Hey!

I'm considering the purchase of a 2013-2016 W212 E 350. I'm only looking at cars with <65,000 miles and I hope to find those with service records. If I do find one I like, the plan is to get a pre-purchase inspection performed by a qualified Mercedes repair shop.
After a lot of researching, I have found the following common problems.
-don't get the V6 diesel, egr creates tons on carbon soot in intake manifold
-stay away from air suspension and go with standard coil over strut
-evaporator temperature sensor failure.
-brake vacuum pump
"crank no start" due to failed crankshaft position sensor
-conductor plate which is attached to the Transmission Control Unit tend to fail on 7 speed tranny
-thermostat fail
-intake manifold tumbler linkage breakage
-fading wood trim
-cam solenoids fail
-command control unit scroll knob failure

What have I missed? What else should I be looking for (aside from a good service record history)?
Any specific years between 2010-2016 that are more reliable, or less reliable?

About me:
I consider myself a fairly skilled amateur mechanic. I've owned and worked on Acura Legends, Chevrolet Tahoes, VW Jetta TDIs, Audi S4s.
I can easily do the simple maintenance things like engine oil, tranny oil, differential oil replacement, brakes (rotors, pads and calipers) and I have a hydraulic lift in my garage, so its not hard for me to get under a vehicle. I've also replaced suspension components on two of those cars.
Probably the biggest job I've done was pull the entire dash in my Tahoe to fix a common issue - failed ac blend door actuators and leaking heater core.
My weak spots: electrical and I don't know squat about rebuilding motors, let alone pulling a motor.

TIA!

 

Sigh. Check my thread from clicking my Bio, I made a comprehensive breakdown on what to look for when buying a 212

 

Not sure how to interpret your "sigh".
It's not like I just asked "what are the common problems? hoping someone else would do the work for me. My OP clearly shows that I made effort to find answers to my questions.

If you sigh was something different, then so be it.

I did manage to go through your bio and then find the thread you are referring to. Thanks. I tried "common problems", "common issues" + W212 and tour thread never came up in my search. Perhaps my search words were not the right ones.

 

I believe this is the thread that was mentioned. https://mbworld.org/forums/e-class-w...uide-w212.html

I recently picked up a E250 OM651 engine, so far so good (knocks on wood). Getting really good fuel mileage and the smaller 4cyl diesel doesnt seem to have as many issues as the V6 but there is still potential with the emissions system. I do a 110mile round trip commute everyday to work and very little putting around town so diesel is more inline with my requirements.

The biggest thing I worry about is having to rebuild the transfer case as that seems to be a weak link, there is a good thread just not in the W212 section on how to do this. Which brings up a problem I had when researching these cars, the information is spread out over various sections of the forums and somewhat difficult to find what your looking for IMHO.

 

These chassis are a little bit like Rolex or Swiss watches with tons of optional complexities. People buy them for the pleasure of ownership and brand recognition.

It's fair to say Benz drivers don't want a standard Toyota. They expect distinctly unique products to shine as personal achievement.

None of the options are cheap and everything requires timely maintaince plus occasional repairs.

• 4 Matic transmission
• Airmatic suspension
• Twin turbo performance
• V8 engine power
• Radars assistance
• Active massage cooled seats
• Active LED headlights
• Comfort package leather upholstery
• 

Some cars come overloaded with issues from factory. A lot of work is required to get these good cars to run well in the course of warranty. This is done to reflect excellent care. After that people are left to enjoy their ownership or buy the new refreshed technologies.

Now of course MB needs their cars to fall apart, it's good business

 

If the car doesn't have any current mechanical issues and preferably had only one owner - it's a deal! The only thing, check for any previous accidents. Don't rely on Carfax report because people often don't report. Inspect the body yourself. There are lots of tips on the internet on how to inspect a used Mercedes for previous accidents and damages. Also, check for any open recalls.

 

This question seems to come up monthly so you might find those threads if you find the right combination of search terms. I don't think I've seen much of that list of yours on here.

In general, if you're able to do some of the repairs and maintenance yourself you'll be fine. For example, I replaced my rear air springs in an afternoon plus $450 in parts. If I had gone to a dealer that would have likely cost $3,500.

Other items:
- engine mounts (particularly tricky on 4matic)
- transmission mounts
- creaking pano roof (I've had this, wasn't a big deal but you'll skin your knuckles)
- weak batteries can send you chasing warning messages and codes
- steering column up/down mechanism
- oil leaking at the cam position sensors can be costly if it gets into wiring harness - can prevent with some inexpensive pigtails

 

That you are a DIYer is always a good thing not just for saving dough on labor, but generally makes one more savvy toward sorting out issues before they become bigger, more expensive issues.

1. You likely already know about the 2014 facelift and upgrades (of whom some will prefer the earlier cars), so you may want to give yourself a clear path there so you can focus on just one series, or open to the entire line, given your preferences.

2. I wholly agree with staying away from the "lux" doo-dads that folks enjoy, but will pay for in maintenance The likes of 4matic, air susp, pano roof will create maintenance "opportunities" later, not to mention staggered wheels that will cost you more every tire change ...I passed! That said, I think "little things" like Keyless Go and leather are outstanding upgrades you enjoy daily with no real cost to them on a used car.

3. FWIW and a simple data point, our 2014 has been a DD from my wife, and our all-purpose errands and road-trip car, has been flawless since purchased (a CPO car in 2016). It has around 89k miles and I have done nothing but routine stuff like oil changes and the aux battery that likes to die. Our 350 is garaged at home but at work is exposed, and there is light fading in the wood trim, but it's even so not really noticeable so do keep an eye on that on your hunt.

4. Bottom line, you are correct in getting a good PPI. Aint nothing inexpensive about an MB, but then again, ours has cost us less than our garbage Honda Odyssey that soured me against Honda for life! So due diligence is key, as you already have demonstrated

Edward

 

Thank you for the input. I was talking with a guy while getting tires put on my car and of all the things, he was a MB mechanic. He told me to stay away from the V6s and gave me a couple reasons why.
It's good to know the 4 is more reliable. However, I bet that 4 cylinder diesel is slooooow, right?
I also agree, the info is spread all over the place and its taken quite a bit of effort to mine out the data.

 

Thank you everyone for your feedback.
With all of the replies and suggestions for things to look, search terms to use, the thread suggestion and feedback I feel I am adequately armed to make a good decision on my next car purchase.

 

Not sure if its necessarily slow. Probably "not" (edit) in comparison to many of the other nice cars on here. My previous commuter (which is now on normal truck duties) is a 2014 Ram 3500 cummins with G56 manual transmission, ya cant do anything fast shifting a G56. The E250 when ya get into it accelerates nicely and I dont have any issues getting on the freeway or cruising to work at 80mph.

Would a bigger faster engine be more fun, heck yeah. That being said I wanted to get and am 40mpg or better on my commute plus I dont need to be getting nailed clowning around.

 

I totally get it. I bought a new VW TDI in 2012 because it would get 45-48mpg on the highway. Plus it was a MT and I love driving MTs.
I opted to sell it back to them because of the diesel scandal VW had, plus their other offer ( emissions fix + cash) lowered the MPG down to the low 30s and wasn't nearly as attractive to me.

 

Yeah looked at alot of TDIs as that was original plan. Most all the decent ones were priced similarly to the E250 I picked up. Found a couple older 2003 2004 wagon MTs but both times the people couldnt be bothered to wait till weekend to do the transaction. Looked at possibly 328D or 335D but was slim pickins, 328Ds were rare and pricey, the 335Ds were very high mileage and abused although cheap. Found the E250 for $2k under book value and it was a good ride dealer maintained and the person was easy to work with.

The E350s were much more common but was a little leery of the diesel V6. Wanted to stick with diesel, good mileage and driven a diesel for past 20yrs+ so...

 

[QUOTE=Quint22;8609548]Yeah looked at alot of TDIs as that was original plan. Most all the decent ones were priced similarly to the E250 I picked up./QUOTE]
What year did you buy your E250?

 

[QUOTE=lartelj;8609600]not long ago, few weeks. Its a 2014. Probably worst time to get a used car but oh well.

 

I have 78k on my e-class, no major issues and simple maintenance is all I’ve done (fluids/filters/brake pads/tires)

I do get it serviced at the dealer but performed the brakes myself when they told me it was time.

 

It’s terrific that you’re researching the E350
before purchase / I did the same when selling my 2001 E320 4Matic Wagon (great car!) & buying my 2011 E4Matic Wagon (very good car!)

ISSUES ON W212:

FADED WOOD TRIM
a common flaw / MB forgot the UV component
in the varnish / front cabin wood very commonly
becomes very faded because of sunlight.
There is a current Class Action Settlement - see
burlwalnutwoodtrimsettlement.com
This SHOULD have been a recall, but was issued as a “Technical Bulletin” which meant that if you were the original owner & responded to the TB
within your original 4 year warranty, MB would replace all 17 wood trim pieces.
After warranty expiration & for subsequent owners, you foot the bill of approximately $2000!

Be sure to study interior photos for faded wood!
I replaced front trim @ $2000!

ENGINE MOUNTS
This is quite common on pre-owned W212’s!
The mounts are oil-filled bags which can develop
leaks / on the W210, & before, mounts were rubber which were easily & less expensively replaced.

When there are vibrations through the steering column & wheel & through the frame, that means the engine bags have failed & the motor is resting on the frame, causing vibrations.
You will have to replace the 2 engine mount bags & possibly the transmission mount at a cost of $2000 or more!
Review the CARFAX to see if mounts were replaced by MB!
ALWAYS test drive any candidate car!

FAULTY VINYL
The MB-Tex standard seating is often splitting on the driver’s seat cushion, mainly.
i observed this on many 212’s I test drove.
I replaced mine with an OEM cushion at a upscale local car upholstery shop for $350 & then covered the problem area with a high quality sheepskin cover at a total cost of $1000.

PORT VS. DIRECT INJECTION
I bought the last P.I. engine in my 2011
E350 4MATIC WAGON.
I avoided 2012 & later E’s because of early problems with the Direct Injection.
Carbon soot buildup is a serious problem with
D.I., & I encountered 2 of 2012 E’s with thrown pistons.
I voted for the more reliable P.I. which MB
produced for decade!

Best of luck with your search!
Jack



QUOTE=ElisTwoCents;8611048]I have 78k on my e-class, no major issues and simple maintenance is all I’ve done (fluids/filters/brake pads/tires)

I do get it serviced at the dealer but performed the brakes myself when they told me it was time.[/QUOTE]

 

I forgot to say:
if you can find a W212 E350 with superior Leather interior with vertical stitching
vs. the inferior MB-Tex Vinyl standard seating
with horizontal seam splitting, by all means, get the Leather!
Good Luck!
Jack

 

Avoid the Panoramic Roof!
They often leak & have drainage problems.
PR adversely affects the classic MB ride as
they remove 200 lbs.of solid roof OVER the
Center of Gravity, & they often make popping
noises when the vehicle is going over uneven
surfaces. I have seen CARFAX reports about
the E headliners having to be removed at
owners’ expense to screw down the warping
brackets, AND, the flimsy sunshades allow heat
& road noise into the cabin.
This is quite the questionable option!
Jack / San Francisco

 

with all that knowledge we should be able to map standard issues and failures with mileage from 0 to 200k.
This way we can stay ahead of failures with maintenance listed as A/B schedule or catastrophic surprise like turbo cooling with plastic lines and the things we've talked about.

MB has excellent on-line web services, Xentry integrated reporting tool, standard parts, budget parts, rebuilt parts, TSB, schematics, EPC... yet they foster the mystery of diagnosing their sofisticated multilevel failures.
MB plans this struggle to be an Easter-eggs chase by witholding key information.
Dealers are really good at letting you know you're the only one with this never hear of problem... when it's been bread and butter for longtime - Lovely practice! 👏
Japanese used to be clueless rice farmers so Americans sent them Dr. Edwards Deming to teach statistical analysis. Soon they got to be leaders with help of their longtime German budies.

We can build knowledge in a matrix with data allocated by systems:
maintenance / repair /mileage /part # /cost /source / links...

Of course it would help to sticky important knowledge instead of drowning everything in the general section.

This must be a group effort contributed across chassis on similar basis.

 

It's covered in some youtube videos.


I love having it, gives you a bigger view and I just leave it the cover open. There's also threads out there on cleaning the drains. The popping noise can be fixed via the video just mentioned. You only have to drop half the headliner, the back half as it's the middle and rear bolts that get loose. Had an indy do mine and it took less than an hour. Full Mercedes repair is probably dropping the entire headliner which is a much more involved. Did mine several years ago and it's still tight and noise free as I used Loctite on the bolts so they didn't loosen again. Basically you go over a ramp at an angle and because the bolts are loose, the body flexes and you can hear the glass panels making a cracking noise. No issue with the ride, maybe your suspension is shot. I've also replaced front springs/struts and also rear springs/shocks and it's a nice smooth ride. It seemed harsh with the older worn out springs/struts/shocks.

And use the vin decoder, it will tell you if you have real leather or mb-tex or if you have the pano vs the regular sunroof.

https://www.lastvin.com/

 

Avoid the low profile tires, whether 17”, 18” or 19”.
The ride is harsher, as there’s less cushion between the road & the vehicle, & rim damage on the soft aluminum wheels is common.

I test drove several E 212 models with the LP tires & disliked the ride quality & noise.

A friend with a 2016 212 E Sedan had to replace 3 rims in a year due to pothole damage with his skimpy low profile tires blowing out on our tragic roads in San Francisco & Bay Atea!

My Bridgestone Turanzas are quiet & excellent for traction & ride quality (245/45/17”) on my 2011
E 4Matic Wagon, and regular rotation, balance & alignment at Wheel Works keeps wear even & the tires last longer!

 

I would venture to say the 4cylinder being better than the 6 is exclusive to Diesels. The four cylinder petrol seems to struggle during its life to lug around these heavy cars at the speed Mercedes wants them to move. Perhaps because diesels are inherently torque-y it’s easier for them than the high strung petrol. I’m speaking in reference to issues that are occurring more in the glc300 and cla250

 

the 2016 E 350 is quite sorted out... AND it has an updated COMAND (dashboard computer) that you can upgrade to support Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, which I and my wife both really difg having. We plug our phones into USA, and the car's sound system controls and plays whatever we have on the phones (we both use Spotify but whatever you like works), AND the car's NAVI uses your phone's google maps, whihc is hugely better than the Mercedes NAVI. Last of the non-turbos (2017, all E's had turbos)

I definitely suggest getting a car with the 'luxury' rather than 'sport' package... on the facelift cars its obvious, luxury has the classic grill, sport has the big star in the grill. luxury E350 have 17" wheels (245/45R17 XL) while sport have 18's (245/40R18) and 1-2 inch lower/stiffer suspension, doesn't give you that Mercedes ride.

 

The W212 never had a 4 cylinder, that was the later W213 which started in 2017. Basically you either had the M272 which had 268hp in 2010-2011 or the M276 in 2012-2016 with the 302hp in the E350. The E550 and E63 had V8 engines, even the E400 was 6 cylinder.