2011 W-204 2.0 petrol turbo - rattle on startup

[MattLon]

Hi all, just purchased for my wife a 2011 C200 with the 2.0 turbo motor and only 40k on the clock, mainly because of the low K's, the vehicle having a full MB stealership service history and the good name of Benz. After only 3 months we noticed a rattle on startup so took it to Mercedes who diagnosed a faulty VVT unit, cost to repair just the VVT unit $3800 or to do both VVT units & timing chain ....$5800. After checking various forums turns out MB deleted the twin timing chain and VVT unit of the 2009-10 model and replaced it with a single chain and inferior VVT unit. After numerous failures in Europe MB upgraded both for the 2013 model. Very disappointed MB didnt do the right thing and issue a recall to fix a known fault because anyone like me buying the MY 2010-2012 with this motor are in for a rude shock. I'm told replacing the VVT unit will stop the rattle and the engine warning light but wont fix the inevitable timing chain failure. Given it was a known fault our dealer asked MB to cover the repair outside the warranty period but no such luck. So even with my low K's vehicle and being the 2nd owner MB Australia dont feel inclined to fix something they already knew about. I'm reliably told by someone inside the industry there are at least 2 failures in Sydney North every week so who knows how many around the country. Has anyone else had the same problem?

[Bartman4800]

I have no experience with this model.
But I would get in contact with the consumer ombudsman if I was you. John Cadogan is another name you can contact.

A quality product (the best or nothing) should not fail within that amount of K's or years.

Warranty period has nothing to do with it.


Bart

[Ivanerrol]

Have a read through this :

http://australiancar.reviews/reviews.ph ... an&gen=604

There's a particular reference to your difficulties.

M.B. is a serial practitioner in faulty timing chains and overheads. The early M116 380 engines and early M102's came with a single row timing change that was quickly changed out after failures occurred.

Bartman4800 John Cadogan is another name you can contact.

John Cadogen is vehemently ant M.B. A contact with him will probably lead to a diatribe of "why did you buy a P.O.S. MB."

M.B. has just announced a new set of engines : All to be controlled electronically with a 48 volt setup.

The first of these new engines will go in the next S class.

Observation.
The Euro manufacturers have been going all out to reduce the size of their engines and up the horsepower with the additions of turbo chargers, direct injection etc.
This has lead to hotter running engines and stressed components and engine metallurgy.

V.W. has just announced that they are giving this practice away and going back to larger engine displacements normally aspirated in the name of reliability.
Mazda has also announced that they will give up trying for smaller blown engines - in the name of reliability.