- Engine / equipment
- M272 V6 (280, 300, 350) and M273 V8 (450, 500, 550) in the C, E, CLK, CLS, SLK, ML, GL, R, S and CL
- Period mentioned
- 2004–2008 (engines below serial number 2729..30 468993)
- Symptoms
- Engine light with P0016 and P0017 (1200 and 1208 on Mercedes diagnostics), rattle on start-up, hesitation, misfires and, in severe cases, stalling.
- Possible cause described
- Balance shaft sprocket (M272) or timing idler gear (M273) made from metal that is too soft: the teeth wear, the chain goes slack and the timing slips. Mercedes changed the material in mid-2008.
- Check for the garage
- Compare the engine serial number with the 2729..30 468993 cut-off, read cam correlation codes and, if in doubt, inspect the sprocket with a borescope. First rule out the cam adjuster magnet (a cheap fault).
- Cost cited in the source
- Engine-out repair: over €3,700 (converted from dollars)A rough figure from the original database, not an up-to-date quote.
KNOWN FAULT · Mercedes-Benz
M272 / M273 balance shaft sprocket
Sources are not verified in real time and no entry confirms that your car is affected.
Has this happened to you?
Anonymous answer, no personal data.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to repair this fault?
Engine-out repair: over €3,700 (converted from dollars)
A rough figure from the original database, not an up-to-date quote.
Calculate estimateHow is it checked?
Compare the engine serial number with the 2729..30 468993 cut-off, read cam correlation codes and, if in doubt, inspect the sprocket with a borescope. First rule out the cam adjuster magnet (a cheap fault).
What are the symptoms?
Engine light with P0016 and P0017 (1200 and 1208 on Mercedes diagnostics), rattle on start-up, hesitation, misfires and, in severe cases, stalling.
Which cars and years does it affect?
- Brands
- Mercedes-Benz
- Engine / equipment
- M272 V6 (280, 300, 350) and M273 V8 (450, 500, 550) in the C, E, CLK, CLS, SLK, ML, GL, R, S and CL
- Period mentioned
- 2004–2008 (engines below serial number 2729..30 468993)
Taking it to a garage?
Models with this entry
- Mercedes-Benz Clase C (W204)2007–2014
- Mercedes-Benz Clase E (W211)2002–2009
- Mercedes-Benz CLK (W209)2002–2009
- Mercedes-Benz CLS (C219)2004–2010
- Mercedes-Benz Clase S (W221)2005–2013
- Mercedes-Benz CL (C216)2006–2014
- Mercedes-Benz SLK (R171)2004–2011
- Mercedes-Benz ML (W164)2005–2011
- Mercedes-Benz GL (X164)2006–2012
- Mercedes-Benz Clase R (W251)2006–2013
Other entries for these makes
- M271 chain and camshaft adjustersMercedes-Benz
- Camshaft adjusters on the M254 petrol engineMercedes-Benz
- Chain, injectors and coolant leaksMercedes-Benz · Jeep
- Oil cooler and injector leaksMercedes-Benz · Chrysler · Jeep
- 7G-Tronic conductor plateMercedes-Benz
- AMG 6.2 (M156) head bolts and camshaftsMercedes-Benz
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