The balance shaft issue is a known issue to Mercedes in the M272 and M273 models caused by defective material used in making it. I have added the excerpt from the Mercedes service bulletin : "applicable models (not applicable to model 164.156, 204 or 216.386): Equipped with M272 engine up to serial no. 2729..30 468993 or M273 engine up to serial no. 2739..30 088611. The material for the balance shaft sprocket and the timing chain guide wheel (idler) was modified on engines past the serial numbers listed above" there should be a recall on this part. My check engine light came on driving at high speeds and found out it was an engine issue that Mercedes doesn't want to take responsibility for.

- Dallas, TX, USA

I purchased my 2007 C230 new from the dealership. My car has been experiencing transmission issues of the car not down shifting into the next gear and the car's speed declining while driving. This has happened driving on surface streets at 20mph and on the freeway going 65mph. I've even attempted to take it out of automatic drive and into manual shift and the car will not respond. The only way to "reboot" it is if I pull over and turn the vehicle off and restart it after a few minutes. This is a major mechanical/manufacturer defect as my vehicle has been well maintained and only has 40,000 miles!!! to have to pull over on a major interstate is not safe by any means. When taking it to the dealership they inspected it and diagnosed the problem as a transmission valve failure that will need replacement at a cost of $1300. For a vehicle that only has 40,000 miles, well maintained with regular service this is unacceptable. I purchased a Mercedes based on their reliability and when contacting corporate for review in the matter they said they would be able to offer me a 10% discount. I do not have a problem paying for regular up keep and if other items need to be updated/replaced to keep the car in good condition but to have transmission issues at 40,000 miles is absolutely unacceptable and is a manufacture defect that needs review and recall.

- Hermosa Beach, CA, USA

Balance shaft premature failure found by cel (check engine light) during diagnostics check at Mercedes Benz of nashville, tn. The engine has been running well so I was shocked that the first time my check engine light came on that the repair is the balance shaft $5,600 repair. Mbusa refused good will assistance to service director [xxx] on 8/21/13. The service report shows all engine related checks are green/good except for the check engine light reading balance shaft replacement required. I drive over 100 interstate miles daily so the warranty is exceeded quickly. Based on # of claims this is a common problem that will eventually be a safety hazard because the car will fail to accelerate when merging and even stall out complete at any speed. Where is the recall"???" information redacted pursuant to the Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

- Lebanon, TN, USA

The check engine light came on and I had the car looked into at a reputable mb dealership. The codes that were read were C1200 and C1208 for intake and camshaft timing retarded (need balance shaft). This is a $4,000 repair. I cannot believe that this is a problem on a vehicle with less than 100,000 miles on it. I also see that I am not alone in having this problem on my C230 mb. Apparently many others have or had this same issue with the engine on 2006 and 2007 C230's. I did not have the work done due to the expensive costs. However I am now unable to drive my car because I run the risk of being stranded as I drove it the same day I picked it back up from the dealership and it would not start. After waiting several minutes and trying to start the vehicle back up it started as normal. It is very frustrating to drive the car and not ever know if it will start or not.

- Parkville, MO, USA

I purchased my car brand new, it was never previously owned and directly from a Mercedes Benz dealer. I started having problems with speed and gear shifting back in May 2012. When driving on the freeway normal speed (55mph) the car would begin to slow down no matter how much I pressed the accelerator the car would slow to a complete stop. I would have to attempt to pull over off the freeway, turn the car completely off, let it sit and then start it again and the car would run normal. When I get off the freeway or now even when I am driving on a back road going 35 mph the car would shake as I came to a stop sign or traffic light (as if I was driving a stick shift and didn't put the car in neutral or press the clutch) and then it would shut down completely. Now I am having a third issue in addition to these issues where the car will shift gears on it's own and I'm driving in automatic mode not as a 5 speed. This is completely ridiculous for me to have transmission issue on a Mercedes Benz that I purchased new. I took it to a dealer who claims that I have to replace the entire transmission due to one small piece within the transmission system. I have checked online and have seen that hundreds of other Benz owners are having the same problems with no resolution from the manufacturer. I am requesting an investigation and a recall. This is an extreme safety hazard that a car will completely shut down while on a freeway and there have been times when I have almost collided with other cars due to the immediate decline in speed. I have to always find a way to pull over to shut off the car. I purchased this car because of the quality that it should provide. Please follow up with me regarding this issue I am extremely concerned that requests are being ignored by the manufacturer and no one is looking into this matter.

- Atlanta, GA, USA

I was on the highway and the car suddenly stopped accelerating and the RPM's ran way up and the car would not accelerate. I tried putting it in neutral then drive and nothing. I pulled over turned the car off for a few min. Then back on. The car operated normally. The check engine light also came on and I had all the necessary service done on the car at that time. The car has done this increasingly for the last year and it is now becoming a hazard. The car has started jumping when put in drive and it is alarming. I cannot afford to replace the transmission and I feel Mercedes should take responsibility for a defect in this model. I have children and this is my only car. I don't feel safe in it anymore and my children don't either.

- Hoover, AL, USA

Sudden loss of propulsion, rpms elevated dramatically. From a stopped position the car did not regain normal propulsion and barely moved. After turning the engine off and then back on, propulsion returned to normal.

- Richmond, CA, USA