USAToday Trashes ML320 Bluetec
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From: Albuquerque
'10 CL550, '12 GL550
USAToday Trashes ML320 Bluetec
Last edited by lkchris; Nov 28, 2008 at 09:32 PM.
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From: Philadelphia area
2010 ML550, 2010 E350 4M, 1966 Corvette Convt C2
I have read some of this guys other articles. He always seems to bash all MB products no matter which model. For some reason he is anti MB and most always favors Japanese and some US products. I do not think that the vehicles he used for comparison in this story compete with ML's and for the most part are built to an entirely lower price point. I just usually ignore this type of journalism.
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Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 257
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From: Maryland USA
08 ML350; 07' Acura RDX; 05'FX45; 03'Murano
Journalism in question ? No.
I think this guy is honest at least on the M-B jerky tranny, bumpy ride on 19". He did not show his feelings on the new 09 ML Navi, to see how M-B improves on this matter. Interesting article.
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Posts: 6,189
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From: Albuquerque
'10 CL550, '12 GL550
Yes, unfortunately he nailed all the real problems.
7-sp is essentially incompatible with the V6 diesel.
Brake feel is a POS
Seats are bad.
He failed to equate the bad ride with runflats as he should have and runflats always deserve even more negative comments.
MBUSI (Alabama) needs to get its act together.
7-sp is essentially incompatible with the V6 diesel.
Brake feel is a POS
Seats are bad.
He failed to equate the bad ride with runflats as he should have and runflats always deserve even more negative comments.
MBUSI (Alabama) needs to get its act together.
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Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 202
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From: Northern California
2011 BMW X5d, 2011 Nissan Leaf and Kubota L39 Tractor!
I have to agree on the seats. I recently dropped off my S550 for service and sat in a new 09 ML. The car I sat in had MB tex and the seats did seem hard an uncomfortable.
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Posts: 1,308
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From: Atlanta, GA USA
2000 MB G500 NMLE, 2015 Audi Q7 3.0 TDI Prestige
Yes, unfortunately he nailed all the real problems.
7-sp is essentially incompatible with the V6 diesel.
Brake feel is a POS
Seats are bad.
He failed to equate the bad ride with runflats as he should have and runflats always deserve even more negative comments.
MBUSI (Alabama) needs to get its act together.
7-sp is essentially incompatible with the V6 diesel.
Brake feel is a POS
Seats are bad.
He failed to equate the bad ride with runflats as he should have and runflats always deserve even more negative comments.
MBUSI (Alabama) needs to get its act together.
I have no problem with the brakes and I think the seats are just fine, but my other ride is a G500; so my judgment may be skewed.
I had a lot of shifting problems with the 7G-Tronic until I changed the filter and fluid to the new ATF134 and properly adjusted the fluid level. This last item is not easy to do, but is critical.
When I changed the fluid and filter, the transmission was too hot to drain the fluid properly by the WIS instructions. As a result, we left it a bit overfilled; and it still had the very hard 2->1 downshift. After getting the fluid level adjusted correctly, the hard 2->1 downshift is gone and it's been running like I expect an MB to run.
PS - Whoever came up with the idea of one single opening to drain and fill that transmission should be taken out and pilloried.
Last edited by DUTCH; Nov 30, 2008 at 07:11 AM.
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Senior Member
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 304
Likes: 1
From: Guelph, Ont. CA.
2014 ML350 BlueTec.
Well..l don't totally agree...
with him..but come on guys....These M-Classes are far better, but they still have a way to go....(My 2006)
Seats are o.k.( a little firm for me)
Navigation is embarassing......
Ipod integration(very poor set-up) Should have been throught M.O.S.T.
Side mirrors for an SUV way too small....
Plastic door panels embarassing for a $50.000 vehicle.
l tend to be an honest person...l just expected more....
Repairs....replaced..
1. Rear hatch motor....
2. Rear wiper motor....
3. Transmission shifting issue's...
l still believe, that the MB in Alabama, still has its issues's..and this plant will never win a J.D Power plant award for quality...l'm sure many of you do not put that much stock in to this..but our plant in Cambridge, Ontario has won 7 J.D. Power awards..hence this is why Lexus is always near the top in quality and more importantly reliability...Having said all this..l still love my "Benz"..l just expected more....considering the W163 fiasco !!!!!
Seats are o.k.( a little firm for me)
Navigation is embarassing......
Ipod integration(very poor set-up) Should have been throught M.O.S.T.
Side mirrors for an SUV way too small....
Plastic door panels embarassing for a $50.000 vehicle.
l tend to be an honest person...l just expected more....
Repairs....replaced..
1. Rear hatch motor....
2. Rear wiper motor....
3. Transmission shifting issue's...
l still believe, that the MB in Alabama, still has its issues's..and this plant will never win a J.D Power plant award for quality...l'm sure many of you do not put that much stock in to this..but our plant in Cambridge, Ontario has won 7 J.D. Power awards..hence this is why Lexus is always near the top in quality and more importantly reliability...Having said all this..l still love my "Benz"..l just expected more....considering the W163 fiasco !!!!!
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Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 429
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From: South Florida
2006 ML500
I thought the article was a little on the harsh side. There are some faults with the ML:
Seats...too hard
Nav....described by a female passenger as ..ANTIQUATED...
Braking...described by a friend driving my ML as WEIRD
But, there are alot of pluses with this SUV that make it more desirable to me than others that are out there. Drive a Benz and then hop in a Honda Pilot rental car. My God..the Benz ruined me for life!!
Seats...too hard
Nav....described by a female passenger as ..ANTIQUATED...
Braking...described by a friend driving my ML as WEIRD
But, there are alot of pluses with this SUV that make it more desirable to me than others that are out there. Drive a Benz and then hop in a Honda Pilot rental car. My God..the Benz ruined me for life!!
Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 314
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From: Oakville, Ont., Canada
2009 ML320 CDi Bluetec
You know, I own a 2009 Bluetec - and love it.
And I am a car person - 10 BMWs, then 4 M-B's, then two Land Rover LR3s, and now a ML320 BlueTec. So I do know something about cars, and this one is good.
What sucks?
- the incredibly unfriendly COMAND interface
- ditto nav interface
- the runflat tires
- the lack of free services
- the "20 starts and you cannot run if you are out of urea"
I have not thought the seats, the fuel economy, the ride or the brakes bad - on the contrary, those are all great. This guy lives on another planet from me!
And I am a car person - 10 BMWs, then 4 M-B's, then two Land Rover LR3s, and now a ML320 BlueTec. So I do know something about cars, and this one is good.
What sucks?
- the incredibly unfriendly COMAND interface
- ditto nav interface
- the runflat tires
- the lack of free services
- the "20 starts and you cannot run if you are out of urea"
I have not thought the seats, the fuel economy, the ride or the brakes bad - on the contrary, those are all great. This guy lives on another planet from me!
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From: Albuquerque
'10 CL550, '12 GL550
It's NOT an "opinion" that the following is only a partial list of the DTBs issued regarding the transmission:
8/21/2007; T-B-27.60/62h, "All Light Truck Models Equipped with 7G-Tronic Transmission (NAG2), Rough Shift Quality"
4/2/2008; S-B-27.00/104, "Model 164.122/822, Model 211.022, Model 251.122, Slow Acceleration with Gas Pedal Hesitation"
4/2/2008; S-B-27.00/105, "Model 164.122/822, Model 211.022, Model 251.122, Harsh Activation of Torque Converter Lockup Clutch"
11/14/2008, T-B-27.00/111, "Model 164.122/175/177/186/822/871/886, Throttle Lift-Off Clunking Noise in Vehicle Speed Range Up To Approx. 50 MPH"
8/21/2007; T-B-27.60/62h, "All Light Truck Models Equipped with 7G-Tronic Transmission (NAG2), Rough Shift Quality"
4/2/2008; S-B-27.00/104, "Model 164.122/822, Model 211.022, Model 251.122, Slow Acceleration with Gas Pedal Hesitation"
4/2/2008; S-B-27.00/105, "Model 164.122/822, Model 211.022, Model 251.122, Harsh Activation of Torque Converter Lockup Clutch"
11/14/2008, T-B-27.00/111, "Model 164.122/175/177/186/822/871/886, Throttle Lift-Off Clunking Noise in Vehicle Speed Range Up To Approx. 50 MPH"
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 257
Likes: 0
From: Maryland USA
08 ML350; 07' Acura RDX; 05'FX45; 03'Murano
It's NOT an "opinion" that the following is only a partial list of the DTBs issued regarding the transmission:
8/21/2007; T-B-27.60/62h, "All Light Truck Models Equipped with 7G-Tronic Transmission (NAG2), Rough Shift Quality"
4/2/2008; S-B-27.00/104, "Model 164.122/822, Model 211.022, Model 251.122, Slow Acceleration with Gas Pedal Hesitation"
4/2/2008; S-B-27.00/105, "Model 164.122/822, Model 211.022, Model 251.122, Harsh Activation of Torque Converter Lockup Clutch"
11/14/2008, T-B-27.00/111, "Model 164.122/175/177/186/822/871/886, Throttle Lift-Off Clunking Noise in Vehicle Speed Range Up To Approx. 50 MPH"
8/21/2007; T-B-27.60/62h, "All Light Truck Models Equipped with 7G-Tronic Transmission (NAG2), Rough Shift Quality"
4/2/2008; S-B-27.00/104, "Model 164.122/822, Model 211.022, Model 251.122, Slow Acceleration with Gas Pedal Hesitation"
4/2/2008; S-B-27.00/105, "Model 164.122/822, Model 211.022, Model 251.122, Harsh Activation of Torque Converter Lockup Clutch"
11/14/2008, T-B-27.00/111, "Model 164.122/175/177/186/822/871/886, Throttle Lift-Off Clunking Noise in Vehicle Speed Range Up To Approx. 50 MPH"
My ML is closed to its A service (13K), should I ask the dealer to check on all of these problems, or they will do it by the DTBs ? Thanks.
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Posts: 1,308
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From: Atlanta, GA USA
2000 MB G500 NMLE, 2015 Audi Q7 3.0 TDI Prestige
Nov 20, 2008
S-B-27.60/61j
Revision: Complete Procedure Revised
All Models Equipped with 7G-Tronic Transmission (NAG2)
Uncomfortable Shift Quality of 1-2, 3-2 and 2-1 Gear Shifts
Thread Starter
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 6,189
Likes: 242
From: Albuquerque
'10 CL550, '12 GL550
Thread Starter
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 6,189
Likes: 242
From: Albuquerque
'10 CL550, '12 GL550
Junior Member
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 19
Likes: 1
From: Hollywood, CA
2007 ML350 Sport Package
Are you kidding me? The article is so one sided that the author comes off as having some sort of an agenda and, in my opinion, completely discredits the entire story.
What a dumb dumb.
What a dumb dumb.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 1,308
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From: Atlanta, GA USA
2000 MB G500 NMLE, 2015 Audi Q7 3.0 TDI Prestige
Wolfgang maintains a list of the titles here:
http://www.whnet.com/4x4/tsb_164.html
It's free. If you want the entire bulletin, however, you'll have to get it from Startek Info for the price of the entrance fee.
http://www.whnet.com/4x4/tsb_164.html
It's free. If you want the entire bulletin, however, you'll have to get it from Startek Info for the price of the entrance fee.
