2006 Mercedes Benz ML350

TOOK CAR TO MB DEALERSHIP IN NORTH OLMSTED OHIO BECAUSE FRONT END OF CAR AND STEERING WHEEL STARTED SHAKING AND VIBRATING EXCESSIVELY WHEN THE CAR WAS DRIVEN IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH. CAR DROVE FINE UNDER THAT SPEED. I ALMOST WAS CAUSED TO DRIVE OFF OF ROAD AT MULTIPLE POINTS BECAUSE OF EXCESSIVE VIBRATION AND LACK OF STEERING CONTROL. CONDITION DID NOT OCCUR AT LOWER SPEEDS. CAR WAS 1 WEEK OUTSIDE OF MFR WARRANTY. WAS TOLD BY MB DEALERSHIP THAT CAR NEEDED NEW FRONT DIFFERENTIAL. I CALLED MB NATIONAL TO COMPLAIN ABOUT AN ALLEGED LUXURY CAR'S FRONT DIFFERENTIAL FAILING ONLY AFTER 40K MILES. THEY TOLD ME IT WAS NOT THEIR PROBLEM. CAR CONTINUES TO HAVE PROBLEM TO THIS DAY (1 YEAR LATER). I WAS TOLD THAT THE CAR WAS SAFE TO DRIVE. I HAVE SINCE BEEN LOOKING FOR A USED DIFFERNTIAL BECAUSE A NEW ONE W/INSTALL IS OVER $3K. IT SEEMS AS IF I AM NOT THE ONLY ML OWNER EXPERIENCING THESE PROBLEMS. MB WENT WITH A NEW 7 SPEED TRANSMISSION THAT YEAR WHICH MAY LEAD TO PROBLEMS. *TR

AROUND 45,000 MILES THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A MERCEDES BENZ DEALER SERVICE DEPARTMENT AND WAS NOTIFIED THAT THE BALANCE SHAFT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. IN ORDER TO REPLACE THE BALANCE SHAFT, THE ENGINE NEEDS TO BE TAKEN OUT OF THE VEHICLE AND TAKEN APART. ESTIMATED COST $6,000. THE SERVICE DEPT. TOLD ME THAT IT WAS DUE TO A PART THAT WAS NOT HARDENED PROPERLY DURING MANUFACTURING. THERE IS A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN (S-B-03.30/08I) THAT WAS ORIGINALLY ISSUED IN 2007 WHICH WAS FOUND IN INTERNET SEARCHING, HOWEVER IT SEEMS LIKE MERCEDES BENZ KNOWS THAT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT (ON THE MAJORITY OF THESE VEHICLES) WILL NOT COME ON UNTIL WHEN THE WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED. SINCE THIS FIX IS A HUGE EXPENSE, THEY ARE NOT GOING TO ISSUE A RECALL EVEN THOUGH IT IS CLEARLY A SAFETY CONCERN. IF I WOULD'VE HAVE CONTINUED TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE IN THIS CONDITION, EVENTUALLY THE BALANCE SHAFT WOULD HAVE CONTINUED TO BREAK ITS TEETH RESULTING IN ENGINE FAILURE. CONTINUING TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE IN THE CONDITION IS NOT SAFE, IT IS A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE THE VEHICLE STOPS RUNNING AND THE ENGINE WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE MERCEDES BENZ USA REPLACED OUR BALANCE SHAFT OR PAY FOR IT PEOPLE WHO ALREADY FIXED. *TR

BALANCE SHAFT PROBLEM ON THE 2006 MERCEDES BENZ ML350 - I LIVE IN SOUTH FL AND I HAVE A 2006 MERCEDES ML350 WITH LESS THAN 50,000 MILES AND JUST LAST WEEK GOT A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP IN POMPANO BEACH AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THE BALANCE SHAFT HAS TO BE REPLACED AND IT WILL COST $6600. THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM AND THE MANUFACTURER MAKES NO EFFORT TO RECALL THE VEHICLES AND REPLACE THE PARTS FOR FREE. I CANNOT AFFORD TO PAY FOR THIS FACTORY DEFECT, MERCEDES BENZ SHOULD PAY FOR IT. *TR

I OWN A 2006 ML MERCEDES-BENZ WITH 47K MILES. THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON IN THE CAR, I HAD IT CHECKED BY AN INDEPENDENT MERCEDES TECHNICIAN WHO INFORMED ME THAT THE BALANCE SHAFT MUST BE REPLACED IN THE CAR. HE GAVE ME A "STAR BULLETIN" WHICH IS AN INTERNAL MEMO PRODUCED BY MERCEDES SHOWING THE HAVE KNOWN ABOUT THIS DEFECT SINCE AUGUST 2007 AND HAVE DONE NOTHING ABOUT NOTIFYING OWNERS OF THE CARS WITH ENGINES EFFECTED. IT IS I HAVE BEEN TOLD A COMMON PLACE ISSUE AND IN FACT A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT HAS BEEN FILED IN NEW JERSEY AGAINST MERCEDES OVER THIS ISSUE. THE PROBLEM HAS TO BE REPAIRED OR THE ENGINE CAN BE DAMAGED BEYOND REPAIR, THE COST I HAVE BEEN QUOTED FOR THE REPAIR IS $6000. IT WAS MADE VERY CLEAR TO ME BY THE TECHNICIAN THAT A CAR WITH 47K MILES SHOULD NOT HAVE SUCH AN ISSUE AND THAT IT IS A DESIGN FLAW THAT MERCEDES THUS FAR HAS NOT STEPPED UP TO REMEDY WITH CAR OWNERS. *TR

I AM THE OWNER OF A MERCEDES 2006 ML350. I HAVE HAD MY CAM SENSOR AND CRANK SHAFT SENSOR REPAIRED 3 TIMES SINCE I HAVE OWNED THE VEHICLE. I INITIALLY HAD MY CAR SERVICED AT PARK PLACE IN DALLAS ON LEMMON AVENUE. MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ON AGAIN AFTER HAVING THIS SAME ISSUE REPAIRED SEVERAL TIMES. I CAN NO LONGER AFFORD TO KEEP REPAIRING FOR A PROBLEM THAT IS GOING TO CONTINUE TO CAUSE PROBLEMS. AFTER HAVING THESE ITEMS REPAIRED I TOOK MY VEHICLE TO GET AN INSPECTION AND I FAILED THE INSPECTION. SO I TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC AND HE TOLD ME THAT MY BALANCE SHAFT GEAR NEEDS TO BE REPLACED WHICH IS THE REASON FOR MY SENSORS TO CONTINUALLY WEAR OUT. THIS REPAIR COST $6000.00 AND I CANNOT AFFORD IT. MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAS BEEN ON FOR MONTHS AND I HAVE AN EXPIRED INSPECTION STICKER BECAUSE I CANNOT AFFORD THE COST OF THIS REPAIR. *KB

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MERCEDES BENZ ML350. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE WARNING LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMINATED UNTIL THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE A DIAGNOSTIC TEST WAS PERFORMED THAT DETECTED A TROUBLE CODE. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THE ENGINE SPROCKET WAS FAULTY. THE CONTACT WAS WAITING FOR A RESPONSE FOR THE REPAIR COVERAGE UNDER THE SERVICE WARRANTY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE DEFECT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 56,000.