Mercedes-Benz vehicles equipped with M272 or M273 engines are equipped with defective gears that cause the vehicle to malfunction, according to a class action lawsuit filed in New Jersey federal court.

According to the Mercedes-Benz M272 and M273 engine class action lawsuit, these engines are equipped with defective gears in their balance shafts (in the case of the M272 engines) or with defective idle gears (in the case of the M273 engines) that wear out prematurely, excessively and without warning, causing the vehicle to malfunction, the "check engine light" to remain illuminated, and the vehicle to misfire and/or stop driving.

The only way to correct this problem, the lawsuit says, is to have the balance shaft or idle gear replaced, which is a large-scale repair job, costing customers thousands of dollars and leaving them without a car for weeks at a time.

The Mercedes balance shaft gear and idle gear class action lawsuit claims that internal company documents prove that Mercedes has known about these defects at least as early as August 2007, but has failed to take appropriate corrective action and has concealed the defects from unsuspecting owners and lessees.

“Mercedes has known all along about the existence of a defect with the balance shaft gears in its M272 engines and idle gears in its M273 engine, yet it has concealed that knowledge and deliberately omitted any information or dissemination about its existence,” the class action lawsuit says. “Mercedes’ concealment and its omission of any disclosure of the defect in the affected automobiles was not merely a case of innocent omission or misrepresentation, but rather represents an intentional campaign to fraudulently deceive the buying public.”

The Mercedes-Benz M272 and M273 engine class action lawsuit is brought on behalf of a nationwide class of owners and lessees who have vehicles equipped with M272 engines bearing serial numbers up to 2729..30 468993 and M273 engines bearing serial numbers up to 2739..30 088611.

The Mercedes M272 engine is reportedly installed in the following Mercedes-Benz vehicles:

Model Years 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010: 

C 230

SLK 350

CLS 350

E 230

Model Years 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010: 

CLS 280

CLK 280

C 280

E 280

SL 280

C 350

E 350

S 350

SL 350

Viano

Model Years 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010: 

R 280

R 350

ML 250

Sprinter

Model Years 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010: 

S 280

Model Years 2008, 2009, 2010: 

CLC 230

CLC 350

The Mercedes M273 engine is reportedly installed in the following Mercedes-Benz vehicles:

Model Year 2006: 

E 500 and E 550

CL 500 and CL 550

CLS 500 and CLS 550

GL 500 and GL 550

Model Year 2007: 

GL 450

S 450

ML 450

Model Year 2008: 

ML 500 and ML 550

Model Years 2006 and 2009:

CLK 500 and CLK 550

For more information, read the Mercedes-Benz M272 and M273 engine class action lawsuit here.