jet_fl

Hello Gents, I am looking at buying a 2013 GL550 and I am being told there is an issue with the timing chain sprocket on these engines and it is a common issue. I am not seeing anything in this forum about it. Is this a known issue? Vehicle was bought back from a California resident due to this issue by MB and MB repaired it. Truck is fairly local to me, but is missing the trailer hitch option. There is another that has the trailer hitch and is the color my wife prefers, but it is 1k miles away. The sprocket has not been done on that truck.

Plutoe

Call the repairing dealer and or look at all the TSB 's for the model!

mtm

I haven't heard of a chain sprocket issue, but this engine (M278) had a chain tensioner problem due to oil starvation on cold starts. It would manifest in a loud rattle the first few seconds of the cold engine running, until oil circulates there.

The solution was the chain tensioner replacement and installation of two oil check valves.

Mr MMG

mtm, was this issue sorted out by MB in later models i.e. 2014 onwards?

srfrboy

My 2013 GL550 makes this loud rattle when cold on occasion. I called my MB dealer here in Chicago, they told me that it was "normal" for my SUV to do that when cold. WTF?

fabbrisd1

So that you know - "Buy Back" vehicles have permanent designation on the title - and frankly - when was the Buy Back on this 2013 ? Something is not kosher..

v6pwr

I took my '13 CPO GL550 in to have this issue looked at about a month ago along with the printed copy of the bulletin. The guy calls me back 3 hours later and said this is not covered under the CPO warranty and if I wanted them to continue with the work I'll have to pay for it. I said to the guy I thought internal engine components are covered, and these bulletins indicate there's a known problem and fix for the problem. He said "well, the tensioners aren't covered, and this is just a service bulletin to help us identify similar complaints customers report about, it doesn't mean there's a problem with the engine". I said if it's not a problem, why does the bulletin state how to fix it? He said that dealer was a franchise MB dealer, and I can try to take it to one of the corporate dealership and see if they can help, but he doubt it...then gives me the printout receipt with zero charge, which also shows logged complaints, not covered under warranty and declined service perform, so any MB dealer can pull this info up if I go to another one to check.
Fab, I'm certain you know the answer...is this guy pulling a fast one? I'm certain cpo warranty mentioned covering internal engine components...

mtm

Sorry, I don't know. Common sense says they must have, but no idea when or whether the addition of the check valves and tensioner redesign were incorporated in the production of the newer engines, or an entirely new solution was developed...

srfrboy

I have not seen the bulletin. Could you provide a link to it or attach it a a picture on this thread? I need more ammo to give my local MB dealer. Thank you very much.

mtm

here's the bulletin:

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...aqiQ33kGQXKPMw

srfrboy

Thank you very much for posting...

jet_fl

I found that out after I posted too, not extremely concerned as we will keep this vehicle for quite a while. They did just buy it back and I have a copy of the MB paperwork showing the customer complaint was warning light/engine and that they replaced both camshafts. Supposedly from the dealer it was the timing chain sprockets on the end of the camshafts. I am pretty leery of this one too and am looking at 2 others.