2012 MERCEDES-BENZ ML350

The contact owns a 2012 Mercedes-Benz ML350. While the contact’s wife was driving approximately 30 - 35 MPH, the message "Do Not Drive Vehicle" was suddenly displayed. The vehicle was taken to a mechanic, and the brake fluid reservoir was topped off. The mechanic was unable to find any leaks. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The message turned off and was displayed again 4 hours later. The contact was called by his wife, and the vehicle was driven to the residence after the brake fluid reservoir was refilled. The contact stated that a half mile later, the message was displayed again. The vehicle was driven to the residence and parked. The dealer was contacted and confirmed that there was no recall associated with the VIN related to the failure. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 122,000.

HELLO, REF: ML350 CAMSHAFT SOLENOID LEAK! I AM SEEKING OUT FOR YOUR HELP WRT TO A SITUATION WITH 2012 ML350. ENCLOSED HEREWITH IS AN INSPECTION REPORT FROM A RECENT SERVICE VISIT REQUIRING CLOSE OF $8K IN REPAIRS FOR YOUR REFERENCE. ENGINE HARNESS (OIL LLED HARNESS AND VARIOUS COMPONENTS HAVE OIL IN THEM, ALL COMPONENTS WITH OIL SHOULD BE REPLACED, QUICK INSP FOUND A FEW COMPONENTS BUT THERE MAY BE MORE THAT NEED TO BE REPLACED) AFTER REVIEWING THE INSPECTION REPORT, I DID SOME RESEARCH AND CAME ACROSS CAMPAIGN NO. 2012070002, SEPTEMBER 2012 (COPY ENCLOSED FOR YOUR REFERENCE), WHEREIN MERCEDES HAD IDENTIFIED IT AS A PART OF RECALL AND SERVICE CAMPAIGN AND AGREES TO COVER THE COST AND LABOR DAMAGES TO ANY DOWNSTREAM COMPONENTS DUE TO THE CAMSHAFT SOLENOID LEAK. THIS SERVICE CAMPAIGN HAS BEEN INITIATED BECAUSE DAIMLER AG (DAG), THE MANUFACTURER OF MERCEDES- BENZ VEHICLES, HAS DETERMINED THAT DUE TO THE SETTLING PROPERTIES OF THE SEAL, OIL MAY LEAK FROM THE CAMSHAFT ADJUSTMENT SOLENOID. DEALERS WILL RETROFIT FOUR ADAPTER HARNESSES ONTO THE ENGINE WIRING HARNESS AS A PRECAUTIONARY MEASURE AT THE NEXT WORKSHOP VISIT. PLEASE NOTE THAT RECALL AND SERVICE CAMPAIGNS DO NOT EXPIRE AND MAY ALSO BE PERFORMED ON A VEHICLE WITH A VEHICLE STATUS INDICATOR. APPROXIMATELY 557,108 VEHICLES ARE AFFECTED PLEASE REVIEW AND LET ME KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. MERCEDES IS NOT OWNING THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR REPAIR. APPRECIATE YOUR HELP IN THIS REGARD.

THIS CAR'S TRANSMISSION WENT OUT AT 70,000 MILES (2015), WHICH IS WAY TOO EARLY. DRIVING WHEN THE TRANSMISSION BEGAN TO ACT UP WAS VERY DANGEROUS AND POTENTIALLY AS IT LOST POWER COULD HAVE CAUSED COLLISION. I REPLACED TRANSMISSION FOR $14,000 AND THEN THE TRANSMISSION WENT OUT FOR A SECOND TIME (2019). CAUSING THE SAME SAFETY CONCERNS AS IT LOST POWER. THIS TIME I WAS NOT STUPID ENOUGH TO FIX IT AND WILL NOT BE BUYING A MERCEDES EVER AGAIN.

FROM THE DAY ONE, DURING THE FIRST 25 MINUTES OF DRIVING, MY NEW 2012 MB ML350 VIBRATES AND MAKE GRINDING NOISE JUST IN BETWEEN 40 TO 45 MILES PER HOUR STEADY DRIVING. AFTER ABOUT 30 MINUTES OF DRIVING, THE VIBRATION AND THE NOISE ARE NOT NOTICEABLE. MB AND THE DEALER WERE TRYING TO FIX THE PROBLEM BUT FAILED TO RESOLVED THE PROBLEM. NOW, THEY HAVE CONCLUDED THAT THE VIBRATION IS NORMAL AND IS CHARACTERISTIC OF THE CAR. ANY PROBLEMS MB CAN'T SOLVE IS NORMAL!! WHAT KIND OF CAR IS IT THAT VIBRATES FOR FIRST 25 MINUTES OF DRIVING AT CERTAIN SPEED IS NORMAL!!

OIL WAS LEAKING FROM THE ENGINE WHICH WAS THE RESULT OF A FAULTY PART THAT MERCEDES HAS SUBSEQUENTLY REPLACED WITH A NEW RE-ENGINEERED PART. THE DEALER INDICATED THAT THE ISSUE IS SYSTEMIC WITH ALL BLUE-TEC M AND G CLASS VEHICLES WHICH MERCEDES WILL NOT COVER THE CHARGE FOR. THE REPAIR REQUIRES THAT THE ENGINE BE REMOVED FROM THE CAR BECAUSE THAT IT IS THE ONLY WAY THE PART ($30) CAN BE REPLACED. THE RESULTING REPAIR COST OVER $1900 IN LABOR. WE NOTICED THE LEAK BECAUSE THERE WAS OIL DRIPS IN OUR GARAGE. THE SERVICE TECHNICIAN AT THE DEALERSHIP NOTED THAT WE HAD LOST ABOUT A THIRD OF OUR OIL AND THAT THE OIL WAS COVERING THE ENGINE AND IT WAS ALSO NOTED THAT THE OIL COULD HAVE CAUSED A FIRE IF THE PART WAS NOT IMMEDIATELY REPLACED.