When Jacquelyn Gamble bought her 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLE 350, she considered it a reward for decades of work: a retirement gift to herself. But with less than 70,000 miles on the odometer, that dream car is parked, broken, and at the center of a dispute with her local dealership.

Gamble said her SUV began making loud knocking sounds before abruptly shutting down. She had it towed to Mercedes-Benz of Buckhead, where technicians delivered the grim news: a gaping hole had opened in the engine block.

The only solution, they said, was a complete replacement, quoted at nearly $40,000.

What could have happened

A mechanic’s note acknowledged that the lower half of the engine “imploded.”

Independent mechanics later said the failure likely tied back to low oil…possibly no oil at all. 

Without adequate lubrication, pistons grind directly against metal, seizing movement and ultimately shattering the block. Once that happens, there is no repair path besides a full engine swap.

Automotive expert Bill Rimmer pointed out that it’s highly unusual for a modern Mercedes-Benz engine with fewer than 100,000 miles to fail this catastrophically

Failures like this typically appear much later in a vehicle’s life cycle. Still, he noted that improper oil levels or the wrong fuel can trigger catastrophic damage.

Now, it’s possible the dealership fudged the most recent oil change service, sure. But if Gamble bought the car used, it’s hard to say if the SUV had it coming from previous neglect. There’s also a chance the current owner skipped or delayed maintenance, too.

Without a clear narrative, it’s difficult for everyone involved to take the blame.

Gamble said the dealership initially refused to provide her with a loaner, leaving her to spend more than $2,000 on rental cars.

After her complaint gained attention, Mercedes-Benz agreed to waive diagnostic fees and eventually provided a loaner.

Her extended warranty softened the blow slightly. The third-party approved about $15,000 for a used engine, though the coverage only applies for six months. That still leaves her with a significant out-of-pocket bill, especially since the factory warranty had expired just two months before the failure.

When extended warranties make sense

I don’t usually push the extra expense of extended warranties. They often cost more than they save. But this case is a rare example of when they can prove worthwhile. A $40,000 repair estimate on a four-year-old vehicle is not a scenario anyone expects.

For Gamble, the incident has already cost thousands and raised larger questions about reliability and accountability. As she put it, she wants assurance that this will never happen again…but what little assurance she’s fought for has already come at a steep price.