2006 Mercedes-Benz CLK-Class Engine Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MERCEDES-BENZ CLK350. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS EQUIPPED WITH A FAULTY BALANCE SHAFT, WHICH ULTIMATELY CAUSED PREMATURE WEAR. AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED FOR REGULARLY SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE, THE CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO MERCEDES-BENZ OF ORANGE PARK (7018 BLANDING BLVD, JACKSONVILLE, FL) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE BALANCE SHAFT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,000. *TR

MERCEDES BENZ VEHICLES MANUFACTURED BETWEEN 2004 & 2007 & EQUIPPED WITH MERCEDES' M272 HAVE A FAULTY BALANCE SHAFT WHICH WAS NOT PROPERLY ANEALED, CAUSING PREMATURE WEAR. THE SUBJECT ENGINES WERE MANUFACTURED WITH DEFECTIVE GEARS IN THEIR BALANCE SHAFTS. THESE DEFECTIVE GEARS WEAR OUT PREMATURELY, EXCESSIVELY, AND CAN CAUSE DAMAGE TO OTHER EXPENSIVE ENGINE COMPONENTS WITHOUT WARNING. REPAIR REQUIRES REMOVAL OF THE ENGINE AND WAS QUOTED AT $7000-$8000 BY THE MERCEDES BENZ DEALER. MOST OTHER IMPORT SHOPS DO NOT WANT TO EVEN ATTEMPT THE REPAIR DUE TO THE COMPLEXITY AND SPECIAL TOOLS REQUIRED. A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT WAS SETTLED ON THIS ISSUE SEVERAL YEARS AGO (WE WERE NEVER EVEN NOTIFIED) BUT ONLY THOSE WHO HAD THE ISSUE AT THE TIME COULD TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE SETTLEMENT'S DISCOUNTED REPAIR COSTS (IT WAS A TERRIBLE SETTLEMENT!). WE DID NOT HAVE THE ISSUE UNTIL A FEW MONTHS AGO AT AROUND 77000 MILES. THIS PROBLEM CAN CAUSE THE ENGINE TO MISFIRE, STALL OR BREAK DOWN COMPLETELY. MERCEDES BENZ AND ITS DEALERSHIPS BASICALLY SAY, OH WELL, YOU GOT A LEMON. WE ALSO CANNOT POSSIBLY PASS THE EMISSION TEST WITHOUT REPAIRS THAT COST MORE THAN THE BLUEBOOK VALUE OF THE CAR - WHICH HAS BEEN DEALER MAINTAINED AND GARAGED SINCE PURCHASE. WE BELIEVE THIS BALANCE SHAFT MANUFACTURING FLAW PRESENTS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE AND SHOULD BE SUBJECT TO A MANDATORY RECALL AND REPAIRED ENTIRELY AT MERCEDES' EXPENSE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MERCEDES BENZ CLK500. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH ON A RAINY DAY, THE EMERGENCY BRAKES ENGAGED AND THE "EMERGENCY BRAKE ON" WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE SLOWED DOWN. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO PULL THE VEHICLE OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE REAR BRAKES HAD RUSTED AND THAT THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER WAS FALLING APART AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND SUPPORTED THE DIAGNOSIS OF THE DEALER. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 66,000.

CLK 2006 DEFECTIVE BALANCE SHAFT/TIMING CHAIN: PURCHASED OUR CAR NEW, HAVE MAINTAINED IT AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL, ALL RECOMMENDED REPAIRS AND SERVICES COMPLETED WHEN RECOMMENDED AND DUE, ALL DONE AT THE DEALER WHERE WE PURCHASED OUR CAR. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON A FEW MONTHS AGO, FELT LIKE THE CAR WAS RUNNING ROUGH, HAD IT TOWED TO THE DEALER, WE WERE TOLD THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG. WITHOUT WARNING, ON JULY 18, 2013 THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN, TOOK IT IN TO THE DEALER, WAS TOLD THAT THE BALANCE SHAFT W/ TIMING CHAIN NEEDED TO BE REPLACED IT IS A DEFECTIVE PART. MERCEDES IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM WILL PAY FOR THE PARTS; $1,700, HOWEVER AT THIS TIME HAS NOT ALLOTTED FUNDS TO COVER THE LABOR, WHICH THEY NEED TO DO TO MAKE THIS RIGHT, TOTAL QUOTE $7,300. AT THIS POINT WE DO NOT KNOW THE EXTENT OF THE DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE. PEOPLE BUY A MERCEDES BECAUSE THEY ARE THE BEST AND A THE LEADER IN THE INDUSTRY. I EXPECT THEM AT THE LEAST TO COVER ALL EXPENSES RELATED TO THE DEFECTIVE PARTS OR PAY US THE PURCHASE PRICE OF OUR CAR SO WE CAN START OVER. *TR

AFTER ONLY 80,000 MILES, MY $55,000 CAR NOW NEEDS $5,200 WORTH OF REPAIRS TO FIX A KNOWN DEFECT IN THE BALANCE SHAFT. WITHOUT THIS REPAIR, DRIVING MY CAR IS UNSAFE, YET MERCEDES IS NOT OFFERING TO HELP FIX A PROBLEM THEY CREATED. ADD MY NAME TO THE LONG LIST OF MERCEDES OWNERS DISSATISFIED WITH THE QUALITY OF A MERCEDES; THEIR FAILURE TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR MISTAKE AND THEIR TOTAL LACK OF CONCERN FOR CUSTOMER SATISFACTION. *TR

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND MERCEDES DEALER REPLACED CAMSHAFT SENSOR THE VEHICLE HAD 52500 MILES. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN I TOOK IT TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR. THEY STATED IT IS THE SAME PROBLEM THE CAMSHAFT PROBLEMS. THE VEHICLE HAS 68000 MILES NOW AND THIS SHOULD NOT BE HAPPENING TO THIS VEHICLE. IT CONTINUES TO HAVE PROBLEMS AND I HAVE CONTACTED MERCEDES AND THEY REFUSE TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THESE PREMATURE ISSUES I AM HAVING WITH THIS VEHICLE. I WOULD LIKE THE GOVERNMENT TO PUT IN A LAWSUIT FOR ME AND MAKE IT A CLASS ACTION LAW SUIT AGAINST MERCEDES BECAUSE THERE ARE SEVERAL CONSUMERS WITH THIS VERY SAME PROBLEM AND MERCEDES ISN'T DOING ANYTHING ABOUT IT. *TR

THE '06 CLK 350 I AM ABOUT TO PURCHASE WAS TAKEN IN FOR INSPECTION AND DIAGNOSTICS FOR THE CEL. THE DEALERSHIP TOLD ME THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE BALANCE SHAFT, WHICH WOULD EVENTUALLY LEAD TO MISFIRING AND OTHER ENGINE PROBLEMS. I DO NOT KNOW THE HISTORY OF THE VEHICLE PRIOR TO THIS, OR EVEN WHEN THE CEL FIRST CAME ON. I AM BEING TOLD THAT THE ENGINE MUST BE REMOVED AND TORN DOWN TO REPAIR THIS PROBLEM, AND THE COST WILL BE UPWARDS OF $4000. IT HAS LESS THAN 54000 MILES ON IT. *TR

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON IN MY 2006 MB 350 CLK. TOOK TO A MECHANIC WAS TOLD IT WAS A BALANCE SHAFT ISSUE AND WOULD COST ABOUT $5000 TO REPAIR. *KB

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND BALANCE SHAFT CONCERN.*TR

MY COMPLAINT IS AGAINST MERCEDES-BENZ, USA FOR THEIR FAILURE TO INFORM ME OF THE SUBSTANTIVE DEFECTS AND RECALLS AT THE TIME OF MY PURCHASE OF THE 2006 MERCEDES C280; VIN [XXX]. ON APRIL 24, 2009, I ENGAGED IN A CONTRACT WITH MERCEDES BENZ FINANCIAL SERVICES FOR THE PURCHASE OF THE ABOVE 2006 C-280. I WAS NEVER INFORMED OF THE SERIOUS DEFECTS ON THE VEHICLE. I WAS NEVER GIVEN AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE AN INFORMED DECISION. HENCE, THE BUSINESS PRACTICE OF MERCEDES BENZ AND OR IT'S DEALERSHIP WAS DECEPTIVE. IT IS HARD TO IMAGINE THAT ANYONE, LET ALONE MYSELF, WHOSE MEDICAL IMPAIRMENT OF FEAR, ANXIETY AND PANIC DISORDER (ADA ACT) WOULD PURCHASE A VEHICLE WITH FULL KNOWLEDGE OF THE RISK FACTORS INVOLVED; DURING AND PRIOR TO THE PURCHASE, PURSUANT TO: A). REPORT DATE:DECEMBER 3, 2011 AT 07:19 AM MFR'S REPORT DATE: DEC 15, 2005...NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 05V560000..COMPONENT: (AIR BAGS)... CONSEQUENCE: IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH, AN OCCUPANT MAY NOT BE PROPERLY RESTRAINED WHICH COULD (RESULT IN INJURIES).. DEALERS WILL INSTALL A NEW AIR BAG INFLATER MODULE FREE OF CHARGE MERCEDES-BENZ RECALL NO. 2006020005. THE RECALL BEGAN ON MARCH 15, 2006. B). DECEMBER 3, 2011 (NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER): 08V303000...(COMPONENT): ELECTRICAL SYSTEM.... MERCEDES-BENZ RECALL NO. 2008 070001 THANK YOU FOR CONDUCTING AN INVESTIGATION ON MY COMPLAINT.[XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

2006 CLK 350 COUPE / CHECK ENGINE OIL LEVELS (MESSAGE). I'VE OWNED MY CAR SINCE MARCH 18, 2007. I'M WRITING TO INFORM YOU THAT I HAVE RECEIVED A MESSAGE THREE TIMES STATING "CHECK ENGINE OIL LEVELS" THE MESSAGE CAME ON FOR THE FIRST TIME IN JULY 2007. I DROVE THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I BOUGHT THE CAR FROM AND I ARRIVED AT THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT 15 MINUTES BEFORE THEY CLOSED AND THEY DIDN'T HAVE TIME TO LOOK AT MY VEHICLE, SO THEY PLACED OIL IN MY CAR AND TURNED ME AWAY. THANKFULLY A VERY PROFESSIONAL YOUNG MAN FROM THAT SAME DEALERSHIP RECTIFIED THIS EXPERIENCE FOR ME AND HAD A TALKING TO THE MAN THAT TURNED ME AWAY. MY CAR WAS MISDIAGNOSED. A WEEK LATER THE SAME LIGHT CAME ON. CHECK ENGINE OIL LEVEL. AT THIS MOMENT IN TIME, I CALL MERCEDES BENZ ROAD SIDE ASSISTANCE. I PULLED THE CAR OVER AND EXPLAINED THE SITUATION. THEY ASKED ME NOT TO ADD ANY OIL AND TO TAKE IT TO THE NEAREST DEALERSHIP. I TOOK IT TO MD SAN DIEGO. THEY CONDUCTED AND OIL CONSUMPTION TEST TO FIND WHAT WAS WRONG AND THEY ASKED ME TO COME BACK IN 1,000 TO 1,200 MILES OR IF THE LIGHT CAME ON. AUGUST 7, 2007 - I WAS NEAR NEWPORT BEACH, AND THE LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN. SO I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I BOUGHT IT FROM AND THEY HAD TO RE-DO THE OIL CONSUMPTION TEST BECAUSE THE TEST NEEDS TO BE CONDUCTED AT THE SAME DEALERSHIP EACH TIME. (I QUESTIONED THE VALIDITY OF THIS STATEMENT). THEY INSTRUCTED ME TO COME BACK IN 1,000 - 1,200 MILES OR WHEN THE LIGHT CAME ON. I BROUGHT THE CAR BACK IN 1,000 MILES (AUGUST 2007) TO THE NEWPORT BEACH DEALERSHIP AND THEY COULDN'T FIND WHAT WAS WRONG WITH THE CAR AND MERCEDES BENZ WOULDN'T AUTHORIZE THE (WARRANTY) WORK FOR THE ENGINE TO BE TAKEN APART TO FIND OUT WHERE THE OIL IS GOING TO. IT IS NOW NOVEMBER 19, 2007 AND THE SAME LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN. I HAVE SCHEDULED AN APPOINTMENT TO BRING MY CAR BACK IN. HOPEFULLY THEY CAN SOLVE THE PROBLEM THIS TIME, OR IT MIGHT BE THAT I HAVE BEEN SOLD A LEMON. *TR