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My experience with the E280 CDI Estate


DSM10000

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I will outline the issues I have encountered with my beautiful dark blue 2006 E280 CDi Estate.
I purchased the automobile from a tiny dealer in Surrey. I travelled from Scotland to Gatwick by plane and then took a train to the town where the car was located. The automobile was in excellent condition with 86,000 miles, extensive service records, and all features functioning properly. I went to a friend's home in Oxfordshire and stayed overnight. The following day, I headed north by getting on the M40 at Bicester, when I saw a little amount of smoke coming from the back of the vehicle. The situation deteriorated gradually and the vehicle was emitting excessive exhaust fumes even with little acceleration. It was humiliating when my vehicle went into limp mode without showing a check engine light. The issue improved by the time I arrived at The Lakes, but still emitted a large cloud of black smoke while accelerating hard after leaving Tebay services. Arrived home without any issues.
The issue was diagnosed the next day. It was found that the air intake was damaged where it connects to the turbo, and the orange seal was deteriorating. Installed a high-quality OEM used part and replaced the PCV valve.I changed my scanner due to "low fuel pressure" and "Oxygen sensor fault" indications. Lambda resolved the issue by replacing the old sensor, which was coated in heavy soot, but the vehicle was still in limp mode. They then purchased a new fuel rail pressure sensor, first ordering the incorrect one and returning it before ordering and installing the proper one. The codes were cleared, resulting in improved performance with no smoke, more power, and smooth gear changes. Returned after a 300-mile journey and everything is well. I am glad to have repaired it independently. I am uncertain about the potential cost if I had brought it to a garage, but overall, I have spent around £500. I am expecting to get half of that amount back from the dealer.
Enjoying the vehicle, next task is to replace the boot lid struts since the boot keeps slipping down.

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I was uncertain about the exact origin of the black smoke first. I suspected a faulty PCV valve would be flinging oil into the turbo due to oil surrounding the turbo entrance. However, upon inspection, the old PCV valve seemed to be in good condition. It's possible that the fuel pressure sensor led to over fueling, resulting in black smoke that damaged the O2 sensor.
The damaged air intake batwing may have caused the ECU to get inaccurate readings from the MAF sensors, leading to over-fueling.
Although I am not really sure, it is now operating perfectly.
The automobile seems quite sturdy and well-built.

I spent £500 on the vehicle, mostly on replacing parts, such as the PCV valve which was likely the original one.

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Black smoke often indicates over-fueling, maybe due to a combination of both factors. If the pressure sensor displayed a low value. It would likely attempt to increase the quantity. A broken Turbo intake seal might enable air to enter after the air flow sensors, perhaps causing confusion for the ECU. It's good that you were able to resolve it on your own. And I hope you will not encounter any other problems.

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Congratulations for successfully completing the repairs. It is quite gratifying to be able to handle the task alone.

I have a comparable vehicle, except it is a 2009 model with more mileage. Completed 10,000 km since last year and overhauled all the suspension components. However, there is still a little knocking sound which I suspect is due to the Febi parts - my previous experiences with them have not been positive. Cheers to the new year!

I saw your previous article about a damaged batwing, a typical issue. I replaced the broken part with a silicone tee on my own.

I am inclined to replace the oxygen sensor as a precaution as it is the original one.

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I have driven a 2009 E280 cdi Sports Estate for around 9 years, covering over 85,000 miles throughout that period.
It has been a reliable and cherished tool for me.
A remarkable engine and a well-equipped car.
Abundant power and comfort.
I just replaced the tailboard struts, which was rather challenging but manageable once familiar with the task.
I purchased it from Mercland when it had 111,000 miles on the odometer.
The vehicle now has 195,000 miles on the odometer and continues to operate well, just as when I first purchased it.
Have a great time!

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I also replaced the tailboard struts. It's one of those tasks that, like many others, could be completed much faster if you had to do it again.
Despite owning many high-quality vehicles, including a 911 Turbo, I find the Mercedes-Benz to be the most exciting to drive. Even my wife likes it over her Tiguan for long excursions. Dogs like it as well.
Despite being over 17 years old, the vehicle runs well. I like the convenience of being able to repair it in my workshop, saving time and money compared to bringing it to a professional.

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Over the last three days, I travelled from Leeds to Cobham in Surrey and returned in the E280cdi Sports Estate.
Bring along many bags of items for yourself and your partner.
Obtained an average fuel efficiency of around 41 miles per gallon when adhering to the speed limit on highways M1 and M25 while travelling south, and on highways M25, M40, A43, and M1 when travelling north.
There was little traffic.
The era of enjoyable driving has not ended!

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