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S-Class (W222) 2014-2020

W222 Low Compression Cylinder #5 (scored walls)

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Old Mar 17, 2022 | 09:27 PM
  #26  
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Originally Posted by Tom in Austin
Truly unfortunate scenario. Makes me wonder, what if it were leased and this happened, would the lessee be responsible for fixing the damaged engine?
From reading posts on this site MB seems to take a black and white view as it relates to warranty. If the car is out of warranty, the customer can pound sand. I can't see how choice of financing (lease, buy) affects MB's position.
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Old Mar 18, 2022 | 10:50 AM
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While I'm not thrilled with current MB quality, if the car is leased it's under warranty. If it's under warranty, and all services required have been done, I can't see how MB would not repair something like this under said warranty. If for some reason they refused, I'd at that point retain an attorney and swear off the brand. Well in my case I've already done the latter.

Originally Posted by chassis
From reading posts on this site MB seems to take a black and white view as it relates to warranty. If the car is out of warranty, the customer can pound sand. I can't see how choice of financing (lease, buy) affects MB's position.
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Old Mar 18, 2022 | 12:33 PM
  #28  
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Originally Posted by teksurv
While I'm not thrilled with current MB quality, if the car is leased it's under warranty. If it's under warranty, and all services required have been done, I can't see how MB would not repair something like this under said warranty. If for some reason they refused, I'd at that point retain an attorney and swear off the brand. Well in my case I've already done the latter.
Can you please clarify?

MB warranty is 4 years/50k miles, whichever comes first.

Let’s say a car is leased for 3 years. Let’s further say it is driven 25k miles per year. Many people drive this many miles or more per year.

The warranty would be expired after the second year with one year remaining in the lease. There are many scenarios where a lease can be in force and either mileage, age or both have exceeded warranty coverage.

Are you saying that a lease contract supersedes or preempts manufacturer warranty rules? Does it matter which leasing company is used?
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Old Mar 18, 2022 | 01:41 PM
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No, I was making my comment with miles not exceeding 50k in a three year term. Of course if exceeded (not sure I would lease then?) then my comment does not apply.
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Old Mar 19, 2022 | 04:06 PM
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I think we can all agree that this should not be happening on a properly serviced circa 2016 Mercedes (or any other car for that matter). When my dad bought his first one, 60 years ago, superior mechanical design and manufacturing quality were attributes that distinguished Mercedes from all other brands.

Last edited by MBNUT1; Mar 19, 2022 at 04:13 PM.
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Old Mar 19, 2022 | 04:24 PM
  #31  
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Agreed ! I have many friends owning cars at half the price, who operate them without constant worry about system failures. Seems that the ideal owner is one who operates the car within warranty parameters, and is comfortable with constant visits to the dealer.
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Old Mar 19, 2022 | 04:34 PM
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As I've stated before, what the hell happened to MB's 100K mile break-in period? Mostly overpriced, and overhyped vehicles leveraged by the brand's legacy. What will the legacy be in 20 years? Lease don't buy and stay under warranty?
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Old Mar 19, 2022 | 11:16 PM
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Originally Posted by places
As I've stated before, what the hell happened to MB's 100K mile break-in period? Mostly overpriced, and overhyped vehicles leveraged by the brand's legacy. What will the legacy be in 20 years? Lease don't buy and stay under warranty?
LOL. Yeah In the summer of '76 I was embarking on a cross country trip in my '59 220SE and a guy who had a nearby Mercedes shop who had just replaced my fan belt for me said, "This thing will run forever" which used to be the common sentiment regarding Mercedes.
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Old Mar 19, 2022 | 11:19 PM
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Originally Posted by autoluke
Agreed ! I have many friends owning cars at half the price, who operate them without constant worry about system failures. Seems that the ideal owner is one who operates the car within warranty parameters, and is comfortable with constant visits to the dealer.
My wife's 2006 Mazda3 which she drove home a couple of miles without oil due to improper installation of the oil filter at the tire store is still running strong at 205K miles.
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Old Mar 20, 2022 | 12:13 AM
  #35  
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Originally Posted by MBNUT1
My wife's 2006 Mazda3 which she drove home a couple of miles without oil due to improper installation of the oil filter at the tire store is still running strong at 205K miles.
My '73 Ford Gran Torino with a 351 Cleveland motor lost oil when the cheap replacement oil drain plug, that I didn't know the oil change shop had put in, let loose while I was driving 65 on the highway. I didn't realize it until the warning light came on. After towing it and replacing the plug and oil I drove it for many years with no further issues and finally sold it also with 205,000 miles on it.
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Old Mar 20, 2022 | 09:35 AM
  #36  
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On the topic of longevity, it seems MB seeks to avoid this. It is extra cost for them to design, produce and sell a vehicle that survives beyond the warranty period. This is what is unfolding in front of us.

Follow along with "53" model owners with the new M256 inline six cylinder. A member on this site with an E53 at less than 100k miles reported potentially soft cams and collapsed valve lifter (dealer diagnosis). Maybe MB dusted off the drawings of the M156 cams and went into production with them - it would have been cheaper and faster than designing new cams. Stranger things can happen.

MB is ascending the throne of the King of Garbage.
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Old Mar 20, 2022 | 10:04 AM
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No more MB:(
Originally Posted by chassis
On the topic of longevity, it seems MB seeks to avoid this. It is extra cost for them to design, produce and sell a vehicle that survives beyond the warranty period. This is what is unfolding in front of us.

Follow along with "53" model owners with the new M256 inline six cylinder. A member on this site with an E53 at less than 100k miles reported potentially soft cams and collapsed valve lifter (dealer diagnosis). Maybe MB dusted off the drawings of the M156 cams and went into production with them - it would have been cheaper and faster than designing new cams. Stranger things can happen.

MB is ascending the throne of the King of Garbage.
MB has become nothing more than a marketing company over-leveraging their past, until the present becomes the past and sub-par quality is the norm for brand ****** who know no better.
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Old Mar 20, 2022 | 11:59 AM
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I think you guys are being a bit dramatic here. I have had very good luck with MB products over the past several years. I am not sure any of the manufacturers are designing products to last 100K plus miles with little repair. My daughters 7 year old 70K Honda civic has had a few issues that you would not expect but I think that is just part of the luck of the draw.
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Old Mar 20, 2022 | 12:13 PM
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Fully agree with place and others.

Two of my kids drive Toyotas with high mileage...zero expenses in repairs.
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Old Mar 21, 2022 | 06:38 PM
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What year was your w222?

The M278 been around for awhile i'm just curious. My mom is actually looking for one right now.
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Old Oct 14, 2023 | 10:27 AM
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I was gonna move on to 2015 ish w222 from my o8 s550 but boy am I glad I looked into this m278 engine. Looks like Money pit with potential catastrophic engine failure.
‘my friend just got a 15 GL550 with that motor me a month later developed a piston slap.
very sad and unacceptable for Mb to join BMW in making lease vehicles.
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Old Feb 11, 2026 | 06:06 AM
  #42  
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Help with engine numbers

My 2016 S550 has this engine number 278929 30 288356. Am I a newer engine unaffected by the service bulletin?
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Old Feb 11, 2026 | 08:36 AM
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Originally Posted by SteveHolt
My 2016 S550 has this engine number 278929 30 288356. Am I a newer engine unaffected by the service bulletin?
No, March 2015 and earlier only, your 16 is clear.
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Old Feb 11, 2026 | 10:55 AM
  #44  
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It was this plus other things that made me buy the s600 instead
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Old Feb 11, 2026 | 11:21 AM
  #45  
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Originally Posted by vincheung
No, March 2015 and earlier only, your 16 is clear.
ok how do you know that the bulletin I saw posted here said engines after a certain number and mine is after the number. However it doesn’t make sense to me that it would be engines after a certain number rather than before a certain number
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Old Feb 11, 2026 | 11:54 AM
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Originally Posted by SteveHolt
ok how do you know that the bulletin I saw posted here said engines after a certain number and mine is after the number. However it doesn’t make sense to me that it would be engines after a certain number rather than before a certain number
From the service bulletin - "...conversion as from March 2015 or as from engine 2789xx 30 266191 for cast-iron cylinder barrels."

So if your engine code is 288356, you were the 22,165th m278 engine made with the iron sleeves. The number you are referencing is the start number of the iron sleeved ones, not the affected range ones.

Rest easy Steve.
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Old Feb 11, 2026 | 11:56 AM
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Originally Posted by vincheung
From the service bulletin - "...conversion as from March 2015 or as from engine 2789xx 30 266191 for cast-iron cylinder barrels."

So if your engine code is 288356, you were the 22,165th m278 engine made with the iron sleeves. The number you are referencing is the start number of the iron sleeved ones, not the affected range ones.

Rest easy Steve.
Awesome thank you for your replies!
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Old Feb 11, 2026 | 11:03 PM
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What is odd is that the OP's info says a 2016 S550 which should have had the iron liners that precluded scored cylinders
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Old Feb 12, 2026 | 01:59 AM
  #49  
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Originally Posted by MBNUT1
What is odd is that the OP's info says a 2016 S550 which should have had the iron liners that precluded scored cylinders
I was thinking the same thing. Seems that that he's having this problem. Wonder if a spark plug broke or something and the tip damaged the cylinder wall. The only way to diagnose would be to review pics of the cylinder wall.
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Old Mar 3, 2026 | 09:37 PM
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Originally Posted by MBNUT1
What is odd is that the OP's info says a 2016 S550 which should have had the iron liners that precluded scored cylinders
Yeah, I was thinking the same thing. My 16 S550 is at 55k miles, it's due for spark plugs & ATF change, I'll definitely have the cylinders checked at the same time and perform an oil analysis to determine engine wear. Know of any decent independent MB service places in Cincy?
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