GL450 Tapping on Startup
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Feb 2023
Posts: 35
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2013 GL450
GL450 Tapping on Startup
My 60k miles GL450 has an intermittent clicking/tapping on startup. It makes noise for ~3 seconds and goes silent, about the time the turbos spool up and make noise.
Ive had the car for 2k miles and didn't hear it initially. It is intermittent and will do it cold or warm. From inside the cabin it sounds like a plastic tapping noise, not as much like an internal engine 'knock' (but who knows).
Any others experience this? Im trying to get a video to post.
Ive had the car for 2k miles and didn't hear it initially. It is intermittent and will do it cold or warm. From inside the cabin it sounds like a plastic tapping noise, not as much like an internal engine 'knock' (but who knows).
Any others experience this? Im trying to get a video to post.
Senior Member
Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 306
Likes: 78
gl450
The typical symptom was a loud rattle for a few seconds after engine start.
Check if your engine number falls in the range in the document below:
https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/20...62561-2280.pdf
Last edited by mtm; Mar 30, 2023 at 05:47 PM.
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Feb 2023
Posts: 35
Likes: 2
2013 GL450
Early 2013 cars with m278 engine did not have oil check valves at the timing chain tensioners. There was a TSB issued by MB USA and check valves and new tensioners were installed at no charge.
The typical symptom was a loud rattle for a few seconds after engine start.
Check if your engine number falls in the range in the document below:
https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/20...62561-2280.pdf
The typical symptom was a loud rattle for a few seconds after engine start.
Check if your engine number falls in the range in the document below:
https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/20...62561-2280.pdf
Are you aware of any other early M278 known issues?
Another frustrating issue with this car. I bought the lowest mile GL I could find thinking it would have a lot of life in it.
I have this issue, an oil saturated harness, I am concerned I installed spark plugs 5 degrees out of spec (not that you have the ability to control where they clock in at) and will melt a cylinder down, concerned about potential scoring of cylinder walls; I have more creaks than all of my other cars combined, door hinges sound like a 1985 Chrysler, waiting for the day I pop an air bag; the list is too long for something that is supposed to be a high end vehicle with 60k miles.
I am not sure if I have made a big mistake with this car or just have a few wrinkles to sort out for many years of enjoyment. I appreciate the help from this group.
