OM612 vs OM606

Side-by-side reliability comparison

Higher reliability score
OM606 BEST 96/100
+26 points over OM612
0 / 100
ACCEPTABLE OM612 Mercedes-Benz
0 / 100
BEST OM606 Mercedes-Benz

Specifications

OM612
OM606
Brand
Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz
Verdict
ACCEPTABLE
BEST
Reliability
70
96
Years
1999--2005
1993--2001
Displacement
2685 cc
2996 cc
Layout
I5
I6
Type
Diesel
Diesel
Power
170 hp
134--174 hp
Known Issues
1
2
Total Risk Cost
€300--€800
€280--€700

Character

OM612

"W210/W211 E270 CDI. 5-cylinder diesel. Smooth, torquey. Injector seal 'black death' concern. Turbo resonator failure. EGR issues. Good motorway cruiser when maintained."

OM606

"Legendary. 500k+ miles documented. Tunable to 500hp. One of most reliable engines ever."

Issues Comparison

OM612 1

▲ HIGH
Injector seal leak (Black Death) €300--€800 80,000 km--150,000 km

OM606 2

○ MINOR
Glow plug failure (only meaningful issue) €80--€200 80,000 km--∞
○ MINOR
Injection pump seal wear (age-related) €200--€500 200,000 km--∞

Models

OM612 1

E-Class W211 2002--2005

OM606 2

300D W124 1993--1997 Sedan E 300D W210 1995--2003 Sedan
Full OM612 Report Full OM606 Report