1999 Mercedes Benz ML320

I HAVE BEEN AN OWNER OF A 1999 MERCEDES BENZ ML320, BOUGHT USED ABOUT 6 MONTHS AGO. RECENTLY, SOMETHING WENT WRONG ON THIS VEHICLE AND IT STARTED WOBBLING AND MAKING EXTERNAL ENGINE NOISE. SOON, I DISCOVERED THAT THERE WAS A NON-METALLIC PART, A RING, THE SIZE OF A PALM WAS FOUND IN MY ENGINE BAY. I TOOK IT TO MY LOCAL MB DEALER, MERCEDES BENZ OF CINCINNATI OHIO AND RECEIVED A QUOTE OF $3700.00. THE DEALER'S SERVICE MANAGER TOLD ME ITS NOT A PROBLEM COMMONLY SEEN BUT IT SOUNDED LIKE AWFULLY TOO POPULAR AS THEY KNEW EXACTLY WHAT IT WAS WHEN I DESCRIBED ON THE PHONE. THE MERCEDES E320 ENGINE (SUPPOSEDLY 1998 THROUGH MID 2000) CALLED M112 AS WELL AS THE SAME ENGINE OR SUBSTANTIALLY SIMILAR ENGINE ON C280, ML320, E430 ETC., HAS A HARMONIC BALANCER, A RUBBER RING SANDWICHED BETWEEN 2 METAL PULLEY TO ISOLATE THE ENGINE VIBRATION FROM THE REST OF THE PULLEYS BEING DRIVEN BY THE ENGINE. THIS IS WHAT THE SERPENTINE BELT ROTATES ON.OVER TIME, THE POORLY DESIGNED HARMONIC BALANCER PULLEY FAILS, THE RUBBER RING CRACKS, BREAKS OR FALLS OFF, DEPENDING ON THE TEMPERATURE OF THE VEHICLE DRIVING CONDITIONS AND STRESS/LOAD. IT IS TYPICALLY SEEN ON ML320 IN THE RANGE OF 40,000 MILES, BUT IS NOT AS COMMONLY REPORTED AS TYPICALLY IT IS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. ON E320, IT TENDS TO BE AROUND 60 ,000 MILES THOUGH, OFTEN IT COULD BE AS LOW AS 25000 MILES. THE ISSUE IS, WHEN THIS PART FAILS, THE ENGINE TIMING BELT COVER , OIL PAN ETC GET SERIOUSLY GOUGED BY THE ROTATING PULLEY. IN MY CASE THE DEALERSHIP, MERCEDES BENZ OF CINCINNATI IS CHARGING $3700.00 FOR THE REPAIRS. OFTEN DEALER PROFESS INNOCENCE OR LACK OF SIMILAR FAILURE (COMMON ACROSS BOARD, EVERY USER IN MY GROUP MENTIONS THAT THE DEALER SAID 'NEVER HEARD OF IT'.) . THE ISSUE BECOME MORE DANGEROUS AND EXPENSIVE AS WELL, WHEN LESS MECHANICALLY INCLINED PEOPLE JUST KEEP DRIVING UNTIL SOMETHING SMELLS OR MAKES TERRIBLE NOISE ETC., OFTEN RESULTING IN A MIDDLE OF THE ROAD COMPLETE BREAKDOWN AND SEIZE OF THE ENGINE. *LA

BASED ON A DEALER RECCOMENDATION, I HAVE BECOME AWARE THE MERCEDES BENZ HAS BEEN CONDUCTING AND UNPUBLICISED "CAMPAIGN" TO ADVISE OWNERS OF CERTIAN OF THE ML SERIES SUVS OF THE DESIREABILITY OF "UPGRADING", AT THE OWNERS EXPENSE, THE FUEL SYSTEM INCLUDING FILTERS AND LINES. THIS IS APPARENTLY IN RESPONSE TO A NUMBER OF FUEL FILTER AND FUEL PUMP FAILURES, ASCRIBED BY MERCEDES TO "POOR QUALITY U.S. FUEL" THESE FAILURES HAVE THE EFFECT OF IMMOBILIZING THE CAR, WITHOUT WARNING. THESE UNEXPECTED STOPPAGES CN HAVE VERY SERIOUS SAFTEY IMPLICATIONS IF THEY OCCUR IN A MOVING TRAFFIC FLOW SITUATION. MERCEDES IS WELL AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM BUT HAS NOT DIRECTLY INFORMED OWNERS AND TAKES THE POSITION THAT IT IS NOT A SAFTEY ISSUE AND THEREFORE NOT SUBJECT TO A RECALL. I BELIEVE THAT A DOCUMENTED PROBLEM, ASCRIBABLE TO FAULTY DESIGN OR MATERIALS THAT CAN LEAD TO A SUDDEN AND UNEXPECTED LOSS OF POWER IS A VERY SERIOUS HAZARD AND SHOULD BE CORRECTED BY THE MANUFACTURER.*AK

HARMONIC BALANCER SEAL CAME LOOSE AND CAUSED EXTENSIVE ENGINE DAMAGE. THIS HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING ON A CONGESTED HIGHWAY AT ~60 MPH! THE LOCAL MERCEDES DEALER(REGAL NISSAN/MERCEDES, HUNTSVILLE, AL, PH #256726-0077) CLAIMED THIS WAS A UNIQUE FAILURE AS FARAS THEY WERE CONCERNED. THE FIX INCLUDING REPLACEMENT OF THE OIL PAN WAS ~$900. UPON SUBSEQUENT RESEARCH I'VE DISCOVERED THAT THIS IS AN EXTREMELY COMMON PROBLEM.*AK

CONSUMER HAD POWER STEERING HOSE SERVICED BY DEALER IN 01/03. ON 06/12/03 EXPERIENCED POWER STEERING SYSTEM FAILURE. DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT THE STEERING PUMP AND RACK & PINION HAD FAILED. CONSUMER THEN HAD VEHICLE INSPECTED BY A REPUTABLE MECHANIC WHO ADVISED THAT THE POWER STEERING HOSE HAD BEEN PLACED TOO CLOSE TO THE GEAR WHEN DEALER PREVIOUSLY SERVICED CAUSING THE CURRENT FAILURE.*AK