Broken the rear-diff locking actuator
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 457
Likes: 58
From: WA
2018 AMG E63S
Broken the rear-diff locking actuator
Well, I'm 1,600 miles in and the car threw a hissy fit this morning upon engine start. First, a bunch of drive assist errors so I followed my usual practice, restarted the car et voila--they're gone. Then up came the rear-diff warning--something about the locking aspect of it. I took it in to my local dealer and they came back a few mins later and said there's a bulletin about it, it's OK, your car just needs an update (TCU I think, not ECU). Yay, I thought! 10 more mins pass and my SA comes back and tells me that my car is new enough that it already had the updates so there is something else wrong... ultimately, they conclude it's the locking actuator. They're overnighting it and I should be back on the road on Thursday.
So, to the tune-averse: have at it. I assure you, it'll fall on deaf ears.
Anyone else seen anything like this before? It's not like I just passed the 1,000 miles break-in period and launched the car twice a day for a week or so straight...
So, to the tune-averse: have at it. I assure you, it'll fall on deaf ears.
Anyone else seen anything like this before? It's not like I just passed the 1,000 miles break-in period and launched the car twice a day for a week or so straight...
Last edited by limeypride; Mar 27, 2018 at 05:57 PM. Reason: "Averse" mis-spelled and my Mum might see this post
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Likes: 905
From: THE Orange County, California
2024 C8 Z06- 2025 BMW CS- 2022 Porsche 992 GTS
Well, I'm 1,600 miles in and the car threw a hissy fit this morning upon engine start. First, a bunch of drive assist errors so I followed my usual practice, restarted the car et voila--they're gone. Then up came the rear-diff warning--something about the locking aspect of it. I took it in to my local dealer and they came back a few mins later and said there's a bulletin about it, it's OK, your car just needs an update (TCU I think, not ECU). Yay, I thought! 10 more mins pass and my SA comes back and tells me that my car is new enough that it already had the updates so there is something else wrong... ultimately, they conclude it's the locking actuator. They're overnighting it and I should be back on the road on Thursday.
So, to the tune-averse: have at it. I assure you, it'll fall on deaf ears.
Anyone else seen anything like this before? It's not like I just passed the 1,000 miles break-in period and launched the car twice a day for a week or so straight...
So, to the tune-averse: have at it. I assure you, it'll fall on deaf ears.
Anyone else seen anything like this before? It's not like I just passed the 1,000 miles break-in period and launched the car twice a day for a week or so straight...
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 457
Likes: 58
From: WA
2018 AMG E63S
So this is to some extent not an isolated issue. Was there a thread? A quick and isolated fix I hope... I'm not a fan of loaner cars with a 0-60 of yes.
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 420
Likes: 89
From: Los Angeles
2018 E63, 2008 SLR DH, 2011 599 SA, 1995 F50, 2007 through 2011 GT3 RS
I had that issue a few times. At first they replaced a few sensors and the front SAM module. However the second time it happened they replaced the Differential lock, the Differential motor and the diff itself along with the rear suspension.( still not sure why the rear suspension was replaced.) It ran fine for the month I had it after all the parts were replaced. Biggest issue is you need to make sure they fix it right as it did leave me stranded twice as my car would not even start when those errors came up.
Good luck and hope this helps!
Good luck and hope this helps!
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 457
Likes: 58
From: WA
2018 AMG E63S
I had that issue a few times. At first they replaced a few sensors and the front SAM module. However the second time it happened they replaced the Differential lock, the Differential motor and the diff itself along with the rear suspension.( still not sure why the rear suspension was replaced.) It ran fine for the month I had it after all the parts were replaced. Biggest issue is you need to make sure they fix it right as it did leave me stranded twice as my car would not even start when those errors came up.
Good luck and hope this helps!
Good luck and hope this helps!
I'm curious, were there any physical symptoms prior to it throwing the code?
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 420
Likes: 89
From: Los Angeles
2018 E63, 2008 SLR DH, 2011 599 SA, 1995 F50, 2007 through 2011 GT3 RS
I noticed both times the rear wheels would lose traction when turning as if there was no diff in the rain. It would only happen a couple of times in the wet and then all was normal. Next day without a warning car would not start and started throwing the errors after half day of driving around for work. Car was fine for an hour of driving around, making stops for work etc and then stuck.
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 457
Likes: 58
From: WA
2018 AMG E63S
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Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2016
Posts: 420
Likes: 89
From: Los Angeles
2018 E63, 2008 SLR DH, 2011 599 SA, 1995 F50, 2007 through 2011 GT3 RS
Exactly... MBUSA reps got involved along with AMG reps in germany. That is when they decided to replace the entire rear end.
Good luck!
Good luck!
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Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 2,559
Likes: 751
From: Cary, NC
2024 AMG EQE SUV , 2021 E63S Wagon - gone, 2018 E63S Sedan - gone
Well, I'm 1,600 miles in and the car threw a hissy fit this morning upon engine start. First, a bunch of drive assist errors so I followed my usual practice, restarted the car et voila--they're gone. Then up came the rear-diff warning--something about the locking aspect of it. I took it in to my local dealer and they came back a few mins later and said there's a bulletin about it, it's OK, your car just needs an update (TCU I think, not ECU). Yay, I thought! 10 more mins pass and my SA comes back and tells me that my car is new enough that it already had the updates so there is something else wrong... ultimately, they conclude it's the locking actuator. They're overnighting it and I should be back on the road on Thursday.
So, to the tune-averse: have at it. I assure you, it'll fall on deaf ears.
Anyone else seen anything like this before? It's not like I just passed the 1,000 miles break-in period and launched the car twice a day for a week or so straight...
So, to the tune-averse: have at it. I assure you, it'll fall on deaf ears.
Anyone else seen anything like this before? It's not like I just passed the 1,000 miles break-in period and launched the car twice a day for a week or so straight...
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 457
Likes: 58
From: WA
2018 AMG E63S
I don't know. I just decoded the VIN but this new site (to me) didn't provide a build date, just:
- VIN
- WDDZF8KB5JA353953
- Model Year
- 2018
- Model
- AMG E 63 S 4MATIC+
- Engine
- 177980 60 042230
- Transmission
- 725096 01 424381
- Order Number
- 0 8 717 26721
- Interior
- EXCLUSIVE LEATHER - BROWN (554A)
- Paint 1
- DIAMOND WHITE - METALLIC PAINT (799U)
- Release Date
- 2017-10-04
- Delivery Date
- 2017-10-04
Last edited by limeypride; Mar 27, 2018 at 08:26 PM.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 2,559
Likes: 751
From: Cary, NC
2024 AMG EQE SUV , 2021 E63S Wagon - gone, 2018 E63S Sedan - gone
I don't know. I just decoded the VIN but this new site (to me) didn't provide a build date, just:
- VIN
- WDDZF8KB5JA353953
- Model Year
- 2018
- Model
- AMG E 63 S 4MATIC+
- Engine
- 177980 60 042230
- Transmission
- 725096 01 424381
- Order Number
- 0 8 717 26721
- Interior
- EXCLUSIVE LEATHER - BROWN (554A)
- Paint 1
- DIAMOND WHITE - METALLIC PAINT (799U)
- Release Date
- 2017-10-04
- Delivery Date
- 2017-10-04
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 457
Likes: 58
From: WA
2018 AMG E63S
Sorry, guys, I didn't mean to say I didn't know where to find it on the car. I meant I don't have the car since it's at the shop being fixed so I tried to find it via a VIN decoder. 
Member
Joined: Oct 2017
Posts: 179
Likes: 34
Nissan
I'm curious how you DID drive it during the break-in and right after. Tune or no-tune, I'm wondering if break-in habits can make rear-diff / tranny issues more/less likely, or if these kinds of issues are just latent in the hardware and bound to happen regardless of break-in habits. I remember a 90's Honda Accord V6 my family had that I "launched" a bit when it was just in the hundreds of miles. That tranny crapped out at around 30K miles and I always wondered if it was (partially) my fault. I did hear those trannys sucked anyway, but I've always felt a bit guilty =)
Anyway, did you totally baby it for the first X mile, than ratchet up the intensity before 1500? Or baby it all the way to 1500? Maybe TOO much babying?
Did you usually drive in comfort / sport / sport+ for the first 1,000 miles?
Anything you can think of that might have placed more stress on the tranny (even a single incident)?
Anyway, did you totally baby it for the first X mile, than ratchet up the intensity before 1500? Or baby it all the way to 1500? Maybe TOO much babying?
Did you usually drive in comfort / sport / sport+ for the first 1,000 miles?
Anything you can think of that might have placed more stress on the tranny (even a single incident)?
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 2,559
Likes: 751
From: Cary, NC
2024 AMG EQE SUV , 2021 E63S Wagon - gone, 2018 E63S Sedan - gone
No issues on my build of November 2nd decade other than the considerable tire noise on rough pavements. Perfect in all other respects. I'm still finding out more items in the command system. 😀😀😀
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 457
Likes: 58
From: WA
2018 AMG E63S
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 457
Likes: 58
From: WA
2018 AMG E63S
I'm curious how you DID drive it during the break-in and right after. Tune or no-tune, I'm wondering if break-in habits can make rear-diff / tranny issues more/less likely, or if these kinds of issues are just latent in the hardware and bound to happen regardless of break-in habits. I remember a 90's Honda Accord V6 my family had that I "launched" a bit when it was just in the hundreds of miles. That tranny crapped out at around 30K miles and I always wondered if it was (partially) my fault. I did hear those trannys sucked anyway, but I've always felt a bit guilty =)
Anyway, did you totally baby it for the first X mile,
...than ratchet up the intensity before 1500? Or baby it all the way to 1500? Maybe TOO much babying?
Did you usually drive in comfort / sport / sport+ for the first 1,000 miles?
Anything you can think of that might have placed more stress on the tranny (even a single incident)?
Member
Joined: Oct 2017
Posts: 179
Likes: 34
Nissan
Interesting, sounds exactly like how I would think it should be broken in. Thanks for the additional color. Part(s) must have been defective from the get go; I'm sure (at least I hope!) your dealer / MB will do you right.
I honored the break-in period to roughly 600 miles. For the remaining 400 miles, I gradually pushed the car further each day (my daily roundtrip is ~roughly 85 miles) until I reached a 1000 miles.
Yes, I'd say so.
I assume you mean Ks. Definitely not too much babying. A balance of aggression and adherence in the latter 400 miles.
Comfort mostly for the first 600 or so. Then Sport+ as my daily from there with progressive use of WOT and higher RPMs.
I explored the car thoroughly post-1000 miles but nothing that the car shouldn't be able to handle, i.e. regular hard acceleration, fairly regular launches, drift mode twice.
Yes, I'd say so.
I assume you mean Ks. Definitely not too much babying. A balance of aggression and adherence in the latter 400 miles.
Comfort mostly for the first 600 or so. Then Sport+ as my daily from there with progressive use of WOT and higher RPMs.
I explored the car thoroughly post-1000 miles but nothing that the car shouldn't be able to handle, i.e. regular hard acceleration, fairly regular launches, drift mode twice.
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Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 4,834
Likes: 773
From: Venice Florida
2018 S560
Well, I'm 1,600 miles in and the car threw a hissy fit this morning upon engine start. First, a bunch of drive assist errors so I followed my usual practice, restarted the car et voila--they're gone. Then up came the rear-diff warning--something about the locking aspect of it. I took it in to my local dealer and they came back a few mins later and said there's a bulletin about it, it's OK, your car just needs an update (TCU I think, not ECU). Yay, I thought! 10 more mins pass and my SA comes back and tells me that my car is new enough that it already had the updates so there is something else wrong... ultimately, they conclude it's the locking actuator. They're overnighting it and I should be back on the road on Thursday.
So, to the tune-averse: have at it. I assure you, it'll fall on deaf ears.
Anyone else seen anything like this before? It's not like I just passed the 1,000 miles break-in period and launched the car twice a day for a week or so straight...
So, to the tune-averse: have at it. I assure you, it'll fall on deaf ears.
Anyone else seen anything like this before? It's not like I just passed the 1,000 miles break-in period and launched the car twice a day for a week or so straight...
