ot1

Speaking of incorrect oil, service interval is roughly 10,000 miles if you are using Synthetic oil, but half that if using non synthetic. Hyundai has the same interval specifying synthetic on the new Sonata. I caught the Hyundai dealer putting in conventional oil, then he argued, said it was the correct oil,I told him but its not synthetic, and the manual specifies the type which is synthetic, it changes the service interval significantly. It was Like talking to a brick wall.

So was the Mercedes dealer using the correct oil or putting in a cheaper oil, lower interval oil.

dave2001auto

Comparing the clarity of dealer changed and my oil changed oil after a few miles, mine looks much clearer!
Diesel is typically dark even after changing. I found that there’s oil old up in the filter housing. I sucked it out and poured fresh oil into the filter housing. I think the oil was only partially changed, an incomplete drain.

in speaking with many service managers, they didn’t know there’s another oil for the bluetec and also the invoices are automated to have a specific oil even if it’s not used. At least viewing from the filler, engine is clean. Filter has some varnish deposits at 110,000 miles.

it seems like the norm that large companies will ignoring or has lighting the complaints from minorities in this case diesel owners. MB did have a class action on the gas engines 1990-2000 era when it when to long OCI on the gas engine.
you might have better luck on Facebook.

my flapper motor and plastic links needed to be replaced at 80000 miles due carbon build up and brittle plastic. Turbo at 85000. Rear oil seal leaking at 70,000. Transmission not engaging on very cold days (0 to 10 F) May have always been that way but moved to cold-moderate winter area. DPF and no Urea.

C63-USA

So, I'm looking to replace my 13 X166 GL550 with a 15 GL350. After reading this thread, I'm plain scared.

What percentage of these motors have this issue (early failure). Is it like the infamous IMS bearing issue on the 996 Porsche that affected less than 5% of them?

The vehicle I am looking has has had no issues, has had regular 10k or there about oil changes with A0019893701. It was always a Texas vehicle (warm to hot weather). I had it PPI by the local MB dealership with a clean bill of health paying special attention to the oil cooler for leaks, cracks and known issues with the DEF tank, pump and heater and the DPF. Nothing found. The VMI shows no issues related to the engine, etc.

Can I reasonable expect with 5k oil changes, 229.52 or a CK-4 15w40, DEF toped off, Diesel gas treatment at all fill-ups, using 3-5% Biodiesel and engine flushes prior to each oil change (it's due for one now) and remove the bottom splash pan and cosmetic engine cover (better cooling) to not have these issues with this new purchase, Or, should I just get the GL/GLS450 and deal with the pooer fuel economy?

What, if anything, am I missing (it's quite a long thread to read).

Thanks in advance.

marc hanna

I'm not trying to diminish anyone's bad experience, because these are real problems, but generally speaking this appears to be a statistically insignificant occurrence. It is also likely caused by poor practices at the dealers at which they were serviced.

With the number of these engines out there, literally millions, we have only heard of a few such occurrences. Taking into account the ones we haven't heard of, maybe there have been a couple dozen in total.

I think the problem stems from dealers using inexperienced staff/technicians to do a 'simple' oil change, and likely because of the similar nomenclature to gas models (ie the '350'), that the wrong oil was used OR the dealers cheaped-out and used Mobil 1 ESP, which does not perform as well as the MB-branded oil, in that is get about half the life before it starts to oxidize. So, I we bring our OM642s in for their 15,000Km (9,329 miles) oil change interval, as is appropriate, then we have been driving for 5,000kms on degraded Mobil 1 OR 15,000kms on an oil that does not have adequate soot-holding properties and is subject to heavy sludge build-up in the pan and passages.

On my R320 CDI, I have 220,000kms, although it's not a bluetec, it actually has heavier EGR which is worse than the bluetec. I do oil changes every 18,000 - 20,000kms and it still runs like a dream. I generally use Amsoil 5W40 but the MB-branded oil has very comparable results from oil analysis. If you're doing 5K oil changes, then the Mobil 1 ESP is just fine.

C63-USA

Thanks for the reply Marc. I also have noticed that despite the new GLS350d being available in the rest of the world, it hasn't been offered in the 3 models years since the model's nomenclature change. An article penned in 2016 indicated that there were issues with the EPA compliance. Seems odd to drop the motor from the lineup just in North America.

TheLindseyD

Hi there! I’m curious as to what happened with your situation. We have a 2013 ML350 Bluetec and our engine just experienced a catastrophic failure after it stalled on us last week.

krd2023

Hi, no luck with me, unfortunately, after I explored all reasonable efforts with dealer and MBUSA. I washed my hands of the 2010 ML350 Diesel, sold it at a loss, and I don't plan to buy another Mercedes. Good luck with your efforts and please let us know if you reach a resolution.

krd2023

Hi, no luck with me, unfortunately, after I explored all reasonable efforts with dealer and MBUSA. I washed my hands of the 2010 ML350 Diesel, sold it at a loss, and I don't plan to buy another Mercedes. Good luck with your efforts and please let us know if you reach a resolution.

fireman1073

sold my 09 gl320 because of one check engine light after another $$$$$$$, junk as far as I'm concerned so i bought a 06 4runner. i stick to old 80's mercedes when they were built like tanks

kajtek1

Yeah, but when I frequent junk yard over 10 years ago - I found several 1980's MB there in perfect body condition, but with badly stained interior.
Those models had real oil pressure gauge, with oil tube going to the dash gauge. That requires disconnecting when you pull the cluster and from time to time mechanic forgets to reconnect it.
Once you have driver seat and interior sprayed with diesel oil and the car is already aged- the car gets totaled.

djmsstraub

Excellent and thorough reply. Thank you for taking the time.

steve@aberadvis

Starting at about 90k miles I got a 'Check Coolant' warning. My MB dealer said that they found the coolant leak and fixed it. I got the same warning at 103k miles and was told that they would do a 'courtesy' repair because my 100k extended warranty had expired. I have now had a third 'Check Coolant' warning at 110k miles. I asked if this is a know issue and was given the following explanation: 'The check coolant level warning only indicates a lose of coolant. This could point to one or more of many different warn parts in the coolant system. The bad part/s are identified by doing a pressure test and then replaced. And now that my warranty has expired I'll need to start paying for the leaking coolant repairs. Your car is getting old and will need more repairs'

My question is this, is this a know issue with the ML350 Bluetec? And does it last about 100k miles and then start to need a lot of repairs? Your comments would be very much appreciated.

kajtek1

OM642 don't have known coolant leaks issue, but you had 2 of them repaired, so what was it?

steve@aberadvis

I was told the first one was an easy "o-ring" fix. The second one was very difficult and required the engine to be removed and it took a week to do. For this most recent third visit both the coolant system and the engine were pressure tested and no leaks were found. The coolant level was noted and refilled. I've been asked to return if and when the low coolant level warning light comes on and the coolant level will be examined and a calculation will be done to determine the coolant loss rate. This will indicate whether or not its within acceptable limits. Apparently a small amount of coolant is loss during normal operation because the diesel engine runs hot. Is this the experience of others on this forum?

mikapen

I don't think "a small amount of coolant loss is normal," or "the diesel engine runs hot" are accurate statements. I'd ask for Tech Bulletins to justify those statements. Hope you find the smoking gun.

arto_wa

Barbara Streisand

1. "required the engine to be removed and it took a week to do"
Really. Eight hours a day for five days?

2. "diesel engine runs hot"
Really. Hot as compared to what?

3. "small amount of coolant is loss during normal operation"
Really. Is that so?

dave2001auto

The whole 229.51 oil is a mess M1 esp 5w-40 was approved and then not on the list. When was approval removed?

peter2772000

229.51 was the cats meow.....until 229.52 came out. Now 229.51 is the equivalent of leprosy. All bull!!!

dave2001auto

What the reason why Mobil 1 ESP 0W40 is no longer on the approved 229.51 list? The 100C viscosity is only 12.9 for ESP 40 weight and a high 12.0 for the ESP 30 weight.
Rotella T6 30 weight is on the 228.51 list but not Rotella T6 40. Is the Rotella 40 weight too thick (uses tradition US viscosity instead of european thin 40 weight.

Rescue1st

My 2013 ML350 Bluetec had 137k miles on it when I drove 200+ miles to the dealer to have the recall done. The engine seized after the recall was done while the technician was test driving it. On tear down, the no 1 main bearing seized onto the crank. I have used Amzoil since buying the vehicle new, there was zero sludge. MB offered $1500 on a certified or $3000 on new. I am still wondering why it seized.

kajtek1

WOW that is the 1st time in my 25 years of driving MB to hear the engine seized "just becouse".
The above reports were due to oil turning solid, what I understand is some kind of chemical phenomena, but bearing seizing on oil with no sludge?
137k miles is nothing for those engines.
Where do you have 200 miles to the dealer anyway?
Sprinter owners report that MB USA offers good pricing on new engines. I hope it will be the same for your ML.
Keep us posted?

Gazwould

Got to be wrong spec or poorly manufactured bearing shells ?

Diabolis

Quite possibly because you used an unapproved AMSOIL pyramid-scheme oil instead of an approved MB 229.52 oil from a reputable company that is more suited to being run in an OM642 motor and high bio-diesel content.

Rescue1st

Diabolis,
The 2013 Bluetec required MB 229.51, not 229.52. Amzoil passes the MB 229.51 spec and is regarded as a very good lubricant regardless of how it is sold. As I first wrote my engine had zero sludge and was remarkably clean. I did forget to mention in the first post that the oil level was good. Regarding the 229.52 spec, all I have found for information so far is that the 229.52 addressed foaming and fuel efficiency. I have seen in another thread where MB had retrofitted 9 liter pans with 14 liter pans, but that was in the UK.

Diabolis

No Sir. Here's the BEVO sheet for all MB vehicles: https://bevo.mercedes-benz.com/d/d/en/Spec_223_3.pdf. The OM642 Bin5 engines in the USA and Canada only stipulate oil with MB 229.52 approval. MB 229.51 approved oils were approved for use here some ~8 years ago, but have since only been approved in places where the biodiesel content is different and/or the oil change intervals are different.

AFAIK the primary purpose of the MB 229.52 spec was to better deal with the fuel dilution aspect as a result of the biodiesel content when the issues resulting from the same first started to manifest themselves. The fuel efficiency was a (distant) secondary concern. And, while the AMSOIL sythetics are made from very good base stocks, their additive blending generally sucks and they have only one 5W-40 oil that has MB 229.51 approval and none that have MB 229.52.