M272 Balance Shaft
Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 314
Likes: 29
From: Coastal Georgia, USA
2007 E350 Sedan
I doubt it would show in Carfax, although I am not sure-if the repair were done at a dealer, maybe??
You should check the service records. Sometimes a dealer will help you with that-they may want to protect the privacy of the prior owner, but what you are asking is pretty specific. They can protect the privacy by covering up the name of the owner. Some dealers will, some won't.
There is a YouTube video on visually checking to see how things look, but that doesn't mean that the balance was replaced-only that things still line up the way they are supposed to.
You should check the service records. Sometimes a dealer will help you with that-they may want to protect the privacy of the prior owner, but what you are asking is pretty specific. They can protect the privacy by covering up the name of the owner. Some dealers will, some won't.
There is a YouTube video on visually checking to see how things look, but that doesn't mean that the balance was replaced-only that things still line up the way they are supposed to.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 6,190
Likes: 1,550
From: MA
2008 E350 4Matic, 2011 E350 4matic
To get the VMI, go make an appointment at the dealer for service and ask for the VMI from the service adviser. Maybe just do a Service A or wait for the $130 off $250 coupon that seems to pop up twice a year lately. If the service adviser won't give it to you tell them you're going to cancel and go to another dealer who will as you know people get it online all the time. When they mention privacy issues, tell them to wipe out the previous owners name.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 6,190
Likes: 1,550
From: MA
2008 E350 4Matic, 2011 E350 4matic
Well whatever, he had it listed in his profile.
Advice is don't buy a 2006. Don't buy early 2007 either as they also had bad balance shafts in the early production run. They're cheap for a reason.
Advice is don't buy a 2006. Don't buy early 2007 either as they also had bad balance shafts in the early production run. They're cheap for a reason.
Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 314
Likes: 29
From: Coastal Georgia, USA
2007 E350 Sedan
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MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 6,190
Likes: 1,550
From: MA
2008 E350 4Matic, 2011 E350 4matic
Did you also have the "I bought what?" reaction? I was going to get a 2007, but then it was tiring looking up all those vin numbers to see if it was outside the range or not so I just gave up and focused on getting a 2008 which is way outside the range.
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Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 314
Likes: 29
From: Coastal Georgia, USA
2007 E350 Sedan
Absolutely. I had no idea what I had gotten into. I googled the codes that had come up when I got the CEL checked at AutoZone and very quickly figured out I had a real problem. MB did give me some good will, and I appreciate that. I am not sure they will give it to me again if and when my wife's 2006 comes down with the problem, but I guess I will worry about that when the time comes.
I never even knew what a balance shaft was and what it did before all that. I sure do now, though.
I never even knew what a balance shaft was and what it did before all that. I sure do now, though.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 1,512
Likes: 267
From: Chicago
2025 AMG E 53; 2018 GLC300 4Matic; 2003 360 Modena
I'm the masochist. Knew full well - but the car had <700 miles on it when I bought it 3+ years ago and the price was fair. Nice build in terms of options, color, etc. Drove it to around 30k miles with oil changes at 5,000 miles and pulled the motor and did the balance shaft repair. Cost me about $500 DIY. The balance shaft gear was measured with a micrometer and it was perfect - so we'll never know. I see the tech occasionally who answered some of my questions - and he still shakes his head. He is convinced I would have never had a problem.
Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 314
Likes: 29
From: Coastal Georgia, USA
2007 E350 Sedan
Maybe you would never have had a problem-who knows? I regret that I am coming over to the side that says that they all will fail, given time. We are seeing a few high(er) mileage cars on this site with the problem. When mine showed up at 78K miles, I was considered to be one of the higher mileage victims. Now we are seeing much higher mileage than that.
I never, ever expected such an issue on a car built by Mercedes. But now that my repair is done and I am 100K miles past it and running strong, I guess I am a fan again (at least until my wife's 2006 goes down!)..
I never, ever expected such an issue on a car built by Mercedes. But now that my repair is done and I am 100K miles past it and running strong, I guess I am a fan again (at least until my wife's 2006 goes down!)..
Super Member
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 909
Likes: 64
2007 cls550
Hey, My CLS550 with the idler gear instead of balance shaft but same issue was built one month prior to cutover of new parts. Doesn’t that suck? I did the repair in garage and it is perfect but geez. I bought it with 18k miles and never heard about the problem until last year.
