Mercedes ML270CDi 4WD issues

John s .
Whould I be right in asumming this is your first turbo diesel? The effect you describe is called turbo lag and the rattling niose is the combustion in the cylinders. Driving a diesel requires a change of technique, once mastered becomes a real joy. If you want to experiance real turbo lag test drive a mazda bravo, you then will realise the270 is the finest motor money can buy. Eric.

welcome to the world of turbo diesals. Col

As a person who operated and owned a 2002 ML270, and ran over 40,000 kms in thirteen months, I would like to offer the following comments.

1. The ML270 does not normally suffer from turbo lag, and should accelerate briskly to what ever speed you require. I doubt if there is any other 4WD brand, that can move so quick.

2. The problem of hestitation on some cars, is well known to MB, and has resulted in a court case in the USA ( USA does not have the 270).

The situation is not normal, and should be persued with all vigour, I suggest direct with MB in Melbourne. There is a ML270 owner in Dubbo, who is engaged in considerable action, with MB about this same problem.

If you search the MB site in the USA, you can pick up the threads on this.

There have been situations where ML320's have lost almost complete power, which can be particuliarly dangerious.

3. Become a member of the Australian ML forum, and if you put a post on there you will get much info and history.

4. As for the muffler noise, it is not normal, and I suspect that your dealer is too tired, to focus on the prioblem. I would not accept it, a $80,000 motor, which sounds like a VW, no way.

Forget the dealer, he like many MB dealers is a goose, start to hammer MB in Melbourne, and insist that their local service man comes and rides the car.

If you advise where you live, I may be able to direct you a little better.

Regards

Col Tigwell

As a person who operated and owned a 2002 ML270, and ran over 40,000 kms in thirteen months, I would like to offer the following comments.

1. The ML270 does not normally suffer from turbo lag, and should accelerate briskly to what ever speed you require. I doubt if there is any other 4WD brand, that can move so quick.

2. The problem of hestitation on some cars, is well known to MB, and has resulted in a court case in the USA ( USA does not have the 270).

The situation is not normal, and should be persued with all vigour, I suggest direct with MB in Melbourne. There is a ML270 owner in Dubbo, who is engaged in considerable action, with MB about this same problem.

If you search the MB site in the USA, you can pick up the threads on this.

There have been situations where ML320's have lost almost complete power, which can be particuliarly dangerious.

3. Become a member of the Australian ML forum, and if you put a post on there you will get much info and history.

4. As for the muffler noise, it is not normal, and I suspect that your dealer is too tired, to focus on the prioblem. I would not accept it, a $80,000 motor, which sounds like a VW, no way.

Forget the dealer, he like many MB dealers is a goose, start to hammer MB in Melbourne, and insist that their local service man comes and rides the car.

If you advise where you live, I may be able to direct you a little better.

Regards

Col Tigwell

I promise this time I will not push the post button twice.

Let me stress right up front, that the situation you are in, exposes you and your family, plus other motorists to great danger.

The problem of sudden power loss, particularly when accelerating, is a know problem on all series of ML's, around the world.

Garry Roberts, who runs an Australian Forum for ML's, has postings on his site, when go into this matter. Also on his personal web site, he has links to most of the world wide ones too. Remember if you post on the USA site, the ML270 is not sold there or in Canada. However as on many occasions it is associated with computer clitches, then if you post on the USA sites, put the car down as a 320 as well as a 270. Searches on the USA site will have them popping out.

dragnet.com.au/~groberts/mlp.html

This will take you to Gary's site, and he has links to all the good sites, plus how to contact MB Austrlia.

I live in Adelaide, but visit Perth often, and I would not let Diesel Motors touch our car.

The best dealer is the one at Bunbery, and he until recently had a high milage ML270 (80,000 kms) on his service schedule, I suggest a phone call to him, should find he has interest in your problems.

We last week, sold our ML270, because of the stubborn refusal of MB Australia, to sell us servicing and trouble shooting publications, as most of our 4WD running, is done pulling a caravan into remote locations. Loved the car, and it gave no problems, but hated the dealer service, they caused more problems than they fixed.

Another good contact, who also owns a ML270, is John Green in Canberra, (which was why I asked where you lived. He has forgotten more about the MB product, than most of us will learn. I suspect he could tell you, if there is a good operator in Perth. He runs an independant MB service centre, and can save you big money. You can find him on

mbspares.com.au

By all means mention my name.

It is my personal opinion, that MB have a long way to go, in dealer developement, particuliarly in regard to the ML series. Now that you can buy the Grande Cherookee, with the ML270 engine and transmission, and you can buy them off the shelf, just as well equiped, and in some cases better, and soooo much cheaper. It will be interesting to see what happens.

I hope I have helped you, your dealer is a dill, and his tardyness, should not be accepted.

Regards

Col Tigwell