W203 problem

[Guest Cklasse]

I have summarised all the problems encountered by members' car here; including one that cost me $2000+ today.Price quoted is for reference only. I will start with problems that I encountered in my 130 000 km car.

1. Engine and gearbox mount worn; 60 000 - 108 000km; vibration when idling; price? $300-400.

2. Plastic hose of radiator coolant reservoir may break due to long time exposure to heat. The crack is mostly at the end where it flexes; 130 000 km; coolant leak; price? $100+.

3. Exhaust pipe mounting bracket cracked; 137 000km; high pitch metal rubbing noise during acceleration; price? $101.

4. Front anti-roll bar, thrust arm, lower arm worn; 152 000km; metal knock noise when driving over uneven surface; price? $2000+.

[Guest CBlack]

2. engine mounting wear and tear @ 3rd year about 60k

[Guest 9339]

130,000 KM? is time to change to your FL SLK.....

[Guest ChangC200]

2. engine mounting wear and tear @ 3rd year about 60k

how much did you fix the engine mounting??

Car will vibrate strongly when it is stationary at Drive mode right? It happens around 90000km..currently at 10000km...

[Guest Cklasse]

Can't remember how much, it's a few hundred. your 10,000 km is still far away from worn engine mount.

[Guest CBlack]

Changc200, yes, the car will jerk violently when stationary but ok when in motion. Like CKlasse said, I think it's a couple of hundreds, can't remember. check it out at MBM, they changed it for me.

[Guest ChangC200]

actually its 108000km le....

Yes, a couple of hundred around 300 or 400 hundred...engine mounting and gear mounting.....

Also another problem i had was the current leak. The car battery went flat after parking overnight. they said C-Class had this problem..they said its related to the electronic seats..

Car in workshop now....Zzzzzzz

[Guest Cklasse]

One more problem at 137 000 km. The exhaust pipe mounting bracket located underneath the gearbox cracked. Must be the hard acceleration over the years that caused it to crack at the bent location. The symptom is a high pitch metal rubbing noise as the pipe rub against the heatshield and it intensifies when the pedal is stepped further.

Damage - $101.

[Guest Rysk]

I'm driving a 3 1/2 yr old C200 which I bought it in July.

That time mileage was 40k.. now already coming to 44k..

Till now still have not send to a workshop for servicing & checking, but planning to go in end of this mth. Hopefully no problem with this car :pray:

[Guest Cklasse]

See 1st posting.

[Guest Cklasse]

To summarise all the problems encountered by members' car and listed here; Price quoted is for reference only and may be outdated.

1. Engine and gearbox mount worn;

60,000 - 108,000km;

vibration when idling;

price? $300-400.

2. Plastic hose of radiator coolant reservoir crack;

130,000 km;

coolant leak;

price? $100+.

3. Exhaust pipe mounting bracket cracked;

137,000km;

high pitch metal rubbing noise during acceleration;

price? $101.

4. Front anti-roll bar, thrust arm, lower arm worn;

152,000km;

metal knock noise when driving over uneven surface;

price? $2000+.

5. Engine cover crack,

180,000km;

mounting point of engine cover crack when removed for servicing (due to heat and age);

price? Not available - recommend to change to W204 engine cover (improved durability)

[Guest Spidy]

C & C charged me close to S$1000 to remount engine to remove vibration !!!

Bloody ^*&%$&*

Anyway, I stop going to them for servicing anymore. Done 2 servicing at MBM, so far so good but lack personalise attention. I guess no choice, their business so good.

[Guest sgbb]

omg~! c&c charges are so high~!

[Guest 9339]

Spidy wrote:

C & C charged me close to S$1000 to remount engine to remove vibration !!!

Bloody ^*&%$&*

Anyway, I stop going to them for servicing anymore. Done 2 servicing at MBM, so far so good but lack personalise attention. I guess no choice, their business so good.

Look for Ah Yong or Keith @ MBM, tell him you are member of SGMERC.

Btw, do you have a SGMERC decal on your car ?

Got 20% less on labour if you have the decal.

[Guest Tommy Tan]

Cklasse wrote:

To summarise all the problems encountered by members' car and listed here; Price quoted is for reference only and may be outdated.

1. Engine and gearbox mount worn;

60,000 - 108,000km;

vibration when idling;

price? $300-400.

2. Plastic hose of radiator coolant reservoir crack;

130,000 km;

coolant leak;

price? $100+.

3. Exhaust pipe mounting bracket cracked;

137,000km;

high pitch metal rubbing noise during acceleration;

price? $101.

4. Front anti-roll bar, thrust arm, lower arm worn;

152,000km;

metal knock noise when driving over uneven surface;

price? $2000+.

5. Engine cover crack,

180,000km;

mounting point of engine cover crack when removed for servicing (due to heat and age);

price? Not available - recommend to change to W204 engine cover (improved durability)

My top radiator hose broke yesterday at 108,000km. C & C quote the part at $120. Finally, i bought at Tye Soon at only $50 & DIY. My advice to all W203 owner who reached abt 100,000km to buy a spare hose to replace in case it give way coz DIY is pretty easy. Or else, have to tow to mechanic.

Cheerz!

[Guest Cklasse]

To summarise all the problems encountered by members' W203 listed here; Price quoted is for reference only and may be outdated.

1. Engine and gearbox mount worn;

60,000 - 108,000km;

vibration when idling;

price? $300-400.

2. Plastic hose at radiator coolant reservoir tank crack;

130,000 km;

coolant leak;

price? $100+.

3. Exhaust pipe mounting bracket cracked;

137,000km;

high pitch metal rubbing noise during acceleration;

price? $101.

4. Front anti-roll bar, thrust arm, lower arm worn;

152,000km;

metal knock noise when driving over uneven surface;

price? $2000+.

5. Engine cover crack,

180,000km;

mounting point of engine cover crack when removed for servicing (due to heat and age);

price? Not available - recommend to change to W204 engine cover (improved durability)

6. Top radiator hose broke,

108,000km;

Coolant leak;

Price? C&C quote the part at $120. Finally, outside $50 & DIY.

[Guest kepiting1sg]

Bro Cklasse,

Think U forgot to mention that most of us had the driver inside door handle broken.

Another unlucky thing happened to my W203!

Engine oil got into the engine cable and screwed some of the MAP sensors.

Repair bill from MBM was close to $3k :Cry:

Was told by them abt 1 out of 5 W203 got this problem - at about 45k km.

They replaced the cable and did some mod to prevent the same thing happening again in the future.

Didn't know the detail but I think some of U should take the preventive measure not to let this happen. i.e engine oil gets to the engine cable.

(This was explained to me by MBM)

[Guest Cklasse]

Ahh...you are so right. I shall put it in later.

[Guest j888]

my driver handle bar was broken

a $4.50 super glue solved the problem

Just changed air intake hose tubing, broken tube result in engine vibrate sideways furiously when idle - $150

Also change magnet + gasket in engine block due to oil leak - $300

[Guest JackWater]

I really appreciate you guys effort to summarise the potential problem for w203 above 100k km.

My front sam was replaced at 110k km. Symtom -> ESP/BAS (visit workshop) fault display at dash board; won't start/crank; battery not dead; Car can be jumped start by short the starter circuit; When started, it is in limp home mode and need to poke the gear level magnet to move the level from P. Ended up i crawl to workshop to get the sam replaced.

Now, my coolant need top up every 1-2 weeks. Will check based your summarised common problem first. Thanks.

[Guest Cklasse]

JackWater wrote:

I really appreciate you guys effort to summarise the potential problem for w203 above 100k km.

My front sam was replaced at 110k km. Symtom -> ESP/BAS (visit workshop) fault display at dash board; won't start/crank; battery not dead; Car can be jumped start by short the starter circuit; When started, it is in limp home mode and need to poke the gear level magnet to move the level from P. Ended up i crawl to workshop to get the sam replaced.

Now, my coolant need top up every 1-2 weeks. Will check based your summarised common problem first. Thanks.

What's a "front sam"?

[Guest JackWater]

Cklasse wrote:

What's a "front sam"?

Front SAM is the Fuse/Relay electronic module under the front bonnet, beside the ECU.

It control most of the circuit in the car. There is rear SAM at the back/boot too.

[Guest Cklasse]

To summarise all the problems encountered by members' W203 listed here; Price quoted is for reference only and may be outdated.

1. Engine and gearbox mount worn;

60,000 - 108,000km;

vibration when idling;

price? $300-400.

2. Plastic hose at radiator coolant reservoir tank crack;

130,000 km;

coolant leak;

price? $100+.

3. Exhaust pipe mounting bracket cracked;

137,000km;

high pitch metal rubbing noise during acceleration;

price? $101.

4. Front anti-roll bar, thrust arm, lower arm worn;

152,000km;

metal knock noise when driving over uneven surface;

price? $2000+.

5. Engine cover crack,

180,000km;

mounting point of engine cover crack when removed for servicing (due to heat and age);

price? Not available - recommend to change to W204 engine cover (improved durability)

6. Top radiator hose broke,

108,000km;

Coolant leak;

Price? C&C quote the part at $120. Finally, outside $50 & DIY.

7. Front door inside handle broke.

Any mileage depending on how you pull the door handle and how many times you pull.

The stiff door hinge has created its own problem of breaking the handle at the thinnest portion due to repeated pulling. Try pulling at the base (thickest part) and I believe it will prolong the time before the handle breaks.

Price? about $80 for a handle.

8. Magnet Cap oil leak (what do you call this part?)

45 000km to 170 000km

Oil leak can flow into the electrical cable sleeve and damage the MAP sensor.

Price? $380 for changing seal to stop oil leak to $3000 when damage is done.

Always check front of engine to detect sign of oil leakage.

[Guest Avengers]

Anyone has experience ticking sound while driving from the right aircon vent area? Cannot really pin point the origin as I was driving but am pretty sure it came from the air con vent area all the way down to the bonnet open swtich. Currently can only endure tick...tick...tick...

[Guest Cklasse]

May be it's a time bomb? or IED :becky:

I have this sometimes, but not often and it last only a short while. So I tend to forget that this exist.