A used-car buyer's guide to M272 V6 Mercedes models (C230, C280, C300, C350, E350 and others): balance shaft, intake manifold flaps, oil leaks, service A/B costs, with real owner-reported prices.
Covers: Mercedes-Benz with the M272 V6, roughly 2005–2014: C230/C280/C300/C350, E350, ML350, SLK350, CLK350 and others.
A well-kept M272 Mercedes is a comfortable, solid car for not much money. The engine's famous problem is the balance shaft sprocket on earlier engines, which is a big, expensive job. The intake manifold flaps and oil leaks are the more common annoyances. The other thing to plan for is routine service. Dealer Service A and B pricing varies a lot, and that adds up over years of ownership.
What to look for
- The engine serial number. Earlier M272s are the ones with the balance shaft sprocket issue. A shop or dealer can check if it's in the affected range.
- Check engine light with cam/crank correlation codes, which is the classic balance shaft sign.
- Intake manifold flap codes or a rattle from the top of the engine.
- Oil leaks from the oil cooler seals and valve covers.
- Service records: Service A and B on time, and transmission service.
- Front brakes and sensors. They wear faster than people expect.
Problems by mileage
Roughly when owners and shops report each problem. Plenty of cars go longer and some fail sooner, so use this to know what to ask about, not as a schedule.
Temp gauge slow to warm up, heater not very hot, coolant codes.
Check engine light with cam/crank correlation codes (P0016, P0017 and similar), sometimes a rattle.
Check engine light for intake runner codes, slight loss of low-end power.
Oil on the top or front of the engine, burning smell.
Full Mercedes M272 V6 problem list with what each fix costs →
Repair costs to budget for
Only jobs we have cited owner reports for. If a job isn't here, we don't have enough real prices for it yet.