2003 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Engine Problems

DURING INITIAL WARMUP OF VEHICLE (GENERALLY SOAKED AT AMBIENT TEMPERATURES 60F AND BELOW) A SHORT TERM (5-8 SECONDS) UNSTABLE IDLE OCCURS 20-30 SECONDS AFTER INITIAL ENGINE START AND WHILE IN A FORWARD DRIVE GEAR. THIS UNSTABLE IDLE GENERATES TORQUE VARIATIONS THAT WILL OVERCOME A BRAKE APPLY AND INCUR VEHICLE MOVEMENT. THE BRAKE APPLY IS A LEVEL WHICH WOULD KEEP THE VEHICLE STOPPED ON LEVEL GROUND TO COUNTER ACT NORMAL CREEP TORQUE. APPLYING THE BRAKE HEAVIER WILL PREVENT THE VEHICLE FROM MOVING.

CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR - THE ENGINE SHUTS DOWN WITHOUT ANY WARNING, SOMETIMES WHILE DRIVING AT SPEED. I TRIED TO RESTART IT SEVERAL TIMES, BUT TO NOT AVAIL. IT MAY RESTART AFTER THE ENGINE HAS COOLED OFF (AFTER 20-30 MINUTES) BUT THE PROBLEM REPEATS ITSELF WHEN THE ENGINE HAS BEEN RUNNING AND WARM AGAIN. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND A MALFUNCTION MESSAGE: BATTERY PROTECTION - CONVENTIONAL FUNCTIONS TEMPORARILY UNAVAILABLE DISPLAYS. ONCE AT THE REPAIR SHOP, THE MECHANIC KNEW WHAT THE PROBLEM MAY POSSIBLY BE EVEN BEFORE TESTING FOR THE CHECK ENGINE CODE. HE SAID HE'S SEEN THIS PROBLEM FOR QUITE SOME TIME. THE PROBLEM CODE DID COME UP WITH A BAD CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR AS HE PREDICTED. I RESEARCHED THIS PROBLEM ON SEVERAL MERCEDES BENZ OWNERS? FORUM WEB SITES AND DISCOVERED NUMEROUS ENTRIES FROM OWNERS WITH THIS EXACT SAME PROBLEM, AFFECTING SEVERAL MERCEDES MODEL YEARS. I CALLED MERCEDES BENZ AND ASKED WHY A RECALL WAS NOT ISSUED FOR THIS PROBLEM AND WHAT THEY WERE DOING TO COMPENSATE OWNERS FOR THE REPAIR COST OR AT LEAST A NOTIFICATION OF THIS PROBLEM. I DID NOT RECEIVE A FAVORABLE OUTCOME BUT WAS TOLD BY THE CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE THAT SHE WOULD ESCALATE THE ISSUE INTERNALLY SO THAT THEY WOULD BE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. I BELIEVE THAT MERCEDES BENZ HAS KNOWN ABOUT THIS PROBLEM FOR YEARS AND IT CONTINUES TO AFFECT MANY OWNERS. HAVING THE ENGINE SHUT DOWN WITH NO WARNING IS VERY DANGEROUS ESPECIALLY IF THE CAR IS BEING DRIVEN AT SPEED ON THE HIGHWAY. *TR

TOOK MY CAR INTO DEALERSHIP TO GET CHECKED FOR A KNOWN ISSUE IN WHICH THE RADIATOR WOULD MIX THE ENGINE COOLANT WITH TRANSMISSION FLUID. DEALER CONFIRMED I HAD THE FAULTY RADIATOR AND THAT THE TRANSMISSION FLUID HAD GLYCOL IN IT. I WAS TOLD THEY CAN NOT COVER THE REPAIRS NOR REPLACE THE PARTS AND THAT I WOULD HAVE TO PAY ALL COSTS EVEN THOUGH IT'S A KNOWN ISSUE. SO I DECIDED TO FLUSH THE FLUID OUT AND INSTALL A SEPARATE COOLER TO AVOID FLUID FROM GOING THROUGH RADIATOR IN HOPES I COULD SAVE THE TRANSMISSION FROM BEING DAMAGED BY THE CONTAMINATED FLUID SINCE I DID NOT HAVE THE FUNDS TO REPLACE THE COMPONENTS. I WAS DRIVING ON A BUSY EXPRESSWAY ALONG WITH FOUR OTHER COWORKERS WHEN MY CAR'S ENGINE OVER REVVED AND THE CAR BEGAN TO LOSE MOMENTUM. NEARLY GETTING REAR ENDED BY VEHICLES BEHIND ME, I GOT OUT OF THE LANE AND MERGED ONTO THE SHOULDER. THINKING THE CAR MAY OF HAD SOME ELECTRIC FAULT IN THE TRANSMISSION WHICH MIGHT OF CAUSED THE ISSUE, I BEGAN TO CAUTIOUSLY DRIVE THE CAR BACK TO WORK WHEN IT DID THE SAME THING AGAIN. NEXT DAY I WAS TAKING VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP WHEN IT COMPLETELY STOPPED MOVING. THE ENGINE WOULD RUN PROPERLY, BUT WHEN PLACED IN DRIVE OR REVERSE, THE CAR WOULD NOT MOVE. TOLD DEALERSHIP MY ISSUE AND WAS TOLD THAT THE TRANSMISSION WENT OUT. THEY WOULD NOT COVER THE COSTS EVEN THOUGH IT WAS CAUSED BY EQUIPMENT FAILURE, SO I PAID ALL THE COST OUT OF POCKET IN ORDER TO GET VEHICLE BACK UP AND RUNNING SINCE IT IS MY ONLY CAR. AFTER TALKING WITH SERVICE MANAGER AT DEALER AND THEIR TECH'S, THEY HAVE KNOWN ABOUT THE ISSUE SPECIFICALLY WITH MY VEHICLES YEAR AND THAT IT IS NOT A RECALL NOR SOMETHING THE DEALER CAN COVER. THIS ISSUE NEARLY CAUSED ME TO HAVE AN ACCIDENT THREE TIMES AND IT IS AN ISSUE THAT THE DEALER MUST TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR AND COVER AT NO COST TO OWNER SINCE THEY HAVE KNOWN ABOUT THE ISSUE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MERCEDES BENZ E 320. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THEY ADVISED HER THAT THE TWO VALVES AND THE FUEL SENDING UNIT FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE RECURRED A FEW MONTHS AFTER THE REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND THEY OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 91,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 92,000. *TR

RECENTLY PURCHASED THIS 2003 MB E500 WHILE DRIVING ALONG THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO STUTTER AND SHAKE @ AROUND 1500 RPM, THIS OCCURRED CONTINUALLY. MADE IT HOME AND GOOGLED THIS PROBLEM AND FOUND OUT THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM FOR THIS VEHICLE DUE TO A LEAK IN THE COOLANT SYSTEM THAT SOMEHOW GETS INTO THE TRANSMISSION,CAUSING IT TO BECOME CONTAMINATED WHICH PRODUCES THIS FIERCE/POTENTIAL DANGEROUS STUTTER/JERKING. TO MY SURPRISE, MERCEDES BENZ IS FULLY AWARE OF THIS HAZARD AND HAS NOT HAD A RECALL/BULLETIN TO FIX THIS COMMON PROBLEM, LEAVING THIS EXPENSIVE REPAIR COST ON THE CONSUMER. THE VEHICLE COST IS EXPENSIVE ENOUGH AND TO HAVE TO MAKE THIS COSTLY REPAIR IS UNFAIR. *TR

AS I WAS MERGING ON TO THE HIGHWAY FROM ANOTHER HIGHWAY AT ABOUT 40MPH, I HAD TO SPEED UP BECAUSE OF THE TRAFFIC THAT WAS COMING TOWARDS ME AND ALSO TO BLEND IN WITH THE REST OF THE CARS SPEEDS. I WENT TO ACCELERATE, BUT NOTHING HAPPENED. LET OFF THE GAS, AND THEN PUNCHED THE PEDAL ALL THE WAY, BUT STILL NO SIGN OF ACCELERATION. I KEPT MY FOOT ON THE GAS AND ABOUT 3 SECONDS LATER, THE CAR BEGAN SLOWLY TO SPEED UP...ONE MPH AT A TIME. IT TOOK SOME TIME TO MAKE IT SO 65MPH. AFTER REACHING THAT SPEED, I TRIED SOME TROUBLESHOOTING. I LET OFF GAS PEDAL COMPLETELY AND STEPPED BACK ON IT. THAT DIDN'T HELP. I ALSO TRIED USING MY SHIFTRONIC, AND THAT DIDN'T HELP. I TOOK THE NEXT OFF RAMP AND CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT. I WENT INTO PARK AND RIGHT BACK INTO "D". I STILL HAD THE ACCELERATING PROBLEM. THE ONLY WAY IT WENT AWAY WAS TO SHUT OFF THE CAR AND TURN IT BACK ON. IT CURRENTLY WORKS WELL WITHOUT ANY SIGNS OF A PROBLEM. I DID NOT RECEIVE A MESSAGE ON THE DASHBOARD NOR DID I RECEIVE AN ERROR CODE. *TR

WHILE DRIVING, RADIATOR FLUID LEAKED INTO THE TRANSMISSION WHICH CAUSES VIBRATIONS FROM THE REAR OF THE CAR. THE LEAK ALSO CREATED A JERKING PROBLEM WHILE ACCELERATING IN THE LOW GEARS. THE ISSUE WITH THE FAULTY RADIATOR IS GOING TO TAKE OVER $10,000 TO REPAIR.

MY 2003 MERCEDES E320 ENGINE STALLED MOMENTARILY AS I SPED UP TO ENTER I-95 NEAR FREDERICKSBURG, VA. I EASED UP ON THE GAS AND IT RESTARTED WITH NO APPARENT IMMEDIATE AFTER EFFECTS. FORTUNATELY, THERE WAS NO TRAFFIC CLOSE BEHIND ME, OR THERE MIGHT HAVE BEEN A COLLISION. THERE WERE NO WARNING LIGHTS SHOWING ON THE DASHBOARD BEFORE OR AFTER THE STALLING. I CONTINUED SOUTH ON I-95 WITH NO FURTHER PROBLEMS UNTIL I EXITED AT ASHLAND, VA. AT THE INTERCHANGE WITH US1, WHEN I STOPPED AT THE TRAFFIC LIGHT, THE ENGINE STALLED OUT AND WOULD NOT RESTART, BLOCKING TRAFFIC. A POLICEMAN ARRIVED AND CALLED FOR A TOW. AGAIN THERE WERE NO APPARENT TROUBLE LIGHTS. THE CAR WAS CARRIED TO THE RICHMOND VA DEALER, WHICH REPLACED THE AIR MASS SENSOR. THIS CORRECTED THE PROBLEM. I REPORTED THIS PROBLEM TO MERCEDES CUSTOMER CARE IN NJ. I EMPHASIZED THE SERIOUSNESS OF HAVING THE ENGINE STALL OUT, BUT THEY WERE NOT PLANNING TO PERFORM ANY NEW FIX. THEY SAID IT WAS "OPERATING AS DESIGNED", MAKING REFERENCE TO A "LIMP HOME" FEATURE THAT STALLS THE ENGINE AND WARNS THE DRIVER TO GET OFF THE ROAD. I LOOKED IN THE CAR'S MANUAL, AND THE TERM "LIMP HOME" APPEARS ONLY ONCE CONCERNING THE ENGINE. HOWEVER, THERE IS NO DESCRIPTION OF HOW THIS WORKS OR WHAT THE DRIVER IS SUPPOSED TO DO. IN MY CAR, THE ENGINE DID NOT "LIMP", BUT RAN AT FULL POWER AFTER THE STALL AND RESTART. IN MY OPINION, A SENSOR FAILURE SHOULD NOT DISABLE THE ENGINE, AND ANY SERIOUS PROBLEM SHOULD BE WARNED THROUGH A BLINKING CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. MERCEDES NEEDS TO REMEDY THESE PROBLEMS THROUGH A RECALL. AT THE VERY LEAST, OWNERS OF THESE CARS SHOULD BE WARNED ABOUT THE POTENTIAL PROBLEM, AND HOW TO DEAL WITH IT IF IT OCCURS. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MERCEDES BENZ E320. WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO JERK AND SPUTTER. THE DEALER INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND STATED THAT ANTI-FREEZE LEAKED INTO THE TRANSMISSION FLUID, WHICH CAUSED THE TORQUE CONVERTER TO FAIL. THE REPAIR WOULD COST $3,000. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE CONTACT IS IN THE PROCESS OF NOTIFYING THE MANUFACTURER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 58,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 62,000.

I HAVE A MERCEDES-BENZ 2003 E500 THAT HAS A DEFECTIVE VALEO RADIATOR THAT CAUSED GLYCOL CONTAMINATION LEAKAGE INTO THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FLUID. MY UN-DRIVABLE CAR NOW HAS TRANSMISSION FAILURE BECAUSE OF POWER LOSS WHILE TRAVELING AT HIGH SPEEDS. INABILITY TO ACCELERATE OR KEEP UP THE MINIMUM SPEED OF THE POSTED HIGHWAY SIGNS IS COMMON. I ASKED MBUSA ABOUT THE PROBLEM AND INITIALLY THEY REFUSED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROBLEM EXISTED. AFTER FINDING TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN P-B-27.55/50F DATED MARCH 24, 2006 THEY ACKNOWLEDGED THE DEFECT BUT DENIED ANY ASSISTANCE TO ME, LEAVING IT UP TO A LOCAL DEALER TO HANDLE THE MATTER. THE LOCAL DEALER WOULD NOT ASSIST ME EXCEPT PERFORMING THE $200 GLYCOL BULLETIN TEST AND DESCRIBED THE COST FOR REPAIRS. MY CAR GLYCOL CONTAMINATION TEST RESULT COMPARED TO THE CHART WAS DEEP PURPLE AS A RESULT OF THE GLYCOL AND TRANSMISSION FLUID CONTAMINATION LEVEL BEING ABOVE 400 MG/LITER WHICH IS THE WORST CASE SCENARIO OF RUSTED TRANSMISSION AND SHOWING GLYCOL CONTAMINATION STARTED MONTHS EARLIER TO THE NOTICEABLE PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR. ALSO THE BULLETIN OUTLINES TEST KITS SOLD TO DEALERSHIPS IN PACKS OF 30'S. THE BULLETIN ALSO SAYS THAT THE PROBLEM IS NOT INTERMITTENT AND CAN BE REPRODUCED AT ALL TIMES. THIS PROBLEM IS WIDE SPREAD AND NEEDS TO BE A RECALL DUE TO POWER LOSS WHILE DRIVING. *TR

I HAVE HAD SEVERAL PROBLEMS WITH MY CAR HESITATING AND JERKING FIRST FEW TIMES THEY FIXED IT THEN MY CAR STOPPED ON THE FREEWAY IN TRAFFIC GOING 40 MILES PER HOUR, THEN THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN AND AFTER CHANGING THE TRANSMISSION IT STOPPED AGAIN ON THE STREET GOING 30 MILES PER HOUR. MY CAR IS STILL HESITATING AND JERKING. I AM SO TIRED OF TAKING THE CAR IN ALL THE TIME AND THEM GIVING ME A RENTAL, MY FAMILY AND FRIENDS THINK ITS FUNNY THAT I HAVE DRIVEN A RENTAL SO MANY TIMES. THE CAR HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP TOTAL OF ABOUT 50-60 DAYS TOTAL. MERCEDES WILL NOT GIVE ME MY MONEY BACK OR CHANGE MY CAR. I NEED HELP PLEASE BEFORE MY CAR STOPS ON ME AGAIN ON THE FREEWAY AND SOMEONE HITS ME OR I HIT SOMEONE. *JB

DT: CONSUMER SMELLS A GAS ODOR IN THE CAR. SHE HAS HAD THIS SAME PROBLEM SINCE SHE BOUGHT THE CAR.*AK

THE PURGE VALUE FOR THE EMISSION CONTROL SYSTEM, MAKES A TAPPING NOISE IN THE ENGINE AT IDLE, AS IF THE CAR IS LOW ON OIL. WHEN I TOOK THIS IN TO THE DEALERSHIP TO SEE WHAT THE TAPPING NOISE WAS, THEY EXPLAINED THAT A LOUD METAL TAPPING NOISE WAS NORMAL ON THE MERCEDES. THEY STATED THEY WOULD PUT A NEW "PURGE VALUE" IN THE CAR TO SEE IF THAT WOULD QUITE THE LOUD NOISE IN THE ENGINE. UPON DOING SO, THE CAR BEGAN JERKING BACK AND FORTH VIOLENTLY WHEN ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE. THE PROBLEM BECOMES GRADUALLY WORSE, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON, THE CAR BEGINS CONSUMING LARGE AMOUNTS OF GASOLINE (ABOUT 8-10 MPG), THE CAR WILL ROCK FROM SIDE TO SIDE AT AN IDLE STOP AND WILL HESITATE FOR 10-30 SECONDS, WHEN ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE FROM A STOP. *LA

MY 2003 E 320 HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP 3 TIMES BECAUSE WHEN I COME TO A STOP AT TIMES IT WILL SUDDENLY SHUT OFF AND ALL THE LIGHTS ON THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER WILL LIGHT UP. THE PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT AND THE VEHICLE HAS 19,000 MILES ON IT. *PH