ATLANTA — An Atlanta woman says her Mercedes-Benz engine was destroyed just weeks after an oil change, and now she’s in a battle with the dealership over who should pay for the costly repair.
[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]
Jacquelyn Gamble told Channel 2 Investigative Reporter Ashli Lincoln her 2021 GLE 350 was her dream car, a retirement gift she purchased for herself. But at just 68,000 miles, Gamble said the SUV broke down.
“It was making the loud knocking noises,” she recalled.
Gamble said after the car suddenly stopped running, she had it towed to Mercedes-Benz of Buckhead. That’s when she got a shocking update: a large hole had blown through the engine block.
A mechanic’s note from the dealership read:
“We don’t know how it happened. But the lower part of the engine block imploded and blew out a hole from the bottom of the engine … the only repair would be to replace the engine.”
The dealership later told her the replacement would cost nearly $40,000.
“I can’t even imagine - that’s a whole car, a new car altogether,” Gamble said.
Gamble said she has already spent more than $2,000 in rental car fees because the dealership refused to provide her with a loaner. She also hired two independent mechanics, who told her the problem likely stemmed from the vehicle not having enough oil, or possibly none at all.
Mercedes-Benz said it was aware of Gamble’s complaint and agreed to waive diagnostic fees and provide her with a loaner vehicle.
Gamble’s third-party warranty company later agreed to cover about $15,000 of the cost, but only for a used engine under a six-month warranty. Gamble said the engine failure came just two months after her original warranty expired.
Automotive expert Bill Rimmer said what happened to Gamble’s vehicle is unusual for a car that new.
“Most of the engines we put in have well over 100,000 miles,” Rimmer said. “That’s why hearing about an exploding engine in a car only four years old is odd.”
Rimmer explained how it happens:
“Oil pressure keeps this (pistons) from hitting the metal on metal,” he said. “This thing actually moves like this when it’s going up and down. And if this locks up, it breaks right here—parts come out the side.”
He added that improper oil levels, no oil at all, or even using the wrong fuel could cause catastrophic engine failure.
“Once it blows a hole through the block, it’s a wrap,” Rimmer said.
Consumer advisor Clark Howard recommends purchasing both manufacturer and extended warranties to help protect against expensive breakdowns.
“I want some type of assurance that this will not happen again,” Gamble said.
[SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
©2025 Cox Media Group
