2006 Mercedes Benz C280

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND WOULD NOT TURN OFF. TOOK VEHICLE TO AN AUTHORIZED MERCEDES DEALERSHIP I WAS TOLD THE ISSUE WAS THE TIMING IN BALANCE SHAFT OF THE ENGINE. ACCORDING TO THE MECHANIC MERCEDES BENZ WAS WELL AWARE OF THE BALANCE SHAFT ISSUE AT THE TIME THE VEHICLE WAS BUILT, BUT THE PROBLEM ONLY SHOWS UP ON SOME OF THE C-CLASS MODELS AND DUE TO THE MILEAGE ON THE MY VEHICLE THERE WAS NOTHING HE COULD DO. IF THIS IS AN ISSUE MERCEDES WAS AWARE I SHOULDN'T HAVE TO PAY 6K TO FIX. THERE SHOULD BE SOMETHING MERCEDES SHOULD DO TO HELP OWNERS WITH THE COST OF REPAIRS. I HAD NO INDICATION THIS WAS A PROBLEM OTHER THAN THE SERVICE LIGHT APPEARING OUT OF NO WHERE TWO MONTHS AFTER MY SERVICE VISIT WHICH WAS TWO MONTHS PRIOR TO THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMING ON. THE MECHANIC TOLD ME I COULD CONTINUE TO DRIVE MY CAR WITH THE ENGINE LIGHT ON IF IT DOESN'T BOTHER ME , HOWEVER I'M AFRAID THE CAR WILL QUIT RUNNING. I WAS PLANNING ON TAKING THE CAR OUT OF TOWN ON VACATION NEXT MONTH I DON'T WANT TO GET STRANDED ON THE ROAD IN THE MIDDLE OF NO WHERE. *TR

ENGINE BEGAN KNOCKING WHILE DRIVING. BALANCE SHAFT MALFUNCTION. CAUSED VEHICLE TO BECOME NON-DRIVABLE. LOCAL DEALER QUOTED 6K TO FIX. CONTACTED MERCEDES BENZ WHICH INDICATED IT WOULD OFFER NO ASSISTANCE IN REPAIR OF THIS PROBLEM. INTERNET RESEARCH SHOWS A CONSISTENT PROBLEM WITH THE YEAR AND C-CLASS VEHICLES. OTHER RESEARCH INDICATES A DEFECT IN THE BALANCE SHAFT USED BY MERCEDES BENZ IN THIS MODEL AND OTHER MODELS. MERCEDES BENZ ISSUED A SERVICE NOTIFICATION ABOUT THIS PROBLEM IN 2008. PROBLEM OCCURRED ON THIS VEHICLE WHILE RELATIVELY CLOSE TO HOME PRIOR TO BEING DRIVEN OUT OF TOWN. HAD THE PROBLEM OCCURRED ON THE ROAD, THE DRIVER AND VEHICLE WOULD HAVE BEEN STRANDED. A NON DEALER MERCEDES MECHANIC STATED THERE WAS AN 8-10% FAILURE RATE ON THE BALANCE SHAFTS IN QUESTION. MERCEDES BENZ NEEDS TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE TO THE OWNERS TO RESOLVE THE ONES THAT DO FAIL. *TR

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

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MERCEDES C280. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH OVER A POTHOLE, THE FRONT DRIVERS SIDE TIRE BLEW OUT. THE SPARE TIRE WAS INSTALLED ON THE VEHICLE; HOWEVER, THE VALVE STEMS BEGAN TO FAIL AND WITHIN A FEW MINUTES, THE SPARE TIRE ALSO BLEW OUT. THE CONTACT IS CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY RISK SINCE THE SPARE TIRE DOES NOT CONFORM TO THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO TO FIX THE VALVE STEMS. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 80,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MERCEDES BENZ C280. WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN AT 5 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AND REAR-ENDED THE PRECEDING VEHICLE. WHILE BACKING UP FROM THE CRASH, THE VEHICLE SPED BACKWARDS AND STRUCK THE VEHICLE IN ITS REAR. THE POLICE ISSUED A TICKET FOR $130 AND FILED A REPORT. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY AT THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION AND REPAIR. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 36,000.