2006 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Engine

THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON MY C230 2006 MERCEDES-BENZ THEREFORE I'D TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO THE REPAIR SHOP. THE MB MECHANIC STATED I HAVE A BAD BALANCE SHAFT THAT NEEDS TO BE REPLACE. THE MB REPAIR SHOP QUOTED ME OVER $6000 TO REPAIR A DEFECTIVE BALANCE SHAFT. THE ENGINE WILL NOT START WITH THIS DEFECTIVE PART, AND/OR THE CAR WILL STOP BECAUSE OF THE FAILED PART WHILE DRIVING. *TR

TL* THE CONTACTS OWNS A 2006 MERCEDES C230. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE VEHICLE STARTED TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY. ALSO, THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT SMOKE STARTED TO EMIT FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE VALVE BODY WAS DEFECTIVE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 78,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 86,000.

ZERO ISSUES WITH THIS CAR UNTIL NOW. THIS WEEK, JUNE 2013, THE CAR HAS 78,000 MILES ON IT. I PULLED UP TO A STOPLIGHT OFF THE FREEWAY, AND THE CAR STARTED SPUTTERING LIKE NEVER BEFORE. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON - FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER. THE CAR STALLED AND ENGINE DIED. IT RESTARTED, BUT WHEN I PRESSED THE GAS THERE WAS NO POWER, TRAFFIC WAS COMING UP THE OFF RAMP FAST, I HAD TO FLASH MY BRAKES TO GET THEM TO NOTICE SOMETHING WAS WRONG BUT IT WAS A CLOSE CALL. THE CAR SPUTTERED INTO THE MIDDLE OF A BUSY FREEWAY OVERPASS INTERSECTION WITH MY FAMILY ON BOARD AND EAGER TRAFFIC BEHIND ME. IT WAS A VERY SCARY MOMENT BECAUSE THE CAR WENT FROM COMPLETELY RELIABLE AND TRUSTWORTHY TO COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER AND INSTABILITY. I SPUTTERED BACK HOME, CREATING THE SAME DANGEROUS CONDITIONS AT EVERY INTERSECTION. I TOOK THE CAR TO A MERCEDES BENZ SHOP THE NEXT MORNING. AFTER A LOT OF TESTING IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE INTAKE MANIFOLD NEEDED TO BE PULLED TO LOOK DEEPER INTO THE ENGINE. HOURS LATER THEY FOUND THAT THE PROBLEM WAS CAUSED BY A DEFECTIVE PLASTIC BUSHING OF THE INTAKE MANIFOLD WHICH BROKE AND WAS SUCKED INTO CYLINDER #4 AND #3. THIS CAUSED THE VALVES TO BEND AND COMPROMISED THE INTEGRITY OF THE CYLINDERS AND VALVES, ACCORDING TO THE MERCEDES QUALIFIED TECHNICIAN. THERE IS EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO THE VALVES, AND THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT ALL THEY'RE GOING TO FIND ONCE THEY PULL THE HEADERS OFF. THE COST TO REPAIR THE CAR IS $4,400, BUT IT MAY EVEN BE HIGHER. THE CYLINDERS HAVE TO BE SENT TO A MACHINE SHOP TO SEE IF THEY HAVE ANY OTHER ISSUES AS A RESULT. WHO KNOWS WHAT THEY'LL FIND. THE MECHANICS STATED THAT MERCEDES BENZ IS AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM, THAT THOSE MOVING PLASTIC PARTS IN THE INTAKE MANIFOLD ARE KNOWN TO CRACK AND CAUSE PROBLEMS AND SHOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN MADE OUT OF PLASTIC, BUT I DON'T SEE RECALLS ON THIS OBVIOUS ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING DEFECT. *TR

MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON SO I WENT TO MECHANIC TO CHECK. THEY PERFORMED A COMPUTER CODE TEST TO FIND PROBLEM. THE CODE INDICATES THAT THE BALANCE SHAFT IS STARTING TO FAIL. I RESEARCHED ON-LINE AND DISCOVERED THIS IS A KNOWN DEFECT WITHIN THIS ENGINE. APPARENTLY MERCEDES IS UNWILLING TO ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS DEFECT. REPAIRING THIS PROBLEM IS EXTREMELY COSTLY AND THE BUYER SHOULDN'T BARE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR FAULTY PARTS. I UNDERSTAND THERE IS A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT FILED, BUT I CAN'T FIND OUT THE CURRENT STATUS OF IT. THIS DEFECT CAN CAUSE IMMEDIATE ENGINE FAILURE WHEN DRIVING CAUSING THE AUTO TO STOP IN TRAFFIC. BEING THAT THOUSANDS OF MERCEDES VEHICLES HAVE THIS DEFECT I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THE NTSB ISN'T STEPPING IN. *TR

TOOK OUR DAUGHTER'S 2006, C230 MERCEDES BENZ TO OUR MERCEDES CERTIFIED MECHANIC TO REPAIR A SLUGGISH PROBLEM THAT CAUSED THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TO COME ON.. I WAS INFORMED THAT A PART IN THE ENGINE CALLED THE BALANCER WAS GOING BAD... THE COST IS AN APPROX $5000.00. AND THAT WE WOULD HAVE TO TAKE IT TO THE LOCAL MERCEDES DEALERSHIP TO DO THE REPAIR. THE PART INSTALLED IN THE 2006 AND 2007 MODELS WAS MADE OF A TOO SOFT A METAL, SO ITS A DEFECTIVE PART TO START WITH! THIS PART APPARENTLY CAUSES THE ENGINE TO LOSE POWER WHILE DRIVING... BENZ HAS NOT ISSUED A RECALL ON THIS PART. *TR

MY MERCEDES E350 REPORTED ENGINE ERROR CODES P0016 AND P0017. DETAILED ERROR CODE READING. P0016 CRANKSHAFT POSITION CAMSHAFT POSITION CORRELATION BANK 1 SENSOR A P0017 CRANKSHAFT POSITION CAMSHAFT POSITION CORRELATION BANK 1 SENSOR B I HAVE 70,000 MILES ON THE CAR NOW AND HAVE FOUND OUT THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM ON THE THIS CAR. IT LOOKS LIKE A MANUFACTURING DEFECT. PLEASE PROVIDE ME GUIDANCE WITH THIS MATTER. *TR

MY 2006 MERCEDES C230 HAS A DEFECTIVE BALANCE SHAFT. I DID SOME RESEARCH AND MULTIPLE PEOPLE ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. THERE IS A CLASS ACTION SUIT IN THE WORKS. I BELIEVE THIS IS A DEFECTIVE PART THAT NEEDS TO BE RECALLED. *TR

TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER WHEN THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. CAR WAS DIAGNOSED WITH A BAD BALANCE SHAFT THAT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. APPARENTLY THIS HAS BEEN A PROBLEM WITH THIS ENGINE ON NUMEROUS MODELS OF MERCEDES AS CLASS ACTION LAWSUITS HAVE BEEN FILED IN NUMEROUS STATES. *JS

AN ENGINE AIR FILTER HOUSING TO MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR SEAL TEAR CAUSED THE ENGINE TO SURGE AND THE CAR TO BUCK FORWARD INSTEAD OF BRAKING WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED. FAILURE TO BREAK RESULTED IN THIS VEHICLE REAR ENDING ANOTHER VEHICLE. LUCKILY THE VEHICLE SPEED WAS LOW SO NO ONE WAS INJURED OR KILLED. THE SENSORY SYSTEM FAILED TO DETECT THIS ISSUE UNTIL THE TEAR WORSENED AND THE PROBLEMS IT CAUSED WERE BAD ENOUGH AND CONTINUOUS ENOUGH TO TRIGGER THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT (TOOK APPROXIMATELY 1 MONTH). MERCEDES COULD NOT DIAGNOSE OR FIND THE PROBLEM UNTIL THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WENT ON. DURING THAT 1 MONTH PERIOD THE FAILURE OF THE BREAKS TO ENGAGE/ENGINE SURGING/CAR BUCKING ISSUE OCCURRED 2 MORE TIMES. LUCKILY NO ACCIDENTS OR INJURIES RESULTED FROM THESE EVENTS. I HAVE SPOKEN TO MERCEDES US AND MY LOCAL DEALERSHIP ABOUT THIS ISSUE. THEY REFUSE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THIS AS A SAFETY ISSUE OR ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR IT. *JS

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON SAYING SOMETHING IN ENGINE IS BAD WITH A PRICE TAG OF OVER 6000.00 TO FIX. *TT

AFTER HAVING THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COME ON, WE TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP WE PURCHASED IT FROM TO PERFORM A DIAGNOSTIC AFTER RECEIVING CODES P0170 AND P0173 (MB CODES 2092/2096) WHICH MB CLASSIFIES AS "MIXTURE IN RIGHT / LEFT CYLINDER BANK IS TOO RICH WHEN IDLING" AND WERE TOLD WE WOULD NEED TO REPLACE THE INTAKE MANIFOLD FOR $2110. THE EXPLANATION WE RECEIVED (VERBAL ONLY AS THEY REFUSED TO DESCRIBE THE PROBLEM IN WRITING AFTER ASKING MULTIPLE TIMES) WAS THAT A BUSHING THAT CONTROLS THE AIR FLOW VALVES WAS WORN. THEY COULD NOT PROVIDE A REASON AS TO WHAT WOULD CAUSE THIS WEAR CONSIDERING THE BUSHING IS INTERNAL TO THE CONTROL VALVES. THEY ALSO COULD NOT TELL ME WHICH SPECIFIC SIDE THIS LEAK WAS COMING FROM. SINCE THE INTAKE MANIFOLD IS ONE LARGE COMPONENT WE WOULD NEED TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE THING. THE CAR IS FIVE YEARS OLD SO ROUGHLY JUST OVER 12K MILES PER YEAR AND ALREADY MAJOR COMPONENTS ARE FAILING. THIS IS FROM THE SAME DEALER (MB GEORGETOWN, TEXAS) WHO ONCE TOLD US OUR BRAKES (ROTORS AND PADS) WERE ALL BAD AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. WE TOOK IT TO A TRUSTED MECHANIC AND ONLY NEEDED TO REPLACE THE FRONT PADS AS THEY WERE GETTING CLOSE TO BEING WORN OUT. WE NOW NEED A SECOND OPINION SINCE I SIMPLY DO NOT TRUST THEM. THE INFORMATION THEY PROVIDED WAS "PROVIDE ESTIMATE TO REPLACE INTAKE MANIFOLD FOR VACUUM LEAK AT $2110. AIR LEAK COMING FROM INTAKE TUMBLE FLAP ASSEMBLY." *TR

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN. I HAVE THE MB C230 2006. I'VE BEEN LOSING POWER WHILE DRIVING. WHILE THE CAR IDLES IT'S RUNNING AS IF IT'S MISSING LIKE OUT OF TIMING. I'VE BEEN TO THE PARTS DEPT BECAUSE I WAS TOLD THE VEHICLE WAS MISSING. I HAD THE COILS CHANGED. SPARK PLUGS CHANGED, YET STILL THE CAR HAS NO POWER AND WHEN IDLING THE ENGINE RUNS SO VIOLENT IT'S CAUSING THE BELT TO WEAR. SO FAR I HAD TO BUY 5 BELTS AND THEY WON'T LAST MORE THAN 4 DAYS. THIS PAST WEEK I WAS ALSO TOLD THAT THE 4 MAGETS WOULD HAVE TO BE CHANGED. WELL I HAD THEM CHANGED AND STILL I HAVE A CAR THAT HAS NO POWER. I WAS FINALLY TOLD BY A MD MECHANIC MY PROBLEM WITH THE CAR IS THERE'S A BALANCE SHAFT THAT'S INOPERABLE. WHEN I INQUIRE ABOUT THIS ITEM I WAS TOLD THAT MERCEDES BENZ DOES NOT HAVE THIS AS A RECALL ITEM WHEN IN FACT THIS ISSUE HAS BEEN AN ISSUE SINCE 2004. I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE ANY INFORMATION IN REGARDS TO REPAIR. THERE IS NO WAY A CUSTOMER OF THIS AUTO MAKER SHOULD HAVE TO BEAR THE BURDEN OF PAYING FOR AN ITEM WHEN IN FACT IT'S BEEN A PROBLEM WITH MERCERDES BENZ FROM THE START. *KB

RECEIVED A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT NOTICE. TOOK C-230 (2006) TO DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT THE CODE INDICATED A WORN TIMING GEAR PROBLEM AND WOULD REQUIRE MAJOR ENGINE REPAIR. THE COST ESTIMATE WAS $4000 TO $5000 TO TAKE THE ENGINE APART AND DETERMINE IF THE GEAR WAS WORN AND NEEDED REPLACEMENT. PERFORMED A INTERNET SEARCH AND FOUND THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THESE ENGINES. CAR HAS 85,000 MILES AND WAS PURCHASED IN 2008 WITH 40,000. HAVE NOT HAD THE REPAIR PERFORMED YET. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MERCEDES BENZ C CLASS 230. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 15 MPH WHEN THE RED ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO RAN A DIAGNOSTIC TEST AND DISCOVERED THAT THE CAM SHAFT WAS SPINNING FREE AND WOULD NEED REPLACING. THERE WERE NO RECALLS FOR THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 57,000.

ON MARCH 12, 2011, DURING AN "A" SERVICE, I WAS INFORMED BY MY MECHANIC, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED DUE TO THE LEFT INTAKE CAM SENSOR WAS DEFECTIVE BUT IT WAS NOT A BIG CONCERN. ON SEPTEMBER 17, 2011, DURING A "B" SERVICE, MY MECHANIC STATED THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED AGAIN FOR THE LEFT INTAKE CAM AND THE RIGHT EXHUAST CAM ADJUSTER MAGNETS WERE DEFECTIVE OR THE BALANCE SHAFT WAS WORN. AT THIS POINT THE CAR WAS RUNNING OK BUT HE SAID IF HE RUNS A DIAGNOSTIC TEST ON THE ENGINE AGAIN IN THE NEAR FUTURE AND IT READS A SECOND PROBLEM ON THE RIGHT SIDE CAM SIDE, THERE IS A STRONG POSSIBILITY TEETH ON THE CAM SPOCKET DUE TO THE USAGE OF AN INFERIOR PRODUCT. HE EXPLAINED IT WOULD BE APPROXIMATELY $4,000.00 TO REPAIR, HE WAS REPAIRING A VEHICLE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM AND SHOWED ME THE WEAR ON THE TEETH WHICH CAUSE THE INBALANCE OF THE SHAFT AND THE CAMS COME OFF LINE. IN MY MECHANICS OPINION, MERCEDES BENZ KNOWS ABOUT THEIR DEFECTIVE PART BYT THEY DO NOT WANT TO HAVE A "CAMPAIGN" TO RESOLVE THE ISSUE AND MY TYPE/YEAR ENGINE WAS MADE WITH THIS INFERIOR PART. I TRAVEL 80 MILES TO AND FROM WORK AND CANNOT AFFORD TO SPEND THIS MONEY FOR A REPAIR ON A VEHICLE THAT IS SUPPOSE TO LAST ME FOREVER. *TT

THE VEHICLE WAS BEING DRIVEN ON INTERSTATE 95 IN POMPANO BEACH FLORIDA, THE CAR STARTED TO RUN ROUGH AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT BECAME ILLUMINATED. TOOK THE CAR TO THE REPAIR SHOP AND IT CAME UP WITH 2 CODES 1200 AND 1208 INTAKE AND EXHAUST CAMSHAFT SENSOR RIGHT CYLINDER, THE MECHANICS REPLACED THE 2 SENSORS AND A COUPLE WEEKS LATER IT APPEARED AGAIN. THE ORIGINAL MECHANIC RECOMMENDED ANOTHER SHOP THAT SPECIALIZED IN MERCEDES. I TOOK IT THERE A FEW WEEKS LATER AND WE WERE INFORMED IT IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE MERCEDES AND THAT THEY WERE BEING SUED FOR IT,AND MERCEDES HAS PUT OUT OVER 10 TSB ON THE ISSUE AND IT HAS BEEN HAPPENING TO CARS WITH THIS NEW ENGINE. THE PROBLEM IS THE SPROCKET ON THE BALANCE SHAFT WAS NOT HARDENED METAL,LIKE IT WAS SUPPOSE TO BE. *TR

ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED: TWO DIAGNOSTICS SUGGESTED TWO SEPARATE PROBLEMS, WORN OUT BALANCE SHAFT AND ISSUES WITH THE INTAKE AND EXHAUST CAMSHAFT. CAR IS SLUGGISH ON ACCELERATION AND OCCASIONALLY WILL NOT SHIFT OUT OF FIRST GEAR. CAR MUST BE PULLED OVER AND TURNED OFF, AND THEN THE COMPUTER RESETS. THIS IS A PERIODIC PROBLEM AND IS A PARTICULAR HAZARDOUS PROBLEM ENTERING HIGH SPEED HIGHWAYS, WHICH I MUST DO ON A DAILY BASIS.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MERCEDES BENZ C230. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENGINE MISFIRED AND THE ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER WHO REPLACED THE INTAKE MANIFOLD AND CAM SENSOR, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE CONTACT WAS WAITING FOR A REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE MANUFACTURER TO PROCESS A COMPLAINT. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 29,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 92,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MERCEDES BENZ C230. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD STALL WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS. AFTER THE FAILURE OCCURRED, THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE AND CONTINUE DRIVING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE BALANCE SHAFT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 64,037.

I WAS INVOLVED IN AN AUTO ACCIDENT (REAR-ENDED) ON DEC 21ST 2010. THE COLLISION RESULTED IN MY VEHICLE BEING PUSHED IN TO ANOTHER VEHICLE (TRUCK) IN FONT OF ME. THE RESULTING CRASH PRODUCED DAMAGES TO THE FRONT AND REAR OF THE CAR TOTALING 15K. I NOTICED THAT MY DASHBOARD WAS LIT UP WITH WARNING SIGNALS AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AT THE SEEN OF THE COLLISION. THE REAR LIGHT WAS EXPLAINABLE AS THE LIGHT WAS KNOCKED OUT IN THE CRASH. THE ENGINE LIGHT HOWEVER WAS A BIT OF A MYSTERY. I TOOK THE CAR IN FOR REPAIRS THREE DAYS LATER AFTER CONSULTING WITH THE DRIVER AT FAULTS' INSURANCE COMPANY. THE REPAIR COMPANY NOTED THE LIGHT ALSO. I COULD ARRIVE AT NO OTHER CONCLUSION BUT THAT THE COLLISION WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR MY ENGINE LIGHT SUDDENLY COMING ON. THE INSURANCE COMPANY ARGUES THAT THE COLLISION HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THAT PARTICULAR LIGHT COMING ON. THE MATTER IS BEING DEALT WITH IN COURT. IN THE MEANTIME, I DID SOME RESEARCH AND RAN ACROSS HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS ON LINE, BY MERCEDES BENZ DRIVERS, COMPLAINING OF A CAM SHAFT PROBLEM THAT IS IDENTIFIED BY AN ENGINE LIGHT INITIALLY. IT APPEARS THAT A PART WAS DEFECTIVE YET NO RECALL HAS BEEN ISSUED BY MERCEDES. I'VE REACHED OUT TO MERCEDES BENZ OF AMERICA. AFTER SEVERAL CALLS RESPONDING TO MY INQUIRY, THEY STOPPED INFORMING ME OF ANY FURTHER FINDINGS. THIS AFTER PROMISING TO APPRISE ME OF THE STATUS OF MY COMPLAINT. MY ISSUE IS TWO FOLD. HOW MUCH EVIDENCE IS NECESSARY BEFORE IT IS CLEAR THAT THIS PRODUCT AND THE SERIES OF CARS THAT ARE IMPACTED BY IT, WARRANTS A RECALL? SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE ABOUT THIS WIDE-SPREAD ISSUE? I MUST TELL YOU THAT AS A CONSUMER, IT IS NO MYSTERY WHAT MOST HAVE LOST TRUST IN GOVERNMENTS ABILITY TO SERVE AND PROTECT IT'S CITIZENS IN THESE MATTERS. I FOR ONE AM DISAPPOINTED IN THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE PROCESS. I INITIALLY CONTACTED THIS OFFICE EIGHT MONTHS AGO AND HAVE HEARD NOTHING. REGARDS,[XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) *KB

THE ENGINE LIGHT WENT ON IN MY 2006 C230 MERCEDES (CURRENT MILEAGE 57,000) SINCE SEPT 2010. I LATER CONFIRMED IT'S THE PROBLEM IN THE BALANCE SHAFT, WHICH DIRECTLY IMPACT ON THE ACCELERATION AND FAILURE OF THE ENGINE. THE ENGINE SUDDEN STOPPED RUNNING FEW TIMES IN MY COMMUTE TO WORK IN A FREEWAY. LUCKILY, IT WAS DURING THE RUSH HOUR AND THE TRAFFIC WAS MOVING SLOWLY. MANY TIMES WHEN I ENTERED TO THE FREEWAY IN A MERGE LANE, THE ACCELERATION DIDN'T WORK AT ALL AND I ALMOST GOT HIT BY THE OTHER CARS IN THE MERGE LANE. THE MECHANIC ADVISED IF CONTINUE DRIVING THE VEHICLE WITHOUT REPLACING BALANCE SHAFT WILL LEAD TO A BIG DANGER TO THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SINCE THE ENGINE CAN BE STOPPED ANYWHERE AND ANYTIME. REPLACING THE BALANCE SHAFT COST $6,000 (FROM THE DEALER) AND MERCEDES USA REFUSE TO COVER ANY PORTION OF THE REPAIR SINCE MY CAR EXCEEDS 50,000 MILES/4 YRS WARRANTY. I TALKED TO THE DEALER AND THE SERVICE ADVISER. THEY SAID THIS IS A COMMON KNOWN PROBLEM FOR MANY OF THE MERCEDES MODELS. IN FACT, IT WAS IN THEIR SERVICE BULLETIN SINCE 2007. UNFORTUNATELY MERCEDES WOULDN'T COVER ANY REPAIR UNLESS THERE?S A RECALL OR SOMEONE DIE FROM IT. I WONDER IF MERCEDES WILL WAIT UNTIL MORE INJURIES BEFORE THEY CONSIDER STOP USING THE SAME BALANCE SHAFT IN THEIR CARS. THIS BALANCE SHAFT IS A VERY SMALL PIECE LOCATED RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ENGINE. THE COST OF THE MATERIAL IS VERY INEXPENSIVE. HOWEVER, IT REQUIRES INTENSIVE LABOR BECAUSE THE ENGINE MUST BE TAKEN APART IN ORDER TO REPLACE THE BALANCE SHAFT. *TR

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AT ABOUT 51K MILES, JUST OUT OF WARRANTY ON C230 MERCEDES. THE BALANCE SHAFT IS BROKEN. NO HELP WITH MERCEDES ON THIS $3000 REPAIR. *LN

2006 MERCEDES C230 HAS A DEFECTIVE BALANCE SHAFT GEAR INSIDE ENGINE WHICH DRIVES THE TIMING CHAIN. MERCEDES BENZ KNOWS THAT THE MATERIALS USED WERE INSUFFICIENTLY HARDENED, CAUSING PREMATURE WEAR AND POSSIBLE SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER RESULTING IN NO POWER STEERING OR POWER BRAKES WITHOUT WARNING , THEREBY PRESENTING A DANGER TO VEHICLE OCCUPANTS. MERCEDES HAS MODIFIED THE GEAR ON LATE 2006 MODELS BUT NEVER TOOK RESPONSIBILITY TO THE DEFECTIVE PARTS ALREADY SOLD IN THE EARLY 2006 PRODUCTION. THIS ISSUE HAS BEEN NOTED THROUGH OUT A LARGE NUMBER OF VEHICLES IN THE MERCEDES LINE. SILENT RECALL HAS BEEN NOTED TO THE TECHNICIANS BUT NOTHING IS BEING DONE TO REPAIR THE DEFECT. MAYBE SAVE SOME LIVES IN THE PROCESS. ALSO NOTE THEY ARE CHARGING OWNERS APPROX $5000 AND DEALERS STATE IT IS HAPPENING OFTEN BETWEEN 30,000-100,000 MILES. NO WARNING OR SYMPTOMS UNTIL IT "JUST HAPPENS". *TR

MY C230 2006 CAR HAS A ENGINE NOISE AND THATS SO LOUD. PLEASE TELL ME ABOUT THIS NOISE . I THINK THAT IS NEED TO REPLACE. *TR