CLS 500 Engine Shaking / Rocking

I recently purchased a 2006 Mercedes Benz CLS 500 with 32,000 miles. This car is a immaculate one owner car in perfect mechanical and exterior condition. Everything is great about the car except one very big problem... At an idle (in gear or in park) the car sporadically rocks / shakes like it's out of tune or mis-firing. It feels like you are sitting in an earthquake. This shaking / rocking is present 90% of the time and is just plain annoying and makes for a very uncomfortable ride. Every person that has driven or ridden in my car ask me what's wrong with the car. I have had 2 independent mechanics inspect the car and they both felt there is something wrong with the engine and that is should not shake the way it does. After researching on the Internet, I found several other Mercedes Benz owners with similar problems. I purchased the car with warranty left on it and assumed the shaking would be remedied with a simple tune up and Mercedes Benz would surely make it right. I assumed wrong!

I have had the car into San Diego Mercedes Benz on 5 different occasions for this issue and left each time with no solutions to the problem. San Diego Mercedes Benz confirmed the car checked out, is in excellent condition, and up to Mercedes Benz specifications. San Diego Mercedes Benz Team Leader Mark Del Muro took over the case and worked diligently to identify and resolve the problem. Mark was able to confirm and duplicate the shaking and after several visits to the dealership came to the conclusion that the rocking was standard for the 113 engine in my car. They also told me they had seen several other CLS 500's and 113 engines with the same problem, or even worse than my car.

I then attempted to get Mercedes Benz USA involved. I contacted their US Customer Service Department and they assured me that their engines are not supposed to shake and they would schedule an appointment to have a corporate representative meet with me to discuss and resolve the problem. I met with them at San Diego Mercedes Benz on January 11, 2010 and it proved to be a total waste of my time. Present at the meeting was Jim Froelicher (Mercedes Benz USA Technical Specialist), Tom Fox (San Diego Mercedes Benz Service Manger), and Mark Del Muro (San Diego Mercedes Benz Team Leader). Jim Froelicher spent 20 minutes with me and basically said the shaking was normal. He also had the audacity to tell me that the shaking / rocking was the engine working to save fuel. He ignored my feedback and Mark Del Muro's confirmation of the shaking in my car and many other cars. This guy insulted my intelligence and had no interest in addressing the problem. I left the meeting with a bad taste in my mouth and the feeling this guy just wanted me to go away and drop the issue.

The issues with this engine are serious and unacceptable for this caliber of car, or any Mercedes Benz for that matter. If this is the standard for this car and engine then this is a defective engine and Mercedes needs to remedy or replace. If Mercedes Benz is not willing to resolve the problem then they owe to the public and the consumer to make them aware of the shaking and rocking present with this engine. 

For additional information on this issue and photos please visit:

http://clsreview.com/

Thanks,
-Todd