V-Belt Damage and engine write-off
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Joined: Feb 2018
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ML400
V-Belt Damage and engine write-off
Guys, I need your help on this matter. While I was driving my ML400, 2105 model with 33K millage on it, I suddenly received a warning message on the dashboard "refer to owners manual with battery sign". and within seconds I heard a warning beep. So I immediately stopped the car, and checked the engine to find the V-Belt missing. I called MB service center and they pulled up the car to the workshop, and after inspection it turned out that the motor oil circulator sensor is damaged from the v-belt snapping and the engine is a write-off because of overheating.
After 40 days of investigating the reason behind the shredding of the V-belt, I get a call from MB saying that they haven't come to a conclusion why the belt got shredded and unfortunately the third year insurance policy dose not cover the belt and consequently I have to pay for a new engine, $53,000. Another fact they claim that the car was driven for 15 miles without the V-belt as per the onboard computer.
The fact that I did not receive a dashboard warning expect seconds before my stop, It frustrates me. There was no indicator or warning sign whatsoever to alarm me to stop the car earlier. I am an experienced driver with over 25 years of driving experience and I would never drive an overheated car if i had a warning sign showing it. Also i didn't feel any change in the behavior of the car for the past 15 miles they claim i drove without v-belt.
Could this scenario happen that i drive 15 miles without v-belt and without oil circulation inside the engine and without any warning lights on the dashboard??
I am over frustrated and disappointed that i paid a premium price for buying a Mercedes Benz to lose it at 35K.
After 40 days of investigating the reason behind the shredding of the V-belt, I get a call from MB saying that they haven't come to a conclusion why the belt got shredded and unfortunately the third year insurance policy dose not cover the belt and consequently I have to pay for a new engine, $53,000. Another fact they claim that the car was driven for 15 miles without the V-belt as per the onboard computer.
The fact that I did not receive a dashboard warning expect seconds before my stop, It frustrates me. There was no indicator or warning sign whatsoever to alarm me to stop the car earlier. I am an experienced driver with over 25 years of driving experience and I would never drive an overheated car if i had a warning sign showing it. Also i didn't feel any change in the behavior of the car for the past 15 miles they claim i drove without v-belt.
Could this scenario happen that i drive 15 miles without v-belt and without oil circulation inside the engine and without any warning lights on the dashboard??
I am over frustrated and disappointed that i paid a premium price for buying a Mercedes Benz to lose it at 35K.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 3,745
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From: The Great White North
W204 C63 Coupe, W166 ML350 BlueTEC, 928GT, Taycan GTS Sport Turismo, C5 Z06 & IS300 race cars
In addition to the alternator warning light that would have been illuminated the entire time, there's an instrument in the cluster called an engine temperature gauge. It measures the temperature of the coolant, which in your case would have first indicated an extremely high temperature, and then either stayed in the red or possibly dropped to near zero once all the coolant had vaporized. Even if you were driving at 60 mph, to cover those 15 miles would still take you 15 minutes, during which time you either failed to check your instruments or completely ignored them. I am afraid that your frustration and disappointment is grossly misplaced and that you don't have a leg to stand on despite the advice to lawyer up from the local village idiot.
Junior Member
Joined: Jan 2018
Posts: 46
Likes: 5
From: Arlington TX
2013 GL450
Guys, I need your help on this matter. While I was driving my ML400, 2105 model with 33K millage on it, I suddenly received a warning message on the dashboard "refer to owners manual with battery sign". and within seconds I heard a warning beep. So I immediately stopped the car, and checked the engine to find the V-Belt missing. I called MB service center and they pulled up the car to the workshop, and after inspection it turned out that the motor oil circulator sensor is damaged from the v-belt snapping and the engine is a write-off because of overheating.
After 40 days of investigating the reason behind the shredding of the V-belt, I get a call from MB saying that they haven't come to a conclusion why the belt got shredded and unfortunately the third year insurance policy dose not cover the belt and consequently I have to pay for a new engine, $53,000. Another fact they claim that the car was driven for 15 miles without the V-belt as per the onboard computer.
The fact that I did not receive a dashboard warning expect seconds before my stop, It frustrates me. There was no indicator or warning sign whatsoever to alarm me to stop the car earlier. I am an experienced driver with over 25 years of driving experience and I would never drive an overheated car if i had a warning sign showing it. Also i didn't feel any change in the behavior of the car for the past 15 miles they claim i drove without v-belt.
Could this scenario happen that i drive 15 miles without v-belt and without oil circulation inside the engine and without any warning lights on the dashboard??
I am over frustrated and disappointed that i paid a premium price for buying a Mercedes Benz to lose it at 35K.
After 40 days of investigating the reason behind the shredding of the V-belt, I get a call from MB saying that they haven't come to a conclusion why the belt got shredded and unfortunately the third year insurance policy dose not cover the belt and consequently I have to pay for a new engine, $53,000. Another fact they claim that the car was driven for 15 miles without the V-belt as per the onboard computer.
The fact that I did not receive a dashboard warning expect seconds before my stop, It frustrates me. There was no indicator or warning sign whatsoever to alarm me to stop the car earlier. I am an experienced driver with over 25 years of driving experience and I would never drive an overheated car if i had a warning sign showing it. Also i didn't feel any change in the behavior of the car for the past 15 miles they claim i drove without v-belt.
Could this scenario happen that i drive 15 miles without v-belt and without oil circulation inside the engine and without any warning lights on the dashboard??
I am over frustrated and disappointed that i paid a premium price for buying a Mercedes Benz to lose it at 35K.
What I call BS on is the statement the on board computer recorded you drove 15 miles without the v-belt. That's is call data logging and I have never heard of any stock car having this capability built into the stock ECU. Technically there is no way for the computer to sense the v-belt presence. If they stated it drove 15 miles while temp sensor was reading overheating I'd still challenge them to show me this on their test equipment. So it they are data logging like they say ask them to display and show the time line. Belt broke, battery light came on, how many miles or minutes later did car overheat? How many miles longer did you drive the car?
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: May 2015
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From: Miami, FL
2003 CL 600
Why isn't the car under factory warranty? It should be, and therefore should be covered.
The 276.8 may have the oil pump control valve, I haven't looked, I know the 274 does, and it's right down by the belt. If it got broken off it could have reduced oil pressure dangerously low, which is bad because these cars no longer have an oil pressure sensor so you don't get a warning for that.
If the belt comes off, the alternator stops charging and you get a warning almost immediately.
So many things don't add up here.
The 276.8 may have the oil pump control valve, I haven't looked, I know the 274 does, and it's right down by the belt. If it got broken off it could have reduced oil pressure dangerously low, which is bad because these cars no longer have an oil pressure sensor so you don't get a warning for that.
If the belt comes off, the alternator stops charging and you get a warning almost immediately.
So many things don't add up here.
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Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 228
Likes: 39
From: Peoria, IL
2007 C350 2015 ML400 1968 Ford Mustang
What I call BS on is the statement the on board computer recorded you drove 15 miles without the v-belt. That's is call data logging and I have never heard of any stock car having this capability built into the stock ECU. Technically there is no way for the computer to sense the v-belt presence. If they stated it drove 15 miles while temp sensor was reading overheating I'd still challenge them to show me this on their test equipment. So it they are data logging like they say ask them to display and show the time line. Belt broke, battery light came on, how many miles or minutes later did car overheat? How many miles longer did you drive the car?
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MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 3,745
Likes: 811
From: The Great White North
W204 C63 Coupe, W166 ML350 BlueTEC, 928GT, Taycan GTS Sport Turismo, C5 Z06 & IS300 race cars
What I call BS on is the statement the on board computer recorded you drove 15 miles without the v-belt. That's is call data logging and I have never heard of any stock car having this capability built into the stock ECU. Technically there is no way for the computer to sense the v-belt presence. If they stated it drove 15 miles while temp sensor was reading overheating I'd still challenge them to show me this on their test equipment. So it they are data logging like they say ask them to display and show the time line. Belt broke, battery light came on, how many miles or minutes later did car overheat? How many miles longer did you drive the car?
And, whenever a catastrophic failure occurs for which MB is asked to foot the bill (i.e. under warranty - the dealership performing the work still needs to pay for the parts and pay the mechanics, they just get paid by Mercedes instead of the customer), the ECU and/or TCU code is routinely sent in its entirety back to Germany for analysis. The dealership doesn't even have to have all the equipment to parse and analyze the operational data that's stored in the ECU / TCU locally - all they have to do is hook up a laptop to the vehicle OBD port and all the data is transmitted to Germany.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 3,745
Likes: 811
From: The Great White North
W204 C63 Coupe, W166 ML350 BlueTEC, 928GT, Taycan GTS Sport Turismo, C5 Z06 & IS300 race cars
The car is under warranty - but the warranty does not cover failure of the operator to take normal corrective action at the first sign of trouble. The OP here continued to drive for 15 miles (24 km) despite having two indicators that something is wrong with the vehicle. The warranty is against defects in material and workmanship, not against operator ignorance or stupidity.
