[CBR A-35]

Hi folks, new here and it sounds like I'm about to be hit with the same issue (ECL on, misfiring, juddering, no power etc., restarting clears the problem, but still rough on idle etc.). 2020 A35, 70k kms, it's still under factory warranty.
Had it in with MB Canberra on Friday where they diagnosed a misfire in C2, but since the engine light had since gone off and it appeared to be running fine at that time they cleared the code, had a look at the plugs, but advised that it may be the known cylinder head issue and to bring it back if there was any recurrence.

It has started again (it's a lottery on start-up how it's going to run), so I'm about to book in with MB again.
Just wondering if anyone had been through this in Australia, trying to get an idea of timelines, experience with MB warranty, whether a loan car is likely (This is my only car, and I kind of need one to be getting around), is this the beginning of the end for this car, etc.?

 

[veeeight]

It will be fixed under warranty.

Timescale is anywhere between 6 weeks and 6 months depending on parts availability.

Courtesy/Loan car is dependent upon dealer goodwill and availability - speak to them asap.

In the UK/EU, when you press the SOS or Me button overhead, and the car is not mobile, you can request up to 3 days rental car to keep you mobile, while your own car is recovered to the dealership.

(You don’t get the rental car option if you drive the car into a dealership, it’s only available if you call out roadside assistance and they deem the car un-drivable).


In Aus, you don’t get this benefit, unless you’ve broken down over 70km from home, then you get up to $1000 rental car provided, thereafter it’s your cost.

 

[cosmos35]

Yup, so MB Canada has gone through with the 15 years of cylinder head warranty for up to 241k kms as they've acknowledge the issues with M260 engines but it's not all the vehicles, I think mostly 2018-2020. Are there people here with actually 2021 production cars with the issue? I hope the rest of the world can follow suit and issue a longer cylinder head warranty so that it eases owners. This has certainly helped with resale value here.

 

[LoadmasterNLD]

When is the juddering you describe?

 

[hayesey15]

Another one bites the dust (CLA35). Same symptoms as everyone here, fairly aggressive misfire diagnosed as a cylinder compression fault on cylinder 3 by the breakdown technician along with engine warning light, lumpy idle etc. New cylinder head currently on back order with no timescales mentioned yet for repair. It’s done less than 14k miles and is about 20 months old which I’ve had since brand new. Sigh.

 

[hayesey15]

Another one bites the dust (CLA35). Same symptoms as everyone here, fairly aggressive misfire diagnosed as a cylinder compression fault on cylinder 3 by the breakdown technician along with engine warning light, lumpy idle etc. New cylinder head currently on back order with no timescales mentioned yet for repair. It’s done less than 14k miles and is about 20 months old which I’ve had since brand new. Sigh.

Probably worth adding I first saw the same symptoms about 2 months prior (ironically on the way back from the garage for something else). But no warnings and went away after turning off and on again. Maybe an early indicator sign that not all is well.

 

[Forrester]

Probably worth adding I first saw the same symptoms about 2 months prior (ironically on the way back from the garage for something else). But no warnings and went away after turning off and on again. Maybe an early indicator sign that not all is well.

For others, once they get the symptoms you have described, it has usually been a matter of time before the cylinder problem fully manifests itself and needs fixing.

 

[jayFlyer]

Adding my A35 to the tally. Car has done 15 000 miles since 2021, is still under factory warranty. I've been promised a new cylinder head will be delivered to the dealer in three weeks and they gave me a courtesy car, so that is all about as good as can be expected.

Today however they called me from the dealership, saying Mercedes requires that the oil and filter be changed during this repair to keep the factory warranty and that I must pay for that. The car's service interval would normally come up in July (yearly) as I have not done enough miles to require a prior service. I said OK, but then the oil&filter change need to be logged and service interval for these two reset, so that I don't need to do them again in July. The answer was no, the service interval remains intact and I have to do the complete service again in July.

Is this the same as what others have gone through? I find it crazy that I would have to pay for the oil&filter, that get discarded during the head replacement, since it's obviously part of the collateral damage caused by the faulty engine part and the oil change doesn't count toward the regular servicing plan. And Mercedes is required to maintain the warranty after the head replacement anyway, since it's their dealership doing the work. Not to mention I want a new warranty for the new parts that are installed. I'm thinking of emailing Mercedes Germany, see what their answer is. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

 

[veeeight]

Does not sound correct.

 

[Forrester]

Adding my A35 to the tally. Car has done 15 000 miles since 2021, is still under factory warranty. I've been promised a new cylinder head will be delivered to the dealer in three weeks and they gave me a courtesy car, so that is all about as good as can be expected.

Today however they called me from the dealership, saying Mercedes requires that the oil and filter be changed during this repair to keep the factory warranty and that I must pay for that. The car's service interval would normally come up in July (yearly) as I have not done enough miles to require a prior service. I said OK, but then the oil&filter change need to be logged and service interval for these two reset, so that I don't need to do them again in July. The answer was no, the service interval remains intact and I have to do the complete service again in July.

Is this the same as what others have gone through? I find it crazy that I would have to pay for the oil&filter, that get discarded during the head replacement, since it's obviously part of the collateral damage caused by the faulty engine part and the oil change doesn't count toward the regular servicing plan. And Mercedes is required to maintain the warranty after the head replacement anyway, since it's their dealership doing the work. Not to mention I want a new warranty for the new parts that are installed. I'm thinking of emailing Mercedes Germany, see what their answer is. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

I would email Germany but for them to charge for parts which are collateral cannot be within EU consumer law regardless.

 

[Weegie]

Adding my A35 to the tally. Car has done 15 000 miles since 2021, is still under factory warranty. I've been promised a new cylinder head will be delivered to the dealer in three weeks and they gave me a courtesy car, so that is all about as good as can be expected.

Today however they called me from the dealership, saying Mercedes requires that the oil and filter be changed during this repair to keep the factory warranty and that I must pay for that. The car's service interval would normally come up in July (yearly) as I have not done enough miles to require a prior service. I said OK, but then the oil&filter change need to be logged and service interval for these two reset, so that I don't need to do them again in July. The answer was no, the service interval remains intact and I have to do the complete service again in July.

Is this the same as what others have gone through? I find it crazy that I would have to pay for the oil&filter, that get discarded during the head replacement, since it's obviously part of the collateral damage caused by the faulty engine part and the oil change doesn't count toward the regular servicing plan. And Mercedes is required to maintain the warranty after the head replacement anyway, since it's their dealership doing the work. Not to mention I want a new warranty for the new parts that are installed. I'm thinking of emailing Mercedes Germany, see what their answer is. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Not my experience when this happened to my car. Not happy about it happening but it was addressed quite professionally, assume dealer cleared it all with Mercedes. Money never once mentioned.

 

[alexcannas]

Adding my A35 to the tally. Car has done 15 000 miles since 2021, is still under factory warranty. I've been promised a new cylinder head will be delivered to the dealer in three weeks and they gave me a courtesy car, so that is all about as good as can be expected.

Today however they called me from the dealership, saying Mercedes requires that the oil and filter be changed during this repair to keep the factory warranty and that I must pay for that. The car's service interval would normally come up in July (yearly) as I have not done enough miles to require a prior service. I said OK, but then the oil&filter change need to be logged and service interval for these two reset, so that I don't need to do them again in July. The answer was no, the service interval remains intact and I have to do the complete service again in July.

Is this the same as what others have gone through? I find it crazy that I would have to pay for the oil&filter, that get discarded during the head replacement, since it's obviously part of the collateral damage caused by the faulty engine part and the oil change doesn't count toward the regular servicing plan. And Mercedes is required to maintain the warranty after the head replacement anyway, since it's their dealership doing the work. Not to mention I want a new warranty for the new parts that are installed. I'm thinking of emailing Mercedes Germany, see what their answer is. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Not my experience. They sorted out everything. I am not sure if they changed the oil and filter, perhaps they did. But it was not logged as a service, so had my normal service done 4 months later.

 

[Ndyer]

Not my experience. They sorted out everything. I am not sure if they changed the oil and filter, perhaps they did. But it was not logged as a service, so had my normal service done 4 months later.

Anyone had over heating issues post cylinder head replacement?

 

[Weegie]

Anyone had over heating issues post cylinder head replacement?

Fingers crossed, but no issues since.

 

[alexcannas]

Not in my case either...

 

[Speedway]

Hi all, new here. Just got hit with the same cylinder head issue on my 2021 A35 at 15700 miles.

CEL light came on a few days ago, massive juddering and vibrations along with loss of power. Managed to limp the car home. I had Mercedes roadside assistance (via RAC) come check it out and they thought it was a bad coil pack and were going to come back to replace that today on my driveway.

I discovered this thread in the meantime and called Mercedes and insisted that the car was brought back to the dealer for a full inspection rather than having a repair done on my driveway. They just called and confirmed cylinder head issues and are ordering the part today from Germany (under warranty thankfully).

They're hoping to have me back in the car by end of next week so we'll see how it goes. I was provided with an E220d rental while they have mine.
Thanks to all in this thread for their contributions because it saved me a lot of hassle and allowed me to get the car in for repair sooner.

 

[Forrester]

Welcome to the forum. Sorry to hear your news on your very first post.

They're hoping to have me back in the car by end of next week

This at least sounds promising.

 

[timomusicuk]

Hi all, I bought my 69 plate (first registered Sep 2019) W177 AMG A35 in Feb 2023. Currently 11k miles. Absolutely loving the car but only just found out about this issue. Amazes me they never did a recall. Anyway there's nothing in the car's history to suggest my cylinder head was ever replaced by the first owner. To save me deciphering all 19 pages of this old thread, is there now definitive advice for this for people like me in 2023? E.G: Symptoms to watch for, danger mileage window, good 3rd party warranty that definitely works with MB dealers etc? Car is in UK. Any advice is greatly appreciated.

 

[Forrester]

Hi all, I bought my 69 plate (first registered Sep 2019) W177 AMG A35 in Feb 2023. Currently 11k miles. Absolutely loving the car but only just found out about this issue. Amazes me they never did a recall. Anyway there's nothing in the car's history to suggest my cylinder head was ever replaced by the first owner. To save me deciphering all 19 pages of this old thread, is there now definitive advice for this for people like me in 2023? E.G: Symptoms to watch for, danger mileage window, good 3rd party warranty that definitely works with MB dealers etc? Car is in UK. Any advice is greatly appreciated.

You should get some decent warranty cover. Most people who have suffered from the problem have done higher mileage. MB have not wanted to entertain doing the repairs free outside the warranty period.

 

[cosmos35]

My buddy with 45k kms had a misfire in cylinder 1 and was running rough. Did an ignition coil swap and it's all good. Thought it was gonna be the cylinder head but that's typically seen for cylinder 3 right. Anyway, his car is fine, sometimes it can be just the small stuff. A coil was like $130 to replace here. He's tuned stage 2 also but changes oil quite frequently. Spark plugs were changed to be the right heat range. I'm at 30k kms with no issues.