If anyone has an idea for a future video in this series, post up or email. Legitstreetcars@gmail.com. I can get my hands on a lot of different cars so this could be fun. Must be something interesting like a major design flaw, something really expensive or very common. Can't wait to hear from you.
my dad has been working for mercedes for over 30 years and has been telling me about this is balance shaft issue for a while now. Its great to see a video like this from a professional mercedes mechanic. you can get great deals on these cars now because most people get scared when they see the $10k estimate and give the car away for free basically. $500 in parts and a couple of days of work aint bad at all for what you get.
I no longer own a Mercedes vehicle, but for many years I owned a lot of the old classic sedans like the W108. I found this video, and frankly all your videos, to be immensely interesting and engaging. Keep up the great work! I especially like your perspective on the relative costs and feasability of self-repair vs. full-priced Dealer repairs.
Something like this should be a recall to fix all the affected engines. That is definitely a manufacturers defect. How was their not a class action lawsuit?
I bought a 2011 ML350 4matic as my first car just over a 1.5 years ago and good lord it was the best purchase I've ever made. $18,000 and 85k miles on it, dark grey with new wheels, brakes, and fluids. I've already put over 15,000 miles on it. The performance and ride comfort is unparalleled. It feels like a tank, and rides like a cloud. Only sometimes I wish I had the V8 550, but then the engine hits 3500rpm and I forget such silly thoughts. It looks so sleek and beautiful, most people ask me if it is a 2015 or 2016 model! They're blown away when I tell them to go back another decade. I feel safe driving it in any environment, and confident taking it to the middle of nowhere, knowing it'll get me back home without breaking a sweat. This car works perfectly for my everyday driving to school and work, but it thrives as a roadtrip king. I can eat up mile after mile in my ML without noticing, and it only gets better mileage as well. A few weeks ago I went on a 650 mile roadtrip roundtrip, and averaged 22mpg and only going through 1.5 tanks of gas.The space is perfect for me, I've taken it on a few camping trips and I'm able to load everything and everyone I need very easily, and it's nice knowing that in the future I can add a trailer to it or some nice roof racks as well. I won't lie, I've even been tempted by the ram bars because little kid me saw the First Gen in Jurassic Park like that, but I want to keep the clean look instead. If you are looking for one, get a facelifted model that fixes most issues. So far I have had only one unexpected issue with the brakelights. Apparently the wiring harness on them is weak and known to fail on many MLs, but the fix was only $50 from the shop. Since the engineering is so smart too I was still able to drive around, as it used the functioning tail lights as a backup brake light. Look up how the repairs look on youtube and you can spot if it has been done to an ML you want to purchase, as it will likely need changing at this point in time. In addition, I had my service A, transmission service, and spark plugs done since I've owned the car. Service A from my SoCal dealership was quoted $250 and the transmission service I was quoted at $626. This was when I scouted for a local mechanic who quoted me at only $300 for transmission, $100 for my oil and filter. $75 for transfer case fluid as well. The sparks I changed myself from watching YT videos, and only cost about $100 after buying all parts and tools. It did eat up 6 hours of my time though, but was well worth it. Soon I look at replacing my front rotors, tires, brakes, and replacing the air filters and swapping differential fluids. All costly, but I was aware this will need to be done in time. And it will be well worth it to keep my beast on the road for many years to come.
@@95x300 Elite Motors in Mission Viejo. They do such an awesome job, give good advice, and even throw me freebies from time to time. Never taking my car back to a regular dealer and the ML still thrives at 155k miles on the odo!
Hey Alex, thanks for this video. I'm the second owner of a 2006 W203 C350 with the M272 engine, and its serial number is well within the danger zone for this balance shaft issue. The thing is, I'm at 182,000 miles without any indication of there being a problem. I'm in contact with the first owner, and he doesn't remember ever getting the balance shaft fixed, so I must've gotten really lucky! When I first got the car, I did a lot of repair work on common engine issues the first owner neglected, like replacing the recalled camshaft adjuster magnets you mentioned (exhaust camshaft position timing over-retarded codes), replacing the broken plastic intake manifold actuator rod with an aluminum URO kit (intake manifold runner control stuck open code), and replacing a faulty MAF (fuel trim codes). Now my car runs so well, and it's been thousands of miles since I last had a check engine light (gone after doing my repairs).
You are indeed very lucky if you are on your original balance shaft. It could have been replaced under warranty long ago and maybe the previous owner didn't remember. Its funny how we only remember what we pay for, haha. Call the dealer where it was serviced while under warranty. They may be able to look up the records. Alex
Love your videos Alex, very informative with honest no bullshit content. I’ve been in the business over 25yrs, I’m a tech also and always learning and your content has helped me fix/modify cars and I thank you for that brother 👊🏼
I appreciate you Alex....for passing on all of your wisdom to us.....and all of the free info...you work your ass off and it shows....been a subscriber since about 12k subs.....always looking forward to your next video....salute to you bro!🤘
New viewer and I'm hooked on these informative videos. It is so nice to have someone highlight very expensive potential catastrophe failures on these MB vehicles. Alex's presentation is so straightforward and very easy to follow. All business and I walk away feeling so much more informed. My newest favorite channel. Keep up the great work.
Had a 2006 E-350 with the balance shaft issue. Took a dealer 3 weeks to do the job and about $6300. Lasted 2 months and needed a new engine! Was told by a local mechanic the dealer never should have done the balance shaft job, as there was already bits of metal floating in the engine, which ultimately caused the engine failure. My second and last Mercedes
If it came in with the P1200/1208 code we used to drain the oil and stick a flexible magnet in the drain hole and if we fished out any metal pieces, Bam. Confirmed You need a balance shaft. I've done a handful of these a few years ago
Ya I used to do that too. You can also pop off the timing cover on the right side and boroscpoe but really if it was in that range, it needed on sooner or later. Alex
Does this apply to the 2010 ml350 or did mb resolve it by then , pertaining to balance shaft issues , or any other issues relating to the 2010 ml350 sport
Mercedes M111 and M271 engines often have oil leaks at the camshaft adjustment magnets. The oil will spread though the wiring harness and destroy the ECU and various sensors. There is an adapter from Mercedes that goes between the magnet and the wiring with stops the oil from spreading.
Was going to buy a 07 cls tomorrow until i saw this video😳 Got the vin ran it car was built july of 06. Checked the engine # and yup it could potentially have this problem. Thanks for saving me $7k!
Of all the vehicles that I've owned and worked on over the years, I've found cars that range between $18K and $24K seem to be the most reliable and cheapest to fix in the long run.
Thanks for the MB links. I have 2009 SL550 with 14.2k miles on it. Went to the dealership and requested a VMI sheet via VIN. They gave it to me with no issues. My engine # is 2739..30-230143. So my car has the updated balance shaft instead of the inferior balance shaft. Whew!!! what a relief.👏👏👏👏👍👍👍
You could have a whole series on the BMW E65/E66 and common issues that they presented in the earlier years.. valve stem seals, alternator bracket, carbon build up in the secondary air system, etc
I had a 2006 CLS350 and went through 2 motors because of the balance shaft! Beautiful car to drive but the motor lets it down . My advise... if you have this car... get rid of it ASAP .... if you like the styling of it, opt for the V8 version.
Having owned and given up a 2006 ML 350 I enjoyed seeing the problems now easily solved. Will forward this to the current owner. Would like you to do a series on the SLK R171 generation looking at problems and solutions. Had a transmission computer failure at 34K on a 280 which I found unusual even though the car was 6 years at the time. Since I intend to keep it as a classic would really like to see more in-depth material on the R171. Thanks
Fast wearing teeth and chain (3:18) makes nice steel particles that move thru the oil galleries and wear accelerates exponentially; the bearings must love it...
If I remember right there's a filter for the air compressor for the air suspension on these, and if it gets clogged up it can cause the compressor to fail prematurely. It lives above the wheel on the passenger side, behind the wheel well cover. Same thing with the GLs.
Your videos are done well. I owned a European repair shop during the early 70's thru the late 90's I watched the these cars get ruined over government regulations, pollution controls, and the new "no maintenance" logic. Most lack of maintenance is related to the annual maintenance cost being included on window stickers starting in the early 90's. I have driven a MB, BMW and Volvo cars over 500k reliable miles. But I don't subscribe to "no maintenance" or if it's not broken don't fix it!!
The balance shaft was only the tip of the iceberg for my r350. Total engine failure at 120K. Had codes showing magenets, replaced those, code went away, 500 km later engine blown. Took apart the intake manifold, all flaps broken. Oh and the timing jumped. Found pieces of piston and valve in the oil pan. Sourced a low mileage 2011 v6 from a GLK, then guess what after running well for 3 months, transmission broke!!!! Early 722.9s had a bushing instead of bearing for the pump. Bushing spun and sheared the 2 drive teeth for the pump. I'm rebuilding the transmission now Rear air suspension failed as one side of the car sank. Converted to springs. I should have bought a Toyota Venza. I've owned Audis, BMWs and lots of Japanese and my Mercedes R350 has been the worst vehicle I've owned. AVOID AVOID AVOID!!!!!
I've had Toyota and Honda and both had expensive manufacting problems (RAV4: air conditioning, ridiculouslly high oil consumption, water mysteriously getting in the fuel and causing the #4 cylinder to misfire and causing the valve to break off, radio failure, speaker failure, spare tire holder. Honda Fit: horrible radio computer and it's many glitches, confused transmission that can get dangerously stuck, poorly desinged undercarriage, touch screen failures from hell, tire pressure monitors, vtec solenoid that go out for no reason, ) Mercedes GLS 450 however is engineered extremely well, especially if you take care of it. To each their own I guess.
Hey, I'm a mechanic, been one for about 40 years. I just finished an '06 Mercedes ml350, v6, 3.5 that came to my shop from another shop 130 miles south of me. That shop had given a quote on the same bulletin listed here. They quoted $4700 for the repairs. I've been doing this too many years to go on another shops diagnosis. Especially with the other shoddy repairs they had already made. They towed it that distance. Anyway, I pulled the codes with my Snap On Modis Edge. There were a bunch of codes, all sorts of misfires, none relating to those listed in the TSB (Technical Service Bulletin) except for a p0017. And for it to meet the criteria it would also need a p0016. And my data showed the exhaust camshaft sensor flat lining. I'd already quoted almost half of they other to replace the balance shaft, so I tore into it the work. I jump ahead though and went to the cam gears. They lined up perfect. So investigating I went to the next test. Oh, I'd replaced the cam sensor and fixed the p0017 code but then it jumped to p0016 code. Second test is to pull the 2 cam sensors on the right cam gear cover, then turn the crank to 305 mark. there are 2 circle marking on the pulse wheels bolted to the front of the cam gears. they are kinda like little clocks with numbers making circles. They both have to line up perfectly with the holes for the 2 cam sensors. If they don't align, it's the balance shaft problem. But the one I had DID align, meaning there was no problem with the balance shaft gear. I wasn't going to pull the engine if I didn't have to. So the next step, I used a borescope to look at the gears. Pulled the valve covers and with rare patience, I looked at the gears on my laptop. No damage to the teeth on the gear, both rows were fine. Turned out to be a stretched timing chain, or that was my deduction. Also not that both those codes with put the car in limp mode, which is to limp it to the closet shop. Replaced the chain which is to connect new to old chain.rotate until the new replaces the old and reconnect. Don't try this at home. Fixed the problem. All the engine numbers and dates fell right into the one for the balance shaft. Problem is, every single search made on the engine came to balance shaft, like it was impossible for it to be anything else. 300 miles on it now with no signs of those code or limp mode. And that shop it came from replaced every coil and plug trying to fix the misfire codes which have since returned and when replacing the power steering pump for leak they didn't replace a seal and didn't bolt it on right, missing bolts which caused the belt to track on only part of an idler pulley. Oh, good video. Thanks.
Tim I'm in another country but are you sure of this? My CLK280 MY06 is fine but I have the engine no matching the balance shaft problem....? If it goes the car, which I love, is of no value...
@@IceMan-il7dx You don't have the same engine, this only refers to the 3.5L m272 and v8 m273. I have US Alldata and clk280 is not there, only a c280 and it has a 3.0L.
@@timthemechanix But mines the m272....don't get me wrong I don't want the problem but my engine was built July 05...I can dig up the no... I'm in Australia - we got the European CLK280 W209...
@@IceMan-il7dx I think '05 was before the problem - it was because the balance shaft was forged wrong and was tempered wrong. The one I have was early too and doesn't have the problem. And unless you have camshaft related trouble codes, don't sweat it. If it hasn't showed up in 13 years, it won't.
I drive an E39 530i and had an engine rebuild due to excessive cylinder wear which led to burning a lot of oil. I understand that depending on how these cars are driven in their early life the cylinders can warp or something similar and cause problems later. It's a common problem with both E39 and E60 models. Could be worth checking out. Thanks for your videos, they are superb.👍
I mean if you aren't looking at the overly ambitious motors or the foreign designed motors in american cars they're stupid reliable too I mean million mile reliable like old chevy trucks and the like literally they don't break
I've seen somebody accidentally put diesel in one with an SBC and it just ran rough for a few days but didn't stop running and after it was burned up it was fine
Fan for a couple of years. Turned this episode of Legit Street cars for something to watch while I was in the kitchen cooking. Crazy how the channel has evolved and how much more comfortable Alex is behind the camera and has a much more diverse fleet of cars
If the gear has slipped the chain, it usually comes up code P0016, P0017 for passenger side. It's possible to check alignment by removing the camshaft sensors, crank motor to 310 degrees, look in holes of sensors at alignment stamps. If they aren't visible crank another full turn clockwise to 310 degrees. The stamps are a circle of numbers and the circle should be dead center of both sensor holes. If off at all, timing chain has slipped a tooth.
Balance shaft is required because it’s cheaper to manufacture one engine design, in this case a V8 but for the V6 just with 2 cylinders less. V8s have a 90 degree V, but for a V6 it should be 60 degrees. At 90 degrees, the engine is out of balance and requires balance shafts to run smoothly. 90 degree V6s are made because they are cheaper to manufacture when you’re also making a V8. When you buy a Benz you’re thinking your buying a highly engineered car and not an engine designed by bean counters trying to save costs at the price engineering design.
We’ve had a CLK550 Coupe in the family since new. Four years in and about 35,000 Miles the death wobbles started. We did all the coils and sparks and it fixed it, now we’re at 170k and every time we get the wobbles we just do a major tune up
The first production year OM651 had some serious injector problem. All the injectors were sold for spare parts so the engine assembly line couldn't make new engines. Of course they fixed the problem quickly. Also a video about suspension and other stuff would be nice. For example a video about how to inspect track arms, ball joints etc.
F. Hammer: On steering and suspension joint testing Alex does exactly what I do - a large "Channel Lock " pliers to check for looseness quick and accurate.
My thumbs up for you, keep it up good work ...... sound like many high ends" luxury vehicles carry common problems in the engine after three years or before. This vehicle causes a lot of money to buy in the first place however they do not last. Therefore buyers to be aware of them. Reinvest money in generate income assets? such as rental properties, open a small business..... is the best way to go .....
I own a 2007 E350 which has the same engine. I am the second owner and the car now has 137k miles and believe it or not it's been super reliable "fingers crossed" and I drive it pretty much everyday and I drive it hard. I am not sure if my car is an early 2007 model or not. Great and informative video as always.
True information , I worked on a couple of ml models with the same problems when they came out. Tricky job but very nice to do when you love your job.....especially when you fire the beast up and it roars again.
You make it look easy. Every Mercedes I’ve ever owned is and has been junk. I own a 02 c320 wagon and 03 E500. A cesspool of problems. Tens of $1000’s in maintenance. Mechanics see them more than I have.
2000-2005 civics are known for auto transmission issues due to a internal screen and lack of proper fluid changes. There also known for head gasket issues in the base model engines. I have had the head gasket done but have kept the transmision alive by keeping the fluid changed regularly. Also have had issues with the camshaft sensor connection.
For the shake of completion, you don't need to simply discard a card with an engine in the potential list of affected ones. Only a small percentage of engines that are theoretically affected actually have the bad balance shaft gear. Fortunately there is a good test for this, consisting on removing 3 or 4 valve timing sensors (at the front of the engine, removed by simply unscrewing one screw at each one), and moving the crankshaft to a 305º position using a ratchet. You should see a circular mark through the holes, and it should be perfectly centered in each hole. If one of the banks is centered (both intake and exhaust) but the other is not, suspect for a stretched timing chain or degraded balance shaft, and that engine will definitely fail. Otherwise, if the car has, say 60k miles on it or higher, and the marks are perfectly aligned, you have nothing to worry about. This is, BTW, standard Mercedes procedure.
Zach: I agree, absolutely appreciate the effort that is obviously been put into this channel. It is right up my alley. I love Alex's approach, and I love his shop, clean, well lighted, organized, little clutter. It is obvious Alex "gets it" you can not be efficient, make a profit, getting things done with out the above items. GOOD JOB SIR!
Another annoying issue is the plastic part in the intake manifold that has to be replaced with a metal piece (don't buy an entire new intake manifold!!)
AngryPostmanSthlm: Most of the plastic parts and light alloy parts are about saving weight which saves MPG. Remember we are talking CAFE requirements and serious fines if you don't meet that requirement.
eurocarman this has nothing to do with the EPA and everything to do with an engineering practice called planned obsolescence--the manufacture banks on the repair money.
Food for thought: Mercedes-Benz knows exactly what it's doing, In that older generations were designed with the tion that the cars should last for decades and were very reliable. As times changed they realized that cars lasting for a long time, meant customers wouldn't purchase newer models, effectively reducing sales. So they designed cars with inherent flaws, expensive labor hours set ups and even more expensive parts. They realized that customers would pay, and dispute complaining, and each year or model was made with certain specs that would stand out to the specific market, they are flashy, with attractive features, but underneath that all, they don't build them for longevity, they're built for short term ownership then they are to be traded in at the end of the lease or or As a trade in for a new model after 3 years.
The need for the balance shaft was created by designing a 90° v6. Starting in 2011 the cylinder bank angle changed to 60° eliminating the need for a balancer.
allways inquire er... yeah. Toyota is still ranked #1 and #2 (Toyota/Lexus) for the most reliable on Consumer Reports reliability ranking for like 8 years running.
yep. my 1997 corolla with 180k KMS always drove peppy, easy to steer, small turning circle, no issues with w204's ESL (w204 Electronic steering lock: cost me 1600 to fix :( )
'06 E350 Wagon, 174k miles.. still running great. Edit: Car hit the shit.. Muffler fell off, something started to smoke under hood (guessing alternator), car rolls in park, oil is pitch black.. project car now🙄
@@PatricioGarcia1973 not really bc the intake ducts are connected to the top of the radiator support, legit right underneath the hood. He would have had to have water level up to the hood to get in. Only way an AMG hydro locks is from injectors getting stuck open on m156 engines.
Spray everything with 303 Aerospace Plastic/vinyl protectant every oil change. A catch can is also recommended to keep the inside of the intake clean. My 2008 C300 has 300k on it and never have I replaced the intake manifold. Solid cars.
I owned a 2006 cls350 The socalled ‚kettenrad‘ broke at 80.000 KM (!) and costed me 2k € (price was 6.500€ but mercedes payed the 4500€ part) Besides that everything on this car broke Electric windos system, transmission (2€ parts caused it!!!!) and many many more It was totally embarrassing having a break down in the middle of the city intersection Absolutely hilarious Glad i sold this mercedes shitbox Beautiful, elegant and smooth cars but the quality is pure shit We had 6 or 7 mercedes in our family and we wont buy any new mercedes Just lease mercedes, dont buy them..
krezo Mercedes is not what it was 30yrs ago... Cars were bullet proof, they earn respect with their innovation, reliability, luxury... Today they LOOK like shit, thansks to Slovenian car designer{and I'm Slovenian} and they use Renault dci engines on their low class models... And they are overpriced {heavily }.
krezo well there you go right there. It was an extremely well maintained car? Then you go on saying you talked to the previous owner. lol The guy abused the shit out of it. Thats why he sold it to you. Funny how you know the history of a car when you didnt even own it. Do you think the guy is going to tell you he abused the car when you are trying to buy it? I tell you, people can be dumb sometimes. You=DUMB.
krezo: This was not a good time for Mercedes - most of the models were as you described. They rusted easily, stupid (engineering related expensive repairs labor and parts). Any problem that is not addressed by the manufacture to replace the parts with (tested) new parts so it won't happen again are not on my good side. Rarely is that the case with Mercedes. But there are many factors here that are NOT manufacture related but dealer/re-seller issues. Bad technicians and parts people are also a factor here. Some repairs are not for the DIY folks without some help from good techs and parts people.
Since you are showing an old car and since you mentioned Honda, I'll share this one. Honda has been filling its CVTs on Jazz/Fit models with the wrong type of transmission oil for a few years after their release. There have been quite a few cases of Jazz/Fit owners who had broken transmissions (CVT) and had to completely replace it. This models also suffers from ignition coils ending up dead regularly. It has 8 in total and the 4 that are next to the exhaust die easily.
I have repaired the balanceshaft problem in mine ML350. It is actually for a experienced guy like me quite easy. But, yes engine needs to come out ;) However, in Sweden they want about 7500-8000 dollars for this job in dealership shops. I did it my self and changed all fluids, and also in tranny for about 800 dollars.
Just had my steering fluid pump replaced by Temecula, CA., Mercedes dealer...$400 for the pump....$1500 for LABOR..........I guess they're paying their mechanics $700 per hour...WHAT A FRIGGING RIP OFF.
Much appreciated man I have a 2008 C230 with the 2.5L M272 that I bought brand new and I had no idea of this problem! Will definitely be contacting my dealing and looking into this more
Hurry up man! 2008 + 10 years extended warranty per the pdf under the video and MBUSA will cover 38% of your repair !!!!!!!! HURRY !!!! 2008 + 10 = NOW !!
Love my Lexus ls430 2001 Has 278000 miles. With original starter and alternator. I also have a Lexus ls460l 2007 and it is a Awesome car!! Only buy Lexus or Toyota vehicles!!!
Andrew Villanueva I hate you😆😂. my 07 LS needed a starter after 10years😭😭😭😭😭. control arms JUST started to go. Everything else,Toyota to the T!! BTW, almost went 430,lusted after it for years,but the lot had similarly priced 460,and I dove head first!!
Don't kid yourselves Toyota has made a lot of lemons as well here in the uk they are now using bmw diesels as there own engines were so shit! Major head gasket issues with the d4d units till 2009 ( I know had it wasn't cheap ) gear box issues are common as well. Just have to do your research online take your chances!
allways inquire I will never buy a Mercedes-Benz or BMW vehicles. 3 car dealers told me not buy these vehicles. No many electrical problems. Even a few mechanics told me to never buy a Mercedes-Benz or BMW vehicles. One said within 3 years of ownership you will have problems. And they are expensive repairs if you cannot do the repairs yourself.
I bought a 08 c300 and did a shit ton of research but didnt know about the balance shaft issue but i found out they fixed it later on thank god my engine model was after they fixed it.
I just searched up balanced shaft problem with the engine and entered my vin. Go to this site www.mercedesmedic.com/check-my-mercedes-benz-for-balance-shaft-issue-by-vin-m272273/ and see if your engine came after or before the balance shaft problem. Read it well and enter your vin for your car then see if your engine number is higher then what is listed if it is it came after the balance shaft problem and you don't have to deal with it.
I Looked it up for my engine: I'm not affected by the bad batch as the last 6 digits of my engine number M272 are higher than 468993, and I don't have an M273 for which the engine number needs to be higher than 088611 to be outside the affected bad batch. -- However, my engine's fault codes are related to the "late adjusting exhaust camshaft solenoids" that cause Fault Code: P1200 or P1208 Pending or Stored, or Fault codes 0059, 0060, 0063, 0064, 0271, 0272, 0275, and 0276. In my case it's 0060 and 0064. It says in your link that: If you have these codes you should check for an oil leak at the camshaft adjustment solenoids (the following link does not seem to show solenoids for MB: www.amazon.com/s/?field-keywords=camshaft%20solenoids&tag=mercmedi00-20
Me and my wife have had a 2008 Subaru Tribeca for 8 years. We have put 100000 miles on it. Only required service and change of oil and filter and tires...and thats pretty much it. Nothing else is done, and still runs like new. Quality de luxe!
Used to drive a Lexus rx400h until I needed a third row. Many years later they came out with one and its terrible (RXL). 2008 MB R320 CDI with 140k miles-> ftw ^^
Bo Han or just don’t buy a old Mercedes from the DaimlerChrysler era, just don’t buy from 2006-2011, 2012 and onwards, Mercedes Benz makes super reliable engines and transmissions that last a long time.
@@FormerpresidentHathaway. Would you explain a little more....2013 and later is better than...I have a 2004 E320- 130 miles just need to change oxygen sensors....But my next car may not be MB due to all the problems I hear about....MB should put more into R&D instead of financing football stadiums, stupid.
dill mann 2004 was still under DaimlerChrysler and the quality was still declining, 2006-2011 was rock bottom with quality, until they started replacing older generation engines and transmissions from the DaimlerChrysler era, 2012 and current the newer generation Cars from Mercedes are now reliable with engines and transmissions, suspension. They still get minor software glitches, because the cars so super advance than any other cars in the world.
Hyundai had to buy back my 2016 Tuscon with the 1.5 turbo engine and dual clutch transmission. After multiple program updates and replacing the control motors the SUV would still just go out of gear going down the road. Up hill in the mountain and no transmission was fun! They blamed me till the car display finally came up with message on transmission failure. Talk to many others with same problem. They still sell this transmission but I see in 2019 they are giving it up. Got every penneyI paid cash and all taxes, insurance. Actually love the ride and handling if it only had a different tranny!
Yes but in the overall history of the company that is negligible. I also believe it is only in the USA due to locally sourced parts and local assembly. That is the only period and that is 20 years ago!
Jay its seriously true. Look at the comments here. They are usually very helpful with people listing other issues or how they figured something out. I'm going to use these to make more videos like this as I can't know all the cool interesting issues with every car. Thanks for the kind words, see you next video. Alex
Having done automotive training videos, I really like your style and information. Actually considering one of these cars and remember fixing one in my shop a few years ago with the same issue. Keep up the good work. I have subscribed. Rich
Before you go buy those solenoids, swap the matching left and right solenoids to see that the code moves. I replaced solenoids only to find that the internal oil value and cam timing mechanism in one cylinder bank was the problem. That cost $4,500 to have repaired. My local shop wouldn't touch a 10 year old SUV, said it was basically worthless. Yeah, Expect about $600 per month in repairs to keep one of these on the road.
ragingbull94mtx I was looking at getting an old Acura CL at one point but all the ones I saw were autos and everyone said the transmission will eventually nuke itself.
The extended warranty is worth every penny. Two balance shafts in the four years I owned my 2006 ML350. Besides the airmatic suspension my 2011 GL450 has been flawless in the over 100K I've had it and again it's with the extended warranty.
I think I need to make a comment about what you said about the "repair cost being greater than the what the car is worth. This is a pretty common mantra most often about Mercedes cars and I want to make a couple of observations. Certainly there are times when fixing something is simply not worth the cost and effort. But rarely does that exceed what the car is worth all things being equal. It all depends on how the words "value" and "worth" are defined. If the car is perfectly satisfactory and suitable for the owner's needs, then it is probably always worth fixing as opposed to replacing the car, assuming the replacement is with one of EXACTLY the same specifications and quality, assuming that the subject car doesn't have a dozen other serious problems that need to be addressed soon also. Whether the car will be worth fixing as opposed to the repair being more than the car's value will depend on how much it will cost to replace that car, including ALL costs in addition to purchase price, excise taxes, interest on the loan (or loss of interest if cash already held is used) and increased insurance cost. This is especially so if the car needing repair is subject to a loan already. There is significant difference between what Kelly Blue Book (for example) says a car is WORTH, and what VALUE it has to the owner of the vehicle when it is running and on dependably on the road. (This is actually a pitch for aggressive maintenance, of course.)
Toyota is the best. A lot of people hate on them because they build vehicles for the majority of people. Reliable, dependable, comfortable with good quality. Every year Toyota is at the top of consumers lists and sells millions for a reason. I'm happy with my Toyota but if I ever decide to buy a luxury car, its going to be a Lexus.
toyota rides terrible normal quallity ugly no new technoligies not much better from any other manufacturer only advantage they dont brake down so often thats all
Intake manifold tublbe flap arms, cam plugs leak like crazy, centrifuges leak like crazy, vacuum pumps leak. Power steering pump o rings leak. I've seen multiple with a burnt exhaust valve on the right bank. Oil filter housing leaks. Belt rides too far out on the tensioner and causes a noise. Mostly leaks on these engines lol Timing them isn't so bad since the chain only goes on the intake cam adjusters. Something we see often too is an excessive draw from the starter. It will pull 400-500 amps and act like a weak battery
Don’t be a poor man that can’t work on his own shit, owning cars that belonged to a wealthy man. These cars will only make your wallet more empty.. I had a young helper at work that bought a used Jaguar because he thought it was “pimpin’ “. It’s been sitting at the transmission shop for close to six months.
I see quite a few people who own older luxury cars. All luxury become affordable after several years. But the cost of repairs will always be higher than average.
@@briananthony4044 Jaguar uses mercedes gearboxes and europe/states is full of junkyards were you could buy a spare tranny or parts for less than 800 bucks. I sense a bullshit story.
My E class 2.8 3L V6 with 280.000 Ran perfect without any problems I take of the DPF and i make new remapping with 65 more hp Always I change on time the engine oil and filters Is amazing with lot of power
Please, everybody, for your sake take my advice stemming from my experience.. Stay THE HELL away from EVERY mercedes V12 ever made. Those cars are a never ending reoccurring fever dream of problems and issues no matter how much they've been babied.
SL320 driver here. Just turned 160,000 miles. Only real problem is the oil leak by the cam chain. That said, I want a V12 for the irrational reason of "magnificent Germanic" complication. Driving one in the mountains or ripping along the autobahn, there is nothing to compare with a 12 cylinder motor. You become Adolf Galland in a Bf-109 totally dominating the Spitfires (Jaguars) and Thunderbolts (Cadillacs). Gobs of smooth power and that intoxicating whining growl. Agree that you should buy a new one and not one that has been flogged. Do the maintenance and enjoy the incomparable V12 feeling.
As someone who had an s600 i can say yeah stay the fuck away awesome engine loved it to death but holy crap once the oil cooler started leaking it went downhill from there
It's long been known that the automotive industry started from! 2000 a. to produce and do it full crap ! and what time it goes on worse! Keep those words In mind !
Just when you thought this channel could not get any more useful, it does. Finally an automotive RUclipsr who focuses on the technical aspects of cars!! As for suggestions how about 1. the problems with the Porsche M96 engine and the IMS. cover the fact that early M97’s up 08 were also a problem but worse because you can not get the bigger ims out of the engine case. (I also think flat 6 innovation is local to you in IL) 2. The issues with the 722 trans and the leaking sleeve that fills the computers with trans fluid. BMW also suffer with mechatronic sleeve leaks. 3. How about BMW N65 V8 valve stem oil seals AGA does a kit of tools to make the repair affordable. 4. The dangers of carbon buildup on direct injection engines, BMW N54’s were notoriously bad but mini’s and VW’s may have problems. 5. Mini Had a water pump issue I got a letter about a warranty extension on the 4 cylinder Cooper engine (my car is a 2010.)
Oh, man. The balance shaft issue! I loved seeing those. Mercedes has always done really stupid stuff. Their older V6 engines, with the aluminum intake with the runner flaps, I've seen several where the runner plastic flap shaft wore through the (aluminum) intake manifold, causing an obviously serious and expensive to repair vacuum leak. It was in cars like the E320. Here's a fun German problem - the 06 up BMW magnesium/aluminum I6 engine uses all aluminum bolts except the bolts that actually seal the combustion chambers to the block. The head bolt just behind the oil filter will spontaneously break, as will others, but this one causes a massive oil leak since the oil passages between the block, oil filter, and oil cooler pass through that area. It's not THAT hard a fix. You can usually just spin the bolt out by drilling a dimple into it and turning it out with a small screwdriver. But it's an idiotic problem that shouldn't have happened. 06 Volkswagen with the 2.0 direct injected gasoline engine, the high pressure oil pump lobe on the intake cam would fail - new cam, follower, and sometimes pump. Interesting thing is the lobes on those cams, the normal ones for the valves, are pressed on and you can knock them off with a soft mallet and a few mild blows. 05 and 06 Volkswagen with 1.9 TDI had the wrong steel in the camshafts or they weren't tempered right, and the cams would go flat. Bad time for VW camshafts. Touaregs, you have to pull the driver seat assembly to change the battery. Ridiculous design. Also, you have to drop the engine and transmission out of the car to change the starter. First generation Boxsters have an anti-theft module under a cover in the floor under the driver's seat. Yes, a module that if it gets wet will disable the car and cost you too much money, is in the lowest point of the floor of a convertible. Brilliant design. The "V6" in early Cayennes is actually an updated VR6.
It’s funny because the 3 litre inline six diesel Mercedes produced, was probably one of the most reliable car engines ever made. And very strong for tuning.
Also intake manifold.Apparently also common mistake. It broke down on my E class,but i have 3.0 liter variant.Cost in total at the dealership was 1060 euros. That was about 2 and half years ago.But since the car now has around 420 000 km, i am not complaining too much,because that was only major issue in 4 years since i got it.Other is normal wear and tear,brakes,rear spring,rear wheel bearing etc.. All in all,i am quite satisfied.Or maybe i'm just lucky :)
I know, it was a joke. But please do tell. I can feature that in a future video. I remember Honda had trans issues in the late 90s. Was there more to that? Alex
I brought a C230k in 2003 brand new. All these years, I spend more money to fix it than buying it. I also brought a Odyssey in 98 brand new, I have no problem with it. It never been to the dealer for repairs.
No excuse for such poor reliability on such an expensive car. the complexity of these engines is staggering..as others have said, if you want to drive a M-B, lease for 3 years and then get rid of it.
99% of the faults are not mercedes, bmw, honda or etc fault. they buy majority parts from 3rd partyes like these balance shafts where made from poor metal. how the fuck would they know that until 10 years had passed?
![Twenty One Pilots - The Line (from Arcane Season 2) [Official Audio]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/XCz7WUotXs8/mqdefault.jpg)
If anyone has an idea for a future video in this series, post up or email. Legitstreetcars@gmail.com. I can get my hands on a lot of different cars so this could be fun. Must be something interesting like a major design flaw, something really expensive or very common. Can't wait to hear from you.
LegitStreetCars some bmws the frame/ subframe cracks
Isnt there a really tricky rtv sealant pattern you have to apply?
Also lets not forget ABC hoses rupturing and the system/valves failing lol
E 63 head bolt problems
audi's 4.2 liter timing chain tensions are made of cheap plastic and require the engine to be lifted for replacement. common on many S/RS cars
my dad has been working for mercedes for over 30 years and has been telling me about this is balance shaft issue for a while now. Its great to see a video like this from a professional mercedes mechanic. you can get great deals on these cars now because most people get scared when they see the $10k estimate and give the car away for free basically. $500 in parts and a couple of days of work aint bad at all for what you get.
Yeh a good way to get a european car on the cheap if you're a mechanic.
I no longer own a Mercedes vehicle, but for many years I owned a lot of the old classic sedans like the W108. I found this video, and frankly all your videos, to be immensely interesting and engaging. Keep up the great work! I especially like your perspective on the relative costs and feasability of self-repair vs. full-priced Dealer repairs.
Something like this should be a recall to fix all the affected engines. That is definitely a manufacturers defect. How was their not a class action lawsuit?
Agreed!
There was
From one Mercedes tech to another I send my support. It's amazing you are helping owners with their over priced repairs.
I bought a 2011 ML350 4matic as my first car just over a 1.5 years ago and good lord it was the best purchase I've ever made. $18,000 and 85k miles on it, dark grey with new wheels, brakes, and fluids. I've already put over 15,000 miles on it. The performance and ride comfort is unparalleled. It feels like a tank, and rides like a cloud. Only sometimes I wish I had the V8 550, but then the engine hits 3500rpm and I forget such silly thoughts. It looks so sleek and beautiful, most people ask me if it is a 2015 or 2016 model! They're blown away when I tell them to go back another decade. I feel safe driving it in any environment, and confident taking it to the middle of nowhere, knowing it'll get me back home without breaking a sweat. This car works perfectly for my everyday driving to school and work, but it thrives as a roadtrip king. I can eat up mile after mile in my ML without noticing, and it only gets better mileage as well. A few weeks ago I went on a 650 mile roadtrip roundtrip, and averaged 22mpg and only going through 1.5 tanks of gas.The space is perfect for me, I've taken it on a few camping trips and I'm able to load everything and everyone I need very easily, and it's nice knowing that in the future I can add a trailer to it or some nice roof racks as well. I won't lie, I've even been tempted by the ram bars because little kid me saw the First Gen in Jurassic Park like that, but I want to keep the clean look instead.
If you are looking for one, get a facelifted model that fixes most issues. So far I have had only one unexpected issue with the brakelights. Apparently the wiring harness on them is weak and known to fail on many MLs, but the fix was only $50 from the shop. Since the engineering is so smart too I was still able to drive around, as it used the functioning tail lights as a backup brake light. Look up how the repairs look on youtube and you can spot if it has been done to an ML you want to purchase, as it will likely need changing at this point in time. In addition, I had my service A, transmission service, and spark plugs done since I've owned the car. Service A from my SoCal dealership was quoted $250 and the transmission service I was quoted at $626. This was when I scouted for a local mechanic who quoted me at only $300 for transmission, $100 for my oil and filter. $75 for transfer case fluid as well. The sparks I changed myself from watching YT videos, and only cost about $100 after buying all parts and tools. It did eat up 6 hours of my time though, but was well worth it. Soon I look at replacing my front rotors, tires, brakes, and replacing the air filters and swapping differential fluids. All costly, but I was aware this will need to be done in time. And it will be well worth it to keep my beast on the road for many years to come.
I bought a ml350 2008 I’m having the brake light issue lol I want a gl now with air suspension.
Can you share your mechanic in SoCal
@@melmelcorvette late reply but did you ever end up going for the GL?
@@95x300 Elite Motors in Mission Viejo. They do such an awesome job, give good advice, and even throw me freebies from time to time. Never taking my car back to a regular dealer and the ML still thrives at 155k miles on the odo!
So if you hear a knocking in the front of the engine until it warms up could this be the shaft, those plastic parts?
Hey Alex, thanks for this video. I'm the second owner of a 2006 W203 C350 with the M272 engine, and its serial number is well within the danger zone for this balance shaft issue. The thing is, I'm at 182,000 miles without any indication of there being a problem. I'm in contact with the first owner, and he doesn't remember ever getting the balance shaft fixed, so I must've gotten really lucky!
When I first got the car, I did a lot of repair work on common engine issues the first owner neglected, like replacing the recalled camshaft adjuster magnets you mentioned (exhaust camshaft position timing over-retarded codes), replacing the broken plastic intake manifold actuator rod with an aluminum URO kit (intake manifold runner control stuck open code), and replacing a faulty MAF (fuel trim codes). Now my car runs so well, and it's been thousands of miles since I last had a check engine light (gone after doing my repairs).
You are indeed very lucky if you are on your original balance shaft. It could have been replaced under warranty long ago and maybe the previous owner didn't remember. Its funny how we only remember what we pay for, haha. Call the dealer where it was serviced while under warranty. They may be able to look up the records.
Alex
Haha, very true. Thanks for the reply and great content
@@RPLNFA what codes did you have on your c350?
Whats the serial number out of range mean under or over?
Im a bought to buy one in the next few day i have two serial numbers gotta choose Which one to buy lollll
Love your videos Alex, very informative with honest no bullshit content. I’ve been in the business over 25yrs, I’m a tech also and always learning and your content has helped me fix/modify cars and I thank you for that brother 👊🏼
I appreciate you Alex....for passing on all of your wisdom to us.....and all of the free info...you work your ass off and it shows....been a subscriber since about 12k subs.....always looking forward to your next video....salute to you bro!🤘
Dude thanks so much. This really means a lot to me. See you in the next video.
Alex
Thank you for creating this channel, it is awesome. You should do a video about the 722.9 transmission, especially the early ones!
New viewer and I'm hooked on these informative videos. It is so nice to have someone highlight very expensive potential catastrophe failures on these MB vehicles. Alex's presentation is so straightforward and very easy to follow. All business and I walk away feeling so much more informed. My newest favorite channel. Keep up the great work.
U rite
Had a 2006 E-350 with the balance shaft issue. Took a dealer 3 weeks to do the job and about $6300. Lasted 2 months and needed a new engine! Was told by a local mechanic the dealer never should have done the balance shaft job, as there was already bits of metal floating in the engine, which ultimately caused the engine failure.
My second and last Mercedes
you could buy a new one for the same money. it is your fault to repair it.
If it came in with the P1200/1208 code we used to drain the oil and stick a flexible magnet in the drain hole and if we fished out any metal pieces, Bam. Confirmed You need a balance shaft.
I've done a handful of these a few years ago
Ya I used to do that too. You can also pop off the timing cover on the right side and boroscpoe but really if it was in that range, it needed on sooner or later.
Alex
Does this apply to the 2010 ml350 or did mb resolve it by then , pertaining to balance shaft issues , or any other issues relating to the 2010 ml350 sport
@@allancooper3865 they say they fixed it,
Mercedes M111 and M271 engines often have oil leaks at the camshaft adjustment magnets. The oil will spread though the wiring harness and destroy the ECU and various sensors. There is an adapter from Mercedes that goes between the magnet and the wiring with stops the oil from spreading.
Driving the M111, i had to buy a new magnet. The adapter wasn`t available for my car.(W210, 1996)
Was going to buy a 07 cls tomorrow until i saw this video😳 Got the vin ran it car was built july of 06. Checked the engine # and yup it could potentially have this problem. Thanks for saving me $7k!
Not to sure what the problem is but I have a 2005 CLS 350 and currently on 239400 miles on the clock. Not had any issues ....it's a fun car to have
Nyembani Handema the problem started in 07 when they came out with the 550 engines. Somewhere around 2008 is when the issue was resolved
He didn't save you..You did
There are literally no cars on the road with this issue. You freaked out and missed out on a deal.
Lmao wtf and you situation is specific to you a video is just a video dude
Of all the vehicles that I've owned and worked on over the years, I've found cars that range between $18K and $24K seem to be the most reliable and cheapest to fix in the long run.
Thanks for the MB links. I have 2009 SL550 with 14.2k miles on it. Went to the dealership and requested a VMI sheet via VIN. They gave it to me with no issues. My engine # is 2739..30-230143. So my car has the updated balance shaft instead of the inferior balance shaft. Whew!!! what a relief.👏👏👏👏👍👍👍
You could have a whole series on the BMW E65/E66 and common issues that they presented in the earlier years.. valve stem seals, alternator bracket, carbon build up in the secondary air system, etc
Awesome. I'll start doing my research.
Alex
The alternator bracket is a f****n joke! Essentially a built in fault to get you back into the stealership for a $1000+ repair! I hate my e65
The sooner you learn that the 7 series owns you the better off you'll be haha!
Ever wonder why a car needs a water cooled alternator?
@@eurocarman Because the Germans love to overcomplicate things.
I had a 2006 CLS350 and went through 2 motors because of the balance shaft! Beautiful car to drive but the motor lets it down . My advise... if you have this car... get rid of it ASAP .... if you like the styling of it, opt for the V8 version.
Having owned and given up a 2006 ML 350 I enjoyed seeing the problems now easily solved.
Will forward this to the current owner.
Would like you to do a series on the SLK R171 generation looking at problems and solutions.
Had a transmission computer failure at 34K on a 280 which I found unusual even though the car was 6 years at the time.
Since I intend to keep it as a classic would really like to see more in-depth material on the R171.
Thanks
Are there any issues with the 6.2L AMG engine used in the Mercedes of this Era?
Fast wearing teeth and chain (3:18) makes nice steel particles that move thru the oil galleries and wear accelerates exponentially; the bearings must love it...
Would have been nice to see the work being done on the solenoids. I like watching the wrenching as much as the rest of ya show. 👍👌
If I remember right there's a filter for the air compressor for the air suspension on these, and if it gets clogged up it can cause the compressor to fail prematurely. It lives above the wheel on the passenger side, behind the wheel well cover. Same thing with the GLs.
Your videos are done well. I owned a European repair shop during the early 70's thru the late 90's I watched the these cars get ruined over government regulations, pollution controls, and the new "no maintenance" logic. Most lack of maintenance is related to the annual maintenance cost being included on window stickers starting in the early 90's. I have driven a MB, BMW and Volvo cars over 500k reliable miles. But I don't subscribe to "no maintenance" or if it's not broken don't fix it!!
The balance shaft was only the tip of the iceberg for my r350. Total engine failure at 120K. Had codes showing magenets, replaced those, code went away, 500 km later engine blown. Took apart the intake manifold, all flaps broken. Oh and the timing jumped. Found pieces of piston and valve in the oil pan. Sourced a low mileage 2011 v6 from a GLK, then guess what after running well for 3 months, transmission broke!!!! Early 722.9s had a bushing instead of bearing for the pump. Bushing spun and sheared the 2 drive teeth for the pump. I'm rebuilding the transmission now Rear air suspension failed as one side of the car sank. Converted to springs. I should have bought a Toyota Venza. I've owned Audis, BMWs and lots of Japanese and my Mercedes R350 has been the worst vehicle I've owned. AVOID AVOID AVOID!!!!!
I take it was an 06-07? Thats really bad luck. Glad you are out of it.
Alex
Awesomenesss Prime oh yea I’ve learned the hard way! I’ll never again buy an imported truck or suv! I’ll stick to Chevys from now on!
Was an 06. Hilariously bad for was at the time a 10 year old car
Shouldn't have bought an Alabama car. 😅 not even suprized about the issues you had. Sucks but it is a crap shoot on weather you get a lemon or not.
Awesomenesss Prime I
I've had Toyota and Honda and both had expensive manufacting problems (RAV4: air conditioning, ridiculouslly high oil consumption, water mysteriously getting in the fuel and causing the #4 cylinder to misfire and causing the valve to break off, radio failure, speaker failure, spare tire holder.
Honda Fit: horrible radio computer and it's many glitches, confused transmission that can get dangerously stuck, poorly desinged undercarriage, touch screen failures from hell, tire pressure monitors, vtec solenoid that go out for no reason, ) Mercedes GLS 450 however is engineered extremely well, especially if you take care of it. To each their own I guess.
Hey, I'm a mechanic, been one for about 40 years. I just finished an '06 Mercedes ml350, v6, 3.5 that came to my shop from another shop 130 miles south of me. That shop had given a quote on the same bulletin listed here. They quoted $4700 for the repairs. I've been doing this too many years to go on another shops diagnosis. Especially with the other shoddy repairs they had already made. They towed it that distance.
Anyway, I pulled the codes with my Snap On Modis Edge. There were a bunch of codes, all sorts of misfires, none relating to those listed in the TSB (Technical Service Bulletin) except for a p0017. And for it to meet the criteria it would also need a p0016. And my data showed the exhaust camshaft sensor flat lining. I'd already quoted almost half of they other to replace the balance shaft, so I tore into it the work. I jump ahead though and went to the cam gears. They lined up perfect. So investigating I went to the next test. Oh, I'd replaced the cam sensor and fixed the p0017 code but then it jumped to p0016 code. Second test is to pull the 2 cam sensors on the right cam gear cover, then turn the crank to 305 mark. there are 2 circle marking on the pulse wheels bolted to the front of the cam gears. they are kinda like little clocks with numbers making circles. They both have to line up perfectly with the holes for the 2 cam sensors. If they don't align, it's the balance shaft problem. But the one I had DID align, meaning there was no problem with the balance shaft gear.
I wasn't going to pull the engine if I didn't have to. So the next step, I used a borescope to look at the gears. Pulled the valve covers and with rare patience, I looked at the gears on my laptop. No damage to the teeth on the gear, both rows were fine. Turned out to be a stretched timing chain, or that was my deduction. Also not that both those codes with put the car in limp mode, which is to limp it to the closet shop.
Replaced the chain which is to connect new to old chain.rotate until the new replaces the old and reconnect. Don't try this at home. Fixed the problem. All the engine numbers and dates fell right into the one for the balance shaft. Problem is, every single search made on the engine came to balance shaft, like it was impossible for it to be anything else. 300 miles on it now with no signs of those code or limp mode.
And that shop it came from replaced every coil and plug trying to fix the misfire codes which have since returned and when replacing the power steering pump for leak they didn't replace a seal and didn't bolt it on right, missing bolts which caused the belt to track on only part of an idler pulley.
Oh, good video. Thanks.
Tim I'm in another country but are you sure of this? My CLK280 MY06 is fine but I have the engine no matching the balance shaft problem....? If it goes the car, which I love, is of no value...
@@IceMan-il7dx You don't have the same engine, this only refers to the 3.5L m272 and v8 m273. I have US Alldata and clk280 is not there, only a c280 and it has a 3.0L.
Yeah googled it and it's a 3.0. You won't have this problem.
@@timthemechanix But mines the m272....don't get me wrong I don't want the problem but my engine was built July 05...I can dig up the no...
I'm in Australia - we got the European CLK280 W209...
@@IceMan-il7dx I think '05 was before the problem - it was because the balance shaft was forged wrong and was tempered wrong. The one I have was early too and doesn't have the problem. And unless you have camshaft related trouble codes, don't sweat it. If it hasn't showed up in 13 years, it won't.
I drive an E39 530i and had an engine rebuild due to excessive cylinder wear which led to burning a lot of oil. I understand that depending on how these cars are driven in their early life the cylinders can warp or something similar and cause problems later. It's a common problem with both E39 and E60 models. Could be worth checking out. Thanks for your videos, they are superb.👍
You definitely got it right on Honda and Toyota.
I mean if you aren't looking at the overly ambitious motors or the foreign designed motors in american cars they're stupid reliable too I mean million mile reliable like old chevy trucks and the like literally they don't break
I've seen somebody accidentally put diesel in one with an SBC and it just ran rough for a few days but didn't stop running and after it was burned up it was fine
repairvehicle is that so I have a 2013 Civic for you then
Yeah. Honda's automatic transmissions are just wonderful.
repairvehicle Not necessarily.
Fan for a couple of years. Turned this episode of Legit Street cars for something to watch while I was in the kitchen cooking. Crazy how the channel has evolved and how much more comfortable Alex is behind the camera and has a much more diverse fleet of cars
My 06 E55 been really good to me overall at 170 000 miles. I enjoy your channel!
Look at that c430 (beater bodied), 178k and as a driver and the "25ft look" it is great!!
If the gear has slipped the chain, it usually comes up code P0016, P0017 for passenger side. It's possible to check alignment by removing the camshaft sensors, crank motor to 310 degrees, look in holes of sensors at alignment stamps. If they aren't visible crank another full turn clockwise to 310 degrees. The stamps are a circle of numbers and the circle should be dead center of both sensor holes. If off at all, timing chain has slipped a tooth.
Balance shaft is required because it’s cheaper to manufacture one engine design, in this case a V8 but for the V6 just with 2 cylinders less. V8s have a 90 degree V, but for a V6 it should be 60 degrees. At 90 degrees, the engine is out of balance and requires balance shafts to run smoothly. 90 degree V6s are made because they are cheaper to manufacture when you’re also making a V8. When you buy a Benz you’re thinking your buying a highly engineered car and not an engine designed by bean counters trying to save costs at the price engineering design.
Unbelievable how marketing works and shame on them
We’ve had a CLK550 Coupe in the family since new. Four years in and about 35,000 Miles the death wobbles started. We did all the coils and sparks and it fixed it, now we’re at 170k and every time we get the wobbles we just do a major tune up
The first production year OM651 had some serious injector problem. All the injectors were sold for spare parts so the engine assembly line couldn't make new engines. Of course they fixed the problem quickly. Also a video about suspension and other stuff would be nice. For example a video about how to inspect track arms, ball joints etc.
The problem also occurred only in colder climates i think
F. Hammer: On steering and suspension joint testing Alex does exactly what I do - a large "Channel Lock " pliers to check for looseness quick and accurate.
My thumbs up for you, keep it up good work ...... sound like many high ends" luxury vehicles carry common problems in the engine after three years or before. This vehicle causes a lot of money to buy in the first place however they do not last. Therefore buyers to be aware of them. Reinvest money in generate income assets? such as rental properties, open a small business.....
is the best way to go .....
I own a 2007 E350 which has the same engine. I am the second owner and the car now has 137k miles and believe it or not it's been super reliable "fingers crossed" and I drive it pretty much everyday and I drive it hard. I am not sure if my car is an early 2007 model or not. Great and informative video as always.
I have an 08 E350 with 131k on it. No issues at all...
Mine is in the range, Benz won't say if it was fixed. 118,000 miles...
I have a 2007 E550 with 156k miles and I’ve been daily driving it since I bought it with 130k miles
True information , I worked on a couple of ml models with the same problems when they came out. Tricky job but very nice to do when you love your job.....especially when you fire the beast up and it roars again.
$6500 repair at 44.5k 06 E350, MBUSA did end up covering 15% so my out of pocket was $5400!!!!!!!!!!!!
You make it look easy. Every Mercedes I’ve ever owned is and has been junk. I own a 02 c320 wagon and 03 E500. A cesspool of problems. Tens of $1000’s in maintenance. Mechanics see them more than I have.
Would love to see common problems on old and even new AMG models.
Open the hood, point at something, and that usually breaks. Point at something else, and that can be problematic.
Lmfao
2000-2005 civics are known for auto transmission issues due to a internal screen and lack of proper fluid changes. There also known for head gasket issues in the base model engines. I have had the head gasket done but have kept the transmision alive by keeping the fluid changed regularly. Also have had issues with the camshaft sensor connection.
Thanks for introducing me to FCP Euro!
For the shake of completion, you don't need to simply discard a card with an engine in the potential list of affected ones. Only a small percentage of engines that are theoretically affected actually have the bad balance shaft gear. Fortunately there is a good test for this, consisting on removing 3 or 4 valve timing sensors (at the front of the engine, removed by simply unscrewing one screw at each one), and moving the crankshaft to a 305º position using a ratchet. You should see a circular mark through the holes, and it should be perfectly centered in each hole. If one of the banks is centered (both intake and exhaust) but the other is not, suspect for a stretched timing chain or degraded balance shaft, and that engine will definitely fail. Otherwise, if the car has, say 60k miles on it or higher, and the marks are perfectly aligned, you have nothing to worry about. This is, BTW, standard Mercedes procedure.
Sweet video keep doing what you are doing
Thanks Zach, appreciate all the support man.
Alex
Zach: I agree, absolutely appreciate the effort that is obviously been put into this channel. It is right up my alley. I love Alex's approach, and I love his shop, clean, well lighted, organized, little clutter. It is obvious Alex "gets it" you can not be efficient, make a profit, getting things done with out the above items. GOOD JOB SIR!
this absolutely one of the top car repair RUclips channels.
Another annoying issue is the plastic part in the intake manifold that has to be replaced with a metal piece (don't buy an entire new intake manifold!!)
J FERRARI Why the hell would they put plastic near something so hot? My guess is to be cheap.
Adam Smith hello Adam I hate to tell you this, but most new cars and trucks built today have “plastic” intake manifolds!
AngryPostmanSthlm: Most of the plastic parts and light alloy parts are about saving weight which saves MPG. Remember we are talking CAFE requirements and serious fines if you don't meet that requirement.
eurocarman this has nothing to do with the EPA and everything to do with an engineering practice called planned obsolescence--the manufacture banks on the repair money.
It is an opinion thing - mine doesn't agree with yours - EPA, crash standards, CAFE has everything to do with it
family had a 07 E350 with 54k.....super super clean....balance shaft issue came up....sold it shortly thereafter to a Mercedes mechanic
smart man
Food for thought: Mercedes-Benz knows exactly what it's doing, In that older generations were designed with the tion that the cars should last for decades and were very reliable. As times changed they realized that cars lasting for a long time, meant customers wouldn't purchase newer models, effectively reducing sales. So they designed cars with inherent flaws, expensive labor hours set ups and even more expensive parts. They realized that customers would pay, and dispute complaining, and each year or model was made with certain specs that would stand out to the specific market, they are flashy, with attractive features, but underneath that all, they don't build them for longevity, they're built for short term ownership then they are to be traded in at the end of the lease or or As a trade in for a new model after 3 years.
That is a general statement that includes all cars today
News that matter Well said. it applies to everything we buy.
It's nothing new. It was invented by the founding member of GM in the 1930's. It's called planned obsolescence
The need for the balance shaft was created by designing a 90° v6. Starting in 2011 the cylinder bank angle changed to 60° eliminating the need for a balancer.
He is 100% right about Toyota, they are absolutely bulletproof!!
DeathMammoth err no they are not! The old pre 2000s maybe news ones not so much do a Google search
allways inquire er... yeah. Toyota is still ranked #1 and #2 (Toyota/Lexus) for the most reliable on Consumer Reports reliability ranking for like 8 years running.
yep. my 1997 corolla with 180k KMS always drove peppy, easy to steer, small turning circle, no issues with w204's ESL (w204 Electronic steering lock: cost me 1600 to fix :( )
I own 3 US spec Lexus's with V8's. Not a single issue besides maintenance.
vidurc well in that case they must all be good. Lol. I have a Mercedes and it’s been fine other than maintenance too, 150k on it so far.
@ Michael Schneider Thats good too hear. Im starting to do some maintenance on mines today. Happy about my purchase.
'06 E350 Wagon, 174k miles.. still running great.
Edit: Car hit the shit.. Muffler fell off, something started to smoke under hood (guessing alternator), car rolls in park, oil is pitch black.. project car now🙄
Did you fix it? Did you find what was wrong with it? I was thinking about getting one
Love this mercedes shape had 2 now! Your right once small problems fixed and oil changed all time last ages
Suggestion for new episode: hydro-locking C63 engine due to air intake design flaws.
how many of these have happened? Just one?
Every Mercedes has almost the same intake design. And I've NEVER heard of a hydro lock on and Benz, let alone AMGs.
Pete Putros if he drove it submerged it could have happened, but have to be a complete moron to do it...
@@PatricioGarcia1973 not really bc the intake ducts are connected to the top of the radiator support, legit right underneath the hood. He would have had to have water level up to the hood to get in.
Only way an AMG hydro locks is from injectors getting stuck open on m156 engines.
Spray everything with 303 Aerospace Plastic/vinyl protectant every oil change. A catch can is also recommended to keep the inside of the intake clean. My 2008 C300 has 300k on it and never have I replaced the intake manifold. Solid cars.
I owned a 2006 cls350
The socalled ‚kettenrad‘ broke at 80.000 KM (!) and costed me 2k € (price was 6.500€ but mercedes payed the 4500€ part)
Besides that everything on this car broke
Electric windos system, transmission (2€ parts caused it!!!!) and many many more
It was totally embarrassing having a break down in the middle of the city intersection
Absolutely hilarious
Glad i sold this mercedes shitbox
Beautiful, elegant and smooth cars but the quality is pure shit
We had 6 or 7 mercedes in our family and we wont buy any new mercedes
Just lease mercedes, dont buy them..
By the way, it was an extremely well maintained car, i checked the whole history, preowner talked to me for a long time..
krezo Mercedes is not what it was 30yrs ago... Cars were bullet proof, they earn respect with their innovation, reliability, luxury... Today they LOOK like shit, thansks to Slovenian car designer{and I'm Slovenian} and they use Renault dci engines on their low class models... And they are overpriced {heavily }.
thats literally any euro luxury vehicle... dont keep past warranty.
krezo
well there you go right there. It was an extremely well maintained car? Then you go on saying you talked to the previous owner. lol The guy abused the shit out of it. Thats why he sold it to you. Funny how you know the history of a car when you didnt even own it. Do you think the guy is going to tell you he abused the car when you are trying to buy it? I tell you, people can be dumb sometimes. You=DUMB.
krezo: This was not a good time for Mercedes - most of the models were as you described. They rusted easily, stupid (engineering related expensive repairs labor and parts). Any problem that is not addressed by the manufacture to replace the parts with (tested) new parts so it won't happen again are not on my good side. Rarely is that the case with Mercedes. But there are many factors here that are NOT manufacture related but dealer/re-seller issues. Bad technicians and parts people are also a factor here. Some repairs are not for the DIY folks without some help from good techs and parts people.
Since you are showing an old car and since you mentioned Honda, I'll share this one. Honda has been filling its CVTs on Jazz/Fit models with the wrong type of transmission oil for a few years after their release. There have been quite a few cases of Jazz/Fit owners who had broken transmissions (CVT) and had to completely replace it. This models also suffers from ignition coils ending up dead regularly. It has 8 in total and the 4 that are next to the exhaust die easily.
I don’t own a Mercedes but I enjoy your videos very much. Keep up the good work.
I have repaired the balanceshaft problem in mine ML350.
It is actually for a experienced guy like me quite easy.
But, yes engine needs to come out ;)
However, in Sweden they want about 7500-8000 dollars for this job in dealership shops.
I did it my self and changed all fluids, and also in tranny for about 800 dollars.
Just had my steering fluid pump replaced by Temecula, CA., Mercedes dealer...$400 for the pump....$1500 for LABOR..........I guess they're paying their mechanics $700 per hour...WHAT A FRIGGING RIP OFF.
Mercedes dealer...never again hey? 😂 That's why accredited specialists are the best
No Mercedes tech makes $700 an hour. I work at a Mercedes dealer and I am paid $20 an hour.
Much appreciated man I have a 2008 C230 with the 2.5L M272 that I bought brand new and I had no idea of this problem! Will definitely be contacting my dealing and looking into this more
Hurry up man! 2008 + 10 years extended warranty per the pdf under the video and MBUSA will cover 38% of your repair !!!!!!!! HURRY !!!! 2008 + 10 = NOW !!
Love my Lexus ls430 2001 Has 278000 miles. With original starter and alternator. I also have a Lexus ls460l 2007 and it is a Awesome car!! Only buy Lexus or Toyota vehicles!!!
Andrew Villanueva I hate you😆😂. my 07 LS needed a starter after 10years😭😭😭😭😭. control arms JUST started to go. Everything else,Toyota to the T!! BTW, almost went 430,lusted after it for years,but the lot had similarly priced 460,and I dove head first!!
Don't kid yourselves Toyota has made a lot of lemons as well here in the uk they are now using bmw diesels as there own engines were so shit! Major head gasket issues with the d4d units till 2009 ( I know had it wasn't cheap ) gear box issues are common as well. Just have to do your research online take your chances!
allways inquire I will never buy a Mercedes-Benz or BMW vehicles. 3 car dealers told me not buy these vehicles. No many electrical problems. Even a few mechanics told me to never buy a Mercedes-Benz or BMW vehicles. One said within 3 years of ownership you will have problems. And they are expensive repairs if you cannot do the repairs yourself.
stefan urquel : My 01 Tundra Orig.Gear Reduction Starter Lasted 825,000 mls.,& was V-6 ,Not V-8.,Orig.Auto Tranny Lasted 475,000 mls.& Eng.was Still Going @ 888,850mls,W/Only T.Belt Changes Every 125,000 mls & Original.Fuel Pump Lasted 465,000 mls.
O0-01 Vette Oil Sending Unit Is $1500-1750 Just for Serv.@ Dealer,On A $50.00 Part.
I bought a 08 c300 and did a shit ton of research but didnt know about the balance shaft issue but i found out they fixed it later on thank god my engine model was after they fixed it.
DID YOU DO AN ENGINE SCAN? I HAVE THE EXACT SAME FAULT AS DESCRIBED IN THE PDF
I just searched up balanced shaft problem with the engine and entered my vin. Go to this site www.mercedesmedic.com/check-my-mercedes-benz-for-balance-shaft-issue-by-vin-m272273/ and see if your engine came after or before the balance shaft problem. Read it well and enter your vin for your car then see if your engine number is higher then what is listed if it is it came after the balance shaft problem and you don't have to deal with it.
I Looked it up for my engine: I'm not affected by the bad batch as the last 6 digits of my engine number M272 are higher than 468993, and I don't have an M273 for which the engine number needs to be higher than 088611 to be outside the affected bad batch. -- However, my engine's fault codes are related to the "late adjusting exhaust camshaft solenoids" that cause Fault Code: P1200 or P1208 Pending or Stored, or
Fault codes 0059, 0060, 0063, 0064, 0271, 0272, 0275, and 0276. In my case it's 0060 and 0064. It says in your link that: If you have these codes you should check for an oil leak at the camshaft adjustment solenoids (the following link does not seem to show solenoids for MB: www.amazon.com/s/?field-keywords=camshaft%20solenoids&tag=mercmedi00-20
All your videos are so good idk what it is
Thanks so much. Can't wait to make more.
Alex
Me and my wife have had a 2008 Subaru Tribeca for 8 years. We have put 100000 miles on it. Only required service and change of oil and filter and tires...and thats pretty much it. Nothing else is done, and still runs like new. Quality de luxe!
I drive a Lexus and never have to deal with any of these nonsense.
Lexus is Toyota so basically you have a high end toyota...
Used to drive a Lexus rx400h until I needed a third row. Many years later they came out with one and its terrible (RXL). 2008 MB R320 CDI with 140k miles-> ftw ^^
Bo Han or just don’t buy a old Mercedes from the DaimlerChrysler era, just don’t buy from 2006-2011, 2012 and onwards, Mercedes Benz makes super reliable engines and transmissions that last a long time.
@@FormerpresidentHathaway. Would you explain a little more....2013 and later is better than...I have a 2004 E320- 130 miles just need to change oxygen sensors....But my next car may not be MB due to all the problems I hear about....MB should put more into R&D instead of financing football stadiums, stupid.
dill mann 2004 was still under DaimlerChrysler and the quality was still declining, 2006-2011 was rock bottom with quality, until they started replacing older generation engines and transmissions from the DaimlerChrysler era, 2012 and current the newer generation Cars from Mercedes are now reliable with engines and transmissions, suspension. They still get minor software glitches, because the cars so super advance than any other cars in the world.
Hyundai had to buy back my 2016 Tuscon with the 1.5 turbo engine and dual clutch transmission. After multiple program updates and replacing the control motors the SUV would still just go out of gear going down the road. Up hill in the mountain and no transmission was fun! They blamed me till the car display finally came up with message on transmission failure. Talk to many others with same problem. They still sell this transmission but I see in 2019 they are giving it up.
Got every penneyI paid cash and all taxes, insurance. Actually love the ride and handling if it only had a different tranny!
Haha even Honda has some duds...1999-2004 odyssey transmissions come to mind
Honda or Toyota isn't infallible. But the odds are usually in your favor to have a reliable car.
Yes but in the overall history of the company that is negligible.
I also believe it is only in the USA due to locally sourced parts and local assembly. That is the only period and that is 20 years ago!
Your subscriber praise was SO refreshing. Absolutely made my day!
Love your work; so much better than large commercial productions!
Jay its seriously true. Look at the comments here. They are usually very helpful with people listing other issues or how they figured something out. I'm going to use these to make more videos like this as I can't know all the cool interesting issues with every car. Thanks for the kind words, see you next video.
Alex
Having done automotive training videos, I really like your style and information. Actually considering one of these cars and remember fixing one in my shop a few years ago with the same issue. Keep up the good work. I have subscribed. Rich
Before you go buy those solenoids, swap the matching left and right solenoids to see that the code moves. I replaced solenoids only to find that the internal oil value and cam timing mechanism in one cylinder bank was the problem. That cost $4,500 to have repaired. My local shop wouldn't touch a 10 year old SUV, said it was basically worthless. Yeah, Expect about $600 per month in repairs to keep one of these on the road.
Don’t early 2000’s Honda’s have horrible transmissions? (The 5AT)
Yes. That's why I bought a 6-speed manual Accord Coupe lol
ragingbull94mtx I was looking at getting an old Acura CL at one point but all the ones I saw were autos and everyone said the transmission will eventually nuke itself.
Tyler Beeson yes, a few of them. But I have a 2002 Civic with 230,000 miles and I've never had a transmission issue
Only the v6 models.
Only people who don't go to dealer auction think Honda and Toyota are great cars...smh
The extended warranty is worth every penny. Two balance shafts in the four years I owned my 2006 ML350. Besides the airmatic suspension my 2011 GL450 has been flawless in the over 100K I've had it and again it's with the extended warranty.
I wanna get an old SL500 or SL55, can you do a video on those?
I think I need to make a comment about what you said about the "repair cost being greater than the what the car is worth. This is a pretty common mantra most often about Mercedes cars and I want to make a couple of observations. Certainly there are times when fixing something is simply not worth the cost and effort. But rarely does that exceed what the car is worth all things being equal. It all depends on how the words "value" and "worth" are defined. If the car is perfectly satisfactory and suitable for the owner's needs, then it is probably always worth fixing as opposed to replacing the car, assuming the replacement is with one of EXACTLY the same specifications and quality, assuming that the subject car doesn't have a dozen other serious problems that need to be addressed soon also. Whether the car will be worth fixing as opposed to the repair being more than the car's value will depend on how much it will cost to replace that car, including ALL costs in addition to purchase price, excise taxes, interest on the loan (or loss of interest if cash already held is used) and increased insurance cost. This is especially so if the car needing repair is subject to a loan already. There is significant difference between what Kelly Blue Book (for example) says a car is WORTH, and what VALUE it has to the owner of the vehicle when it is running and on dependably on the road. (This is actually a pitch for aggressive maintenance, of course.)
Toyota is the best. A lot of people hate on them because they build vehicles for the majority of people. Reliable, dependable, comfortable with good quality. Every year Toyota is at the top of consumers lists and sells millions for a reason. I'm happy with my Toyota but if I ever decide to buy a luxury car, its going to be a Lexus.
ELPJM09 Because they are generally LIGHTER vehicles than the Germans by a few hundred pounds.
toyota rides terrible normal quallity ugly no new technoligies not much better from any other manufacturer only advantage they dont brake down so often thats all
Don Boss Sure it all depends on what you want to get out from the car and at what cost?
@@jimakosgian26 your spelling of break is so revealing about the value of your opinion. Haha
you look at the spelling but you fail to see the truth my words that also says ALOT ABOUT YOU
Quickly becoming one of the best channels on RUclips.
Intake manifold tublbe flap arms, cam plugs leak like crazy, centrifuges leak like crazy, vacuum pumps leak. Power steering pump o rings leak. I've seen multiple with a burnt exhaust valve on the right bank. Oil filter housing leaks. Belt rides too far out on the tensioner and causes a noise. Mostly leaks on these engines lol Timing them isn't so bad since the chain only goes on the intake cam adjusters. Something we see often too is an excessive draw from the starter. It will pull 400-500 amps and act like a weak battery
Planned obsolescence in these modern cars.
Even the diesel versions? Thought they were built to last.
False. That's a lie.
Rich Sackett what is?
Your channel is about the most informative and enjoyable auto channels on RUclips. Keep up the good work!
Don’t be a poor man that can’t work on his own shit, owning cars that belonged to a wealthy man. These cars will only make your wallet more empty.. I had a young helper at work that bought a used Jaguar because he thought it was “pimpin’ “. It’s been sitting at the transmission shop for close to six months.
Now thats a bad transmission shop if it takes 6 months to repair
I see quite a few people who own older luxury cars. All luxury become affordable after several years. But the cost of repairs will always be higher than average.
@@Rhaspun depens on platform. Bmw 7 series shares 90% of the parts with 5 series for example.
Perhaps they are holding it until he can afford to repair it, or pay for the repairs already done
@@briananthony4044 Jaguar uses mercedes gearboxes and europe/states is full of junkyards were you could buy a spare tranny or parts for less than 800 bucks.
I sense a bullshit story.
My 93 Civic DX is travel use and I would say it’s a great commuter!! it reallyy took me from point A to point B with no problem :)
Honda automatic transmissions, and the 8th gen civic engine block cracking. Toyota burning oil.
Every car got issues
Oil burn: keep giving it oil lol
My E class 2.8 3L V6 with 280.000
Ran perfect without any problems
I take of the DPF and i make new remapping with 65 more hp
Always I change on time the engine oil and filters
Is amazing with lot of power
Please, everybody, for your sake take my advice stemming from my experience..
Stay THE HELL away from EVERY mercedes V12 ever made. Those cars are a never ending reoccurring fever dream of problems and issues no matter how much they've been babied.
Why the fuck you would stay away from best engines ever made?
SL320 driver here. Just turned 160,000 miles. Only real problem is the oil leak by the cam chain. That said, I want a V12 for the irrational reason of "magnificent Germanic" complication. Driving one in the mountains or ripping along the autobahn, there is nothing to compare with a 12 cylinder motor. You become Adolf Galland in a Bf-109 totally dominating the Spitfires (Jaguars) and Thunderbolts (Cadillacs). Gobs of smooth power and that intoxicating whining growl. Agree that you should buy a new one and not one that has been flogged. Do the maintenance and enjoy the incomparable V12 feeling.
As someone who had an s600 i can say yeah stay the fuck away awesome engine loved it to death but holy crap once the oil cooler started leaking it went downhill from there
FCP Euro kicks ass. I recently used them and they got my parts to me within a day. Great prices and service.
It's long been known that the automotive industry started from! 2000 a. to produce and do it full crap ! and what time it goes on worse! Keep those words In mind !
Just when you thought this channel could not get any more useful, it does. Finally an automotive RUclipsr who focuses on the technical aspects of cars!! As for suggestions how about
1. the problems with the Porsche M96 engine and the IMS. cover the fact that early M97’s up 08 were also a problem but worse because you can not get the bigger ims out of the engine case. (I also think flat 6 innovation is local to you in IL)
2. The issues with the 722 trans and the leaking sleeve that fills the computers with trans fluid. BMW also suffer with mechatronic sleeve leaks.
3. How about BMW N65 V8 valve stem oil seals AGA does a kit of tools to make the repair affordable.
4. The dangers of carbon buildup on direct injection engines, BMW N54’s were notoriously bad but mini’s and VW’s may have problems.
5. Mini Had a water pump issue I got a letter about a warranty extension on the 4 cylinder Cooper engine (my car is a 2010.)
Is their an issue with the timing chain on the 07 08 09 s550 and update in 2010 thanks love your videos keep it up
This reminds me of the cam phasers problem on the Ford 5.4.
Oh, man. The balance shaft issue! I loved seeing those.
Mercedes has always done really stupid stuff. Their older V6 engines, with the aluminum intake with the runner flaps, I've seen several where the runner plastic flap shaft wore through the (aluminum) intake manifold, causing an obviously serious and expensive to repair vacuum leak.
It was in cars like the E320.
Here's a fun German problem - the 06 up BMW magnesium/aluminum I6 engine uses all aluminum bolts except the bolts that actually seal the combustion chambers to the block. The head bolt just behind the oil filter will spontaneously break, as will others, but this one causes a massive oil leak since the oil passages between the block, oil filter, and oil cooler pass through that area.
It's not THAT hard a fix. You can usually just spin the bolt out by drilling a dimple into it and turning it out with a small screwdriver. But it's an idiotic problem that shouldn't have happened.
06 Volkswagen with the 2.0 direct injected gasoline engine, the high pressure oil pump lobe on the intake cam would fail - new cam, follower, and sometimes pump. Interesting thing is the lobes on those cams, the normal ones for the valves, are pressed on and you can knock them off with a soft mallet and a few mild blows.
05 and 06 Volkswagen with 1.9 TDI had the wrong steel in the camshafts or they weren't tempered right, and the cams would go flat. Bad time for VW camshafts.
Touaregs, you have to pull the driver seat assembly to change the battery. Ridiculous design. Also, you have to drop the engine and transmission out of the car to change the starter.
First generation Boxsters have an anti-theft module under a cover in the floor under the driver's seat. Yes, a module that if it gets wet will disable the car and cost you too much money, is in the lowest point of the floor of a convertible. Brilliant design.
The "V6" in early Cayennes is actually an updated VR6.
immikeurnot wow, same problem was to me on my e82 with n52b30. Bolt behind oil cup, without head. I just replaced.
It’s funny because the 3 litre inline six diesel Mercedes produced, was probably one of the most reliable car engines ever made. And very strong for tuning.
Now anything they make is pure shit
Also intake manifold.Apparently also common mistake.
It broke down on my E class,but i have 3.0 liter variant.Cost in total at the dealership was 1060 euros.
That was about 2 and half years ago.But since the car now has around 420 000 km, i am not complaining too much,because that was only major issue in 4 years since i got it.Other is normal wear and tear,brakes,rear spring,rear wheel bearing etc..
All in all,i am quite satisfied.Or maybe i'm just lucky :)
No I disagree even Honda has their problem the transmission Cost 3 grand to fix
I know, it was a joke. But please do tell. I can feature that in a future video. I remember Honda had trans issues in the late 90s. Was there more to that?
Alex
Wasn't it the v6 of 98-02 for accords and the Odyssey
My mom's 04 Honda Civic transmission also failed well under 100k miles. Although, I don't know if this was a widespread problem.
R281 it wasnt. I think it was tied to their early v6 offerings
Mid 90s to 2005 Honda/Acura or so, the 5 speed auto.
I brought a C230k in 2003 brand new. All these years, I spend more money to fix it than buying it. I also brought a Odyssey in 98 brand new, I have no problem with it. It never been to the dealer for repairs.
No excuse for such poor reliability on such an expensive car. the complexity of these engines is staggering..as others have said, if you want to drive a M-B, lease for 3 years and then get rid of it.
99% of the faults are not mercedes, bmw, honda or etc fault. they buy majority parts from 3rd partyes like these balance shafts where made from poor metal. how the fuck would they know that until 10 years had passed?
I don t exactly own that very car but what goes on mechanically is very interesting.
Honda were reliable in 2007 - not so much any more. Hyundai are the new Honda I think.
Graham Stephan's and you both have fantastic videos. You are poised for recognized greatness.