Hello everyone, first time poster here.
I have a 2004 reg C220 Kompressor. Bought brand new back then. Single owner (me). Has had regular servicing at MB dealerships. No accidents/crashes. During servicing or MOTs required components have been replaced with genuine parts. It has been working well and the ride is smooth. AC etc works perfectly.
When I recently started the car up, I noticed the engine seemed to be 'misfiring' and jerking when idle. I also noticed some thick white smoke coming from the exhaust for a few seconds, which eventually cleared up.
With running it and driving along the road, this shaking seemed to improve to a degree but was still noticeable.
I brought the car back into the driveway and called AA. They checked the computer and said it seemed an air sensor was not functioning per the diagnostic, and that this could be replaced at any mechanics, not necessary Benz. He said it did not seem to be anything serious, and there was no risk of the engine just breaking down on the way to any dealership or mechanic.
I drove the car to the Benz dealership that I have always taken it to over the past several years. I got a call back a few days later saying the car would not start up, and that they thought the problem was related to the timing chain, and that this would need to be replaced. They said it should cost about £2000 to fix, and I initially agreed to this.
However a couple of days later they called back and said that they haven't fully opened up the engine itself, but they think that the timing chain had broken while the car was being moved to the repair area from the on-site parking area, and that they think several injectors, pistons, sprockets etc had all been damaged when the chain snapped.
They estimated 25 hours of work to repair everything (at 200+ pounds per hour), excluding the cost of parts. The lowest estimate they can give me is £9000, but they have said (several of their staff) that it could be more than this.
The day before taking it to the dealers (before this juddering/shaking began) I was able to use the car fine and even drove it a long distance for a meeting and back. On the day I drove it to the dealers too, the car was turning on fine and working. It was obviously not a perfect car, given that it is quite old (and has 150,000+ miles on it), but it was at least running. They told me that they tried replacing the air sensor first, but that didn't work and the engine was still shaking, so they then put back the original air sensor, and had a look briefly without removing all the top part of the engine off and were able to see some damage to or slackening of the timing chain.
I have found out that there have been several reports of faulty timing chains being used on 2004-5 Benz car engines, and wonder if there is any responsibility on the part of MB regarding this. I just cannot believe that the car engine has undergone what sounds like a catastrophic damage while it was at the MB dealership! Have they damaged something while it was in their care?!
I am confused by the chain of events they described. The car was due for a service also so I booked it in for both service and to investigate this shaking engine problem. They completed the service apparently, and then moved it to the repair area for the shaking, and apparently the timing chain broke, and the car engine won't even start, and they've opened up the engine part way, but not fully, and believe that several components are broken.
Are they telling the truth or taking me for a ride??
I have a 2004 reg C220 Kompressor. Bought brand new back then. Single owner (me). Has had regular servicing at MB dealerships. No accidents/crashes. During servicing or MOTs required components have been replaced with genuine parts. It has been working well and the ride is smooth. AC etc works perfectly.
When I recently started the car up, I noticed the engine seemed to be 'misfiring' and jerking when idle. I also noticed some thick white smoke coming from the exhaust for a few seconds, which eventually cleared up.
With running it and driving along the road, this shaking seemed to improve to a degree but was still noticeable.
I brought the car back into the driveway and called AA. They checked the computer and said it seemed an air sensor was not functioning per the diagnostic, and that this could be replaced at any mechanics, not necessary Benz. He said it did not seem to be anything serious, and there was no risk of the engine just breaking down on the way to any dealership or mechanic.
I drove the car to the Benz dealership that I have always taken it to over the past several years. I got a call back a few days later saying the car would not start up, and that they thought the problem was related to the timing chain, and that this would need to be replaced. They said it should cost about £2000 to fix, and I initially agreed to this.
However a couple of days later they called back and said that they haven't fully opened up the engine itself, but they think that the timing chain had broken while the car was being moved to the repair area from the on-site parking area, and that they think several injectors, pistons, sprockets etc had all been damaged when the chain snapped.
They estimated 25 hours of work to repair everything (at 200+ pounds per hour), excluding the cost of parts. The lowest estimate they can give me is £9000, but they have said (several of their staff) that it could be more than this.
The day before taking it to the dealers (before this juddering/shaking began) I was able to use the car fine and even drove it a long distance for a meeting and back. On the day I drove it to the dealers too, the car was turning on fine and working. It was obviously not a perfect car, given that it is quite old (and has 150,000+ miles on it), but it was at least running. They told me that they tried replacing the air sensor first, but that didn't work and the engine was still shaking, so they then put back the original air sensor, and had a look briefly without removing all the top part of the engine off and were able to see some damage to or slackening of the timing chain.
I have found out that there have been several reports of faulty timing chains being used on 2004-5 Benz car engines, and wonder if there is any responsibility on the part of MB regarding this. I just cannot believe that the car engine has undergone what sounds like a catastrophic damage while it was at the MB dealership! Have they damaged something while it was in their care?!
I am confused by the chain of events they described. The car was due for a service also so I booked it in for both service and to investigate this shaking engine problem. They completed the service apparently, and then moved it to the repair area for the shaking, and apparently the timing chain broke, and the car engine won't even start, and they've opened up the engine part way, but not fully, and believe that several components are broken.
Are they telling the truth or taking me for a ride??
