My 2016 Mercedes-Benz CLA 250 has a check engine light for code P052E, which points to a broken crankcase ventilation valve. My car has only 59,000 miles on it, but this same exact part already broke once before and was replaced under the original warranty. Now, the replacement part has failed too. This proves the part is defective and keeps breaking. Mercedes-Benz already knows this part is defective. They gave a free 15-year or 150,000-mile extended warranty to fix this exact issue for free on the C-Class and other longitudinal M274 engine platforms. However, they are actively denying coverage for my CLA 250's M270 engine variant, despite the two vehicles sharing nearly identical engine blocks, matching subcomponents, and the exact same broken part. Because of this unfair engine code technicality, Mercedes-Benz is forcing CLA owners to pay thousands of dollars out of pocket for a recurring problem they fix for free on a C-Class. I urge the federal safety agency to look into this engine loophole and force Mercedes-Benz to include the M270 engine variants under the 15-year/150,000-mile free repair program.
2016 Mercedes-Benz CLA250: check engine light
13 of the 67 complaints about the 2016 Mercedes-Benz CLA250 describe check engine light.
- owner complaints
- 13
- of this car's complaints
- 19%
- typical mileage
- 50,000
- recalls
- 0
Check engine light by model year
What owners say
The contact owns a 2016 Mercedes-Benz CLA250. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with a failed thermostat. The contact was informed that the thermostat needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was driven to the residence. The contact performed an inspection on the vehicle and determined there was a melted hole in the air intake valve. The contact stated that the dealer had not provided information of the condition of the melted air intake valve. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or the dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 116,000.
Check engine light with error code P052E. From my research, this is a very common issue with this engine and one that either has been recalled or is planning to be recalled. According to some online forums for Mercedes Benz, Mercedes is being sued over this problem and has issued an extended warranty on certain models because of how common this problem has become. The list of models needs to be expanded to include other models experiencing the same problem.
Vehicle Performance Issues - Detailed Timeline [XXX] •First issue occurred: the car wouldn’t start at a store. Engine turned over, failed to start. •After sitting overnight, it would start but stall after 10 minutes of driving. •Parked the car and began using alternative transportation. •Diagnostic tests by three mechanics revealed the following codes: oP0087: Fuel Rail/System Pressure Too Low. oP052E: Crankcase Ventilation (PCV). [XXX] •Picked up the car from Midland Mercedes after repairs. Paid $3,069.16 for crankcase ventilation service. •Mercedes Customer Summary Report had no reference to any fuel-related issues or the P0087 code. •Drove 10 minutes to a gas station; the car wouldn’t start, repeating the same issue of why I brought it in to have repaired. •Returned to the shop; Said a New Code came up and replaced the fuel pump: oCost of part: $670.47 (no labor charged). I refused to pay $2200! [XXX] •Finally after 3 months! I got my car and drove back to San Angelo on half a tank, avoiding stops to prevent starting problems. I now had PTSD! •Filled the tank upon arrival; no issues that day. [XXX] •On the way to work, turned on the heat and noticed: oA strong gas odor inside the car. oThe radio volume control wasn’t working, and the ECO mode indicator wasn’t functioning as usual. [XXX] Filled the gas tank halfway to reduce the gas smell. •1st start up cycle immediately after getting gas, no issue. •2nd start up cycle , the dashboard lights started flickering and all indicator lights came on. Traction control warning along with message to check the owner’s manual. Can not accelerate. Check engine light stays on. •3rd cycle start up, all lights turned off except the check engine light. •4th cycle start up, no check engine light This occurs every time I get fuel. I only get $10 at a time. Noticing the pattern, I coded the car. A new code came up. •P2187: System Too Lean at Idle (Bank 1). INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
The contact owns a 2016 Mercedes-Benz CLA250. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the regulator valve had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHSTA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 50,000.
I HAVE 2 MECEDES WITH THE SAME ISSUE PER MERCEDES BENZ OF USA INSPECTION CAUSING ENGINE LIGHT TO BE TRIGGERED PER DIAGNOSIS TESTING RAN ON BOTH CARS. 2015 VIN [XXXXX] GLA 250 4 MATIC-P052E71 2016 VIN [XXXXX0 2013 CLA 250 MATIC -P052E71 I WAS TOLD BY A MERCEDES SERVICES ADVISIOR THAT BOTH CARS HAVE THE SAME ENGINE FOR A 2015GLA AND A 2016 CLA - BOTH Due to both cars stalling in traffic on multiple time when driving I took both to the shop to run further testing to discover both had the same engine light trigger which is the CRANKSHAFT (AKA) OIL SEPERATOR (AKA)INTAKE TUBE DUE TO THIS BOTH CARS HAVE SUFFERED AN ISSUE WHEN TAKING EMMISSION TEST - MERCEDES DIGNOSIS TESTING CODES -P052E71 - CRANKSHAFT VENILATION MALFUNCTION - CAR WILL NOT PASS EMMISSION TEST AND THIS PART DEFECTS ALSO CAUSES CAR TO STALL THAT CAN POSSIBLE CAUSE ACCIDENT THIS PART COMPLETE REPAIR COULD COST UP TO $2500-$3000 FOR PARTS AND LABOR PART NUMBER -270-090-07-00 (CRANKSHAFT) THE ENGINE LIGHT ISSUE TRIGGERED BY CRANKSHAFT AND WILL NOT PASS EMMISSION TESTING DUE TO THIS Description of this part below: Crankcase Ventilation is the process of venting or removing blow-by from an engine's crankcase to prevent excessive pressure build-up within the engine. Blow-by gases are mixed with oil mist and other contaminants that can harm an engine's internal components and contaminate the environment. How does the crankshaft ventilation work- When the vehicle is moving, airflow across the open end of the tube creates suction (a "draught" or draft) that pulls gases out of the crankcase. To prevent too much vacuum being created, the blow-by gases are replaced by fresh air using a device called a breather. The breather is often located in the oil cap the engine misfires, you may have trouble getting your vehicle up to speed. Misfires often happen when your vehicle is under load while accelerating. This can result in slow or sluggish acceleration or a jerking motion while pressing down on acc
Subject: Urgent Safety Concern Regarding Recall Campaign #2022030003 for 2016 CLA250 VIN# xxx Date: August 16, 2023 To Whom It May Concern, I am writing to express my deep concern and dissatisfaction regarding a recent incident involving my 2016 CLA250, VIN# xxx, which has raised serious safety issues for both myself and my passengers. Between July 15, 2023, and August 14, 2023, I experienced a distressing loss of power while commuting to work. The incident occurred while I was traveling in the high-speed lane on the highway, almost resulting in a major accident that could have led to severe injuries or even loss of life. During this period, the check engine light on my vehicle illuminated and subsequently turned off. Fearing for our safety, I promptly sought a vehicle diagnostic assessment at the Firestone Service center on August 15, 2023. The diagnostic codes returned indicated a "Fuel/Rail Low Power" issue. To my dismay, I learned that a recall (Campaign #2022030003) had been issued by the manufacturer for the exact problem I encountered. With this information in hand, I diligently contacted the local Mercedes dealership to address the recall. However, I was informed that my vehicle's VIN# was not included in the recall list. This contradicts the diagnostic assessment carried out by Firestone, which clearly indicated the need for intervention due to the "Fuel/Rail Low Power" issue. Given the alarming circumstances and the potential risks associated with this safety concern, I implore you to investigate and rectify this situation promptly. It is evident from the diagnostic results obtained from Firestone that my 2016 CLA VIN# xxx should be included in the recall list to ensure the safety of all occupants. I trust that the federal safety agency plays a pivotal role in safeguarding the well-being of motorists and passengers across the nation. I kindly request your urgent attention to this matter to prevent any further incide
P052E: Positive Crankcase Ventilation Regulator Valve Performance. It is available for inspection upon request. It was a problem that was confirmed by two independent service centers. It first appeared at around 30k miles, then the engine light disappeared. At around 40k, it starts to intermittently appears and disappears, most of the time the engine light was off, my mechanics checked at it, said it was not uncommon to see this problem with Mercedes and said it won't affect driving. At around 50k it starts to appear more often, still intermittently. I got a second opinion with another mechanics, was told again that he saw this happening commonly with Mercedes. Crankcase alone cannot be replaced, I'll need to replace the whole thing which part cost 750+, with 1200+ labor at an independent service center, and the local mercedes dealer quote double the price.
Got a check engine light at 72,047 miles. Looked up the code at autozone and it is a P052E. After googling this code, discovered this is an EXTREMELY common issue with 2015 & 2016 c and cla class mercedes. (see here https://mbworld.org/forums/c-class-w205/739851-check-engine-code-p052e-2.html). This is a ventilation issue with the Positive Crankcase Ventilation Regulator Valve Performance. This is a VERY expensive fix despite seemingly being a VERY common issue at this mileage for these cars. This seems to be a defective part that Mercedes installed at the factory as no one ever gets this message after having their original valve replaced. Without the fix, this will cause oil to become sludgy and perhaps cause engine to seize or smoke.
While merging onto the freeway on 1/22/2021 the car's dashboard displayed "collision prevention assist plus inoperative " and the check engine light come on. When this happened, it prevented me from accelerating the car by pushing onto the gas pedal. This caused the car from behind to almost rear ended by car. I was able to drive onto the shoulder of the freeway and exit the freeway. I have taken this car to the mercedes dealership for repair but it is an ongoing issue even after various parts have been replaced.
My car has shut off on me while driving two times and road side assistance came out two different occasion. I kept up with maintenace on the vehicle. I went to pep boys up the st from my house instead of mercedes for oil changes. Out of no where my engine light came on and I towed my car two mercedes to fix. They said my engine blew n the turbo . They won't cover it under warranty since I gave them all my maintence receipts from pep boys . This was a demo car I originally leased and had it for 2 years with 9 months left on the car. The recalls on the VIN were not fixed and mercedes is trying to send me away with a unfixed car. Please help
Car cannot be filled with gas more than 7/8 of the tank. When filled full, the engine sputters and car start to stall/shake violently, engine loses power and engine light comes on and then engine shuts down by itself. After engine shuts down all lights on the dash board lit up and need to turn off car. This happens on both city road and highway driving soon after filling the tank. Almost caused an accident on the highway as I could pull fast enough onto the shoulder and get out of the way from other cars behind me on the highway driving at 60 miles/hour. After this happens, I had three options. Get a tow track and pull the car of the streets, drive the car on the highway at speeds no more than 25-35 miles/hour using the manual paddle shifters, or wait at least one hour on the side of the road after this happens and then drive the car with the engine light on. This happened twice and since than I am not putting gas more than 7/8 of the tank.
Service bulletins that may apply
- Engine
- Engine
- Fault code P06DA00 is found current or stored in engine control unit
- MY15+ M278 and M157 Equipped Vehicles with Fault Code ""P023400 – Boost Pressure is Too High"" "
- The purpose of this letter is to advise you of additional benefits that Mercedes-Benz is providing to you...
- Engine starts
- Vehicle rocks or lurches once after sitting in park with engine running for roughly 10 minutes
- Coolant warning message in the instrument cluster although the coolant level is OK
Related recalls
No recalls on record for this model year.
Questions about the 2016 Mercedes-Benz CLA250 check engine light
Is check engine light a common problem on the 2016 Mercedes-Benz CLA250?
13 of 67 owner complaints about the 2016 Mercedes-Benz CLA250 (19%) mention check engine light. The model year with the most reports is 2014.
Is there a recall or service bulletin for this on the 2016 Mercedes-Benz CLA250?
There are 0 recalls and 10 service bulletins for the same area of the car. Check them below with your VIN.
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