Car Model Guide/ Mercedes-Benz/ E-Class/ W212/ E 350 CDI

E 350 CDI OM642

The V6 diesel. Effortless and long-lived, with two known age items: the oil cooler seals beneath the intake, and the swirl-flap linkage.

Overview

The E 350 CDI is the OM642 diesel version of the Mercedes-Benz E-Class sedan (W212), sold 2009–2016 with 265 PS and auto_7g. Demands diligence at level 3. The OM642 is long-lived, but the oil-cooler seal leak and the intake-port swirl actuator are its two documented, labour-heavy faults. 8 failure modes are recorded against its engine, gearbox, chassis and shared components. Prices on this page are illustrative placeholders rather than a sourced market sample. See the methodology for how the bands are derived.

Mercedes-Benz E-Class sedan (W212) · photo Mercedes-Benz E-Class W212 Shishi 01 2022-03-02 by JamesYoung8167 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Power265 PS

Torque620 Nm

Years2009–2016

Fueldiesel

DriveRWD / 4MATIC

EnginesOM642

Biggest risks

Ranked by probability × repair cost. 8 recorded in total.

52Demands diligence

Oil cooler seal leak€900–€1,600checkable
DPF clogging and forced regeneration€250–€1,800partly checkable
Electronic steering lock (ESL/ELV) failure€150–€1,200partly checkable

Risk level −22 · Likely spend vs price −26 · all issues →

System by system9 systems reviewed · 2 with no recurring fault reported

Engine⚠ attentionOil cooler seal leak, €900–€1,600.

Fuel system✓ clearNo recurring fault reported for this system on this engine.

Intake & airwatchIntake-port shut-off (swirl) actuator failure, €400–€900.

Cooling✓ clearNo recurring fault reported for this system on this engine.

Emissions⚠ attentionDPF clogging and forced regeneration, €250–€1,800.+1 more in this system

Transmissionwatch7G-Tronic conductor plate and 13-pin connector leak (722.9), €400–€900.

ElectricswatchElectronic steering lock (ESL/ELV) failure, €150–€1,200.

Suspension & brakeswatchFront thrust-arm and control-arm bush wear, €300–€600.

Body & interiorwatchPanoramic sunroof drain blockage, €50–€400.

Pre-facelift or facelift, this engine spans both

The same badge either side of the changeover. Bands are split at the facelift year from the generation record.

Phase	Years	Low	Average	High	Good buy	What differs
pre Pre-facelift	2009–2012	€6,500	€11,000	€18,000	€8,750	The specification the car launched with.
LCI Facelift (LCI)	2013–2016	€7,100	€12,000	€19,600	€9,550	Single-piece headlamps replaced the twin-eye look; new bonnet and bumpers; M274 2.0 turbo four replaced the M271 EVO 1.8 in the E200/E250 petrols; M276 3.5 V6 replaced the M272 in the E350; Diesels migrated from CDI to BlueTEC (SCR/AdBlue)

Known issues, ranked by expected cost

Faults recorded against this engine, its components and its chassis, ranked by likelihood × repair cost. Costs are indicative ranges with a stated labour basis.

Oil cooler seal leakOM642 3.0 V6 CDI€900–€1,600

Oil weeping down the back of the block, burning smell, oil in the valley beneath the intake. The oil cooler sits in the vee under the intake manifold and its seals harden with age. Access requires the intake off, so labour dominates the bill.

Check: Look down the back of the engine with a torch for wet oil and fresh cleaning. A suspiciously spotless engine bay on a 200,000 km V6 deserves a question.

EnginecommonDetectable at viewingevidence: documented150–280k km

DPF clogging and forced regenerationDPF€250–€1,800

Warning light, limp mode, oil level rising above the maximum mark from fuel dilution. The filter needs sustained hot running to regenerate. A car used for short urban trips never completes a regeneration cycle.

Check: Read the DPF soot load and the distance since the last regeneration on a scan tool, and check the engine oil level and smell it for diesel. Ask what the car was used for. A short-trip city diesel is the wrong car regardless of mileage.

EmissionscommonPartly detectableevidence: documented120–250k km

Electronic steering lock (ESL/ELV) failureE-Class platform€150–€1,200

The engine cranks but won't start and the steering stays locked, sometimes after several attempts, with steering-lock fault codes. The small motor that drives the locking bolt wears out and the module eventually blocks further attempts. The cause is consistent motor wear rather than anything variable.

Check: Do several cold starts. Listen for the steering-lock clunk as the key goes in, and scan for B2254 and related codes; intermittent no-starts are the early warning.

ElectricalcommonPartly detectableevidence: documented80–200k km

7G-Tronic conductor plate and 13-pin connector leak (722.9)Mercedes 7G-Tronic seven-speed automatic (722.9)€400–€900

Harsh, delayed or jerky shifts, holding a gear then banging the next in, and limp mode, often with speed-sensor or gear-ratio fault codes. The speed sensors in the conductor plate (mechatronic) fail, and/or the external 13-pin connector leaks fluid that wicks up the wiring into the control unit. Early units are the most affected.

Check: Test-drive through every gear cold and warm. Scan the transmission, and pull the external 13-pin plug to check for fluid on the pins.

TransmissioncommonPartly detectableevidence: documented120–220k km

Front thrust-arm and control-arm bush wearE-Class platform€300–€600

A clunk or knock over bumps and when turning at low speed, vibration through the wheel, and vague or wandering steering. The aluminium front arms use fluid-filled hydraulic bushes that rupture and leak; the bushes aren't separately serviceable, so the whole arm is replaced. The cause is consistent.

Check: Look for brown hydraulic fluid weeping from the bushes, rock the arms for play, and listen for a clunk over rough roads and on full lock.

SuspensioncommonDetectable at viewingevidence: documented95–160k km

EGR cooler leakEGR cooler€400–€1,000

Coolant loss with no visible external leak, white smoke, sweet smell. The EGR cooler cracks internally and leaks coolant into the intake. BMW recalled affected diesels over a fire risk from glycol deposits igniting.

Check: Check coolant level and look for unexplained top-ups in the service history. Verify the recall was carried out. It's free and searchable by VIN.

EmissionsoccasionalPartly detectableevidence: manufacturer120–250k km

Intake-port shut-off (swirl) actuator failureOM642 3.0 V6 CDI€400–€900

Limp mode and power loss, usually with fault code P2015 stored. The actuator motor that drives the intake-port shut-off flaps in the manifold fails, frequently after being shorted by oil dripping from the turbo-inlet seal above it; the flaps or linkage can also seize.

Check: Scan for P2015 and related intake codes; a car that has thrown it before is likely to again unless the oil-leak cause was addressed.

Turbo & intakeoccasionalDetectable at viewingevidence: documented120–220k km

Panoramic sunroof drain blockageE-Class platform€50–€400

Wet front footwells and carpets and damp A-pillars after rain, with soaked module connectors as the secondary risk. The sunroof drain channels clog with debris and water backs up and overflows into the cabin. The cause is consistent; the cost jumps if carpets or modules are soaked.

Check: Lift the footwell carpets to feel for damp, and pour a cup of water into the front sunroof channel to confirm it drains quickly.

Body & corrosioncommonDetectable at viewingevidence: documented80–200k km

Ranked by probability × repair cost, not by how loudly a failure is discussed. Inherited from the engine, gearbox, chassis and shared components, each written once.

Pre-purchase inspection

The same issue records, reordered into the sequence you can actually check them in: cold start, static, drive, paperwork.

8 checks · saved in this browser ·

1Cold startYou get one. If the engine is warm when you arrive, come back another day.

Electronic steering lock (ESL/ELV) failureDo several cold starts. Listen for the steering-lock clunk as the key goes in, and scan for B2254 and related codes; intermittent no-starts are the early warning.

2Static checksEngine off, ideally on a lift.

Oil cooler seal leakLook down the back of the engine with a torch for wet oil and fresh cleaning. A suspiciously spotless engine bay on a 200,000 km V6 deserves a question.Front thrust-arm and control-arm bush wearLook for brown hydraulic fluid weeping from the bushes, rock the arms for play, and listen for a clunk over rough roads and on full lock.Panoramic sunroof drain blockageLift the footwell carpets to feel for damp, and pour a cup of water into the front sunroof channel to confirm it drains quickly.

3On the driveInclude low-speed manoeuvring, not just an open road.

7G-Tronic conductor plate and 13-pin connector leak (722.9)Test-drive through every gear cold and warm. Scan the transmission, and pull the external 13-pin plug to check for fluid on the pins.

4PaperworkOn these cars the folder is most of the value.

EGR cooler leakCheck coolant level and look for unexplained top-ups in the service history. Verify the recall was carried out. It's free and searchable by VIN.

5OBD scanMandatory. A seller who refuses a scan has answered the question.

DPF clogging and forced regenerationRead the DPF soot load and the distance since the last regeneration on a scan tool, and check the engine oil level and smell it for diesel. Ask what the car was used for. A short-trip city diesel is the wrong car regardless of mileage.Intake-port shut-off (swirl) actuator failureScan for P2015 and related intake codes; a car that has thrown it before is likely to again unless the oil-leak cause was addressed.

Mileage and servicing

What the odometer does and doesn't tell you here, plus the service items whose neglect causes the expensive failures above.

Mileage is no barrier if it's serviced; look instead for oil weep at the back of the engine and a clean swirl-flap scan.

Service item	Interval	Cost
Oil-cooler seals Labour-heavy. The intake and turbo come off	if it weeps at the rear of the engine	€600–1,200
Swirl-flap / intake actuator A known OM642 fault that trips limp mode	on a scan (P2015)	€400–900
7G-Tronic fluid Not a lifetime fill	roughly 80,000 km	€300–500

What to pay

What this engine sells for, against the median of every engine in the chassis. All figures are illustrative placeholders. See the basis chips.

median €11.5k

€6.5k€8.8k€19.6k

Cheapfind the reasonGood buyif it checks outFairnormal moneyOverpricedneeds justifying

Asking price (€)Mileage (km)

Enter an asking price to get a verdict against this variant's band: cheap, fair, good buy or overpriced.

United States vs Europe

1 EUR = 1.08 USD · 2026-07

🇪🇺 Europe · EUR€8,750band €6,500–€19,600

🇺🇸 United StatesNot soldE 350 CDI OM642 was never a US-market car

What that meansNo US band exists to compare. Any car you find there's a private import, parts and specialist knowledge are thinner, and the price says more about import cost than about the market.

US figures are the EU band converted at a stated rate. No US market differential is modelled: we hold no sourced US asking prices, and inventing one would be worse than saying so. What the comparison does show for real is availability. Most of this range was never sold in the US.

ModelMercedes-Benz E-Class E 350 CDI
ChassisW212
EngineOM642
Years2009–2016
MarketCentral EU
Windowrolling 12 months to 2026-07

Good buy at or under the marker · Median asking price · bar spans the 10th to 90th percentile · dashed line is the w212 median, all 10 engines

Good buy isn't the same as cheapest. The good-buy figure assumes the known failure items are either done with receipts or verifiably not yet due. Full breakdown by facelift phase →

Buyer notes

Our judgement, kept separate from the records it's built on.

Our read, not a record

The E 350 CDI is the W212 for people who cover big distances in comfort: the OM642 V6 is quiet, immensely torquey and famously durable. Its two known faults are both about labour rather than fragility. The oil-cooler seal in the engine valley that hardens and weeps, and the intake-port shut-off (swirl) actuator that can fail, often shorted by oil from the turbo inlet above it. Neither is an engine-killer, but both mean intake and turbo removal, so factor them in. A serviced example with no oil weep is a car you can keep for a long time.

Everything above this line comes from the issue and specification records. This paragraph is our judgement on top of them. See how we reach it.

Full specification

Manufacturer figures for this engine and body, as recorded in the variant and engine data.

Engine code	OM642 3.0 V6 CDI
Configuration	V6, turbocharged · 2987 cc
Fuel / injection	diesel · common rail
Model years	2009–2016
Facelift phase	Sold either side of the 2013 facelift, 2009–2012 pre, 2013–2016 LCI
Power / torque	265 PS · 620 Nm
Transmissions	7-speed automatic (7G-Tronic)
Gearbox families	Mercedes 7G-Tronic seven-speed automatic (722.9)
Drivetrain	RWD · 4MATIC
Economy (real-world)	5.5–7.5 l/100 km mixed
Markets	EU