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Mercedes-Benz V-Class W638 common faults.

1996–2003. The fault list covers this generation and the engines in it. If the listing gives the exact version, pick it below.

Mercedes-Benz V-Class W638

M 93 / CC BY-SA 3.0 de

What to watch for

What can go wrong on this car?

The list covers the generation, the engines and the transmissions. Once you pick the version, only the faults that apply to it stay.

5G-Tronic (722.6): control unit in oil, coolant in the ATF

expensive

The Mercedes 5 speed 722.6 automatic (5G-Tronic / NAG1) has three faults that also recur on the used market: (1) the control electronics sit inside the gearbox housing, and a leaking connector lets oil onto the electronics; (2) cooling faults around 2003 (and later) can let antifreeze into the ATF, which shortens its life; (3) wear of the torque converter lock-up clutch contaminates the valve body and causes jerky shifts.

Applies to the transmission MB7226.

V-Class W638: corrosion, electrical faults, weak brake system

expensive

The quality problems of the first V-Class (internal code W 638, 1996 to 2003) cannot be narrowed to one part: according to the German technical press the series suffered from several kinds of quality problem through to the end of production.

It can affect every car in this generation.

Engines and transmissions in this generation

A fault is often tied to the engine, not to the whole generation. You find the engine code in the registration document.

W638 · 1996–2003

Pick the version.

The fault list opens on the version page.

27 versions

Neighbouring generations

W638 · 1996–2003

W638 (1996-2003). If the listing is from the changeover year, look at the neighbour too.

Previous generation

This is the earliest.

This generation

W638 · 1996–2003

Next generation

W447 · 2014–

Common questions

About this generation

Which years does this page cover?

1996–2003. The changeover year can fall in two generations. If the listing is from that year, look at the neighbour too.

Does the fault apply to every car like this?

No. It depends on the engine and the transmission too.

Is it free?

The fault list is.

Information, not an expert opinion

We write the descriptions, and we put the source next to them. A person reviews them before they go out. They are still information, not a technical expert opinion.

  • A fault on the list does not mean the car you are looking at has it.
  • A fault missing from the list does not mean the model is fault-free. Write-ups are made model by model. Not all of them are done.
  • You decide whether to buy. This is no substitute for an inspection. That needs a workshop and a history check.
Details in the terms