LA320OWNER

Okay so last year it was the NAV replacement odyssey. Now I figure it's time to sit back and really enjoy this fine piece of German engineering. Until about two months ago when I start hearing a subtle noise that sounds like engine knocking, around the same time that I notice that I seem to be going through a bunch of oil

https://mbworld.org/forums/showthrea...threadid=71630

So the shop says nothing wrong with the oil sensors and can't find the source of the noise. (Truth be told it was not acting up the day I brought it in)

Well two weeks later, same thing. This time they heard the subtle noise.

So after changing the hydraulic lifters, and the engine mounts they open the engine up and lo and behold the engine is SCORED!

Factory rep was immediately called and bottom line.....
I am in a 2004 E-Class loaner while they, sit down for this,
REPLACE THE ENTIRE ENGINE !

Now I have nothing but absolute raves for the Beverly Hills Ltd Mercedes Service Department for identifying the probelm and getting this kind of major repair done.

But as far as Quality from Mercedes, a new engine at 9,000 miles ?????!!!!

The good news is that between the NAV replacement and the new engine it will be about 2 1/2 years before I have my first scheduled maintenance!

konigstiger

GREAT CEASAR'S GHOST! I smell buy back - no questions asked.

Apollo

Hi

You sound like me when they told me that they had to replace the entire auto transmission after 6 weeks in my C Class. I was amazed.

GDawgC220

ouch...sorry dude. i hope it all works out in the end

but, on a better note, this doesn't happen very often...there will always be a bad apple in the bunch that needs a new engine, not just with MB but with any car manufacturer.

LA320OWNER

So an update on my saga. Went to the dealer yesterday to pick up a few personal things from my car since it'll be out for about 2 weeks.

As i go to open the trunk my service advisor says "Don't freak out, when you open it".

I can now tell you that the entire top of the MBZ E320 engine will fit very neatly in your trunk with room to spare!

More updates in about 2 weeks when they are done with the repair

awiner

This is the 3rd time I have heard of this with a '30 E320. One other was a friend of mines uncle, the 2nd was another friend of the family.

Wonder what the heck is going on.

LA320OWNER

On one hand I'm glad to know that I am not alone.

On the other hand that's a scary stat. Maybe a bad BATCH of engines?

bmms8

wow la, im really sorry about what happened to you. hopefully it was a bad batch, and nothing else, GL with your new car man!

Randy B

Look if this is going to happen and it did, by your posts it sounds like you are being treated better then most with similar issues. Kudos to you your Dealer and all involved. It really is nice to hear of such great and quick troubleshooting. Secondly since it did happen, better it happened early in the warranty than later. Much easier to fault the build than with a fair amount of wear and tear. While I have not had any engine trouble with either of my MB's, My 99 Expedition E/B 4X4 had ring failure at 58,000 miles. Fortunatley I bought a 6year 100K Factory Ford Premium Care warranty before the original 3/36 ran out and they crated a motor down for my truck. The motor alone for the 5.4L was $6500.00 plus all the labor and rental truck they provided for me for three weeks. So having lived through an engine replacement, I am quite satisfied with the end result.

Just my .05 cents worth.

Randy

LA320OWNER

Oh I agree.
Main reason I posted, was to rave about Beverly Hills Ltd.'s Service Department. FYI they tell me that the warranty repair is about $10,000 for the engine plus $5,000 for labor.

Like you said I came in with what I thought was a slightly annoying knocking noise and I will be walking out with a $15,000 repair that THEY initiated.

nyca

go for the buy back. or negotiate a very favorable trade in price against a new 05 or even a discounted close-out 04. that car will never be the same, the techs are trained to do mostly basic maintenance - I don't believe they can change an engine without making a whole host of errors in the procedure - with will then manifest itself in further problems that you will have to deal with.

LA320OWNER

Thanks for the advice. Spoke to Service manager and it seems to be one step at a time. I.E. If I continue to have problems after the replacement he will escalate it. Given how well they have treated me on this and with the NAV debacle I am tending to trust them that they will continue to work with me.

FYI I wuld NOT trade for an '05 cause then I lose the free maintenance.

nyca

there has been much discussion about that - the free maintenance is worth a few hundred $$$s when all is said and done under "normal" operating conditions. maybe they have some "leftover" 04s, that still have maintenance and no de-contenting. they could do a deal with you, some favorable terms, put your car (with new engine) into the loaner fleet.

Frank Wiesmann

LA320Owner, that's really too bad! Hope you get an excellent deal on something else. Kind of gets me thinking: Could that ticxking noise on some E500s be upcoming engine failure and not just motor mounts!

awiner

For the record, the 2 people that I know that have had their engines replaced had them replaced VERY early on as well.

I know that on my friends uncles car, you would never know the replacement was done by looking. It looks as factory as the original.

Replacing an engine isn't brain surgery. I am sure they aren't going to let their junior techs do it alone. Most master techs/advanced guild techs could do it in their sleep as long as their careful and take it step by step per the WIS.

yxc145

man......... are there a lot of problems w/ this car? My E320 had problems front the start. Bought it brand new w/ AC not working. took 3 days to fix. Then the CD changer stopped working, had to be replaced. Then, the jerking while slowing down to a stop or driving from a stop. They reprogram the computer, it went away for a few days.... Now it's happening again(just not as frequent). Then, the brake was making funny noises. They replaced something, maybe the pad. and just 2 days ago. I felt a big JERK and heard a loud sound. I thought I hit the curb while going into the driveway. But I didn't! Couldn't tell what happened........ sigh,,, I guess I will have to wait till it happens again to know. My car only has 6500 miles.

LA320OWNER

Okay so here's the Post-Game report.....

The engine has been replaced and everything seems great.

First let me shout from the rooftops that if you are in Southern California
Beverly Hills Ltd.'s service department is the absolutes best.

Shop foreman explained that while an engine replacement/failure doesn't happen often it can happen. That's the reason it took 'em a couple days to get to the root of the matter. They basically went down the list of things that could "normally" cause engine noise, e.g. hydraulic lifter, engine mounts, etc. Onece they eliminated all that they opened the engine up and basically some tolerance were off and one of the cylinders was scored.

So bottom line since the engine is brand new and they had to pull the transmission, radiator, etc. to affect the replacement I have effectively driven out with a brand new car.

Too bad they couldn't figure out the Radio presets !!!

RJC

Something to comsider. I had an engine replaced in a new clk 430 a few years back. The "rub" was that the car no longer had matching numbers and an engine replacement in the cars service history. Both of these issues can effect reslae value. If your car is leased then no real worries especially if you keep it till the end of the lease. If you own it and plan on selling it to an "educated" private party you might have an issue. Some states also require engine replacement to show on the title due to the non matching numbers. Either way, hope she's running well now and break her in right.