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I appreciate this thread guys. Just checked my harnesses and top and bottom sensors on both side both have oil on/in them. I'm still under ELW on my 2015.
When I took it in a couple of months ago for the rough idle, they diagnosed and replaced the motor mounts. Figured they would have gone a little further on this since I have a good relationship with them.
Love this forum.
Getting a bit off topic, but any help here? I just got my car back and the rear doors still don't always lock. The tech tested it and said it does lock, but it doesn't always.
Car is going back in next week.
https://mbworld.org/forums/gl-class-...eyless-go.html "Your GL550 has soft-close doors. That soft-close system has a safety interlock on each of the rear doors - if it encounters resistance when the soft-close was completing closure - OR if during soft-close closure some a passenger pushed the door from inside (like deciding to get back out), or someone from the outside pulled the door handle from the outside during final closure (deciding to get in) - then "the soft close safety" for that door disables the soft-close for that door, which also disables the lock for that door as well.
I am not saying that is what happened in your case - but I have seen that happen for other - especially with excited kids..
Dealer reset is necessary when you "trip the safety" - and I have seen some dealers write that up as door-lock-mechanism repair since door-lock-repair, even replacing unneccesary door lock parts - since that generates a higher Mb warranty charge ticket."
Photo from the passenger side exhaust cam sensor and connector on my 2017 M276 DE35 engine with 50k miles.
Seems the connector and the sensors are dry, good news. The other three sensors require more disassembly to access the connectors on my engine. If I get ambitious one day I will dig into it further to check the driver’s side intake cam sensor.
Passenger exhaust cam sensor connector has no oil residue. Sensor has no oil residue, look at the reflection in the inspection mirror. Passenger exhaust cam sensor with markings printed: 16T2954516C
I checked the cam adjuster solenoid connectors today, on one intake cam and one exhaust cam. The other two cams require some disassembly. Both connectors and both sensors were dry, with no oil.
It seems like a good proactive measure, to check the cam sensor and the cam solenoid connectors for oil. It takes about 15 minutes, 30 minutes at the very most. The only tool I used is a thin "tweaker" screwdriver to unlatch and ease off the connectors.
Solenoid part no. A2761560790 for a 2017 M276 DE35 engine on a W166. It seems like this cam adjuster solenoid is widely used on other models/engines.
Are other connectors prone to oil seepage into the harness?
Two weeks later, I am still without my 2015 GL63 AMG. I ended up taking her to my independent mechanic for fear of getting hosed by the dealership. My vehicle is covered under a Zurich VSC because that made more financial sense for me a year ago. Zurich covers me at any shop or dealership.
After nearly $4,000 worth of work and a closed claim for oil in engine wiring harness (according to Zurich), she has developed some other issue after their "road test". They are now "sending out an oil sample for analysis." They have asked for another week with the car. They took the car to a local dealership for an ECU update. I was not aware of this until Carfax and the dealer got in touch with me. What a bizarre situation? Anyway, kind of dismayed. I don't know what is going on with my vehicle. I really like these people at the indie shop, but three weeks without this car is crazy.
I just had all 4 position sensors replaced about 600 miles ago under warranty, and they are already starting to leak again! Frustrating...
I'm assuming you physically check it again yourself? I guess I didn't think to do that. I just assumed mine was fixed and now I'm wondering and will check mine.
My bad. I meant to say camshaft adjuster magnets. I just rechecked the work order. They replaced all 4 position sensors and did not replace the camshaft adjuster magnets which were also leaking oil into the harness. But they did replace the adjuster magnet seals! Could have sworn I was told they replaced the adjuster magnets. Since it was under warranty I didn't really give the work order a hard squint. It's back at the shop now. Hopefully a few hundred miles wasn't enough to penetrate into the new wiring harness.
I'm assuming you physically check it again yourself? I guess I didn't think to do that. I just assumed mine was fixed and now I'm wondering and will check mine.
Are you in Chicagoland? Where do you take your vehicles?
Photos from one cam position magnet (adjuster solenoid). I used a cotton swab inserted into the solenoid receptacle to see if oil mist was accumulating, that wasn't visible. The swab came out clean for three solenoids. WIll keep an eye on these every 6 months or so.
I think the mottled/alligator pattern in the bottom of the solenoid connector is the silicone/epoxy potting compound to seal the electronics. The mating harness connector was dry, and the cotton swab test came back dry (negative).
My vehicle details:
2017 GLE 350 4MATIC
VIN 4JGDA5HB7HA909131
Engine number 276955 30 956710
Build date late 2016
Release date 2017-01-21
Mileage today 52,000 miles
Closeup of passenger (right) exhaust cam adjuster solenoid
My bad. I meant to say camshaft adjuster magnets. I just rechecked the work order. They replaced all 4 position sensors and did not replace the camshaft adjuster magnets which were also leaking oil into the harness. But they did replace the adjuster magnet seals! Could have sworn I was told they replaced the adjuster magnets. Since it was under warranty I didn't really give the work order a hard squint. It's back at the shop now. Hopefully a few hundred miles wasn't enough to penetrate into the new wiring harness.
@marcd7tx Curious if you have any update? if so, are you able to post your work order/receipt for others? Context is my GL63 is also back at the dealership after replacing the camshaft sensors, oil got in again.
I'm trying to figure out what I need to ask them to replace, if there is a solution at all.
Interesting to see the only sensor/actuator replaced was the cam position sensors. Not the cam adjuster solenoids.
If oil has started leaking past the cam position sensor, it will be hard to determine how much oil has wicked into the harness. That means, even if the sensor is replaced with the latest design, and the ECU connector is cleaned with CRC, and everything functions normally, the problem could still return because of residual oil in the harness. Here is potential escalation repair list from order of least cost to highest cost. Each step can be independent of the next step:
- inspect and clean sensor side of harness and ECU side of harness
- replace cam position sensors
- replace cam adjuster solenoids
- replace wire harness
- replace ECU
- combinations of the above steps
The most expensive part of this in my view is dealer labor, which probably includes coding a new ECU. If you have a relationship with an indy, you could negotiate DIY of all of the parts, then take it to the indy for ECU coding.
Interesting to see the only sensor/actuator replaced was the cam position sensors. Not the cam adjuster solenoids.
If oil has started leaking past the cam position sensor, it will be hard to determine how much oil has wicked into the harness. That means, even if the sensor is replaced with the latest design, and the ECU connector is cleaned with CRC, and everything functions normally, the problem could still return because of residual oil in the harness. Here is potential escalation repair list from order of least cost to highest cost. Each step can be independent of the next step:
- inspect and clean sensor side of harness and ECU side of harness
- replace cam position sensors
- replace cam adjuster solenoids
- replace wire harness
- replace ECU
- combinations of the above steps
The most expensive part of this in my view is dealer labor, which probably includes coding a new ECU. If you have a relationship with an indy, you could negotiate DIY of all of the parts, then take it to the indy for ECU coding.
@chassis, Are you replying to my work order, because more than just the cam sensors were replaced on mine according to what I posted?
My CPO expires 12/25/2020 - so since it's already in the shop, it can go past this date. But I'd really like to get this resolved before CPO ends! So really appreciate you both.
If not, I might have to go to Sndsofthesbrbs mechanic to get this done.
You guys are pretty unlucky. I have a E550 M278 with over 100K miles and a GL550 M278 with 45K miles. Neither have any appearance of oil around the top sensors or wires. I'm keeping an eye on them.
You guys are pretty unlucky. I have a E550 M278 with over 100K miles and a GL550 M278 with 45K miles. Neither have any appearance of oil around the top sensors or wires. I'm keeping an eye on them.
Have you unclipped the camshaft sensor and looked in there? For me, you can't see any visible oil outside, but once you unclip it, there is oil.
Have you unclipped the camshaft sensor and looked in there? For me, you can't see any visible oil outside, but once you unclip it, there is oil.
Will do, but that is very interesting. I would think the outer seal would be the source of the leak, but from what you say the sensor itself is passing oil through it. Still I think the oil would be visible on the wire pigtail behind the connection if there was a problem.
Will do, but that is very interesting. I would think the outer seal would be the source of the leak, but from what you say the sensor itself is passing oil through it. Still I think the oil would be visible on the wire pigtail behind the connection if there was a problem.
Correct and you don't want it seeping into your harness all the way to the ECU.
The cam position sensor body is immersed in oil 100% of the time. The cam position sensor conductor pin-to-body seal fails, allowing oil to pass into the sensor-side of the connector. Once there, it wicks into the wiring harness and travels wherever it wants to go. The sensor is allowing oil to pass through itself. As noted above, this is not visible externally. The quantity (flow rate) of leaking oil is very small, so it's unlikely the oil will ooze out of the connector before CEL and misfire occurs.
@SndsoftheSbrbs Yes I was replying to your work order. The source of the leak is items that are immersed in oil, these are the cam position sensors and cam adjuster solenoids. It appears your dealer replaced only the cam position sensors, and not the solenoids. Did they give a reason to you for not replacing the solenoids?
The other items on your work order (ECU, harness, O2 sensors) are collateral damage from the root cause, which is fail-to-seal of items immersed in oil. The ECU, harness and O2 sensors are not the root cause, they are innocent victims in this situation.
How does oil make its way from the sensor to the ECU? The implication is the oil is inside individual wires and I can't understand how that would be possible. If the oil is wicking on the fabric cover, then could we just trim the edge of the cover before the sensor and the ECU?
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