girluntitled

WOW, really!! After reading through some of these posts I am shocked that people are just dismissing this issue. I just bought my very first Mercedes Benz. It's a 2013 E350 coupe. I was admiring this vehicle as it sat in the parking lot of the MB dealership, after a salesman came back with the key, he opened up both doors then started the vehicle up as I walked closer to sit inside with him. Upon startup, I made a complete stop and asked "what is that" when I heard a very loud and displeasing noise at startup which only lasted a few seconds. I was told it was the 1st startup, brand new vehicle, that I had nothing to worry about because it would go away. Well, after purchasing the vehicle days later, the noise is still there. I would describe as most have described it on here. After taking my vehicle back and forth to MB after the purchase to get the noise diagnosed I was 1st told that it's a direct injection problem (that MB has no current fix for), but now I'm being told that it has something to do with the oil and tensioner (which there is a fix for but the part is being sent out in small quantities). In my opinion, with what Mercedes Benz says about it's vehicles, the technology, the engineering, the look. A car of this stature, class, and luxury SHOULD NOT EVER MAKE SUCH A NOISE LIKE THIS!! And it makes me wish that I had purchased another vehicle when I read these posts with people trying to dismiss the issue, hoping the noise goes away or being so nonchalant about it. It's a little embarrassing to have people admire your car when passing but you want to wait until they are not in earshot before you press the start button. WHO WANTS TO HEAR THAT KIND OF NOISE COMING FROM A MERCEDES BENZ, seriously?!! But to complete my story, I picked up my vehicle on a Friday and kept hearing the noise over the course of the weekend with an episode of the car rocking. I returned to MB that Monday with my initial complaint. I have since had episodes of the car's engine, for lack of a better word/understanding, revving down with this noise that we have described. I was told that the noise is, only a noise, and in no way is detrimental to the safety, performance or longevity of the vehicle. Well after this car revved down so close to shutting off again this morning, while I was trying to leave work, I beg to differ that the noise is "only a noise."

2buckchuck

So what do you want us to do? When I bought mine it didnt make the noise. Ive been to two dealers both said the same thing. Its not like any of us are happy about it but some of us cant just throw it away and get another.

I understand your frustration but its a little misplaced.

bigh123

We all feel you frustration after spending so much for a car and it being less than perfect. Try to focus on all the other parts it excel s at.

girluntitled

I would like to have seen people not being so nonchalant about this. Maybe if the people before me would have been up at the dealership demanding answers as to why their vehicle (a Mercedes Benz might I add) is making such a displeasing noise, then maybe Mercedes Benz would have been a little more diligent in their stringent test before putting out more vehicles with this issue. (nip it in the bud, instead of waiting for those particular customers who find the noise to be detrimental to the vehicle being called a luxury vehicle to complain about it one by one)

girluntitled

Thanks for understanding how I feel. But trust me, I have tried to get past the noise and the fact that the engine revs down at times, to enjoy the other aspects of owning a Mercedes Benz. However, those two things makes owning a Mercedes Benz not worth it for me. This has so far been undue stress, when it should not be.

mitaka

This is a timing chain slap. Normal but annoying for the V6 engine owners. Does not happen on the V8 I do not know why. I always had it on my previous R350. First dealer said it was the purge valve doing its job... but in the C and ML forums most people agreed it is timing chain slap which occurs before oil pressure builds up...

alaverdy

I had my 2012 E63 doing almost same type of noise scence the first day, and its normal noise if you eco mode on your car, its activating eco,

bob2011

have the same noise and the dealer said it was normal..... i thought they were crazy, turns out im the crazy one..........

eagle_lex

i have the same noise on mine. it goes away quickly but honestly the first few times i heard it i was a tad concerned. im not going to worry about it. the car has a 100k mile warranty if it doesnt break by then.... it probably isnt going to. this is my first DI motor so i just figured it has something to do with that. maybe thats not the correct mindset... but im not going to worry.

greasykid

My 2012 E350 has none of the above problems. 9,000 mi now. Not bragging or complaining,just commenting. Did have startup noise on my 2010 E350.More like lifters draining out over night-clicking noise for about 5 seconds. My DI engine has been great. If it helps,my build date was approx 3/1/12.

alaverdy

I really dont take my car to Dealer find some one local and get help trough them dealer wont give a hell about it some cripy noise , my car had sticker price 115k and it come some engine problem and rattling noise from dashboard and my close friend who worked fo MB over 20 years told me to get Bose headphones and turn up the music because all the cars after some point gonna make noise inside and outside

If any of you need help with you car in San Fernando Valley let me know

Higgs Boson

variable cam timing actuator is oil pressure driven. cold start mean no oil pressure. when the pressure pumps up and the actuator is working, it is quiet. totally normal and not just a characteristic of MB.

direct injection is very high pressure and therefore loud, but it does not change with engine temp. it is constant, like diesel injectors.

greasykid

2 My wifes 2013 GLK350 is #28. First 1 was a 1971 280 SL.

jc00210

My 2013 GLK 350 2500 miles has a rough start in the A.M. I hope it is just the oil draining down when car has been sitting a while. Please keep us posted if anybody else has problems with their 3.5 litter engines (GLK) Thank you

e3502012110

Purchased NEW 2012 E 350 in June 2012. Noticed notice in September. Taking car back today for the 4th time regarding this noise. Each time they have fixed different things. I will find the invoices and re-post the "fixes" that really were not. I agree happens on cold starts, is really embarassing, especially when friends of non luxury cars say, wow, this is a Benz sounding like an old truck. I too am selective about who is around when I start it. I also recently started having the revving down noise too.

One final thing, I have had a problem with a humming noise and AC. It first started when the AC was on the lowest termp, you could hear this sound in the backseat it sounded like the AC motor was straining, but not sure why it was in the backseat. MB duplicated the sound, and after two visits, they told me it was the sunroof drain holes. That seemed to fix it, but I live in Dallas and now after repeatedly using the AC in traffic, the noise returns but only to the rear drivers side. I thougyt it was the sun shade, but that was not it. Sometimes, when I walk up to the car after it has been sitting in the sun all day, the sound is there before I even start it. I am really puzzled, but I am taking it back and continuing to make a record so any future problems with the AC will have to address whether this was a cause or contributor.

2006_C350

I have the sound and other ones I might add...

pandaman23

Greetings all,

I have the same noise in my 10 E350, I also own a 10 ML 350 and that as well makes the same noise here and there, I've had both cars for over 4 years now (bought both in 09) and can say I have had no problems at all with the cars, I take great care of both of them servicing on time every time. This little noise shouldn't take away from the MB name, yes it annoying but it only happens for like 3 seconds and most of the time I forget about it within the first 5 min of driving. Just my two cents, I think its not a big deal physically to the car but might be mentally to you

paking

I brought in my 2013 E350 for the first time to a dealer because mbrace is not connecting. I mentioned to the service advisor how loud this engine is and specially when accelerating. Later on the day, lo and behold, he explained to me the noise they heard exactly how the OP and others explained it. He said it's caused by the chain tensioner and they have ordered the parts so they can replace it. He said, it's a known issue and there's an updated part. He said MY2014 doesn't have this symptoms because they already have the updated part.

So if your dealer is telling you that it's normal, go somewhere else. I'm very pleased that my dealership initiated this.

Regards

2006_C350

What fixes did the dealer do that weren't really fixes? Thanks in advance.

konigstiger

EPC documentation:

MY10-11 350 (272) engine chain tensioner (100 in diagram) replaced, current part # 2720500811.
MY12-13 350 (276) ECT (200) note 2760500011 installed up to engine # 30129268, 0611 as of 30129269

pandaman23

First off thank you for all the updated posts, I am kind of having a problem, After reading through all of these and people stating that it is the engine chain tensioner I decided to bring the car to the dealership, The kept it for 4 days and still have it i might add, and the service tech said that they checked everything and the car is healthy, they said they drove it around and tried to reproduce the same symptoms that I and all of you are having and they where not able to re-create it. However the car made this noise at least 4 times a week for me, and it never happened on cold morning starts. It only happened after I drove the car for about 30 miles commuting to school and work and the restarting it after about 2-3 hours. I even forward my service guy the youtube video of the c350 making this noise. What should I do, take it to another dealership? record my own video of it happening? they still have the car and hopefully they can re-create the noise, if not what should i do? anyone live in the bay area, CA maybe can recommend a good Mercedes dealer.

Much thanks for everyone's input greatly appreciated.

Rocco P

I have the same noise at start ,but not always. I just spoke with a friend that traded his 2010 Ml350 because of the noise, which is what brought me to this site. I told him it was normal ,my 09 has been doing it since I bought it ,I was told by Mercedes it was normal. My previous ML was 06 500 that never made any noise what so ever. I have owned Mercedes vehicles exclusivly since 1976 and that sound generally indicated a faulty timing chain tensionor.
So that my 2 cents

pandaman23

Much thanks Rocco, I also have a 2010 ML350 that made that noise but has stopped, I can't remember when it did but i definitely know it stopped, its just I have a problem with my 2010 W212 E350 and i know they both have the same engine. I took it in about a month ago and the dealership kept it for 4 days and said they where not able to recreate the problem, even though I recreate it on almost a daily basis so I have no idea how they could of not. I will try and go to another MB dealership and hopefully they can recreate the problem and I will post a update, like you said as well as other posters have said it is probably a faulty timing tensionor.

And again much, much thanks for the reply, I feel much better now knowing the noise isn't something extremely terrible. Its just something annoying

marvinlee

The noise may be the result of a tolerance stackup in the engine: perhaps cylinders on the high side of max diameter and pistons on the minimum side. If so, normal experience would be for the noise to go away when the engine warms up. However, this conjecture does not explain the random nature of the noise.

PeterUbers

I think "Couldn't replicate problem" is about the most common tactic that any dealership utilizing across all brands, countries, etc -- to push off customer concerns that may or may not be legitimate, but not necessarily anything they want to get involved in due to the complexity or cost of the repair.

The next most common line is (particularly when you've demonstrated the problem and it actually produced the noise at the dealership with a service advisor driving with you) "no codes registered, operating within normal limits"

Gotta love it.