There are 55 stored owner reports matching the engine leading-label group for the 2006 Mercedes-Benz C-Class in our NHTSA-sourced dataset. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
This group counts stored reports whose component label starts with one of this site's matching prefixes, ignoring case. Each matching report counts once within the group. Components mentioned later in the label or only in the narrative are not searched. How component counts work
Loaded 50 of 55 matching reports. This is a limited sample of up to 50 reports, ordered by incident date when available, not the complete group. The list controls page through the loaded reports only.
Open the full vehicle complaint log (all categories)Engine misfires while driving. OBD 2 codes P0016 and P0017 indicates bad balance shaft. Common defect in these cars. Very expensive repair needed.
The balance shaft sprocket in this car needs to be recalled. It has has known issues since it came out nearly 20 years ago. It can cause your whole engine to blow if not fixed. The fix is often more than the value of the car, around $7000. It is ridiculous. The part was not properly heat treated during manufacture which causes it to fail prematurely at the expense of the owner.
The car randomly misfires and goes into limp mode with a flashing check engine light. This has occurred on roadways and the vehicle loses all engine power. My engine code, 272920 30 183997272.920, falls into a known range of balance shaft gear problems with this motor. There was previously a settlement by the manufacturer to repair the motor but I was unaware of this settlement before purchasing this vehicle as there was no official recall. I am being told the repair requires pulling the motor out which is quite a high cost. The problem has been confirmed by an independent mechanic inspecting the camshaft timing. There were no other indicators of this failure before the check engine light came on and flashed.
The contact owns a 2006 Mercedes-Benz C230. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle started leaking oil. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The contact related the failure to an unknown recall. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 172,000.
My Engine light came on and I took it to Star Motors. They reported two codes, 1200 and 1208. This means a bad Balance Shaft. This balances the engine and controls the timing belt. I had three choices they said, Repair it for $5,900.00 ....Yes that's right. Sell the car or drive it till it dies. I asked what that meant. They said the car will just stop, freeze and size up, it could happen at anytime. So I'm driving a time bomb basically..
The timing chain failed without warning causing the vehicle to cut off while driving 75 mph on the highway. The service engine soon late was not on at all so there was no warning that something was wrong with the vehicle.
The intake manifold has a plastic tumble flap mechanism. This commonly breaks in most of these Mercedes Benz vehicles. The main problem is the high cost of repair due to it's location in the engine under a complex wiring harness. Mercedes has never issued a recall, but this problem can lead to catastrophic engine failure. This problem is very well documented on many websites.
We have 71,000 miles on our 2006 Mercedes Benz C280. Before Christmas, the engine light starts going on and the engine starts sounding rough and jerking. We take it into Mercedes Benz and they diagnose a cam shaft issue. It turns out all 2006 Mercedes Benz C280 have the same problem with the same mileage. This car is a safety hazard and needs to be recalled.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MERCEDES-BENZ C230. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED, THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AND 'CAM SHAFT BALANCE CALIBRATION, SENSOR ONE AND SENSOR B' APPEARED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED FOR APPROXIMATELY TWO MONTHS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO GARAGE ISLA VERDE (AVENIDA BALDORIOTY DE CASTRO, KL 10.3, CAROLINA, PR 00979) WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE BALANCE CAMSHAFT NEEDED REPLACEMENT. THE CONTACT OWNED TWO OTHER MERCEDES BENZ C230S, WHICH ALSO EXPERIENCED THE SAME FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 131,000. *TR*JB
BALANCE SHAFT ENGINE ISSUES, STRETCHED TIMING CHAIN, BALANCE SHAFT SPROCKETS. THERE WAS A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT ABOUT THIS THAT NO ONE MADE US AWARE OF AND THE REPAIRS HAD TO BE COMPLETED BY MAY 13, 2015 TO BE PART OF THE CLASS ACTION. NOW, BECAUSE WE DROVE IT SO FEW MILES IN THE PAST, THE ISSUES HAVE JUST APPEARED. WE HAVE JUST 76,000 MILES ON IT AND WERE TOLD THAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO TAKE THE ENGINE APART TO REPLACE THE CAMSHAFT BEARINGS BECAUSE THEY HAVE WORN DUE TO THE OTHER ISSUES. ALONG WITH THAT WE NEEDED A NEW HEAD AND GASKET AND CAMSHAFT SOLENOIDS. THIS IS ESTIMATED TO COST US $10,000.00. WE OF COURSE AREN'T GOING TO DO THE REPAIRS NOW. THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN A RECALL ON THIS SO PEOPLE LIKE US THAT DON'T DRIVE A LOT OF MILES DON'T GET RIPPED OFF. THIS IS A MERCEDES THAT SHOULD HAVE EASILY RUN FOR OVER 200,000 MILES. NOW IT'S JUNK.
ENGINE LIGHT WENT ON WHEN RPM REACHED 2,000 AND HAS STAYED ON EVER SINCE. DIAGNOSTICS MADE AT A PROFESSIONAL MECHANICS INDICATED A BALANCE SHAFT PROBLEM. THE CAR HAS 68,400 MILES.
MY FAN ON ,YCAR WENT OUT WITHOUT WARNING AND HAD TO BE REPLACED AT 70,000 MILES MY AIR WENT OUT...I DROVE APPROX 5 MILES TO THE STORE AND WAS ON MY WAY BACK HOME WHENI NOTICED MY AIR WAS NOT WORKING. A MESAGE CAME ON TO TAKE TO THE SHOP.
ENGINE DIAGNOSIS WARNING LAMP LIGHT UP, FAULT CODES 1200 AND 1208 STORED IN MOTOR ELECTRONICS CONTROL UNIT. CAUSE: BALANCE SHAFT SPROCKET (ENGINE M272) WORN SPROCKET DAMAGE PROFILE. ENGINE CHECK LIGHTS CAME ON AND B-SERVICE LIGHT WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY.. ENGINE- M272.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MERCEDES-BENZ C230. WHILE DEPRESSING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AT 60 MPH, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE AND THE RPMS REVVED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 74,000.
MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ON. I HAD IT LOOKED AT BY MY MECHANIC. HE CONFIRMED THAT IT IS THE BALANCE SHAFT. THIS NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. I RESEARCHED THIS PROBLEM AND FOUND MANY MERCEDES 230 MODELS HAVE THIS MANUFACTURER'S PROBLEM BECAUSE THE PIECE WAS CHEAPLY MADE. THIS IS A PROBLEM WITH YOUR MERCEDES C230 2006 AND 2007 MODELS. IN 2008 C230 MODEL THIS WAS REPLACED WITH A QUALITY BALANCE SHAFT PIECE WHICH ELIMINATED THE PROBLEM. I WOULD LIKE FOR MERCEDES CORPORATION TO PAY FOR THE FULL COST OF MY REPAIR BECAUSE IT IS A MANUFACTURED FAULTY PIECE USED IN THE 2006 AND 2007C230 MODELS. PLEASE LET ME KNOW DETAILS TO GET THIS PAID FOR. THANK YOU!! *TR
ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON. THERE IS A MANUFACTURING ISSUE WITH THE INTAKE MANIFOLD. THE PLASTIC ACTUATING RODS BROKE CAUSING THE INTERNAL FLAPPERS TO STICK OUT. THIS CAN SUCK INTO THE ENGINE AND CAUSE MAJOR DAMAGE TO VALVES AND ENGINE HEAD. MERCEDES BENZ SHOULD NOT HAVE USED PLASTIC RODS THAT BREAK. MERCEDES SHOULD REPLACE THE INTAKE MANIFOLD AS NO COST TO THE CUSTOMER.
THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON AND MY CAR JERKS. IT SOUNDS LIKE THE SAME PROBLEM EVERYONE ELSE IS HAVING WITH THE 2006-2008 C280 MERCEDES BENZ.
MY CAR ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON IN JUNE OF 2014. I TOOK IT TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR COMPANY. THEY EXPLAINED AT THAT TIME THAT I MAY BE DEALING WITH A BALANCE SHAFT ISSUE. AS THE MONTHS PROGRESS, MY ENGINE LIGHT WOULD COME ON AND GO OFF INTERMITTENTLY. THE ENGINE LIGHT EVENTUALLY WOULD NOT GO OFF. I TOOK IT BACK TO THE REPAIR SHOP AND THEY CONFIRM THAT IT WAS A BALANCE SHAFT ISSUE AND THAT IT WAS A MANUFACTURERS PROBLEM. I CALLED AND EMAILED MERCEDES BENZ FOR ASSISTANCE SINCE IT WAS NOT NEGLIGENT ON MY PART THAT THIS ISSUE OCCURRED. AFTER MAKING SEVERAL PHONES AND E-MAILING THE CEO, THEY TOLD ME THAT I WOULD HAVE TO GET IT CHECKED BY A MERCEDES BENZ DEALER TO CONFIRM THE ISSUE. I MADE THE APPOINTMENT WITH THE MERCEDES BENZ DEALER IN DECEMBER 2014 AND THEY CONFIRMED THAT IT WAS A BALANCE SHAFT ISSUE AND THAT IT WOULD COST AROUND $5,000 TO REPAIR. I CALLED MERCEDES BENZ BACK TO REQUEST ASSISTANCE AND THEY EXPLAINED THAT SINCE THE CAR HAD NO RECALLS AND THAT IT WAS NOT A NEW CAR, THEY WOULD PAY 10% OF THE REPAIR COST. I EXPLAINED THAT I DID NOT HAVE THE MONEY TO PAY FOR THE REPAIRS AND THAT I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY FOR THE REPAIRS SINCE IT IS A MANUFACTURERS PROBLEM. TO DATE , I AM WITHOUT A CAR TO DRIVE BECAUSE I DO NOT HAVE THE MONEY TO PAY FOR THE REPAIRS. ANY ASSISTANCE THAT YOU CAN GIVE IN THIS MATTER IS GREATLY APPRECIATED. *TR
THE BALANCE SHAFT IS FAULTY AND MY ENGINE WAS SHAKING. THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL REPORTS OF THIS HAPPENING IN 2 TYPES OF ENGINES AND MERCEDES BENZ WILL NOT COVER IT. THERE IS CLASS ACTION LAWSUITS GOING ON ABOUT ALL THE PEOPLE HAVING THIS PROBLEM. *TR
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
Showing 1-20 of 50 loaded complaints
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
NHTSA source checks for this vehicle year
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Vehicle import recorded: Aug 31, 2026. This is the stored import date, not confirmation that every source was successfully refreshed.