Piston failure on 2017 C300 (55,000 Miles on Odometer)

[Sehnsucht Berlin]

*Pardon any errors English is my number 3 language*

I apologizing for writing on this (almost 1-year-old thread) but I have had the exact same issue! My 2017 C200 just turned 88,513KM (55,000) miles on the odometer. Sunday (18/04/2021) I was driving on the highway, suddenly my check engine light came on and I lost all power, I was able to safely coast off of the road and called roadside assistance to pick up my car and send it to the nearest dealership (about 50KM) away. As of yesterday morning, the service tech informed me that the piston failed to result in a severe scratch inside of the cylinder and thus I need an engine replacement.
I barely even have 55,000 miles on the odometer and now this happened, even after replacing the engine (although I am not sure what that will be like) what is to say this will not happen again in another 55,000 miles?! I have never had any issues with this car it has been very safe and reliable (until Sunday).

Mercedes better come through and offer great customer service for this because I am at the point of trading the vehicle in (after the repair is completed) and getting a Lexus or Acura. If I ever decide to go back to Mercedes (which is very unknown at this point) it would be an S-klass, not another C-klass.

 

[Sehnsucht Berlin]

*Pardon any errors English is my number 3 language*

My 2017 C200 just turned 88,513KM (55,000) miles on the odometer. Sunday (18/04/2021) I was driving on the highway, suddenly my check engine light came on and I lost all power, I was able to safely coast off of the road and called roadside assistance to pick up my car and send it to the nearest dealership (about 50KM) away. As of yesterday morning, the service tech informed me that the piston failed to result in a severe scratch inside of the cylinder and thus I need an engine replacement.
I barely even have 55,000 miles on the odometer and now this happened, even after replacing the engine (although I am not sure what that will be like) what is to say this will not happen again in another 55,000 miles?! I have never had any issues with this car it has been very safe and reliable (until Sunday).

Mercedes better come through and offer great customer service for this because I am at the point of trading the vehicle in (after the repair is completed) and getting a Lexus or Acura. If I ever decide to go back to Mercedes (which is very unknown at this point) it would be an S-klass, not another C-klass.

 

[Mike Smith]

Is it a C300 or C200?
There have been a lot of cases in the USA of the C300 having piston failure.

 

[Sehnsucht Berlin]

Is it a C300 or C200?
There have been a lot of cases in the USA of the C300 having piston failure.

I must have typo by accident, it is C300 I bought it CPO from a MB dealership (in Germany), the original owner is a Yank that was stationed in Germany, he import it to Germany for his time of military service and once he leave he traded it in for a AMG SUV.

 

[Mike Smith]

It seems to be only the USA version of the C300 that has the piston issue.

They all report that piston number one cracked.

 

[Sehnsucht Berlin]

It seems to be only the USA version of the C300 that has the piston issue.

They all report that piston number one cracked.

Oh and I must be the fool that buys the USA made (C klass) because you are correct, piston 1 cracked and scratched the inside of the cylinder very badly resulting in the entire engine needing replacement...

 

[Mike Smith]

Owners in the USA are having problems getting Mercedes to show any goodwill gesture.

Hopefully German dealers will be more helpful.

 

[Sehnsucht Berlin]

Owners in the USA are having problems getting Mercedes to show any goodwill gesture.

Hopefully German dealers will be more helpful.

I doubt it, they have terrible customer service here as well. Push come to shove I will hire an attorney. I have heard of similar issues in the U.S. and MB (USA) treating the customers very badly and taking for ever to fix the car or work out the issue with the customer in some other way. No one in his or her right mind would pay almost 13K for "rebuilt" engine to put in a C Class, that is assuming no other parts were damaged in this situation. I understand it is a Mercedes and rightfully so they are expensive to work on, fair enough; but this is an issue of principle not money. MB needs to make it right or I will take my money to a brand such as Lexus.

 

[Mike Smith]

I think the problem is they are pushing the 4 cylinder engine to it's limits.

 

[Sehnsucht Berlin]

I think the problem is they are pushing the 4 cylinder engine to it's limits.

I am going to be pushing ass whooping to my limits if they do not fix it and make it right, I will go Florida man on someone if need be.

 

[Mike Smith]

Good luck with it.
Keep us informed of progress please.

 

[Sehnsucht Berlin]

Good luck with it.
Keep us informed of progress please.

I will thanks mate I am sure Mercedes will make it right (even if I have to force those German ****s to do so).

 

[mattkh]

I will thanks mate I am sure Mercedes will make it right (even if I have to force those German ****s to do so).

Please could I have the engine code for this engine for my database.

 

[DSK]

Sorry to hear of this as I hate seeing such cases where people pay good money and provided the car has been maintained as specified and suffering from big issues with the MB just laughing. Not everything is well designed in this day and age so I hope you can get a satisfactory outcome especially when such failures are widely reported and a new-ish car failing at 55,000 miles is 'product not fit for purpose' in my book. The dealer and MB will fob you off but, if you get a motoring lawyer and an independent engineers report, you should be in a very strong position.

I don't know how you may deal with it but, I started legal action against BMW on a 30,000 mile approved M5 I bought. It was smooth but slower than other identical M5's. BMW said I needed a new engine... they did what they all do and say my warranty doesn't cover x/y/z. When I started legal action feeling like I had and nothing to loose, the lawyer whooped @ss and BMW didn't even put up a fight and set about getting a new engine fitted. Since then I helped a family have a new Range Rover returned with the dealer not fixing a fault. I got 3 independent mechanical engineers to assess the vehicle, Range Rover still declined, then I added a lawyer and now Range Rover had no case. Got the Range Rover rejected, full money back + more!

 

[Rob7seven]

I think the problem is they are pushing the 4 cylinder engine to it's limits.

That doesn't bode well for the coming 4 cylinder C63 replacement, it may be a wound-up version of the same basic unit, but this sounds to me more like a fault with the piston, cooling maybe, rather than something inherent in the general design of the engine. 258hp is not a particularly high output for a modern 2 litre engine.

Slightly worried C300 owner.

 

[malcolm E53 AMG]

That doesn't bode well for the coming 4 cylinder C63 replacement, it may be a wound-up version of the same basic unit, but this sounds to me more like a fault with the piston, cooling maybe, rather than something inherent in the general design of the engine. 258hp is not a particularly high output for a modern 2 litre engine.

Slightly worried C300 owner.

Agree, but 258bhp from a 4 pot still requires well made components and 100+bhp per cylinder from the AMG version doesn’t bode well for a long life

 

[mioba]

I doubt it, they have terrible customer service here as well. Push come to shove I will hire an attorney. I have heard of similar issues in the U.S. and MB (USA) treating the customers very badly and taking for ever to fix the car or work out the issue with the customer in some other way. No one in his or her right mind would pay almost 13K for "rebuilt" engine to put in a C Class, that is assuming no other parts were damaged in this situation. I understand it is a Mercedes and rightfully so they are expensive to work on, fair enough; but this is an issue of principle not money. MB needs to make it right or I will take my money to a brand such as Lexus.

Hmmmm. good luck. In the US they have common law also like in the UK, Germany is a civil code law, so you cant really compare apples and pears. If anything you would be looking at goodwill from Germany.

 

[mioba]

Agree, but 258bhp from a 4 pot still requires well made components and 100+bhp per cylinder from the AMG version doesn’t bode well for a long life

Indeed poorly engineered.

 

[DSK]

Trouble is this sort of thing has been going on for several years with several marques at fault, less internal friction, looser tolerances, all for claimed marginal increases in fuel consumption, all work towards weakness and premature failures but the consuming public can't see beyond the hype of 'new' tech.

Trouble is the manufacturers win. People will buy 'new tech', they will suffer expensive failures which, they will reluctantly pay to put right just outside of warranty and be scared off from fighting against the big brands. Then just for a badge, they will probably buy another.....

 

[Botus]

we had a lady with a piston go pop about a year back...

the post starts of as if replying to another thread... but I guess the forum caught him out and the one he was responding to isn't here?

If its common on a USA car I would be very surprised if they don't get sorted correctly - they sue over anything and everything and seem to win all the time. 55k and it goes bang isn't bad in today's world... what's the cam chain like? did that fail and a valve got the piston? that's becoming quite normal on the current stuff