gfmohn

This is a commercial site that wants $4.95. The Mercedes Electronic Parts Catalogue (EPC) is free (although hard to use). If you bought your car new and you are a member of the affected class, you have been notified by now. if you bought it used, you should continue to investigate, unless you are in contact with the original owner.

konigstiger

Not anymore https://mbworld.org/forums/e-class-w...ml#post6684428

cetialpha5

I use that site all the time. Good for finding a car with the elusive P2 package. You only need to pay the $4.95 if you want a more in depth report. The basic report it gives you will tell you the engine number and the options that it has. That's all you need to know if you want to see if your car is affected by the balance shaft problem. The other two sites I mentioned in the previous page are still working too.

As mentioned above, EPCnet is now $75 a year.

gfmohn

Thank you for letting everyone know.

allanbritto

what's the likelihood of getting a bad balance shaft at 96K miles?, engine within serial at risk. @konigstiger
the car is running good as of now.

Haydms

Gents, need some help here i have a 2007 Mercedes E350 4matic with the VIN# WDBUF87X57B131570. Last week the CEL come on i took it to an independent Mechanics shop that only deals with Porsche, Audi, Mercedes etc. They did an oil change read the error code and checked my filter, they told me that the filter had minute bits of metal, and that the error code told them it was the teeth on the gear from the balance shaft. I checked the VIN and it told me that the engine # is 272.972 30 601 323. Can someone give me a sanity check i thought that engine was past the issue date? or have we seen any that late fail?

Thanks in advance Mark

jimbo1763

I think your engine is past the cutoff numbers and should have the modified parts.

See post #6 at this link.

http://www.benzworld.org/forums/w211...ne-serial.html

Haydms

Jimbo Thanks that is what i thought i did forget to mention it has 78,000 miles on it, not sure what is going on then.

Mark

jimbo1763

What was the error code? Folks here are going to want to know.

gfmohn

You are definitely outside the affected class. The bad news is that it were better if you were in the affected class. If you were, you would have received a formal notification that you are a member of the class action settlement. Then you would have some protection (but not much). The good news is, you are not missing much. See my previous comment above. As for why your improved gear failed, well, they may be better, but they are not perfect. (Make sure you don't have a lubrication problem on the gear, for example, a plugged oil channel, if that is possible.) Any part can fail at 78,000 miles.

I know it rots to have to pay $3500 to $4500 for a repair before trading in the car. I have heard of as high as $7500! That car must have had some other damage, perhaps from the metal bits. But then you are shedding metal bits. You have to repair it or trade it immediately. You don't want to drive it any farther than to your independent shop or to the dealer. You can't slide a car that is shedding metal into the oil system under the dealer's radar. You can't even let the dealer take your car for a high-speed test drive!

Some of the dealers in our area have helped out on the repair when they did the work. If I was going to trade the car (it IS a 7 or 8-year-old car), I would try not to do the repair. I would get estimate (by phone) from an independent shop and from a dealer. Then I would try to get the dealer to reduce the trade-in price by only the amount the repair would cost them. Unless you have better sources of information, I would ask that the trade-in price be reduced by no more than 60% of the lower of the independent or dealer price, whichever is lower. I would accept a reduction of 80% of the retail cost of repair. I wouldn't negotiate with my car sitting there, either. The dealer salesman would know that if you did not reach agreement, you would have to drive your wounded car back home and then to your independent shop.

801

Reply to Allanbritto 96k mi question above. No ... you are not out of the woods. If you are within the affected range, I believe that your balance shaft is bad. Period. Meaning ... that if your M272 engine is within the range .. it's bad ... all of them ... and it will fail ... eventually. Some balance shaft sprockets failed at 30k, 50k, etc ... some have yet to fail. I bug my local dealer service guys about this every time I visit .. it's now a running joke. They just did the balance shaft job on a 203,000 mi 2006 ML350. that's 200k before the problem manifested itself! Which, again, is why I feel that they're ALL bad ... I'm at 120k right now on my affected 2006 E350 4m and I know that my balance shaft is going to fail eventually. No issues, no codes as of yet.... but I've changed my oil EVERY 5k miles with 0w40 Mobil 1 and drive like a grandpa. Too many factors involved to know when ... but it will. Driving habits, oil changes, oil type, etc etc etc.

samsquamsch

Hello! I was directed here after posting about getting a P0020 error code. I thought it might have been related to replacing the driver's side camshaft solenoids (which didn't need to be replaced, it was preventive, and they might have been faulty) but since this error isn't the same as the previous camshaft error. My VIN is WDBUF56J16A965612, engine #272964 30 351714 which is in the affected range. However, I'm wondering if this P0020 code could be because the camshaft solenoids I unnecessarily changed were defective (my fault, not the manufacturer's). At this point I am tempted to just order new ones and replace them, because if it ends up being a $4000+ repair, an extra $100 on solenoids is hardly a concern. As far as I can tell there is no link between P0020 OBD code and the balance shaft being worn down, but am I wrong? Thanks!

My original thread: https://mbworld.org/forums/e-class-w...ml#post6777198

konigstiger

Left intake camshaft solenoid (top driver side) part # 2720510177 – may be solenoid but before replacing revisit wiring. In addition I suggest having someone pull/clear codes with MB SDS.

samsquamsch

Thank you! I admit I haven't even looked at the wiring, I've mostly been wringing my hands about the potential of an incredibly costly repair. I'll place the order for replacement solenoids and will refrain from keeping the extras in front of subwoofers

Also, since you're basically a divine being when it comes to this stuff, and assuming this clears the code, what would you recommend I do with the car? It's been pretty great (had to change camshaft solenoids, obviously, as well as crankshaft position sensor, minor fixes) but now I've got this issue looming in my mind about the sprocket wearing down to nothing. Would you sell/trade it? Thank you so much for your reply!

edit: Wiring is intact as far as I can tell, ordering new solenoids today. Also, another question, if the solenoid is bad, how come I didn't get a specific error like I did when the passenger side ones needed to be replaced (P0015 and 16, if I'm not mistaken)? Thanks!

carndt

Hi There,

All new to the forum here and was reading up on the M272 engine and the balance shaft issues. I'm currently looking at a W219 from 05/2007 (CGI engine), the VIN is:

WDD2193571A110635

Can someone please check if this engine is affected?

As far as I understand from this website it should be out of the range according to the engine serial no, am I right?

Thank you!

konigstiger

Fine.

carndt

Thanks konigstiger, appreciate.

Ztilb

Konigstiger, are you still responding to engine number requests in connection with balance shaft issues? I have the opportunity of taking possession of a 2007 350e wagon, likely built mid 2006. I can send vin this coming Saturday.

OUZO Power

I wouldn't put to much faith in the revised part either.


My 2010 ML550 was dropped off at the shop this morning for a worn Idler Gear.


$3,500 repair.

cmriv

konigstiger here you go. so people can just come to forums and maybe see this stickey-ed, maybe start a new thread saying balance shaft/idler gear serial number range.


Engine 272 in model 164, 171, 203, 209, 211, 219, 221, 230, 251
Engine 273 in model 164, 209, 211, 216, 219, 221, 230

Implementation of series measure changing material for balance shaft sprocket as of engine 2729xx30 468993 as of October 2006 production
Implementation of series measure changing material for timing chain guide wheel as of engine 2739xx30 088611 as of September 2006 production


Model 164.172/186/871/886
Model 171.454/456
Model 203.052/054/056/087/092
Model 209.356/372/456/472
Model 211.056/072/087/090/256/287
Model 216.371
Model 219.372
Model 221.171/186
Model 230.471
Model 251.156/165
Equipped with M272 or M273 engines bearing serial numbers up to 2729..30
468993 or 2739..30 088611, respectively.

SR10

Hello,

I have an E350 (W211) - DOM: December 2006 which has only been driven ~ 104, 000 km.

VIN: WDB2110562B100725 Engine number: 272 964 305 470 57

Over the past few months as I have been driving my E350, I have noticed the engine light coming on randomly when I am driving on motorways/freeways. This usually occurs after a few hours of driving but after a few warm up cycles it simply turns off. During normal city driving the engine light does not come on.

Initially, I suspected it could be an issue with the position of the camshaft ‘timing markings’ so I had a look and it appears that the markings are centered. I have attached an image of this to show what it looks like for a second opinion?

Would someone be able to give their thoughts on whether this could be an issue with the camshaft timing, solenoid problem or something else?

Solenoid part number on my car is: A272 051 0077

I would greatly appreciate some help on this problem.

Thank you,
Sam

jimbo1763

Your check engine light could be for any number of things. Best suggestion is to get the codes read when the light is on. It is possible that the code may be stored and still accessible-but in any regard, read the codes and post what you find.

gfmohn

I had the same experience on my 2007 C280 4MATIC (W203). (However, I would see the check engine light immediately on starting cold. Then, after a few miles, it would go out.) My independent shop (European Auto Solutions in Waltham MA) informed me that there were well over 100 fault codes stored for at least two defective cam shaft position sensors. So I had all four replaced. I had not noticed any change in performance or gas mileage. I don't know if your inspection of the camshaft timing markings rules this out. But why are you taking your problem here, instead of to a Mercedes repair shop?

(For what it's worth, I was notified later that my W203 was indeed part of the balance shaft pinion class action. However, I had already traded the car in on a new, 2015 C300 4MATIC (W205).)

SR10

Thanks Jimbo1763 and gfmohn!

I'm thinking of purchasing my own scanner so I can use it when necessary. There's quite lot out of different models out there. Would you have any recommendations in terms of good diagnostic scanners at a reasonable price?

Thanks,
Sam

cmriv

those do not look center to me at all...