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2006 E350 balance shaft question . Please

4K views 13 replies 6 participants last post by  rudeney 
#1 ·
I am considering buying a 2006 E350 with less than 20k miles.
As I do my checking I come across the soft balance shaft fiasco.
The engine serial no. in this car is 30 226694.
The serial no's. higher than 30 468993 are deemed safe.
I am torn between walking away and taking achance.

Does anyone have a feel for the probability of this car having a problem?

Thank you,
Tom
 
#2 ·
Well, we don't know.
However people are starting to assume that they all will eventually have the problem, as many more vehicles around 150-200k miles are popping up with the issue.
The issue can happen at any time, and without adequate warning. Though vehicles that have the problem with under 80k on the clock are few. If you could get a warranty for it (if it's a dealer) then I'd purchase it.
 
#4 ·
My advice is to look for one that is not in the affected range. Why roll the dice on what could be a very expensive repair? All you need to do is find a car built after mid-MY2007 and there are no balance shaft worries.
 
#5 ·
Cam Shaft Solenoid Recall/Balance Shaft/Timing Chain

Hello. This weekend I took my husband's car (2006 E350, 102,000 mi) into the dealership because the Check Engine Light and messages on the dash started displaying. These happened about the same time and have been an on and off issue for a few months. Well since inspection/registration renewal is coming up we decided we needed to see what the problem is. While doing the drop-off paperwork I was told there was a cam solenoid recall that they will take care of while the car is there (we never were notified of a recall and apparently a "campaign" was issued September 2012). Anyway, we are told that they need to replace the central gateway ($665) and balance shaft and timing chain ($9000)!

I have read over 100 posts in the past 24 hours and am wondering if this recall is related to and could have contributed to the balance shaft/timing chain issue. A couple of posts I have read seem to indicate that it could be. $9000 in repairs is crazy!! Not sure what we're going to do at this point.

Does anyone have any latest information on the status of this problem and Mercedes Benz's handling of it.

Thanks so much for any feedback.
 
#8 ·
Hello. This weekend I took my husband's car (2006 E350, 102,000 mi) into the dealership because the Check Engine Light and messages on the dash started displaying. These happened about the same time and have been an on and off issue for a few months. Well since inspection/registration renewal is coming up we decided we needed to see what the problem is. While doing the drop-off paperwork I was told there was a cam solenoid recall that they will take care of while the car is there (we never were notified of a recall and apparently a "campaign" was issued September 2012). Anyway, we are told that they need to replace the central gateway ($665) and balance shaft and timing chain ($9000)!

I have read over 100 posts in the past 24 hours and am wondering if this recall is related to and could have contributed to the balance shaft/timing chain issue. A couple of posts I have read seem to indicate that it could be. $9000 in repairs is crazy!! Not sure what we're going to do at this point.

Does anyone have any latest information on the status of this problem and Mercedes Benz's handling of it.

Thanks so much for any feedback.
I would take the car to an indi shop and get their opinion. You did not post your location in your profile, so I have no idea if you have a choice in service. I am not an MB tech, but I can't imagine why the repair would be $9,000, even at a stealer.
 
#6 ·
Your MY2006 would definitely have an engine in the range for potential balance shaft failure. And yes, that is a very labor-intensive repair which equates to it being expensive. What puzzles me is that they will cover the cam solenoids but not the balance shaft, yet they are on the same TSB. Of course the cam solenoids are about $100 in parts and an hour of labor, compared to $1500 in parts and 40 hours labor for the balance shaft. Did you buy the car new form that dealer? I so, I'd ask them to contact MBUSA and get them involved. Your only other option is to find an indy that can do the work for less, but it's still likely to be around $4K.
 
#7 · (Edited)
As an owner of an '07 E350 that is within the problem range, but has not (yet) experienced a problem, I would say do not buy a car within the problem range unless it is heavily discounted to compensate for the repair.

Shame on me, I did not know about the problem (known defect) until almost a year after purchase.

I think a good tech can actually make the repair (includes removing engine from car) in a little over 30 hours, but they charge the book rate which is about 40 hours. So about $4,000 labor.

At this point, I think it is impossible to predict which cars will fail. I have never seen any evidence to suggest that all cars will fail. My understanding is that the balance shaft supplier did not consistently "harden" the balance shafts. I gather some were hardened properly and some were not. But MB has no way of knowing which were and which were not. Only the broad range of serial numbers.

I do know some buyers go out of their way to buy cars that have the defect and negotiate a very large discount to more than cover the cost of repair. Say $7,000 off, then pay an indi shop $5,000 for the fix.

Save yourself the worry and buy a '08 E350 outside of the trouble range. You will spend a little more but sleep better at night.
 
#10 ·
Thank you "lostintime" and "rudeney" for your replies. We live in Charlotte, NC and purchased the car as a pre-owned with close to 20,000 miles, and had no idea of the engine issues. Is that something the Mercedes Benz dealership should have disclosed?

We do have an independent MB certified shop that we normally go to who quoted my husband $4000 for the job, just as you stated it should be "rudeney". At this point, my husband is not sure what he plans on doing. I would assume if he decides on the repair that the car should be good for a long time as it will basically have a new engine?

Also, when I pick up the car today I will inquire about why the cam solenoids are being covered and not the balance shaft, as you stated "rudeney".

Thanks again for your replies. This has been very helpful as I'm trying to deal with this as my husband is out of the country, ugh!
 
#12 ·
Thanks for the clarification. I understand there are many components that make up an engine, but I assumed when the dealership told my husband they had to "rebuild the engine", it meant we'd end up with an engine in better condition than what is there now. Thus one that would lead to a longer car life? I'm not a car person, but I'm just trying to understand this issue. Thanks again!
 
#13 ·
A large part of the labor cost is to remove and re install the engine (no small task). Replacing the balance shaft can only be done with the engine removed.

One thing I like about my indi shop is that I can talk directly with the tech that is or will be working on my car. In most cases, the dealerships have "service advisers" that interface with customers. They may or may not have true knowledge of what is involved with a repair. Also, in many (but not all) cases, these service advisers work on commission. This may or may not apply to your situation.
 
#14 ·
If you purchased the car from an MBZ dealer, and have had it serviced there, I would call the DEALERSHIP manager and discuss your options, asking that they work with MBUSA to cover the repair in full, or at least for very little cost to you. MBUSA can cover it under "goodwill" - they just need the dealer to give them a good reason, and a good customer would be that reason.
 
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