Originally Posted by stranger

This is a warning to all drivers who drive a Mercedes Benz engine with the EGR system.

These engines leak exhaust from a slip coupling in the egr system at the rear of the engine, just above the exhaust manifold.

The fumes will gather under the hood and be sucked into the heater/ac fresh air inlet. The Freightliner is bad, but Sterling is worse. When stopped, or especially backing, the truck will fill with exhaust fumes if the heat or normal a/c is on.

The Freightliners, at least I know the Columbias do, have a recirculate button that will keep most exhaust out when set on recirculate. The Sterlings have no such setting except max a/c. In the Sterling, a driver has to remember to turn off the heat/ac before stopping or backing.

Every truck with the Mercedes EGR engine I have driven has been this way. BE CAREFUL.

I have been told that all the EGR Mercedes engines do this, and Freightliner knows about it, but really wants to keep it quiet.

I turned in a Sterling sub tractor yesterday that I used while mine was being repaired. That thing would burn your eyes out. This was the third Sterling I have driven in the past few months, and all were doing the same. The Freightliner I drive has a pre-egr Mercedes engine. It has no such problem.

The one mechanic who admitted to a problem said all the trucks with the EGR Mercedes engines were like that. This company has well over 100 of them.

If you drive one, demand it be fixed. I have written up every one I have driven. If you raise the hood and look at the coupling I described, you will see the soot around it and on the engine block.

There needs to be a recall before someone dies, if it hasn't happened already. I wonder what engines were in the trucks in San Antonio.