC 1200 is balance shaft specific. Of course timing chain issues are rare, but the do happen. $3100 is VERY high for this job as the engine does not need to be pulled - this is a top-end job only requiring that the head covers be removed.
The good news is that I picked my car up today without having the repair done. MB told me they'd need to keep my car until Monday or Tuesday. I had a loaner and I head to the Caribbean this weekend for two weeks. Wouldn't be able to return the loaner in a timely manner. Told them I'd call to schedule service after I get back. So at least I have the chance to get the price down.
I know pricing is influenced by geographic area, etc. I live in a mid-sized city in the Midwest. If you had to guess, can you tell me what you think is more reasonable for this job?
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Checking ASRA, this is just over 12 hours of labor, plus parts. Parts are under $500, and at $120/hr, labor is $1500, so I'm not sure where the extra $1100 comes in. Ys, there are shop supplies and a carwash, plus shop clean-up time, but not another 10 hours worth!
Newbie
Joined: Nov 2016
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C300 4MATIC Luxury
Today, I looked closely at what MB gave me when I picked the car up. I hadn't yesterday, because I figured it was a repeat of the email estimate. The one difference is that those papers actually reference a DTC 1200. The only place I got PO017 is from the imports specialist I went to for the first diagnostic. Hm. Now I'm unsure what the origin of the problem is.
I'll call MB when I get back to verify whether or not they're saying this work is because of the balance shaft issue. I'll also call four other places around here for quotes based on timing chain and tensioner replacement. The car will be in my garage while I'm gone, so no risk of the engine falling apart while driving.
I can't thank you enough for your help. I will be back with the final verdict after I get back to the US.
Junior Member
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 16
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From: Central Coast California
2007 SLK 280, 2012 C350, 2012 C63 P31
Can you please check my VIN for the balance shaft issue?
Is VIN# WDBWK4F77F171804 engine affected by the balance shaft issue? Thanks in advance!
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Junior Member
Joined: Jul 2005
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From: Central Coast California
2007 SLK 280, 2012 C350, 2012 C63 P31
WDBWK54F77F171804
Sorry I missed a digit! Thank you!
Sorry I missed a digit! Thank you!
Newbie
Joined: Nov 2016
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Mercedes ML350
Appreciate your help. I should have probably been more specific. Here in Australia we don't have the benefit of the class action settlement so we're getting stung by repairers on this issue. I have an engine warning light on permanently and the repairer is saying that this is a balance shaft issue and its going to cost me a small fortune to fix. I'm just trying to do enough homework to keep him honest on pricing. I guess in order for me to have a decent discussion with the guy i need to know the error codes? Is that my next best approach on this issue.
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WDBWK54F77F171804
Sorry I missed a digit! Thank you!
Sorry I missed a digit! Thank you!
MBworld Guru
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Appreciate your help. I should have probably been more specific. Here in Australia we don't have the benefit of the class action settlement so we're getting stung by repairers on this issue. I have an engine warning light on permanently and the repairer is saying that this is a balance shaft issue and its going to cost me a small fortune to fix. I'm just trying to do enough homework to keep him honest on pricing. I guess in order for me to have a decent discussion with the guy i need to know the error codes? Is that my next best approach on this issue.
In your case, unless you are getting DTCs 1200 and 1208 (generic OBDII codes P0017 and P0016) then it's not balance shaft failure. Get the codes pulled and then let's see what you have.
Newbie
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Mercedes ML350
Hi again,
Well i've now pulled the codes and, sadly, it is turning up P0017 and P0016. So my engine number is outside the dodgy range, but showing balance shaft codes. Do i have any options now but to accept my fate and pay up to have the work done?
Well i've now pulled the codes and, sadly, it is turning up P0017 and P0016. So my engine number is outside the dodgy range, but showing balance shaft codes. Do i have any options now but to accept my fate and pay up to have the work done?
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I think it would be very rare, but possible that the timing chain idler could fail even in an engine like yours that is well outside the problem range. The first thing I'd do is get the codes pulled with a tool that reads actual MBZ DTCs. The P0016 and P0017 generic OBDII codes actually can be four different DTCs each. Knowing the actual DTCs can help. Of course the bad news is than none of the other DTCs are any less expensive to repair than the balance shaft.
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Mercedes GL450
Help Please! VMI for GL450
I was wondering if anyone may be able to assist me in obtaining the VMI (repair records) for my GL450. I purchased used about 3 months ago and since then the suspension has put the car in Malfunction 4 times (and the dealer claims that they have replaced the whole system 2 of those times.) I feel that something fishy is going on and it is in the shop every other week. Your help is greatly appreciated. Add the dot com to my screen name to send to me privately. Thank you!
Mom in distress!
Mom in distress!
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Joined: Nov 2016
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Mercedes GL450
Help Please! VMI for GL450
I was wondering if anyone may be able to assist me in obtaining the VMI (repair records) for my GL450. I purchased used about 3 months ago and since then the suspension has put the car in Malfunction 4 times (and the dealer claims that they have replaced the whole system 2 of those times.) I feel that something fishy is going on and it is in the shop every other week. Your help is greatly appreciated. Add the dot com to my screen name to send to me privately. Thank you!
Mom in distress!
Oh, meant to put in my vin:
4JGBF7BE6BA745479
THANK YOU!!!!
Mom in distress!
Oh, meant to put in my vin:
4JGBF7BE6BA745479
THANK YOU!!!!
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Sorry, you can only get the VMI records from someone with access to live dealers systems, and then, it's doubtful they will do that for you as it includes private information about the prior owner. Some dealers will do this and redact that private info, but most will not.
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From: SoCal
None for now
My friend's looking at a 550. Could you check the VIN?
WDBTJ72H08F254756
WDBTJ72H08F254756
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WDBTJ72H08F254756 is a MY2008 - no balance shaft worries there (engine #248263).
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