Recalls & faults: Mercedes-Benz C219 CLS-Class (2005-11)

Recalls: Mercedes-Benz C219 CLS-Class

Overview

Manufacturers, or importers, issue recalls for defects or faults which have the potential to cause injury. Generally, manufacturers will inform the original buyers if their vehicle is subject to a recall and of the steps required to remedy the defect or fault. Please note that the recalls below (if any) are for Australian-delivered vehicles only. Furthermore, the number of recalls should not be taken as an indication of a model’s reliability or its safety more generally.

Recalls: Mercedes-Benz C219 CLS-Class

2010-11 Mercedes-Benz C219 CLS-Class: loss of power steering

In October 2011, a recall was issued for Mercedes-Benz C219 CLS-Class models manufactured from November 2010 to April 2011 due to the electric power-assisted steering potentially disengaging; the mechanical steerability, however, would be maintained at all times (PRA 2011/12869).

2010-11 Mercedes-Benz C219 CLS-Class: airbag may not fully deploy

In October 2011, a recall was issued for Mercedes-Benz C219 CLS-Class vehicles manufactured from November 2010 to May 2011 due to the second stage of the front passenger airbag potentially not deploying as designed; the first stage, however, remained fully operational (PRA 2011/12870).

Mercedes-Benz C219 CLS Class with sunroof: glass panel may separate

In August 2020, recall campaign RC2752 was issued for Mercedes-Benz C219 CLS Class vehicles that had sunroofs. In these vehicles, the durability of the bonding between the sunroof glass panel and the sliding roof frame may not meet specifications and the glass panel may separate from the vehicle. If this occurred, there was an increased risk of a collision and risk of injury to road users. For the VINs of the recalled vehicles, please see PRA 2020/18467.

2005-10 Mercedes-Benz C219 CLS-Class: glass sunroof panel may detach

In July 2021, recall campaign RC2888 was issued for 2005-10 Mercedes-Benz C219 CLS vehicles. Over time, the bonding of the sunroof glass panel may deteriorate and the glass panel may separate from the vehicle. If the sunroof panel detached, it would increase the risk of a collision and injury for road users. For the VINs of the recalled vehicles, please see REC-001647.

2005-10 Mercedes-Benz C219 CLS-Class: sunroof panel may detach

In February 2023, recall campaign RC3110 was issued for 2005-10 Mercedes-Benz C219 CLS-Class vehicles that were equipped with panoramic glass sliding sunroofs (option code 414). Due to a manufacturing defect, the sliding sunroof panel and frame may not have been bonded correctly. As a result, the sunroof panel may detach from the vehicle. If the panel partially or fully detached from the vehicle, there was an increased risk of injury to road users. For the VINs of the recalled vehicles, please see REC-005621.

Problems and faults: Mercedes-Benz C219 CLS-Class

Overview

This section identifies potential problems, causes and fixes based on the experiences of owners and repairers, online sources and technical service bulletins. This information is provided solely for reference purposes and AustralianCar.Reviews recommends that only properly qualified persons carry out repairs or modifications. Furthermore, the number of items below should not be taken as an indicator of a model’s reliability or the frequency with which they may occur.

To report a problem or fault to the AustralianCar.Reviews team, please use the Contact Us form. Note that AustralianCar.Reviews does not offer advice on automotive problems or disputes; such enquiries will not receive a reply. For vehicles purchased from dealers after 1 January 2011, please see our Australian Consumer Law fact sheet.

2004-06 Mercedes C219 CLS 350: M272 balancer shaft sprocket gear failure

In May 2011, Mercedes-Benz issued service bulletin LI03.30-P-050027 for Mercedes-Benz C219 CLS 350 vehicles with M272 V6 engines which:

• Had serial numbers prior to 2729..30 468993; and,
• Were manufactured prior to October 2006.

In these vehicles, premature wear of a gear on the balancer shaft sprocket could cause the positioning of the camshafts in the right cylinder bank to be impaired (relative to the crankshaft). According to the service bulletin, this wear of the balancer shaft sprocket could cause the following symptoms:

• Illumination of the check engine light; and,
• Diagnostic trouble codes (DTCs) 1200 or 1208 stored in the ME-SFI control unit.

Owners have experienced failure of the balancer shaft sprocket gear after 95,000 kilometres, accompanied by rough running and illumination of the check engine light. From October 2006 production, a different material was used for the balance shaft sprocket.

For the M272 V6 engine, the repair procedure is as follows:

1. Remove the right front camshaft adjuster cover;
2. Check the balance shaft sprocket for wear using a flexible borescope. In rare cases, a stretched timing chain may be the reason for the DTCs if the sprocket does not exhibit any signs of wear;
3. If worn, replace the balance shaft. Note: since the balancer shaft is located inside the engine block, repairs are expensive;
4. Replace the chain tensioner (part number A272 050 01 11);
5. Change engine oil and filter;
6. Drive with engine at high load and rpm for at least 20 km;
7. Change engine oil and filter once more; and,
8. Replace the camshaft adjustment solenoids.

2004-08 Mercedes-Benz CLS 350 and CLS 500: M272 and M273 cam plug oil leak

Mercedes-Benz M272 V6 and M273 V8 engines that were produced prior to June 2008 may experience oil leaks (or ‘seepage’) from the round plastic expansion plugs (‘cam plugs’) on the back of the cylinder heads. There were two different size cam plugs:

• Part number A000 998 55 90: two small expansion plugs (approximately 2.5 cm diameter); and,
• Part number A000 998 56 90: one large small expansion plug (for engines without vacuum pump).

To fix, the existing plugs were to be removed, the opening cleaned and new plugs fitted; no sealer was to be used in the installation of the new plugs. New cam plugs that were not susceptible to oil leaks were phased into production in June 2008.

Mercedes-Benz C219 CLS 350 and CLS 500: actuator cam for VIM

For Mercedes-Benz C219 CLS 350 (2005-09) and CLS 500 (2006-10) vehicles, the plastic actuator cam in the variable intake manifold (VIM) for the M272 V6 and M273 V8 engines is susceptible to failure. Symptoms of a broken actuator cam include:

• Rough idle;
• A loss of power (particularly at low and mid-range engine speeds);
• Illumination of the check engine lights; and,
• Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTCs) such as P2004, P2005, P2006, P2187 and P2189.

Due to the venting of oil from the PCV (positive crankcase ventilation) system, carbon deposits can accumulate on the swirl flaps inside the variable intake manifold. These carbon deposits increase the resistance on the plastic actuator cam and this can cause it to break. Other parts can also fail as a result, including the swirl flaps, the actuator mounting arms and the vacuum diaphragms.

AustralianCar.Reviews understands that the original equipment supplier for the intake manifold is Pierberg and that Mercedes-Benz’s repair involves replacing the entire intake manifold since they do not supply replacement actuator cams. However, eEuroparts.com sell intake manifold repair kits that replace the plastic actuator cam with a metal component and can be used for DIY repairs. However, the intake manifold also needs to be cleaned as part of any repair. For further information about this problem, please see:

• eEuroparts.com: Fixing Mercedes-Benz Intake Manifold Woes; and,
• eEuroparts.com: Mercedes-Benz Intake Manifold Repair DIY.

Mercedes-Benz C219 CLS-Class: other problems and faults

• The air conditioning may only work intermittently due to a faulty fan/blower.
• Noises from the front brakes may be due to weak brake pad pressure retaining springs.
• The ‘check engine’ light may illuminate due to a bad air pump relay causing a malfunction in the secondary air injection system.
• The speed-sensitive steering may malfunction due to a faulty connector or an electrical fault at the valve on the rack-and-pinion assembly.
• The sunroof may leak or rattle due to an inadequate seal in the frame.
• Water may enter the boot due to a cracked seal.
• The fuse block may get wet due to the lid on the module box not being adequately clamped.
• For early models, the battery could be drained due to a faulty voltage regulator in the alternator.