2006 MERCEDES-BENZ R350

DETAILED VEHICLE INFORMATION: VIN: [XXX] MODEL YEAR: 2006 MODEL: R350 (MODEL CODE 251.156/165) ENGINE: 3.5L 90 V6 (M272) CURRENT MILEAGE: APPROXIMATELY 48,500 MILES REFERENCE: MERCEDES BENZ SERVICE BULLETIN S-B-03.30/08J: MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AT 70 MILES PER HOUR AND ENGINE LOST POWER AND DEVELOPED STRONG VIBRATIONS, FORCING ME TO SLOW DOWN AND LIMP HOME. MERCEDES MECHANIC DIAGNOSED IT AS BROKEN BALANCE SHAFT GEAR. DUE TO WEAK MATERIALS USED IN THE EARLY M272 ENGINE PRODUCTION, THE BALANCE SHAFT SPROCKET AND OTHER ENGINE COMPONENTS CAN FAIL CATASTROPHICALLY CAUSING PROPERTY DAMAGE AND PERSONAL INJURY. THIS IS KNOWN DESIGN FLAW AND SHOULD BE SUBJECT TO RECALL. *TR

2006 MERCEDES BENZ R 350, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS AT APPROX 66,000 MILES; POSSIBLE BALANCE SHAFT WEAR INDICATIONS; MB DEALER CLEARED CEL AND PERFORMED TEST DRIVE WITHOUT IT REAPPEARING; CEL ILLUMINATED AGAIN WITHIN 50 MILES; SUBSEQUENT VISIT TO MB DEALER CONFIRMED EARLY WEAR ON BALANCE SHAFT GEAR AND TIMING CHAIN; MERCEDES BENZ KNOWS THAT THE MATERIALS USED WERE INSUFFICIENTLY HARDENED, CAUSING PREMATURE WEAR AND POSSIBLE SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER RESULTING IN NO POWER STEERING OR POWER BRAKES WITHOUT WARNING , THEREBY PRESENTING A DANGER TO VEHICLE OCCUPANTS; SAFETY RECALL IS IN ORDER FOR VEHICLE OWNERS WITH SIMILAR ENGINE TYPES

2006 MERCEDES R350, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON. REPLACED MAGNETS AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT RETURNED. DIAGNOSED AS DEFECTIVE BALANCE SHAFT & GEAR. MERCEDES SAYS MOTOR HAS TO BE REMOVED TO REPLACE BALANCE SHAFT, GEAR, TIMING CHAIN, OIL PUMP AND RELATED TENSIONERS AND GUIDES. THIS IS A DEFECT THAT MB HAS BEEN AWARE OF SINCE 2007. CAR IS SITTING IN MY DRIVEWAY BECAUSE DRIVING IT RISKS SEVERE ENGINE DAMAGE DUE TO POSSIBLY JUMPING TIME. *TR

MERCEDES BENZ R 350, EARLY WEAR ON BALANCED GEAR AND TIMING CHAIN,LESS THAT 40,000 MILES,CODE1200 AND 1208,MERCEDES BENZ COMPANY KNOW THAT THE MATERIALS USED ON THAT PARTS AREN'T STRONG ENOUGH, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT GO ON AND FUEL ECONOMY IS VERY LOW,THE COMPANY KNOW THE CAUSE AND MAKE CHANGE ON NEW PARTS MATERIALS,BUT NO SAFETY RECALL HAS BEEN POSTED TO CUSTOMERS WITH THAT PROBLEMS. *TR

MERCEDES-BENZ BALANCE SHAFT ISSUES THAT EFFECT 2006 PLUS YEARS, R350 AND OTHER MODELS THAT HAVE THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COME ON, GIVING A FAULT CODE, BALANCE SHAFT ISSUE. THE FIX IS VERY EXPENSIVE, RANGING FROM $4,000 TO $7,500. MERCEDES-BENZ HAS KNOWN ABOUT THE PROBLEM SINCE THEY ISSUED A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN IN 2007. HOWEVER, CURRENTLY MB IS NOT NOTIFYING CONSUMERS OR PAYING FOR THE TOTAL REPAIR OF THE BALANCE SHAFT. *TR

ON SEPTEMBER 19, 2010 I STARTED UP MY VEHICLE AND NOTICE A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT APPEARS ON MY DASHBOARD. I DROVE THE VEHICLE FOR TWO MORE DAYS AND THE LIGHT DISAPPEARED. AND THEN ON THE FOURTH DAY THE LIGHT APPEAR AGAIN. I IMMEDIATELY CONTACT THE MERCEDES BENZ SERVICE AND ASKED THE ABOUT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. I WAS INFORMED NOT TO PANIC IT'S PROBABLY THE GAS CAP NOT PROPERLY ON OR SINCE I WAS AWAY FOR ONE WEEK AND MY VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN THE GARAGE MAYBE THAT IS WHY THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ON. I THEN DECIDE TO TAKE MY VEHICLE RIGHT TO MERCEDES BENZ BECAUSE I DID NOT WANT TO TAKE ANY CHANCES WITH THIS MESSAGE. I TOOK THE VEHICLE IN AND INFORMED THE SERVICE ADVISOR ABOUT THE LIGHT. LATER ON THAT DAY I RECEIVED A PHONE CALL INFORMING ME THE VEHICLE NEEDS A COUNTER BALANCER? I ASKED HIM HOW DOES HE KNOW AND HE REPLIED THAT THE TECHNICIAN SAW SMALL METAL PARTICLES IN MY OIL PAN. MY VEHICLE WAS FULLY SERVICED IN MARCH, 2010 THE REPAIR HE TOLD ME WILL BE VERY COSTLY BETWEEN $4000-$6000 FOR A COUNTER BALANCER ! I LEFT THE VEHICLE AND CALLED MERCEDES BENZ CUSTOMER CARE TO ASK THEM ABOUT THIS PART. THE CUSTOMER CARE REP INFORMED ME THAT THIS VEHICLE DOES NOT HAVE THIS PROBLEM AND TO GO GET MY VEHICLE BEFORE THEY START THE REPAIR. I WENT BACK TO GET MY VEHICLE AND THE SERVICE ADVISOR TOLD ME THAT THE VEHICLE IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE, AND MAY STOP ON ME WHILE IN DRIVE. I HAD NO OTHER RECOURSE BUT TO HAVE MY VEHICLE REPAIR. WHEN I PICK UP MY VEHICLE SEVERAL DAYS LATER I ASKED AGAIN ABOUT THE REPAIRS AND WAS GIVEN A LENGTHY REPAIR BILL WITH ALOT MORE ITEMS THEN WHAT THE SERVICE ADVISOR SAID NEEDED TO BE DONE TO MY VEHICLE. I CALLED ANOTHER TECHNICIAN WHO IS ALSO EMPLOYED WITH MERCEDES BENZ AND ASK ABOUT THIS PART, AND HE TOLD ME MERCEDES BENZ KNOWS ABOUT THE COUNTER BALANCER IN SOME OF THE 350 ENGINE BUT WILL NOT RECALL THEM. I DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY MERCEDES BENZ IS NOT RECALLING THIS EXPENSIVE PART ! *TR