Mercedes-Benz Vehicle Owner Faces Destroyed Engine Following Dealership Oil Change

A driver in Atlanta has been left with a destroyed engine following a visit to the dealership for an oil change, reports WSB-TV.

Weeks after Jacquelyn Gamble took her 2021 GLE 350 in for an oil change, her vehicle broke down at just 68,000 miles. She had it towed to the Mercedes-Benz dealership, where they discovered a hole had been blown through the engine block.

“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,” read a technician’s note from the dealership.

A replacement engine would cost nearly $40,000 for Gamble, who already spent over $2,000 in rental car fees due to not being provided a loaner car—though the dealer eventually agreed to waive diagnostic fees and provide a loaner vehicle.

Gamble sought out the opinion of two independent technicians, who both said the problem appeared to be with the vehicle not having enough oil, or potentially none at all. Gamble is currently in a battle with the dealership over who should be paying for the damage to her engine.

“Most of the engines we put in have well over 100,000 miles,” said automotive expert Bill Rimmer. “That’s why hearing about an exploding engine in a car only four years old is odd.”