Gl350 occasionally becomes nonresponsive
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Super Member
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 528
Likes: 20
From: Chicago IL
X166 gls450 2017
Gl350 occasionally becomes nonresponsive
Hey guys, this has been happening ever since we got the truck at 42k miles, sometimes the throttle becomes completely non responsive, or very little response if you floor all the way during driving... lately I’ve cleaned out egr gunk and put a tune in it but it continues to exhibit the same behavior at times, anyone else experienced this ? What could be the reason
65k miles, no check engine light, regularly use diesel purge which makes a difference, though temporarily. No obvious timing chain rattle, I’ll prob do DPF cleaning using liquid moly cleaning kit but I’m not sure that’s causing it
65k miles, no check engine light, regularly use diesel purge which makes a difference, though temporarily. No obvious timing chain rattle, I’ll prob do DPF cleaning using liquid moly cleaning kit but I’m not sure that’s causing it
Last edited by 007_e350; Dec 28, 2019 at 09:35 PM.
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NGL450 w/EORP, S550
Hey guys, this has been happening ever since we got the truck at 42k miles, sometimes the throttle becomes completely non responsive, or very little response if you floor all the way during driving... lately I’ve cleaned out egr gunk and put a tune in it but it continues to exhibit the same behavior at times, anyone else experienced this ? What could be the reason
65k miles, no check engine light, regularly use diesel purge which makes a difference, though temporarily. No obvious timing chain rattle, I’ll prob do DPF cleaning using liquid moly cleaning kit but I’m not sure that’s causing it
65k miles, no check engine light, regularly use diesel purge which makes a difference, though temporarily. No obvious timing chain rattle, I’ll prob do DPF cleaning using liquid moly cleaning kit but I’m not sure that’s causing it
have you deleted the egr?
Thread Starter
Super Member
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 528
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From: Chicago IL
X166 gls450 2017
that sounds like limp home mode - no turbo boost, therefore no acceleration, and sometimes locked in 4th gear- triggered by any of the peculiarities of the om642 Diesel engine. Last time I had one it went to limp mode for egr related faults at irregular intervals.
have you deleted the egr?
have you deleted the egr?
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Joined: Dec 2019
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GL 350
I believe I have had this same problem with my 2014 GL350. It only happens maybe 1-2x/year. I have taken it in to the dealer several times, but I can never replicate the problem when I take it in. It is frightening, as I won’t totally realize it is happening until I need to quickly accelerate to pull out onto a busy street when leaving my neighborhood. The problem seems to continue the whole drive, until I park my car and turn it off. Once I turn the car on again it is usually fine. I once had this happen as I was trying to merge onto a freeway. I could not accelerate past maybe 20mph. I had the gas pedal to the floor and the vehicle just inched along. The dealership has replaced several parts over the years, but basically they don’t have any idea what the problem is. The mechanics have never been able to experience the car while it is having the issue. The last time I took it in the mechanic said that the only thing he could think of if I experienced the problem again was possibly a faulty pedal or accelerator. Please let me know if you figure anything out.
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From: Allentown, PA
'08 GL 320 CDI
I agree that it sounds like what you are describing is a "limp mode" - where you get good throttle input, but only to a certain RPM and then it just falls on it's face. What's odd is that you're not getting a CEL. It would probably be good, though, to double check and get the computer read by a good scanner - the things they have at Autozone won't always work. There's a reason the computer is activating limp mode - it's seeing something it doesn't like. Whether it's a real problem or just a flaky sensor is unknown - but if it's a limp mode, there would be something in the computer to get you into the right system that is causing the issue. It wouldn't go into limp mode unless some sensor is telling it that things aren't right.
Last edited by DennisG01; Jan 1, 2020 at 12:45 PM.
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NGL450 w/EORP, S550
I agree that it sounds like what you are describing is a "limp mode" - where you get good throttle input, but only to a certain RPM and then it just falls on it's face. What's odd is that you're not getting a CEL. It would probably be good, though, to double check and get the computer read by a good scanner - the things they have at Autozone won't always work. There's a reason the computer is activating limp mode - it's seeing something it doesn't like. Whether it's a real problem or just a flaky sensor is unknown - but if it's a limp mode, there would be something in the computer to get you into the right system that is causing the issue. It wouldn't go into limp mode unless some sensor is telling it that things aren't right.
thru 2012 when I had this debacle with my CPOed ‘08 GL320CDI. My money was on the swirl flaps being coked up and triggering an improbable signal but no CEL.
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Joined: Dec 2018
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From: Lawrence, Kansas
GL320
To me, it sounds consistent with a intermittent failure of either the MAP (boost sensor) or the pressure sensor on top of the drivers side air box. Either of those can soft fail and trip limp mode but no CEL unless it stores more than one event of it happening in quick succession.
Swirl motor issues will trip a CEL 99% of the time. Also remember the flaps control only half of the intake ports going in to the head so stuck flaps would kill some, but not all power.
Need someone with Star to read the stored codes and events.
Swirl motor issues will trip a CEL 99% of the time. Also remember the flaps control only half of the intake ports going in to the head so stuck flaps would kill some, but not all power.
Need someone with Star to read the stored codes and events.
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Thread Starter
Super Member
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 528
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From: Chicago IL
X166 gls450 2017
I’ve gotten rid of swirl flaps, EGR and everything’s been cleaned and buttoned up. It’s like a new engine not to mention new turbo coz the old one was burning oil... this is as good as it’s gonna get
also, I’ve blocked the CCV Intake to turbo and it’s been routed to exhaust after DPF so there’s no more oil in the inlet...
also I did notice the non responsive trend to have some correlation with IATs, intake air temps, one of my other car had similar thing that went away after putting a bigger intercooler but this car is way worse and diesels don’t heat up as much as gasoline’s do, so question is when IATs rise above a certain threshold does the ecu cut out power ?
also, I’ve blocked the CCV Intake to turbo and it’s been routed to exhaust after DPF so there’s no more oil in the inlet...
also I did notice the non responsive trend to have some correlation with IATs, intake air temps, one of my other car had similar thing that went away after putting a bigger intercooler but this car is way worse and diesels don’t heat up as much as gasoline’s do, so question is when IATs rise above a certain threshold does the ecu cut out power ?
Last edited by 007_e350; Jan 4, 2020 at 04:54 PM.
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From: Allentown, PA
'08 GL 320 CDI
I'm not sure of the answer to your question, but it begs another question. Why are your IAT's getting so high? That shouldn't be happening. Changing the IC is definitely not the answer - only a bandaid. There's a root cause somewhere - gotta find that.
Case in point... I have done NONE of the mods you have and even when I'm trailering near the max limit in the heat of the Summer, I have ZERO issues. Either something is amiss with one of the mods, or there's still an underlying issue.
Case in point... I have done NONE of the mods you have and even when I'm trailering near the max limit in the heat of the Summer, I have ZERO issues. Either something is amiss with one of the mods, or there's still an underlying issue.
