2003 Mercedes Benz C230 engine problems

Filed Apr 11, 2020 · Engine, Transmission · 178,000 miles · PA

At 178,000 miles the timing chain tensioner failed while the car driving approximately 25 MPH and allowed the timing chain to skip several teeth leaving the car stranded and potentially causing thousands of dollars worth of damage to the engine internals. The car was dealer serviced since new and always had maintenance on time. There is thousands of people online that have had the exact same issue and mercedes benz USA refuses to do anything about it yet they acknowledge they made them wrong because they have updated the chains and tensioners.

Filed Dec 15, 2014 · Engine · NM

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 mercedes benz c230. The contact stated that the check engine warning light illuminated and the vehicle stalled without warning. The failure occurred on several occasions. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who repaired the engine wiring harness and the engine cam shaft adjustment solenoid, but the failure recurred. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 75 MPH, the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was able to restart. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was not available.

Filed Jun 5, 2014 · Engine · 160,000 miles · CA · fire

I was driving the vehicle home from work and heading uphill. My automatic air conditioning clicked off, and then I noticed a strong chemical smell. Smoke came out from under my hood. There was no safe place to pull over, so I drove another 1/4 mile until I crested the hill and came to a dip. I noticed flames coming toward me from between the driver door and the dash. I immediately pulled my car over and put it in park, grabbed my stuff and got out. The car completely burned up. I get my car regularly maintenanced by the dealer, and it said I had 1800 or 1900 miles until my next service.

Filed Jul 12, 2011 · Engine · 90,000 miles · CA · fire

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 mercedes benz c230. The contact stated that there was an excess of smoke coming from the tail pipe, blinding the contacts view of vehicle following. The vehicle then began to lose power abnormally and was moved from the roadway where it was towed to the dealer. The dealer advised that an engine valve had melted into two pieces and a piece of the valve was found in the manifold. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage and current mileages were 90,000.

Filed Mar 23, 2011 · Engine · 68,000 miles · GA

I have 2003 mercedes benz c230. Whenever I would start the vehicle it would give me jerk or make noise and finally just before taking it to a dealer it stalled. I had it towed. The vehicle was taken to a local shop, which suggested that the problem is much larger and needs the attention of the manufacturer and hence to taken to the dealer. It was diagnosed as the timing chain was defective and the local shop owner said this was a common problem with this vehicle and a serious problem with major cost to fix. The manufacturer was contacted who did not offer any assistance. The vehicle is not repaired as the cost of fix is as large as the cars current value. The failure and current mileage is 68,000.

Filed Feb 23, 2011 · Engine · 92,000 miles · NJ

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 mercedes benz c230. The contact stated that whenever she would start the vehicle, it would jerk violently. The vehicle was taken to a local repair shop where it was diagnosed that the cam shaft sensor was leaking and the timing chain was defective. The manufacturer was contacted who did not offer any assistance. The vehicle was repaired. The VIN was unavailable. The failure and current mileage was 92,000.

Filed Nov 23, 2010 · Engine · 97,000 miles · MO

Leak on the antifreeze coolant tank where the thin hose connects to the coolant tank on top, the steel tube that is molded into the plastic slipped out and the plastic part cracked creating a leak. The antifreeze may leak and accumulate under the car, it can damage the engine, also it can leak while driving causing hazardous / slippery conditions, also children or pets / animals may drink the leaked antifreeze. This is dangerous.

Filed Jul 30, 2010 · Engine · 75,000 miles · NJ

The cam sensors on the mercedes m271 engine leak oil which spreads to other components via the wire harnesses connected to cam sensors. Oil contamination will damage other electrical components (namely the ecu and exhaust oxygen sensors) if the cam sensors and wire harnesses are not replaced. A new cam sensor and wire harness has been designed as the corrective action. The defective cam sensor and wire harness were used on the previous engine design (m111). There is a technical service bulletin for m111 engine but not the m271 engine. Mercedes refuses to recall this defective design on the m271 engine causing owners to pay for the $900 preventative maintenance. Without this repair the ecu (part cost $2000) and oxygen sensors (qty 2 @ $238 ea) will be eventually damaged and will need to be removed and replaced. Within the past week, paid more than $ 2,400.00 to replace 2 cam sensors, 2 oxygen sensors, and wiring harness. Repair shop says that this is a defect that mb has known about for years.

Filed Sep 1, 2009 · Engine · 71,145 miles · CA

Engine harness and camshaft solenoids contaminated due to leaking oil which subsequently required replacement of o2 sensors.

Filed Jul 12, 2009 · Engine · 72,850 miles · CA

C230k coupe at 73,000 miles with sudden valve guides worn bad cylinder,compression loss recently in april I was called into mbz for a recall on a vacuum hose, here I am a few months later and I'm driving and my car starts shaking ,idling strange and then I take it to a mechanic and he figured it at first glance it may be worn valve gasket seals and I said ok let's change them and put in new plugs too...then he checks the compression and discovers that it is half of what it should be, what? Why should the cylinder heads be worn and need to be replaced for nearly $3000, ...this seems to be happening too many owners of this model on here and mbzforums for this 2003-2005 years. Loss of compression in one or more cylinders. This should be recognized by mbz as a defect and since when do these engines fail at 50,000or even 80,000? I feel this should be paid for by them, this is ridiculous and should not be happening at this mileage!! Defect,flaw in design...they need to step up and admit it at mercedes headquarters. Please help us owners , they are getting away with this, mentioning vacuum hose recalls on this 2003 year but some dealers have recognized that these engines are defective and a recall needs to be done on these valve guides/cylinder heads. Why is it that there is an inconsistency on how this problem is recognized by the dealer and handled. Some on the forums have said that the dealer screwed them if the 50,000 warranty is over and others have had the parts only paid for by the dealer and others have had the whole thing paid!! Too many of these c230k engine cylinders/valve guides are going bad, they are defective and mbz should be correcting this. I should not pay $3000 to rebuild engine that has been maintained on schedule and for a car that is at only 73,000 miles thanks