Ollies

Why is only the GL affected, or does this problem affect the ML as well?
It makes no sense that MB has this same engine/gearbox combo in many other models in the rest of the world, but only US-build vehicles are affected. Any comments?

oknish

Not sure who said it but maybe the answer lies within

Germancar1

Simply because the quality at the Bama plant isn't up to snuff. There is one glitch, problem, hiccup after another with the GL and M-Classes, not so much with the R. The R we just don't hear about as often beause it isn't selling. The new S-Class has been the total opposite in quality and reliability. That in itself points to the U.S. factory and not just how they build the R/ML/GL trio, but much more importantly who MBUSI (not MBUSA) is outsourcing GL/R/ML components from. I bet you any amount of money European diesel customers aren't having this problem, hell U.S. E320 Bluetec customers aren't have this problem. Same engine as in the GL with an even more sophisticated cat and yet nothing reported like this. MBUSI dropped the ball big time (again) on the Bama made vehicles. Sure they've physically built better than the first M-Class, but they still aren't built like an E/CLS/S/CL/SL and seemingly they're stil bug ridden. It all points to the suppliers MBUSI is using and the disconnect between the development teams in Germany and these suppliers.

M

carpersn

I have to take issue with your summary point-my mother just took delivery of an E320 Bluetec, and while it's a great car, it does not, in my opinion, approach the build quality or solidity of my GL or my dad's ML. To each his own, though, and opinions are like noses

AutoSaurus

Its the design (shape) of the hose, I believe. The GL hose is different from the M as well as the R. The front end is different on all three and therefore use a different hose and the way it is shaped.

Danno4x4

The way I figure is that the GL is still a new vehicle. The 320 CDI was only offered fairly recently. I am the first one at my dealership to receive one that was ordered (they have sold several already, but they were allocated ones that were just sent by the factory pre-speced.)

Nearly every new vehicle has its hiccups. It is unfortunate that the hiccup is in the intercooler hose which affects driveability, but I figure it could have just as easily been in the power folding 3rd row seats or something else.

Manufacturers test these vehicles in all kinds of conditions before they go on sale, but until they are out there in real world situations and in significant numbers, sometimes things like this are not discovered in the testing phase.

I realize that I am taking a risk buying a vehicle in its 1st model year, but I am confident that MZB will work out the problems with the hose.

Until I am confident that the problems have been solved, you can bet that I will figure out how to install it and uninstall it myself, and keep a tool in the glove box to do so. Worst case scenario, I will install my own design of intercooler hose that I know will not have trouble. Banks Engineering makes all of their aftermarket turbo-diesel intercooler hoses from mandrel bent aluminum, with good strong connectors. I am sure that I could have one made based on the design of the rubber one that is currently in use.

Now the question... Why should I have to do this for a 60K plus automobile? My answer is, well, I probably shouldn't. But for me, this is my first new Mercedes, and I guess I have become accustomed to doing in on other new, less expensive vehicles I have owned.

I am really excited about the prospect of owning one of these things. It really fits our needs better than any other vehicle on the market today. And I am not going to let worrying about a hose keep me from enjoying my vehicle. I can hope that they have solved their problem and that waiting a few extra weeks for the vehicle to arrive was part of that. But I will be ready to fix it on the road if need be.

carpersn

EXACTLY, DANNO-
The thing is, it is an EASY fix on the road by any guy with a screwdriver (i almost did my own, which would've taken 2 minutes, but decided when i heard there was a new part, that i wanted it.) There is easy access to this spot, and NO, WE DAMN WELL SHOULD NOT BE HAVING TO DO THIS, but again, this is a great car and i believe wholeheartedly that they are working hard hard hard to fix it right, and permanently.

You are so right that it's unfortunate that its a driveability issue-could've been a COMAND gremlin or something.

mbslk350

Danno or Carpersn, maybe you'll be the trailblazers here and tell us how to do a side-of-the-road repair to the hose. (Hoping you'll never need to actually do the repair though.) It seems like this would be good knowledge. Even if it's only a temporary fix until you can drive to the MB dealer.

AutoSaurus

Not for me. I took a screwdriver just in case! lol

I put it back on and tightened it as best I could and it didn't hold 2 minutes. Tried again this morning and the same thing. The way the oil comes out from the turbo and the way the hose fits into the hole makes it very slippery and I can see why it would come out so easy.

Nevada Jack

Nicely stated danno, but if it was the 3rd row seat I would still have a GL. There is no way I am going to purchase a vehicle with a known road breakdown capability where the fix has failed twice and the third solution is "hopefully" the solution. When it comes to having to "do it yourself on the highway" with a MB $70K automobile or design a hose of your own for the engine to be reliable, it seems to me we have reached the height of incompentcy. If this car had been road tested properly this failure would have shown up at least once...AS had less than a 1000 miles with his first failure and another one was at 250 or something. Also, if you have that special hose made of aluminum, you better remove it and put on the old one for any warranty work. I can imagine the myriad of problems that could be blamed on that rig by any service department.

I wish you all the luck in the world with your first new MB. It is a shame that you and other new buyers (and old ones) must put up with this kind of fault. Perhaps if more potential owners did what I did the message would get through and new car introductions would be governed by when the product was road ready with all parts in stock, instead of by bean counters and marketers.

blittle

Makes me think back 25 years ago when I bought a brand new "state of the art" diesel Oldsmobile and paid a premium for the diesel option!! Talk about getting "hosed"........that car was the biggest financial loss I've ever taken. Wonderful GM engineering.............diesels are supposed to be MB's speciality It's terrible you guys are having to put up with this......... I wonder when their problems with this will hit the general news............

Nevada Jack

Depends on AutoSaurus' press contacts...:-)

Nevada Jack

Too bad the German engineers couldn't see that Jack...

Hope the news is positive on the buy-back and you don't get into a fire fight with MB on this.

AutoSaurus

Found out today that EDAC has something to do with a internal code by MB to keep track of 'problems'. It is some sort of database. My SA mentioned it to me today also. She referred to it as pulling up my case in EDAC.

AutoSaurus

Been affected by the Intercooler Hose Issue on your '07 GL320 CDI? Post whatever information you feel comfortable with.

This is a known list of members here affected: AutoSaurus, carpersn, sgresser, tutone. Anyone else? I know Marc (Strichachter)from Macon, GA but he is on the other MB forum.


Here's mine:

Name: Jack Bowell
Screen Name: AutoSaurus
Location: Long Beach, MS, USA
Dealership: Bert Allen Imports, Gulfport, MS, USA
Build Date: January 2007
Occurrences so far:
2/13/2007 ~1,000 miles re-attached
2/17/2007 ~1,200 miles 1st Q2 hose installed
5/22/2007 ~6,800 miles pending

StevethePilot

Today I took my GL to Flagstaff on a test run, up and down hills, 294 miles round trip, before I'll allow my wife to take it to California. The one advantage of going to LA from Phoenix is it's all I-10, which is mostly flat. The other advantage is she'll be near MB dealers (though they may have never seen a GL320 - California's one of 'The Five') should anything else go wrong.

The results were this; during the drive, I called my service advisor and was informed that it was a hose which was new, not a new hose (i.e. same design). The fact that it had to be shipped from New Jersey or I would've had to wait until June 1st suggests this problem may be growing faster than we realized. Then the SA advised me there still is no recall but he bets "there will be one." My question is, whether they have a solution or not, why do they not recall the vehicles rather than waiting ... ? Moot point.

On the drive uphill, I was getting a little better than 21mpg, and the engine temp was around 92C (estimate from the display). Both on the flats and on uphills I had to use the throttle full bore a few times, with no bad results. We stopped in Flagstaff, grabbed a sandwich (giving the vehicle about a half an hour to cool, but not much longer than that) and headed downhill.

Part of the downhill run includes a descent into Camp Verde in the Verde Valley, followed by an extended climb. Thanks to slower traffic up this hill, I was able to again "engage the turbo" under stress, in the uphill. Again, the temperatures remained near 92C and the hose stayed put. It wasn't the hottest day in Phoenix or Flagstaff today (in fact, they were about 62F when we were up there), but the engine was under stress and pulled without failing.

When the hose arrived from New Jersey, it came with extensive installation instructions involving a thorough cleaning of the interior of the hose and the attachement point to ensure no oil or other residue would be in contact with the hose, allowing it potentially to slip. This included the use of alcohol, according to the SA. I don't know if this enhanced attachment protocol will allow this hose to hold but my impression was they weren't going to count on that and that a new hose design was in the works.

So here's some pictures under the hood. Where's the turbo, exactly?

missmush

Knowing how to fix the hose would be great, but what about car dummies like me who get stuck on the side of the road in 120 degree AZ heat with two screaming kids in the back? This whole thing is giving me an ulcer! I was so excited for this car to arrive, but now...not so much. I'm afraid to put my kids in it! I'm having major buyers remorse and I haven't even seen the darn thing yet.

Missmush (Danno4x4's wife)

StevethePilot

I don't know when you're expecting yours, but I would say that whether you're getting it from PMC or Schumacher, I'd ask if it was the latest version of the hoses and if they would re-install them per the protocol developed for the latest one (i.e. lots of cleaning to make sure there's no oil in the connection). Then wait for me to let everyone know if the wife and kids (and her sister and the dogs) make it to 'n from LA without incident.

By the way, I wouldn't try to put the hose back on if I knew how - I cannot imagine how hot the parts would get, especially after a failure. What I would do is study up on the power band the diesel has without the turbo, which to my testing was about 1800-2300 rpm, and practice the manual shifting in that range. It's got to be done quickly after first gear through about fifth, but you can usually get acceptable acceleration there, with the A/C running. What worked for me returning to the dealership after the first time they re-attached it was put it in D1 with the paddles, accelerate until about 2300-2500rpm, then shift to second, 2300rpm shift to third, and so forth up to fifth. If I were on the highway, I might've used sixth and seventh.

My point is, it's not a gas engine, so higher RPM will not give you more power, lower RPM will. Diesel is all about torque.

Good luck!

tjpdvm

This is a known list of members here affected: AutoSaurus, carpersn, sgresser, tutone. Anyone else? I know Marc (Strichachter)from Macon, GA but he is on the other MB forum.

Just had mine repaired today, dealership in Arlington,Va. said they had not seen this before. Had 7500 miles without trouble until last Saturday.

AutoSaurus

I took some photos myself this morning with the hose detached. I haven't had time to preparing them for posting but will. Looking at the front...on the drivers side there are two hoses connected towards the front of the vehicle just behind the grill. The turbo hose is the one on the bottom. Large silver clamp.

str8line

I got stranded with 500 miles on the odometer. I already had the Q2 hose(2/21 build) but it came loose.

oknish

Welcome, missmush. And, for your question about getting stuck, why not have Danno follow you for the rescue

Germancar1

Yeah I have to disagree with that for sure, especially the 07 E's. Now you know what this means right? We have to get all the cars together and do a white glove test...lol!!!

M

Germancar1

Clearly a design flaw, so that is what is likely taking so long for them to fix it. They're back in Germany somewhere trying to re-engineer the whole thing!

M

CHeeCH28

Have any new owners, who have received their vehicles in the past month, been having problems with the hoses? What are peoples opinions on the hose issue spilling into the 2008 model? Have they redesigned the hoses for the 2008 model? Any knowledge on the situation would be helpful. Thank is advance.