2006 MERCEDES-BENZ C230 Complaints

THE ENGINE LIGHT WENT ON IN MY 2006 C230 MERCEDES (CURRENT MILEAGE 57,000) SINCE SEPT 2010. I LATER CONFIRMED IT'S THE PROBLEM IN THE BALANCE SHAFT, WHICH DIRECTLY IMPACT ON THE ACCELERATION AND FAILURE OF THE ENGINE. THE ENGINE SUDDEN STOPPED RUNNING FEW TIMES IN MY COMMUTE TO WORK IN A FREEWAY. LUCKILY, IT WAS DURING THE RUSH HOUR AND THE TRAFFIC WAS MOVING SLOWLY. MANY TIMES WHEN I ENTERED TO THE FREEWAY IN A MERGE LANE, THE ACCELERATION DIDN'T WORK AT ALL AND I ALMOST GOT HIT BY THE OTHER CARS IN THE MERGE LANE. THE MECHANIC ADVISED IF CONTINUE DRIVING THE VEHICLE WITHOUT REPLACING BALANCE SHAFT WILL LEAD TO A BIG DANGER TO THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SINCE THE ENGINE CAN BE STOPPED ANYWHERE AND ANYTIME. REPLACING THE BALANCE SHAFT COST $6,000 (FROM THE DEALER) AND MERCEDES USA REFUSE TO COVER ANY PORTION OF THE REPAIR SINCE MY CAR EXCEEDS 50,000 MILES/4 YRS WARRANTY. I TALKED TO THE DEALER AND THE SERVICE ADVISER. THEY SAID THIS IS A COMMON KNOWN PROBLEM FOR MANY OF THE MERCEDES MODELS. IN FACT, IT WAS IN THEIR SERVICE BULLETIN SINCE 2007. UNFORTUNATELY MERCEDES WOULDN'T COVER ANY REPAIR UNLESS THERE?S A RECALL OR SOMEONE DIE FROM IT. I WONDER IF MERCEDES WILL WAIT UNTIL MORE INJURIES BEFORE THEY CONSIDER STOP USING THE SAME BALANCE SHAFT IN THEIR CARS. THIS BALANCE SHAFT IS A VERY SMALL PIECE LOCATED RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ENGINE. THE COST OF THE MATERIAL IS VERY INEXPENSIVE. HOWEVER, IT REQUIRES INTENSIVE LABOR BECAUSE THE ENGINE MUST BE TAKEN APART IN ORDER TO REPLACE THE BALANCE SHAFT. *TR

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AT ABOUT 51K MILES, JUST OUT OF WARRANTY ON C230 MERCEDES. THE BALANCE SHAFT IS BROKEN. NO HELP WITH MERCEDES ON THIS $3000 REPAIR. *LN

WE OWN A MERCEDES BENZ C230. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. WE TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND IT WAS DIAGNOSED WITH A BALANCE SHAFT ERROR. IT TURNS OUT THE BALANCE SHAFT IS BROKEN. THE PART COST ONLY ABOUT $400. BUT SINCE REPLACING IT REQUIRES PULLING OUT AND TAKING A PART THE ENGINE, THE REPAIR IS OVER $3000. WE HAVE BEEN ADVISED NOT TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE. IT HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. *TR

MY C230 2006 CAR HAS A ENGINE NOISE AND THATS SO LOUD. PLEASE TELL ME ABOUT THIS NOISE . I THINK THAT IS NEED TO REPLACE. *TR

2006 MERCEDES BENZ C230 68K MILES. ERROR MESSAGE STATES "SRS RESTRAINT SYSTEM MALFUNCTION. DRIVE TO WORKSHOP". I AM TOLD THAT MY ENTIRE SUPPLEMENTAL RESTRAINT SYSTEM HAS BEEN DEACTIVATED UNTIL THIS IS RESOLVED. REPAIR COSTS AROUND $700 TO FIX AND I DO NOT HAVE AN EXTRA $700 LAYING AROUND RIGHT NOW. FROM READING ONLINE, THIS IS AN EXTREMELY COMMON/WIDESPREAD PROBLEM WITH MERCEDES AND SHOULD LEAD TO A RECALL AS PEOPLE'S LIVES ARE AT STAKE WHEN DRIVING A VEHICLE WITHOUT WORKING AIRBAGS OR PRE-TENSIONERS. *TR

THE FAILURE IN THIS CASE IS THE REPLACEMENT OF THE COUNTER BALANCE SHAFT ON A 2006 C230 MERCEDES BENZ WITH LESS THAN 100,000 MILES. I'VE READ THAT MANY OF THESE FAILURES HAVE OCCURRED AND THE REASON FOR FAILURE WAS DUE TO THE SHAFT NOT HAVING PROPER HARDENING. I'VE ALSO READ THE MERCEDES BENZ IS AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM. THE COST OF THE REPAIR IS ABOUT $4500 ON A VEHICLE THAT THE WARRANTY GOES OUT IN 4 YEARS OR 50,000 MILES. ALL SERVICES TO THIS VEHICLE HAVE BEEN DONE AS REQUIRED, BUT NOT THROUGH THE DEALERSHIP. INFORMATION I'VE READ ABOUT THIS PROBLEM STATES THAT THERE'S NOTHING I COULD HAVE DONE TO KEEP THIS FROM HAPPENING AND THAT IT'S HAPPENING TO MANY, MANY VEHICLES. I BELIEVE IF THIS IS HAPPENING FREQUENTLY THAT THE MANUFACTURE SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS TYPE OF REPAIR. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND CONSIDERATION. *TR

2006 C230 MERCEDES BENZ. CONSUMER STATES PROBLEM WITH TRANSMISSION *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED THE TRANSMISSION WAS SLIPPING BETWEEN LOWER GEARS AND IT WOULD ALSO SHIFT HARD. ALSO, THE OIL PAN WAS LEAKING OIL. *JB

1. VEHICLE TAKES TO MERCEDES BENZ DEALERSHIP ON 8/31/07 FOR SEAT BELT MALFUNCTION. SEAT BELT SELF-ARRESTING. MERCEDES BENZ INSPECTS AND DETERMINES "SEAT BELT FUNCTIONING PROPERLY". 2. VEHICLE IN A REAR COLLISION ON 9/25/07 AND SEAT BELTS DO NOT ARREST. DRIVER (SELF) HITS THE STEERING WHEEL AT RIGHT BROW AND LOWER BACK INJURY APPEARS WITHIN 2 WEEKS OF ACCIDENT. 3. SAFETY COMPLAINT REGISTERED WITH MERCEDES (AFTER MUCH PRESSURE). MERCEDES INSPECTS IN FRONT OF ME BY YANKING THE BELT AND SAYS THE SEAT BELT IS FUNCTIONING PROPERLY. THE SEAT BELT DOES ARREST WHEN YANKED, BUT DID NOT ARREST WHEN REAR ENDED. 4. QUESTION: DOES MERCEDES HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO FURTHER INSPECT THE SAFETY OF THE SEAT BELT BESIDES "YANKING" IT IN FRONT OF ME? SHOULD THE SEAT BELT BE REPLACED? MERCEDES REFUSES TO GO ANY FURTHER AND MY STATUE OF LIMITATIONS - 2 YEARS IS ALMOST RUNNING OUT. HOW CAN I MAKE SURE I AM DRIVING A SAFE VEHICLE? *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MERCEDES BENZ C230. WHILE MERGING ONTO AN INTERSECTION AT 10 MPH, ANOTHER VEHICLE CRASHED DIRECTLY INTO THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE SUSTAINED SEVERE DAMAGE. NONE OF THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED AND THE SEAT BELTS FAILED TO RETRACT PROPERLY. THREE OCCUPANTS WERE MODERATELY INJURED. THE CONTACT HAS A COPY OF THE POLICE REPORT AND PICTURES OF THE FAILED INCIDENT. HE IS IN THE PROCESS OF CALLING THE MANUFACTURER IN REFERENCE TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBERS 05V560000 (AIR BAGS). THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 51,000.

FEW MILES DRIVEN AND A SQUEAKING NOISE FROM UNDER THE WINDSHIELD DO NOT ALLOW TO DRIVE WITH NECESSARY SERENITY. AFTER 5 INTERVENTION ON THE CAR FINALLY THEY SOLVED THE PROBLEM, REPLACING 3 TIMES THE PLASTIC COVER UNDER THE WINDSHIELD, ONE TIME COMPLETELY REPLACED THE WINDSHIELD. NOW THAT THE WINTER AND COLD TEMPERATURES ARE BACK THE NOISE IS BACK AGAIN. UNBELIEVABLE FOR A MERCEDES-BENZ. *TR