Recalls: Mercedes W211 E 55 and E 63 AMG
Overview
Manufacturers, or importers, issue recalls for defects or faults which have the potential to cause injury. Generally, manufacturers will inform the original buyers if their vehicle is subject to a recall and of the steps required to remedy the defect or fault. Please note that the recalls below (if any) are for Australian-delivered vehicles only. Furthermore, the number of recalls should not be taken as an indication of a model’s reliability or its safety more generally.
Recalls: Mercedes W211 E 55 and E 63 AMG
2003 Mercedes W211 E 55 AMG: seatbelt tongue may not fully engage
In March 2004, a recall was issued for Mercedes W211 E-Class vehicles fitted with a split and folding rear seat and manufactured between August 2003 and October 2003 due to the possibility that the tongue of the seat belt may not belt may not fully engage in the seatbelt buckle (PRA 2004/6890).
2002-04 Mercedes W211 E 55 AMG: Sensotronic Brake Control
In June 2004, a recall was issued for Mercedes W211 E-Class vehicles made prior to April 2004 for a potential electrical fault with the Sensotronic Brake Control (SBC) system that could unintentionally switch to the standard hydraulic brake system. A warning would be visible on the dashboard and an audible warning would also be provided (PRA 2004/7037).
Mercedes W211 E 55 AMG: Sensotronic Brake Control
In June 2005, a recall was issued for Mercedes W211 E-Class vehicles due to potential faults with certain functions of the Sensotronic Brake Control (SBC) system (PRA 2005/7815).
Mercedes W211 E 55 and E 63 AMG with sunroof: glass panel may separate
In August 2020, recall campaign RC2752 was issued for Mercedes W211 E-Class Sedans that had sunroofs. In these vehicles, the durability of the bonding between the sunroof glass panel and the sliding roof frame may not meet specifications and the glass panel may separate from the vehicle. If this occurred, there was an increased risk of a collision and risk of injury to road users. For the VINs of the recalled vehicles, please see PRA 2020/18467.
2002-09 Mercedes-AMG W211 E-Class Sedan: glass sunroof panel may detach
In July 2021, recall campaign RC2888 was issued for 2002-09 Mercedes-AMG W211 E-Class Sedans. Over time, the bonding of the sunroof glass panel may deteriorate and the glass panel may separate from the vehicle. If the sunroof panel detached, it would increase the risk of a collision and injury for road users. For the VINs of the recalled vehicles, please see REC-001647.
2002-09 Mercedes-AMG W211 E-Class Sedan: sunroof panel may detach
In February 2023, recall campaign RC3110 was issued for 2002-09 Mercedes-AMG W211 E-Class Sedans that were equipped with panoramic glass sliding sunroofs (option code 414). Due to a manufacturing defect, the sliding sunroof panel and frame may not have been bonded correctly. As a result, the sunroof panel may detach from the vehicle. If the panel partially or fully detached from the vehicle, there was an increased risk of injury to road users. For the VINs of the recalled vehicles, please see REC-005621.
Problems and faults: Mercedes W211 E 55 and E 63 AMG
Overview
This section identifies potential problems, causes and fixes based on the experiences of owners and repairers, online sources and technical service bulletins. This information is provided solely for reference purposes and AustralianCar.Reviews recommends that only properly qualified persons carry out repairs or modifications. Furthermore, the number of items below should not be taken as an indicator of a model’s reliability or the frequency with which they may occur.
To report a problem or fault to the AustralianCar.Reviews team, please use the Contact Us form. Note that AustralianCar.Reviews does not offer advice on automotive problems or disputes; such enquiries will not receive a reply. For vehicles purchased from dealers after 1 January 2011, please see our Australian Consumer Law fact sheet.
M156 engine (E 63 AMG): cylinder head bolt failure
For 6.2-litre M156 engines with engines numbers up to 1569xx 60 060658 (corresponding to engines produced from 2006 to the first half of 2010), the cylinder head bolts can stretch and snap.
The M156 engine has ‘torque to yield’ bolts which are designed to achieve a specific clamping pressure by being tightened to a specific torque and then turned a specific number of degrees. To achieve the intended clamping pressure, the upper section of the bolts is designed to stretch slightly. While the exact cause is unclear, it has been suggested that the design of the bolts, their metallurgy or corrosion causes them to stretch and snap.
The failure of one head bolt puts additional stress on the other bolts, causing further failures. The loss of clamping pressure allows coolant and oil to enter the combustion chamber; coolant can also be forced up through the failed head bolt locations into the top of the heads, causing white smoke and a rough idle. In severe cases, the cylinders can experience hydro lock, causing the piston to seize and destroying the entire engine.
Symptoms of head bolt failure are:
- Repeated low coolant levels;
- High oil level (from coolant getting into the oil);
- Illumination of the check engine light (CEL); and,
- White exhaust smoke (burning oil).
To test for head bolt failure, the coolant system could be pressurised and allowed to sit over night to see if the coolant level had dropped and if coolant was present in the oil.
In April 2011, Mercedes-Benz issued service bulletin LI01.30-P-051567 regarding broken cylinder head bolts for the M156 engine which caused coolant to enter the engine oil and/or the combustion chamber. The service bulletin identified the following symptoms:
- CEL (Check Engine Light) illumination;
- Misfire;
- Rough running; and,
- Low coolant indicator illumination.
To fix, the cylinder heads had to be removed so that the piston deck height could be measured. If the measurement from the top surface of the crankcase to the top surface of the piston was outside of specification (the maximum deck height was 0.23 mm), then the affected connecting rod with piston and bearings had to be replaced. As part of the repair, all cylinder head bolts and hydraulic tappets were to be replaced.
M156 V8 engine (E 63 AMG): camshaft lobe and valve lifter wear
In a US class action – CEDRIC CHAN v. DAIMLER AG, MERCEDES-BENZ, MERCEDES-BENZ USA, LLC and MERCEDES-AMG GMBH – it was alleged that the combination of nodular cast iron camshafts and valve lifters made of 9310-grade steel resulted in premature wear of the M156 engine as a result of:
- the soft camshaft metal, and/or
- improper heat treating, and/or
- improper camshaft offset.
Specifically, the camshafts were designed so that the lobes would contact the valve lifters. When the camshaft lobes experienced wear, the surface would become rough or scored and no longer make contact with the lifters with the same precision – this would cause the lifters to wear prematurely, demonstrated by a gouged ring in the top of the valve lifter. The gouged ring wear on the buckets also indicated that the buckets were not spinning as intended. The result of this premature wear would be serious engine failure.
Symptoms of camshaft lobe and valve lifter wear include rattling or clattering noises on start-up. In service bulletin S-B 05.20/20b (produced in 2009), Mercedes-Benz acknowledged the problem of camshaft and valve tappet wear. Ultimately, the class action did not proceed due to the plaintiffs’ lack of standing.
Problems and faults: Mercedes W211 E 55 and E 63 AMG
- The engine may idle roughly, be hard to start or hesitate under acceleration due to moisture entering the crankshaft position sensor. If so, the sensor and wiring harness require replacement.
- The ‘brake hold’ function may stop working due to a faulty signal on the network from the battery sensor.
- The halogen headlight bulbs may burn-out prematurely due to the voltage being too high; a software revision for the control subsequently reduced the voltage from 13.2 to 12.8 volts to extend bulb life.
- Water may leak onto the fuse box if the air intake drain valve gets clogged.
- The air conditioning compressor may make rumbling or squealing noises due to a bad pulley or bearings; improved components were subsequently released.
- The alternator may not adequately recharge the battery due to a faulty internal voltage regulator.
- The air conditioning (blower) motor may stop working or only work intermittently due to an internal circuit breaker in the air conditioning (blower) motor regulator that requires replacement.
- The air conditioning may only run in one mode due to a faulty connection at the C1 connector. Furthermore, the air conditioning may only work in the emergency mode due to a poor connection at the signal acquisition module.
- If the ‘Battery – Visit Workshop’ message appears, the battery control module may need to be reset or replaced.
- The steering wheel buttons may stop working due to electrostatic discharge damaging the steering column module.
- Water and dust may enter the tail-light housings due to poor sealing of the gasket.
