2012 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Engine Problems

[XXX].The engine intake manifold on our 2012 Mercedes E350 (64,000 miles) EXPLODED with enough force to bend the hood up 2 inches. It was a damp cold morning & the engine had not been started in 12 hours. The car was not locked & the key fob was nowhere close. The fuel level was under 3/4 full. This happened when wife went to get something out of the car and when she pulled the passenger door handle to open - B O O M !!!! If this happened 30 minutes later, I would have been under that hood checking the fluid levels for a trip to San Francisco. I WOULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY HURT OR KILLED!. It was towed to Mercedes-Benz of Carlsbad, Carlsbad California on [XXX] & they have not been able to identify the cause. They could replace the broken parts at the cost of $8,000 but that doesn’t fix the problem. And if it happens again & hurts or kills someone, they could be held liable. Similar intake explosions have occurred on these Mercedes engines but Mercedes is denying any knowledge even though it’s clearly a dangerous design flaw in this intake system. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

The contact owns a 2012 Mercedes-Benz E350.The contact stated that while driving approximately 30 MPH, the vehicle started to jolt forward. Upon shifting to fourth gear, the vehicle stopped jolting. While depressing the brake pedal, the vehicle jolted. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer where it was diagnosed that oil was leaking into the engine and the wiring harness. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 82,000.

Hello, A manufacturer should understand that Timing Chain is a vital component in an engine, an so should not say just tell consumer that it goes bad at a particular milage., As such in my MB E350 2012, is difficult to start the car and i think that this should be looked at. Thanks

The contact owns a 2012 Mercedes-Benz E350. The contact stated that after retrieving the vehicle from the dealer, the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer where it was diagnosed that there was oil contamination through the camshaft sensor. The contact was informed that the engine wiring harness needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for confirmation of the diagnosis. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 54,700. The VIN was not provided.

THE CAR SHUTS OFF RANDOMLY AT STOP LIGHTS. I CANNOT TELL IT IS OFF UNTIL WE ARE A GREEN LIGHT AND THEN I HAVE TO START THE CAR. CARS BEHIND ME HAVE ALMOST HIT ME

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 MERCEDES-BENZ E350. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AT START-UP, THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO MERCEDES-BENZ OF SACRAMENTO (1810 HOWE AVE, SACRAMENTO, CA 95825) WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED WITH A DEFECTIVE O2 SENSOR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT BEFORE AGREEING TO THE REPAIR, HE REQUESTED THAT THE MECHANIC INSPECT THE CAMSHAFT SENSOR FOR A POSSIBLE LINK TO THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT FAILURE HAD IN FACT STARTED WITH THE DEFECTIVE CAMSHAFT SENSOR AND SPREAD TO THE O2 SENSORS AND WIRING HARNESS. THE CONTACT WAS THEN GIVEN AN ESTIMATE FOR THE REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER HAD BEEN NOTIFIED OF FAILURE AND OFFERED FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR THE REPAIR BUT OFFERED NO ADDITIONAL ASSISTANCE. THE REPAIR WAS STILL PENDING. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 87,000.

'EXPERIENCED RATTLING SOUNDS AND TOOK VEHICLE FOR INSPECTION TO MERCEDES-BENZ OF TUCSON (MBT) ON 5/9/18 'INSPECTION FOUND SECONDARY CHAIN TENSIONERS PRODUCING RATTLING NOISE UNTIL OIL PRESSURE IS BUILT UP. EST COST OF REPAIRS $1497.94. RECEIPT READS: NO CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGE TO BE EXPECTED 'JULY 2018 CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. AUTOHAUS TUCSON FOUND ENGINE LIGHT RELATED TO DAMAGED TEMP SENSOR WIRING; REPAIRED PACK RAT DAMAGE WIRING FOR AMBIENT TEMP SENSOR 'OCT 2019 CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON; MBT INSPECTION; DIAGNOSIS: FAULT CODE #P001685-POSITION OF INTAKE CAMSHAFT IS IMPLAUSIBLE TO THE POSITION OF THE CRANKSHAFT BANK 1; ENGINE OUT OF TIME DUE TO CAM ADJUSTER FAILURE 'MBT STATED THAT THEY COULD START REPAIRS UNTIL AFTER 11/18/19 AS THE SPECIALTY TECH WAS UNAVAILABLE 'CONTACTED MBT REGULARLY UNTIL THEY WERE ABLE TO TAKE VEHICLE IN ON 12/2/19. 'TO DATE,VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN THE POSSESSION OF MBT FOR 119 DAYS 'COST AND DIAGNOSIS HAVE GROWN EXPONENTIALLY FROM $1497 TO A WHOPPING $12,000 FOR EXTENSIVE ENGINE REPAIRS! 'MBT STATED THAT AFTER REPAIRS WERE COMPLETED, THE ENGINE DID NOT OPERATE PROPERLY, AND THEY WOULD NEED TO 'BREAK THE ENGINE DOWN' AGAIN TO FIND THE PROBLEM 'FOUND THE ENGINE WAS CRACKED AND THE COST REFLECT PROBLEMS FOUND INSIDE THE ENGINE AFTER SUBSEQUENT REPAIRS WERE COMPLETED 'I HAVE MAINTAINED REGULAR MAINTENANCE SCHEDULES AND QUESTION WHETHER SUCH DAMAGES RESULT FROM NEGLECT ON THE PART OF MERCEDES BENZ OF TUCSON OR OF A MANUFACTURING FLAW OF THE 2012 E350 ENGINE. NEITHER IS SATISFACTORY 'TO DATE, MBT HAVE NOT SUPPLIED ME WITH ANY TECH NOTES OR VERIFICATION OF SAID DAMAGES/REPAIRS 'REQUESTING YOUR ASSISTANCE IN DETERMINING IF PROBLEMS EXIST WITH THE FLAWED SERVICE OF MERCEDES BENZ OF TUCSON OR OF A MUCH LARGER ISSUE WITH FLAWS IN THE MANUFACTURING OF 2012 E350 ENGINE. 'AT THIS POINT, I AM NOT CONFIDENT THAT THE VEHICLE IS SAFE TO DRIVE *JS

FAN FIRE. OIL SMELLING SMOKE WHICH TURNED TO FLAMES.

2012 E350 COUPE. CAR WAS MAKING AN ODD "CLUNKING" NOISE WHEN STARTED, BUT WOULD FADE OR IDLE OUT AFTER A COUPLE OF SECONDS. TOOK IT INTO MB SERVICE TODAY AND WAS JUST INFORMED THAT MY CAR HAS A CAMSHAFT PROBLEM AND IT'S WEARING ON THE RIGHT CYLINDER HEAD. SERVICE REP SAYS THEY HAVE SEEN SEVERAL CARS COME IN WITH THE SAME ISSUE. REPAIRS COST $9,000! SEEMS LIKE AN ENGINEERING/MECHANICAL DEFECT AS I WAS TOLD THERE WAS NOTHING I COULD HAVE DONE TO PREVENT THIS ISSUE.

ENGINE. PROBLEM STARTED IN MARCH 2017. 2012 E350 CONV MADE A LOUD GRINDING METAL ON METAL NOISE ON COLD START, BUT WOULD FADE OUT IN A FEW SECONDS. BROUGHT CAR TO DEALER, WHO SAID MECHANICS COULD NOT DUPLICATE PROBLEM. BROUGHT CAR HOME AND CAR CONTINUED TO MAKE GRINDING NOISE. TOOK VIDEO OF NOISE ON COLD START SO I COULD SHOW MY SERVICE ADVISOR. MERCEDES SAID TO REPLACE ENGINE TENSIONERS, TOTAL COST OF REPAIR 1900.00. BROUGHT CAR HOME. CAR CONTINUES TO MAKE GRINDING SOUND ON COLD START. BROUGHT CAR BACK. MECHANICS SUGGESTED CHANGING THE OIL PUMP, TOTAL COST 570.00. BROUGHT CAR HOME, AND CAR CONTINUED TO MAKE GRINDING NOISE ON COLD START. BROUGHT CAR BACK TO DEALER FOR THE THIRD TIME, WHO THEN CALLED MERCEDES FOR ADVICE. SERVICE ADVISOR SAID MERCEDES THINKS THAT THE CAR HAS A CAMSHAFT PROBLEM AND THE COST OF PARTS ALONE WOULD BE OVER 5000.00. MY CAR WAS IN THE SHOP FOR OVER 2 MONTHS AND THERE WAS STILL NO DEFINITIVE ANSWER AS TO WHAT WAS CAUSING THE GRINDING METAL ON METAL NOISE. THIS IS ABSURD AS I HAVE HAD MY CAR SERVICED REGULARLY AND IT IS GARAGED IN GREAT CONDITION. THIS IS OBVIOUSLY AN ENGINEERING/MECHANICAL DEFECT AND SHOULD BE CONSIDERED A LEMON SINCE MERCEDES HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO FIX OR DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM IN A TIMELY MANNER. AS OF TODAY, FEB 17, 2019, MY CAR IS STILL MAKING A GRINDING METAL ON METAL NOISE ON BOTH COLD AND WARM START. JUST WONDERING IF ONE DAY MY ENGINE WILL SUDDENLY BLOW UP ON COLD START...

TICKING/ TAPPING NOISE FROM THE ENGINE BAY WHEN CAR IS EXCELERATING, ESPECIALLY WHEN GOING UPHILL. *TR