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2011 GL350 new owner looking for advice

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Old Feb 17, 2025 | 10:03 AM
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2011 GL350 new owner looking for advice

Good day all. New member here. Just acquired a 2011 GL350 from my father. He moved out of the country and left it to me. I picked it up in Los Angeles from a friend of my fathers that was holding it until I could come and get it and drove it home to Colorado just this weekend. It has 145k miles on it. It definitely has some issues that need addressing but was asking here for thoughts on whether or not this thing is worth keeping or just selling for whatever I can get. It's in good shape inside and out. Headlights are hazed, but I can fix that with some sanding and clear coat. First thing I noticed is that windshield wipers don't work. That was a surprise since I had a 1200 mile trip ahead of me and it was looking like it was going to snow in the mountains while I was going to be driving through there. Decided to get some RainX, apply it to the windshield and take the southern route home. Luckily, no rain the whole way home. Next issue, oil consumption. When I started the trip, I checked it and it was about half way between add and full. Drove about 700 miles and a message popped up to check the oil at next fuel fill. Took about 6 quarts of oil to fill it. Does have a small leak but not nearly enough to warrant that much oil loss. Doing some research, it seems like carbon build up on the rings could be the most likely culprit. Next issue is that I am getting a code for low pressure in the adblue def system. My fathers friend told me he added def fluid because there was a message that the tank was empty. Could that have caused air to get in the system and it can't purge itself? Or am I looking at a new def pump? The collision assist warning system is not working. Has codes for the SAM-R and PTS systems. I checked all the fuses I could find all were good. And the engineer that decided on the placement of the cruise control stalk and turn signal stalk, needs to be beaten to within inches of their lives!!! Thank you in advance for any advice or direction with this new "project".
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Old Feb 19, 2025 | 10:04 AM
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Originally Posted by doitall
Good day all. New member here. Just acquired a 2011 GL350 from my father. He moved out of the country and left it to me. I picked it up in Los Angeles from a friend of my fathers that was holding it until I could come and get it and drove it home to Colorado just this weekend. It has 145k miles on it. It definitely has some issues that need addressing but was asking here for thoughts on whether or not this thing is worth keeping or just selling for whatever I can get. It's in good shape inside and out. Headlights are hazed, but I can fix that with some sanding and clear coat. First thing I noticed is that windshield wipers don't work. That was a surprise since I had a 1200 mile trip ahead of me and it was looking like it was going to snow in the mountains while I was going to be driving through there. Decided to get some RainX, apply it to the windshield and take the southern route home. Luckily, no rain the whole way home. Next issue, oil consumption. When I started the trip, I checked it and it was about half way between add and full. Drove about 700 miles and a message popped up to check the oil at next fuel fill. Took about 6 quarts of oil to fill it. Does have a small leak but not nearly enough to warrant that much oil loss. Doing some research, it seems like carbon build up on the rings could be the most likely culprit. Next issue is that I am getting a code for low pressure in the adblue def system. My fathers friend told me he added def fluid because there was a message that the tank was empty. Could that have caused air to get in the system and it can't purge itself? Or am I looking at a new def pump? The collision assist warning system is not working. Has codes for the SAM-R and PTS systems. I checked all the fuses I could find all were good. And the engineer that decided on the placement of the cruise control stalk and turn signal stalk, needs to be beaten to within inches of their lives!!! Thank you in advance for any advice or direction with this new "project".
Dump it. Failed oil control rings typical of om642.

Last edited by tjts1; Feb 19, 2025 at 10:05 AM.
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Old Feb 19, 2025 | 10:34 AM
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That's the direction I'm leaning to once I fix a few of it's quirks. I've got enough vehicles to keep me busy. Don't need one that's going to be a constant work in progress. I've got some experience with the Cummins Bluetech and not fond of it either.
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Old Feb 20, 2025 | 08:57 AM
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Originally Posted by Plutoe
If i were you i would take the vehicle to a MB dealer as a new owner you are due a free inspection, its not thorough but you can have then check the VIN for service updates plus talk to them about the oil use as that is not by design----other than that keep your daytime job and dont play MB mechanic
LOL! My daytime job is a Fleet technician. Been a wrench turner for over 40 years. I have 2 ASE masters and am a Ford Senior Master Tech. Just never had the displeasure of working on newer Mercedes vehicles. I had a 1984 300D turbo and that's the extent of my MB knowledge. Just asking here to see if others have similar experiences before I go down the MB rabbit hole. The more knowledge you can get before digging in the better.
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Old Feb 20, 2025 | 11:00 AM
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Check if this car has the field measure installed recently, then the adblue system could still be fixed under warranty.
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Old Feb 20, 2025 | 11:32 AM
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Originally Posted by tjts1
Dump it. Failed oil control rings typical of om642.
That's what I've been finding. Thing is, it didn't use much oil when my dad had it and just drove it around town. Maybe the highway driving at 2500+ rpm for hours at a time didn't help the situation. I'm going to change the oil and use the Valvoline Premium blue oil which is supposed to help with cleaning the carbon off the oil control rings and we will see. Definitely going to be selling it either way. Would like to get it in decent shape to get the most out of it though.
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