AutoSaurus

I forgot that we had a dedicated diesel forum until someone pointed it out to me.

Myself and another are reporting problems with our new CDI engines in our GL's. I think that it is worth posting a link here for others with the same engine.

The problem seems to be with the intercooler hose coming loose.

https://mbworld.org/forums/gl-class-x164/181774-vance-we-have-problem.html

https://mbworld.org/forums/gl-class-x164/182269-vance-we-have-another-problem.html#post2027741

It is also being reported in the other forum to.
http://www.benzworld.org/forums/gl-c...-take-two.html

harkgar

No one is replying to you except me! Unfortunately my diesel is a straight 6 not a V-6. MB is trying to market this Bluetec as the 2007 re-incarnation of the sliced bread and washing machine so you can be sure they do not want negative publicity.

I test drove a Bluetec E320 diesel in December 2006 without any of the problems you experienced. I think the same engine is shipped over from Germany and assembled in the USA so there should not be any quality difference.

A good buddy of mine took delivery of a GL diesel in January 2007 without this particular problem but I shall pass on this message to him.

Norris

Loose hoses don't make a bad engine. I am sure you are not happy having to take the new car back but to say the engine is bad based on your notes is a big stretch. The engine itself is a few years old and proven.

carpersn

However, Norris, this is the second person with this issue, and Autosaurus's dealer has indicated the replaced hose and clamp have not helped. To me, this indicates a problem with the vehicle, that after paying $70k for, should not exist. Engine problem or not, semantics is what we're quibbling over...

Nevada Jack

But "loose hoses" do make the vehicle inoperative and therefore the engine does not work. The problem is not that the engine is well tested and proven...the problem is that the owner paid $70K for a Mercedes Benz that does not run as advertised because a component has failed. It is up to MB to correct the problem fast and enlighten him as to the reason for the failure.

carpersn

And, if i may presume to add to your post, Jack, for him to enlighten the rest of us so that we can breathe easy as we accept delivery of our own GL320's...

Nevada Jack

I know Jack and when he gets his answers he will let us know. I am still not edgy about this problem and think it is isolated but as April draws near I will hope "all is well with the GL"...:-)

lkchris

If no problems ever existed there would be no need for a warranty, right?

Your statement is fantasyland.

carpersn

Fantasyland? Well, I believe Jack had the car about 1-2 weeks, so i don't really believe that roadside assistance ought be required before the first 1k mark. More like Realityland.

Norris

My point is there is no reason to threaten law suits which has been mentioned in other threads over an isolated problem. As Nevada Jack said everyone here hopes that this is resolved in a fast manner rather than slowly. Sure if it was my GL I'm sure I would be a little upset also. But I would not make broad strokes of the brush saying that all GL 320's have this problem. As of right now this is only to have happened on one other GL.

The 320 is a pretty solid engine and has proven itself over the past few years.

harkgar

In another part of this site there were a number of photos of a lady's Bluetec diesel ML taken after the driver's rear side tire blew up. Do you think it is also an isolated problem?

AutoSaurus

The first occurance happened on day 14 of ownership. The second was on day 18. The four days in between 2 were in the shop.

I don't believe it is not a hose or clamp problem. But after talking to the people at the dealership, I believe it is pressure or force from the turbo, which is a component of the engine, and causing the hose to come off.

Racin_fool

there are many other factory turbo vehicles out there that pop the intercooler hoses off when under boost. Take a look at the Mitsu Evo8 and 9. Those things from the factory with stock boost were popping the intercooler hoses off left and right. Basically what it needs is a true T-bolt style hose clamp instead of just some generic off the shelf POS clamp. I have not had one of these intakes apart yet, but hopefully there is some sort of ridge under the hose to atleast help this from happening so frequently.

harkgar

Mitsubishi made the zero fighter in WW-ii. They were decimated by the end of the war by Mustangs, Thunderbolts and Hawker Typhoons.

MB built engines for heavy diesel tank engines that roamed the deserts and frozen battlefields of Stalingrad. They were the best to the end of the war. Only the Soviet T-34s could compare.

MB today (up to the W126 anyway) built superior cars. In trying to match Lexus they strayed into unnecessary electronic gadgetry and also subcumbed to bean counters advice. The electronics break down. The steel gauge thinned to Japanese grade to save weight and money and feel tinny. The only saving grace is AMG. The Japanese has nothing to match - yet.

MB must do better - treat their customers like VIPs. Fix faults like the turbo hoses fast and replace what is necessary. I like MBs but they have to work harder to keep my money in the future.

anghrist

I think that was an R-Class and I don't think that it was the tire blowing up. There's a rear A/C evaporator in that area, and the muffler and the tire and that's about it. There's no telling what failed without looking more closely.

That aside. It is very disheartening to see problems with a new vehicle. Heck, I complain about repairs that I have to make to my 7-year-old W210 that seem to defy the older reliability models of Diamler-Benz. My girlfriends W123 (first-year-model) is a tank and requires so little attention that I get jealous from time to time.

To those disappointed with the new GL, simply take it back to the dealer, and make a big fuss until they agree to make it right or buy it back from you. The last thing that a dealership wants is a very pissed off customer with a very new vehicle in the building or on the lot where they are trying to sell cars to other prospective customers.

Just my $0.02

Ornelas66

I am disappointed with the "normal" headlights that came equipped in my 2009 GL 320. I would like to purchase some HID replacement lights off of ebay and install them on my GL. Does anybody know if this would be a plug and play situation. Do I need to spend time at the dealership with the STAR program to change the settings for HID. Finally, would anybody know the part number for both headlights so that I could be sure of purchasing the correct item. Hopefully, someone has already blazed the path, and any help will be appreciated.

Dan Wang

You can purchase some HID bulbs/ballast off ebay for really cheap these days. And in the end these will produce more light than the normal halogen lights.

You will not need to go to the dealer to change the settings because that is only required with OEM headlights that have autoleveling and I also believe that they have fixed the voltage requirements for the ballasts so you will not get a check light error message.

lkchris

What do you mean "the part number?"

The entire headlight unit is either HID or Halogen.

There's no converting between them with Mercedes parts.