2006 Mercedes Benz ML350

2006 MERCEDES ML350, BALANCER SHAFT WORN AT ~75000 MILEAGE. BALANCER SHAFT GEAR AND/OR CAMSHAFT CHAIN GOT TOTALLY WORN, THAT WILL LEAD TO ENGINE LOCKUP AT ANY TIME IF NOT FIXED. I HEAR SIMILAR COMPLAINS FROM OTHER MERCEDES OWNERS WITH M272 AND M273 ENGINES MANUFACTURED IN 2006. THERE ALSO IS INTERNAL MERCEDES TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN S-B-03.30/08I FROM OCTOBER 24, 2008 FOR THIS ISSUE. ALSO THERE IS A CLASS ACTION COMPLAINT CASE 2:33-AV-00001 DOCUMENT 9629 FILED 10/05/10 IN NJ US DISTRICT COURT. BASED ON MY PAST EXPERIENCE AS ENGINEERED, I CONCLUDE PREMATURE BALANCER SHAFT WEAR CAUSED BY MB SUPPLY CHAIN ISSUES (I.E. BAD PARTS). ISSUE ON MY CAR HAVE BEEN DIAGNOSED IN 06/2011 AND I HAVE BEEN OFFERED A REPAIR FOR 5 DIFFERENT ISSUES (PRETENDING BALANCER SHAFT FIXED FOR FREE) WITH LABOR CHARGES SHUFFLED AROUND TO MASK BALANCER SHAFT ISSUE. TOTAL REPAIR BILL IS AROUND $10000 WHICH IS FULL PRICE AMOUNT FOR ALL 5 ISSUES FIXED. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MERCEDES BENZ ML350. THE CONTACT STATED THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CONTINUED TO FLASH ON THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE BALANCE SHIFT MALFUNCTIONED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE BALANCE SHIFT ALSO CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO STALL AND HAD BECOME A MAJOR PROBLEM WITH THIS YEAR, MAKE AND MODEL VEHICLE WHICH COULD POTENTIALLY CAUSE A CRASH TO OCCUR. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPLACED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 62,000.

I'M THE OWNER OF A 2006 MERCEDES BENZ ML350 4MATIC, CURRENTLY AT 58,645 MILES WITH OUTSIDE EXTENDED WARRANTY UNTIL 2013. RECENTLY I HAD THE HEATED SEAT TURNED ON WHICH I STARTED THE CAR AND AFTER ABOUT 2 MINUTES I SMELLED A BURNING SMELL COMING FROM INSIDE THE CABIN AND THEN STARTED SEEING SMOKE COMING FROM THE LEFT SIDE OF THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BOLSTER AROUND THE WAIST AREA. I FOUND A HOLE BURNT THE SIZE OF A NICKEL AND SMOKE WAS COMING OUT FROM IT. IT WAS BRIGHT RED AS I COULD SEE INSIDE THE HOLE I IMMEDIATELY TURNED OFF THE HEAT SEAT AND SLOWLY THE BURNING WENT AWAY. I TOOK MY CAR TO A MERCEDES BENZ DEALER THE NEXT AND THEY DENIED THAT THERE IS NO HEATING ELEMENT IN THAT PART OF THE SEAT AND REFUSED TO COVER UNDER OUTSIDE WARRANTY. AT THE DEALERSHIP I DID TRY TO TURN THE HEATED SEAT ON BUT NO SMOKE WAS COMING OUT SO I WASN'T ABLE TO PROOF THE SEATING ELEMENT WAS ACTUALLY CAUSING THE PROBLEM. BUT I READ NUMEROUS INCIDENTS ONLINE WITH THE SAME EXACT PROBLEM. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MERCEDES BENZ ML350. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED WHEN IT IGNITED IN SMALL FLAMES UNDERNEATH THE HOOD AREA; A BYPASSER EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER AND THEY INFORMED THAT THE FIRE ORIGINATED FROM THE FUSE BOX WHICH COMPLETELY DESTROYED THE WIRING HARNESS AND CAUSED OTHER DAMAGES. THE INSURANCE COMPANY CONTINUED TO INVESTIGATE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 37,000. UPDATED 03/24/11*LJ UPDATED 1/4/11 *CN