😣 Mercedes E-Class (W212): sheer suffering and disappointment? Or is it not so bad?

Hi all! You are on the AutoStrong channel. Used Mercedes... Is it terribly expensive or just pointless? We will try to answer this question in this video by disassembling the E-Class in the back of the W212. What results do you think we will get? Let's watch. Mercedes E-Class appeared in 2009. It was slightly updated in 2011 - this update was more related to the transition to 7 speed. "automatic machines". A very deep restyling took place in 2013. According to Daimler, they spent more than a bil

lion euros on restyling the E-Class in the W212 body, because sales were not going well and the problem was seen in the excessive conservatism of the original version. Therefore, the W212 is almost a different car in terms of interior and body design. Although in the technical depths, except for the complete change of gasoline engines, nothing much has changed. Today we will tell you about each engine and much more. Like other representatives of the German premium, the Mercedes W212 performs wel

l if it receives a high-quality specialized service. Firstly, using a proprietary diagnostic scanner, you can interrogate and test all its numerous blocks - this machine has about 40 of them. Secondly, Mercedes specialists can predict certain expensive breakdowns - but here it is worth relying on diagnostic results, and not just on words and opinions. Thirdly, reading the blocks of these cars will definitely show the real mileage, because it is stored in several of them and is not always erased

from them. And the Assist block actually stores the maintenance log. In general, you should buy used Mercedes only through a visit to a branded scanner, at a minimum. What else should you pay attention to when purchasing and using? Now you will find out everything. By the way, this particular car is currently for sale. Therefore, a link to it will be in the description of this video. There are no complaints about the quality of the Mercedes W212 body paint and no complaints about the quality of

the metal either. However, in many cars they become cloudy, become stained and lose their elegant appearance. These are the moldings along the side windows. In some trim levels they are chrome-plated, as in our case. In some trim levels they are black. Both of them lose their elegant appearance. In general, with black ones, you can solve the problem by covering them with black film. Chromed ones can also be covered with film, but it is very important to choose the right film, that is, with a cha

racteristic chrome tint. The W212 E-Class is not doing well with its headlights. On pre-restyling models, the headlights dim and go blind over time , and sometimes fog up. The horn blocks of axinon lamps suffer from moisture. But on the restyled versions, LED daytime running lights appeared, which often burned out. Therefore, if you receive an E-Class with traces of unsticking headlights, then do not be surprised and know that the LEDs were most likely resoldered there. By the way, fully LED hea

dlights with an intelligent lighting system debuted on the restyled W212s . These used headlights cost $900 apiece. And by the way, there is a sticker on the headlights with the production date. Naturally, this date, that is, the month and year, must coincide with the release date of the car itself. By the way, the restyled W212 received an elegant LED rear light. The side lights are made in the form of elegant lines of light guides, and the light guides are illuminated by LEDs. As a result, ove

r time, the soldering of the resistors cracks and the side lights stop working. And this happens with almost all restyled lamps. But, fortunately, this problem can be treated. You need to open the housings, headlights, take out the circuit boards and solder the resistors. Many workshops know how to properly open taillights. The version with electric folding mirrors has a problem when, when unfolded, the mirrors turn outward, well, as if forward. Such a mirror will have to be disassembled and a n

ew one made a locking sleeve instead of a cut one. When folding and unfolding, mirrors also begin to creak due to the formation of oxides on their brackets. Parking sensors do not tolerate winter mud, which gives way to frost. And it's a constant chore to replace these sensors. They have a huge selection. Not the original from 20 to 60 dollars, the original, if made to order, can be found for 50 dollars, for new ones, and if not made to order, up to 200 dollars. These sensors cost about 20-40 do

llars at disassembly sites. Be sure to call AutoStrong. The interior materials of the W212 Mercedes are good. However, there are several weak points. For example, cracking chrome on the ring around the ignition switch. This decorative element can be purchased separately even from China. In pre-restyling cars, the interior has areas with soft-touch coating on the plastic under the central armrest and behind it, around the rear ventilation deflectors. Naturally, this coating will shamelessly peel

and scratch. The leatherette on the sidewalls of the seat seats also often cracks. This Mercedes with a five-speed automatic transmission is equipped with a mechanical steering column lock. So, the servo drive of this lock is not very durable and fails after a mileage of 120 thousand kilometers. and in this case, not only will the steering wheel be blocked, but the ignition will not turn on at all. The key can only be used to open or close the car. If you sometimes drum on the steering column, t

he servo can come to life. and the reason is a cheap electric motor. That is, its commutator becomes dirty and its brushes crack. In general, the blocker can be disassembled and the motor in it replaced, but another solution has been invented. Remove this blocker and install the emulator. There will be no errors, and therefore there will be no blocking. In principle, this is done on most W212s. The W212 Mercedes was one of the first to introduce its fans to controlling the multimedia system usin

g the selector washer. So, trouble happens with this puck. The shaft that goes from the washer itself to the positioner mechanism bursts and then it is impossible to walk through the menu using this washer. The shaft is plastic and breaks due to strong pressure or even due to a blow to this washer. The shaft is repaired, that is, glued with good glue. On W212 E-classes with high mileage, the ignition switch begins to malfunction, that is, the engine may not start the first time. And also, at low

speeds, the automatic transmission can spontaneously engage the parking mode. In general, it is better not to procrastinate with this problem. Fortunately, it is solved by specialized services, as well as in lock workshops. Well, now let's talk about the engines. Diesel engines are popular in Belarus. And we will start talking about diesel engines. The W212 was equipped with either an inline four or a V6. The in-line turbo and bi-turbo four OM651 appeared in 2008 and immediately caused a stir d

ue to the unreliability of Delphi piezo injectors. Even in Germany, taxi drivers stood up, but Daimler quickly got its bearings and corrected this shortcoming. And in addition, it later turned out that this engine can cause wear on the crankshaft neck and cranking of the liners. And all this happens due to the fact that the oil is not cooled enough. That is, due to a clogged heat exchanger. Also, the control valve for a two-stage oil pump can be a problem, forcing this engine to operate only at

the lowest pressure level, up to 2 bar, which will not be enough under heavy loads. As a result, Daimler engineers even abandoned this valve. In its place you need to insert a certain plug. In general, the OM651 engine is really good, it pulls amazingly, especially in the E250 version. And if you change the oil in it every 10 thousand kilometers and follow the regulations, then it will last 500 thousand kilometers. However, we must remember that the upper timing chain will only go so far. It wil

l begin to make noise, and in order to diagnose its stretching, a special ruler is used. Well, before the mileage reaches 300 thousand kilometers, the plastic intake manifold will definitely crack. BlueTec versions include a urea injection system. By the way, this system most often breaks down in winter, but it can be easily repaired using software. We have a detailed review of the OM651 motor on our channel. So if you're interested, be sure to check it out. And for those who have not yet subscr

ibed, subscribe to be aware of all automotive events, watch the latest reviews, and also be a very competent, technically competent motorist. The second diesel engine available for the E-Class is a 3-liter V6. It has also been installed since 2005 on all Mercedes with a transverse engine. By the way, we also have a detailed review of this engine on our channel. Absolutely adequate and reliable engine. Once every 150 thousand it will be necessary to refresh the heat exchanger gaskets. By the way,

the health of the turbine is threatened by the exhaust manifold, that is, the exhaust manifolds, and that is, precisely their welds . Engineers have been trying for years to make manifolds that won't bombard turbine impellers with weld fragments. So, if you repaired the turbine on this engine, then be sure to install the latest revision manifolds. By the way, they are on display. The price is about 30-40 dollars, but you are unlikely to find a number at a showroom. Therefore, you need to take t

he manifold from the most recent engine. Be sure to call AutoStrong-M. There you will be given qualified advice. Well, everything else is the same as all diesel engines. Once every 150 thousand kilometers it is necessary to change the fireproof washers under the injectors, clean the intake manifold, and also clean the EGR valve. Also, do not forget about the correct oil, that is, oil with the correct tolerance. We change antifreeze, clean radiators and fix oil leaks in a timely manner. One more

nuance. A two-stage oil pump controlled by a separate valve was installed on the OM642 engine for the E-Class W212 . All restyled gasoline engines for the W212 body received the same valve and, it seems, an adjustable oil pump . Not to say that because of such a part, the problem for the OM642 engine has become worse, but there is a risk of a noticeable decrease in oil pressure if the valve gets stuck in the wrong position. But there is a risk of a noticeable decrease in oil if the valve gets st

uck in the wrong position. The variety of E-class gasoline engines in this body is much wider, and many of these engines managed to drink the blood of their owners and put them out for money, as they say. But today, all gasoline engines seem to have moved into the “you can live with them” category. The base gasoline engine for the pre-restyling W212 is the M271. That is, this is the engine that in the previous generation, the W211, had a compressor. Here it is without a compressor, but with a tu

rbocharger, which is integral with the exhaust manifold, and direct fuel injection. In general, the M271 engine is considered the least attractive for the W212, because it has many features that need to be monitored. The timing chain needs to be changed every 100 thousand kilometers or even earlier if you save on engine oil. Further, if you drive with a worn timing chain, then most likely you will have to change all the timing gears, and even the motor. Next, monitor the oil level. If the oil le

vel rises and the smell of gasoline is heard, then it is imperative to change the crankcase ventilation tube. This consumable must be changed every 80 thousand kilometers. Next, we monitor the oil filter glass. According to the original, it costs $250. It readily warps and allows oil to pass through its gasket. You also need to be able to diagnose the injection pump using a caliper, or Or at least get it diagnosed by specialized specialists. The fact is that the injection pump of the M271 engine

is dying slowly, and it needs to be replaced with a serviceable one before the engine stops pulling and just starts working in emergency mode. The saddest thing is that a new injection pump costs approximately $1,400, while a used injection pump costs $200. For new and former fuel injection pumps, if necessary, go to AutoStrong-M. You also need to know about the peculiarities of thermostat failure. If the engine takes a long time to warm up, be sure to open the hood and touch the hose that goes

from the thermostat to the radiator. If the engine has just warmed up to 40 degrees on the scale, and this hose is warm, then you need to change the thermostat. Due to the fact that the engine warms up for a long time, the ECU enriches the fuel mixture, which also leads to fuel getting into the oil. An original thermostat for the M271 motor will cost $200. You can find a replacement for $100. Let's immediately move on to another gasoline turbo-four - the M274 engine. This is a completely differ

ent engine, more reliable. For example, its timing chain runs approximately 300 thousand kilometers. But Daimler engineers finished this engine on the fly and often at the expense of the owners of out-of-warranty cars. For example, the wiring harness to the solenoid valve, which controls the switching of oil pump performance stages , needs to be changed due to loose wiring and subsequent problems. But, fortunately, if this system does not work, namely, the oil pump performance stages do not swit

ch , then nothing will happen to the engine. The pressure in the lubrication system will be sufficient. During diagnostics, an error will be detected in the valve control circuit. Before this, a message will light up on the instrument panel. Often, due to such problems, the engine begins to shake terribly at idle. The wiring to the valve costs about $40 dollars, the valve itself costs $70. It should be replaced with the second revision. The wiring to the valve costs $40, the valve itself costs $

70. It needs to be replaced for the second revision. There is also a problem with the M274 engine that ends with replacing the camshafts. By the way, this problem is not limited to this engine. The bottom line is that there are discs on the camshafts that sensors use to read their position. These discs are simply pressed onto the camshafts. It has been noticed that when the motor sits for a long time and the return unit begins to forcefully, these discs can simply turn over. There will be desync

hronization, ignition and injection. The engine will start poorly and errors in the position of the shafts will appear. Naturally, the factory needs to change the camshafts, and that costs 2 thousand dollars for a moment. Fortunately, there are workshops that will solve this problem, namely, they will correctly align the tag discs and weld them. Returners don’t like the engine sitting idle for long periods of time, and they also don’t like low-quality oil. If this is not the case, then these par

ts will serve even longer than the timing chain. In general, the M274 engine got rid of these problems in 2014. Its operation is nothing special. Although it can upset oil leakage along the front crankshaft oil seal, as well as along the face of the timing case. But the thermostat and the oil filter cup and heat exchanger located on the front cover do not cause problems. And if you hear the smell of gasoline in the cabin, then you must definitely change the tube that supplies fuel to the injecti

on pump. By the way, the injection pump on this engine lasts a long time. Well, now let’s move on to V-shaped gasoline engines. The W212, pre-restyling, with the indexes E300 and E350 received the old M272 engines. They have problems with the intake flaps. The timing chain and balancer shaft star wear out within 200 thousand kilometers. The chain can even jump, and the lucite surface of the cylinders is not a gift. A direct ticket to overhaul and lining if scuffing occurs and the accompanying oi

l burns and pistons clanging when cold. The purchase of Mercedes with M72 engines should be accompanied by a thorough diagnosis and inspection of the cylinders with an endoscope. Necessarily! After restyling, these cars received a completely new V-shaped six M276. All versions have direct injection, and the 400th version has a twin-turbo engine, not naturally aspirated. By the way, the M276 has the same problems with the camshaft drive discs. That is, they can turn over and cause problems with t

he engine. Plus, early versions of the M276 engines, by some strange coincidence, did not have check valves in the oil lines. Because of this, after stopping the engine, the cylinder head oil simply flowed down. Naturally, Daimler engineers paid for this decision. And the M276 engines too soon after a cold start began to rattle due to loose chains. Plus, they had a piston/valve meeting due to a chain jump. It is unlikely that today you will find live M276 engines without check valves. By the way

, check valves come in two diameters. If you are faced with replacing valves, then buy two valves of each diameter and install the appropriate ones. The valves are installed in the oil passages behind the tensioners of each chain. The tensioners also need to be replaced with new ones. In fact, such an upgrade should have been done on the M276 engine before 2014. But there is a nuance. Under warranty or under the conditions of a dealer service station, such an operation was carried out in respons

e to complaints from the owner, and not necessarily. By the way, there are no cast iron liners in the aluminum block of the M276 motor. There is no Alusil either. And there is the spraying of a high-carbon iron alloy, that is, the same cast iron. This coating is called nanoslide. There are no problems with this coating. If the M276 engine has not been overheated, then there will be no scratches in the cylinders. Perhaps the only expensive investment that can happen to the M276 engine occurs when

replacing the timing chains. Namely, when you see that the chains have trampled the gears. Gears are not easy. These are phase shifters for $320 per piece, and there are four of them in total. In general, the gears can be examined by unscrewing the oil filler neck on the right cylinder head. It is better to get into it with an endoscope, because the upper part of the gear will be covered by the timing chain. Last thing. You need to keep an eye on the dryness of the intake tract. If the intake p

ipe is coated with oil from the inside, then the oil separator and the thin tube of this system need to be replaced. And finally we come to the V8 versions. Before the restyling of the 212th version of the E500, it was equipped with the old 5.5-liter M273 engine. It has the same problems as the M272 engine. After restyling, this engine was replaced with a new 4.6-liter V8 engine designated M278. What can you say about him? In essence, this is the same M276, only a couple of cylinders have been a

dded to it. In general, the M278 engine has a bad reputation. And then only on the basis of the S-class. Because if this executive car in the 222 body drives through traffic jams, that is, stands in traffic jams, stands for hours waiting for the owner at idle speed, then the oil quickly degrades. And scuff marks appear in the cylinders after a mileage of 50 thousand kilometers. That is, the M278 engine in the W222 S-class is considered the worst. However, if not the S500, but the E500 drives on

the highway, does not add hours and gets fresh oil on time, then it is not afraid of scuffling. There is only one problem left with the wear of the teeth of the phase shifters, and the VKG separator also needs to be changed. Well, we’re already coming to the end of the motors part. There are still two V8s left for the true AMG versions. The 6.2-liter naturally aspirated engine M156 immediately turned out to be unsuccessful. The original hydraulic compensators begin to shrink and jam, and stop ad

justing the thermal clearances of the valves. This causes the corresponding camshaft lobes to strike the valve stems, causing the cam to wear and the valve may become dry. Specialists install hydraulic compensators from M159 engines. True, one such part costs $65, and there are 32 of them. The cylinder head bolts also could not withstand either the load or criticism. The camshaft gears also wore out, causing the chain to clank. New 5.5 liter M157 engine by 80%. The M278 engine only has an increa

sed displacement to 5.5 liters. If you don’t torture this engine in traffic jams, monitor the oil pressure, also clean the radiators on time, plus change the oil on time and fill it with good oil, plus don’t neglect some strange tuning, then everything will be fine with this engine. But when replacing the timing chain, most likely, you will have to change the camshaft gears and this engine can also be driven to scuffing. There is nothing to talk about the reliability of mechanical transmissions

. They drive Mercedes for a really long time. Now let's start the story about automatic transmissions. And the Mercedes W212 had as many as 3 of them: in 5th, 7th and 9th gears. The good old, unpretentious 5-speed transmission can only be found with OM651 diesel engines, as in our case, and with the M271 turbo-four. This, as we noted in a separate analysis on our channel, is a very reliable transmission. And if you change the oil and filter in it every 60 thousand kilometers, and monitor some we

aknesses, it will last a million kilometers. This powertrain left the E-Class in 2011. Most versions of the W212 were equipped with 7-speed automatic transmissions. The 7-speed automatic transmission in two versions after restyling was equipped with an electric pump to operate the Start-Stop system. Separately, it is worth noting the special version of the 7-speed transmission for AMG cars. Instead of a torque converter, a multi-plate clutch is used . On our channel we also have a review of the

7-speed automatic in its first version. Yes, the 7G-Tronic has become more gentle than the 5-speed automatic, but it does not have any global problems. 7G-Tronic dies from inadequate operation on powerful versions. But that’s not even the point, because each Daimler automatic machine is adapted for certain engines. The fact is that this inadequate operation, that is, drifting, sudden starts, coupled with untimely maintenance, significantly reduces the life of this transmission. Since 2014, the W

212 with a diesel V6 and many versions with turbodiesel fours have received a 9-speed automatic transmission. 10 years have passed, but there are no particular complaints about him. Just change the ATF and filter on time, as with other longitudinal automatic transmissions from Daimler, and then you will be happy. The filter is accessible after removing the pan. We remind you that this Mercedes is for sale right now. The link to it will be in the description of this video. In addition to very hig

h-quality spare parts, AutoStrong-M also has completely new and technical fluids. Visit our websites, write to us in instant messengers, also write to us on social networks, and also call. We will wait. We also have a division called MotoStrong-M. We bring motorcycles from Europe ourselves, selling bikes with minimal mileage and a full package of documents. You definitely need a MotoStrong-M bike. And now we went to the service station to tell you more about this car. Before lifting the car on a

lift, let's raise the hood and remind you once again that it is very important to monitor the frequency of the radiators. This is especially true for V6 and V8 engines. It is very easy to overheat them in the summer to cause scratches. In general, radiators should be clean on all sides. That is, if the owner does not devote a little time and a little money to servicing the car’s cooling system, then this can end very badly. So, at the front, the E-Class doesn't have any upper control arms. The

lower arm of the MacPherson strut is divided into two rods. So, the front arms and steering knuckles of the rear-wheel drive and all-wheel drive versions are completely different. For example, this rear lever that goes together with ball drive, the original costs $150, and for all-wheel drive versions it costs $330. Salin blocks cost about the same, $60. Front suspension links cost about $200. And it is for rear-wheel drive versions that the ball joint is detailed separately and costs about $70.

These levers, that is, the front linkages, go together with the interior blocks. Of course, for all suspension positions there are non-original parts that are 3-5 times cheaper. But the original lasts approximately 120 thousand kilometers, even on bumpy roads. Wheel bearings for all-wheel drive versions are sold separately. The originals cost about $100. But for rear-wheel drive versions, the hub comes with a pair of bearings, that is, the bearings are double-row. And the cost of the hub is app

roximately $200 according to the original. So, these pair of bearings can be bought aftermarket, much cheaper. The rear suspension does not differ depending on the type of drive. There are 5 levers for each wheel. According to the original, two saline blocks are sold at two sapphie attachment points. Cost is $30. Three upper control arms and a front link cost about $60-70. There's not much to say about the Mercedes transmission and all-wheel drive . With high mileage, the elastic cardan coupling

s crack and must be replaced . The front and rear clutches cost approximately $200 according to the original. And if the Mercedes W212 is all-wheel drive, then the front cardan has no clutches. In general, Fomatic has no problems. The transfer case is literally indestructible. The front driveshaft does not come off. Yes, yes, BMW owners, Fomatic is many times cooler and more reliable than your xDrive. Oh, I guess I just ran into angry comments. But in fairness, I will say that the only weak poin

t in the Fomatic system is the bearing in the front left wheel drive. At this point the intermediate shaft comes out through the pan. It rests on a bearing, into which moisture and dirt inevitably penetrate. As a result, the bearing jams with a creak and turns in its seat in the engine sump. This bearing must be changed perimetrically every 70 thousand kilometers. Otherwise, it will literally drill out its clip in the pan. And then you will also have to change the pallet. According to the origin

al, this bearing costs up to $90. And replacing it should be entrusted to professionals, because they can damage its socket in the pan. An optional suspension for most E-classes, which became very reliable by the release of the W212. That is, neither the air struts nor the compressor are bothered here until the mileage is 200 thousand kilometers. The system here is open. That is, the compressor, which is located behind the rear bumper on the left, sucks in outside air. The air is dried with sili

ca gel. These are balls that absorb moisture. By the way, they need to be changed every two years. A new compressor, by the way, is very expensive. But there is a complete repair kit for it from the cylinder to the valve block. And, by the way, there are also non-original compressors. Cost approximately $200-300 dollars. All E-class air struts are well protected from corrosion by anthers. But since the front suspension here is of the Makverse type, the strut turns with the wheels. In general, su

pport bearings are not separately detailed here. Daimler offers them together with racks. And the air strut costs exorbitant amounts of money. But, fortunately, support bearings are often not a concern. More often, the front strut cylinders are wiped not because of dirt, but because of corrosion that forms on the rod under the air cylinder. The fact is that the anthers of the E-class air cylinders are not airtight. A little moisture gets inside, which does its job where the air springs wipe the

paint. And to prevent such a problem from happening, you need to lift the anthers of the front air struts at least once a year and clean off the corrosion with sandpaper. Well, by the way, about corrosion. We have already said that the Mercedes W212 is well protected from corrosion and has a great paint job. But over the years, corrosion still appears on the bottom. Near the central tunnel there are U-shaped profiles. They are the first to begin to seriously corrode. And it’s better not to turn

a blind eye to this and treat the bottom with a product that stops rust rather than masks it. Well, the Mercedes-Benz W212 body is a decent car. Especially if it has verified mileage and a reliable service history. In general, frankly, it doesn’t have any bad engines. And in order for these motors to work very well, this machine must be serviced at specialized services. Then the risk of global breakdowns is minimal. Then the Mercedes-Benz E-Class in the W212 body will be a reliable and unpretent

ious car. If you want us to continue making cool detailed reviews like this, then we definitely need your support. Be sure to subscribe to our channel, click the bell, like this video and write a comment. And also share this video on social networks. Remember that supporting our channel means adding 500 thousand kilometers to the service life of your car. The company "AutoStrong-M" has always been, is and will be with you. See you again!