The Lemon Index
Mercedes-AMG's 5.5 L twin-turbo 90° V8, DOHC in the CL63 AMG, S63, CLS63, E63, ML63 / GLE63, AMG SL63 / SL63 AMG, AMG G63 / G63 AMG and GL63 / GLS63, model years 2011–2019. YouTube likes the 2016 best.
Less liked than most on YouTube: YouTube owner tone 45/100, #113 of 165 engines with a YouTube study (in the bottom third); no engine-related recall on record, 4 known issues listed below.
Everyday cars with this engine Tap a year for that car's full report.
- Mercedes-Benz M/GLE Mercedes-AMG ML63 / GLE6320122013201420152016201720182019
- Mercedes-Benz E-Class Mercedes-AMG E6320122013201420152016
Model years from EPA version lists. Only years we have a car page for.
Reliability by year
Why the car page shows more: the G63 page counts 12 complaints and 0 recall campaigns for 2013–2018, everything NHTSA files as "G63", other engines included. This page counts only the 64 complaints and 0 recalls we can tie to the Mercedes-AMG M157 5.5 biturbo V8 by model name or the owner's own words.
YouTube videos are most positive about the 2016 (51) and least about the 2011 (42); neighboring years share many of the same videos, so small gaps mean little.
How we count: owner complaints only where the car's name and year leave no doubt; YouTube tone from videos that name this engine or its cars. How we count
Owner complaints (NHTSA) are filed by model and year, not engine. We count one for this engine only when the model name and year had no other engine (e.g. "488 GTB", "GT-R"), or when the owner's own words name a version that had only this engine that year (Z06, ZR1, Hellcat, GT500 ...). They cover the whole car (wheels, air bags, electrics ...), not only the engine, and none of them is a failure rate. We chart them only for engines with 30 or more, over 3 or more years. YouTube tone = how positive the videos are, 0–100, from titles and transcripts (praise vs trouble words, the title counts 3 times), weighted by views; a year needs at least 3 videos' worth. A video counts for this engine when its title names the engine or a car that only had this engine in the years it names; a video whose title names no model year counts toward every year of that car, so neighboring years share most of their videos.
All the numbers, year by year
| Year | Cars | Owner complaints | YouTube says | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | CL63 AMG, S63 | 5 | 42 (88 videos) | 0 |
| 2012 | CL63 AMG, CLS63, S63, E63, ML63 / GLE63 | 2 | 44 (107 videos) | 0 |
| 2013 | AMG SL63 / SL63 AMG, CL63 AMG, CLS63, E63, S63, ML63 / GLE63, AMG G63 / G63 AMG, GL63 / GLS63 | 9 | 43 (112 videos) | 0 |
| 2014 | AMG SL63 / SL63 AMG, CL63 AMG, CLS63, E63, GL63 / GLS63, ML63 / GLE63, AMG G63 / G63 AMG, S63 | 10 | 44 (111 videos) | 0 |
| 2015 | S63, AMG SL63 / SL63 AMG, ML63 / GLE63, GL63 / GLS63, AMG G63 / G63 AMG, CLS63, E63 | 12 | 47 (112 videos) | 0 |
| 2016 | E63, AMG SL63 / SL63 AMG, CLS63, S63, GL63 / GLS63, ML63 / GLE63, AMG G63 / G63 AMG | 10 | 51 (115 videos) | 0 |
| 2017 | GL63 / GLS63, AMG SL63 / SL63 AMG, S63, CLS63, ML63 / GLE63, AMG G63 / G63 AMG | 8 | 43 (92 videos) | 0 |
| 2018 | ML63 / GLE63, GL63 / GLS63, AMG SL63 / SL63 AMG, CLS63, AMG G63 / G63 AMG | 5 | 42 (87 videos) | 0 |
| 2019 | AMG SL63 / SL63 AMG, ML63 / GLE63, GL63 / GLS63 | 3 | not enough videos yet | 0 |
Recalls on cars with this engine
No NHTSA recalls we can tie to this engine's cars.
Engine problems Mercedes-AMG told dealers about
Mercedes-AMG sent dealers 70 repair notes about the engine on these cars, including:
- Minor leaks at the oil duct of the left or right cylinder head of engines 157, 276 and 278
- Throttle lift-off clunking noises at drive shafts of front axle
- Check engine light on and FC P146264 sto- red in engine and fuel pump control units
NHTSA manufacturer communications (technical service bulletins), matched by model name and year like the complaints, engine-related ones only. A repair note is not a recall: ask a seller whether it was done.
Known issues on record
- Timing chain stretch (Enthusiast outlet). The chain can stretch when its tensioner briefly runs short of oil, mainly on 2011–2012 engines. Long cranks, misfires and a check-engine light are the signs. Fix: Replace the chain with the revised tensioner, guides and check valves. 1 owner complaint to NHTSA mention it (W463 G63).
- Spark plug wear (Enthusiast outlet). The twin turbos wear spark plugs quickly, causing misfires and rough idle. Fix: Replace all eight plugs about every 40,000–50,000 miles. 1 owner complaint to NHTSA mention it (W463 G63).
- Valve timing cover leak (Enthusiast outlet). Oil or coolant can leak from a drain hole on the front valve timing cover when it isn't seated right. Fix: Reseal the cover following Mercedes' service bulletin. 1 owner complaint to NHTSA mention it (W463 G63).
- Coolant hose leaks (Enthusiast outlet). Coolant hoses split, crack or pop loose with age, which can overheat the engine quickly. Fix: Replace the leaking hose and check the ones next to it.
Sources: 8020 Automotive: the most common Mercedes M157 AMG engine problems. The same list as on the G63 page.
Every US version with this engine
| Car and versions | Years |
|---|---|
| Mercedes-AMG CL63 CL63 AMG | 2011–14 |
| Mercedes-AMG S63 AMG S63 4matic, AMG S63 4matic Convertible, AMG S63 4matic Coupe, S63 AMG, S63 AMG 4matic, S63 AMG 4matic Coupe | 2011–17 |
| Mercedes-AMG CLS63 AMG CLS63 S 4matic, CLS63 AMG, CLS63 AMG 4matic, CLS63 AMG S, CLS63 AMG S 4matic | 2012–18 |
| Mercedes-AMG E63 AMG E63 4matic, AMG E63 S 4matic, AMG E63 S 4matic (wagon), E63 AMG, E63 AMG (wagon), E63 AMG 4matic ... · Mercedes-Benz E-Class, every year | 2012–16 |
| Mercedes-AMG ML63 / GLE63 AMG GLE63, AMG GLE63 S, AMG GLE63 S Coupe, ML63 AMG · Mercedes-Benz M/GLE, every year | 2012–19 |
| Mercedes-AMG SL63 AMG SL63, SL63 AMG | 2013–19 |
| Mercedes-AMG G63 AMG G63, G63 AMG | 2013–18 |
| Mercedes-AMG GL63 / GLS63 AMG GL63, AMG GLS63, GL63 AMG | 2013–19 |
Engine code: M157. Power: 518–577 hp, factory figures. Versions and years: EPA (fueleconomy.gov). Sources: Mercedes-Benz M157 engine.
Quick answers
What cars have the Mercedes-AMG M157 5.5 biturbo V8 engine?
In the US: the Mercedes-AMG CL63 AMG, Mercedes-AMG S63, Mercedes-AMG CLS63, Mercedes-AMG E63, Mercedes-AMG ML63 / GLE63, Mercedes-AMG AMG SL63 / SL63 AMG, Mercedes-AMG AMG G63 / G63 AMG, Mercedes-AMG GL63 / GLS63, model years 2011–2019. See the version table for each one.
Is the Mercedes-AMG M157 5.5 biturbo V8 reliable?
Not one of the safer bets on our data. YouTube owner tone 45/100, #113 of 165 engines with a YouTube study (in the bottom third); no engine-related recall on record, 4 known issues listed below. Owners filed 64 complaints we can tie to it, about any part of the car. Have any used car inspected.
How much horsepower does the Mercedes-AMG M157 5.5 biturbo V8 make?
518–577 hp in factory figures, depending on the car.