Severity: ModerateMercedes-Benz

P0017 on Mercedes-Benz Vehicles

The bank 1 exhaust cam signal doesn't line up with the crankshaft; think chain, exhaust phaser or sensor. P0017 →

24Complaints mentioning the code

#2Rank among 9 brands

7.0%Share of Mercedes-Benz DTC complaints

In NHTSA owner complaints we analyzed for Mercedes-Benz, P0017 was mentioned 24 times.

Notes by brand

Earlier M272 V6 engines in C-, E- and ML-Class models are known for a worn balance shaft sprocket that lets the bank 1 cam timing drift. It typically logs bank 1 intake and exhaust correlation codes together, P0016 and P0017, and the repair is labor-intensive because the balance shaft sits deep in the engine.

Most mentioned models

Mercedes-Benz E-Class		11
Mercedes-Benz C-Class		6
Mercedes-Benz Ml-Class		3
Mercedes-Benz R-Class		3
Mercedes-Benz Clk-Class		1

Model years mentioned

2006: 14 · 2007: 9 · 2009: 1

Components named in these complaints

Engine (19)
Power Train (7)
Engine And Engine Cooling (4)
Electronic Stability Control (esc) (2)
Vehicle Speed Control (1)

Often appears together with

P0016 Powertrain The bank 1 intake cam and the crankshaft are out of step, most often from a stretched or jumped… High P0171 Powertrain The engine computer is adding the maximum extra fuel it's allowed on bank 1 and still sees… Moderate P0174 Powertrain The cylinder bank without cylinder 1 is running lean even with the maximum fuel correction… Moderate P2195 Powertrain The front O2 or air-fuel sensor keeps reading lean while the rear sensor shows the engine isn't… Low P2198 Powertrain Bank 2's front sensor keeps claiming rich, so the PCM leans out that side of the engine more… Low

Possible causes

Exhaust phaser not locking at its base position, or its sprocket slipping on the cam24%
Timing chain stretch affecting both cams (usually with P0016 alongside)22%
Exhaust cam sensor failing with heat, oil-soaked connector or a wiring fault18%
Exhaust cam tone wheel damaged, or its retaining bolt loose12%

P0017: Diagnosis step by step →

Source: NHTSA Complaints API (US government open data), analyzed by DTC mention.