I recently purchased a 2001 ML320 Base and had to have the AC fixed and the oil changed. After that, I picked the car up after hours and driving out of the parking lot a new noise was present--a thwapping that only happens when the car is moving. Not when it is idling. The mechanic has suggested that a belt/belts are wrecked. They were fine when I dropped it off for servicing, but suddenly wrecked now.

a) Would a mechanic sabatoge a vehicle to try to get more money our of someone because he or she drives a mercedes?

b) If it is a belt issue, would anyone recommend buying the 99 dollar package sold by the above merchants rather than the genuine parts? I am running out of money and patience already!

Thanks for any suggestions or help you can provide! https://mbworld.org/forums/images/smilies/driving.gif

SaraLee,

As much as I would like to see you buy some parts from us () I would suggest taking the car to another mechanic for a second opinion before throwing parts at it.

If it were the belt and pulleys that had failed / were failing, you should get the noise all of the time, not just when the car is moving. The belt and pulleys are on the engine, and if the engine is running, they are moving. The engine, as well as its accessories do not stop moving when the car stops.

From the way you describe the symptoms, as well as what services you had performed, leads me to believe that it is not the belt / pulleys that are bad. I cannot be sure, since I am not able to see the car / diagnose it, but I think the solution to your problem may be very simple. Under the car in the front, there is what's called a belly pan. It is a plastic shield that protects the underside of the engine bay from debris. Chances are that the shop you went to removed it when they changed the oil in order to gain access to the oil drain plug, and to the A/C compressor (if this is the part of the system you had serviced). If this belly pan was not secured properly, it can bounce around and knock into the chassis of the car, making a lot of noise while the car is moving. Again, I cannot be sure this is the problem, as I cannot see the car, but in my opinion, you should get the car checked out by a more reputable shop before buying anything else for it.

I hope this information helps out, and don't let it get you down. These are wonderful cars once you get the kinks worked out.

https://mbworld.org/forums/images/smilies/rolleyes.gif
I am so grateful for your information. I also had a hard time imagining that the noise could just stop when the wheels stopped if it was an engine-related thing.
They said something about losing my steering, brakes and everything if I did not replace the 'fraying belt'. I had just paid for a very expensive repair (nothing that indicated dishonesty on their part) and so I am not interested in having another one if I don;t need it and can make due with checking something else.

I am still open to suggestions as to what it could be--Belly pan is the first.
I really appreciate being able to specifically ask about certain things it could be to counter what this mechanic says. Why am I bringing it there? Because they had just done the oil change and air conditioning and I figured that something just didn't get put back right. Could be the belly pan. Thanks so much! I had not known there was such a thing https://mbworld.org/forums/images/smilies/bonk.gif

SaraLee,

No problem at all. If the belt really is fraying, it needs to be replaced. If it breaks, you will be waiting for a tow truck. What the mechanic said about its failure is mostly true. You will lose Power steering, but still be able to steer the car manually (which takes quite a bit of muscle). Your brakes will still work though. Most critically, you water pump will stop turning, as it is driven by the belt, and this can cause the engine to overheat rapidly, leading to very expensive repairs. Belts, as well as the idler pulleys and tensioner, are a maintenance item. However, I do not think that this is where the noise that you describe is coming from. Again, if the belt really is fraying, replace it as soon as possible to make sure that your car is safe.

If I had to guess, I would think that this shop may have failed to secure the belly pan correctly, and then said it was the belt that was making the noise to not make themselves look bad.

I do recon that the belt he referred to needs replacing a.s.a.p. but would it be prudent to purchase one from the on-line seller above, for $99 for the kit, or should I have the mechanic order one? I mean, the price for a belt like that would likely be over 200 wouldn't it? and then there is the labour. Gaaah!

https://mbworld.org/forums/images/smilies/rofl.gif

How much would replacement of the belt be for labor and parts? Just a rough estimate?

Regarding the belly pan, I intend to have them check that first thing. If it is just the belly plan, perhaps I can make it a few more weeks before doing the belt (not driving much in the meantime) it would be better for me financially.

Thanks--you have no idea, either of you, how much I truly appreciate your advice. I regret I have no father or uncle to ask these things anymore.

SaraLee,

Something to note on this car - The belt tensioner assembly, if it has never been replaced, may be of the old design, which is a know failure point on the M112 V6 (the engine that is in your ML320). If this tensioner assembly has never been replaced, it is recommended that you replace it as preventative maintenance.

If the tensioner assembly and idler pulley are OK, you do not need to replace them, but it falls along the lines of "while you are in there..." Once the belt is off, it is not much more work to change the tensioner and idler pulley on this engine, so buying the kit and having everything replaced just makes sense from a maintenance standpoint.

However, if the belt is frayed, it should be replaced as soon as possible to prevent damage outlined in my previous post. If you want to just buy the belt and have that replaced, we have them available individually, along with the rest of the accessory belt components, on our website.

You can get to these items by clicking HERE, or by clicking on the photo of the belt below.



As far as what the total labor bill will be to have these items replaced, I cannot say, as I do not know what this shop charges for labor, but for a belt and tensioner / idler replacement, I cannot see labor being more than $100 - This is a fairly quick and straight-forward job.

I am wondering--are the cheapest belt kits interior in some way to the slightly more expensive ones? Which package should I buy for my 2001 ML320 Base?

Can I purchase these kits over the phone or on line using a prepaid credit card (I don't have or use credit cards, generally). I can buy one for the purpose of ordering.

I really can't thank you enough for the help you have provided.
SaraLee

SaraLee,

The lower priced kits will do the job just fine. Any new, functioning component is better than any failed component. That being said, car parts are like anything else in the world - The more you pay for an item, (usually) the better the quality.

A Honda and a Mercedes-Benz are both great cars, and will both get you to work and back, but you can certainly feel the difference in build and materials quality between the two, and you will definitely notice the difference in price.

Many people prefer to buy genuine Mercedes-Benz parts to keep their car 100% original, because that is what is important for them. Many people will buy any parts that are the best price because they just want their car back on the road. The majority of people fall somewhere in the middle, and want to buy higher-quality parts, but don't need to see the Mercedes-Benz logo on them. This is why we offer several options for each component when they are available.

As far as placing the order goes, we accept credit / debit cards, as well as PayPal. You can place you order online, or you can work directly with a sales representative by phone (1.800.924.5172), email (sales@ecstuning.com), or live chat (click the Live Chat logo on the top right side of our website, www.ecstuning.com) All of our sales and customer service staff are located in our facility here in Ohio, and will work with you to make sure that you get what you need and that you are satisfied with your purchase.