Secondary air injection malfunction on Mercedes — M271 Kompressor SAI pump is the textbook UK failure.
Mercedes-Benz P0410 — Secondary air injection malfunction on Mercedes — M271 Kompressor SAI pump is the textbook UK failure. Typical UK independent garage cost: £250–£1400.
What actually causes P0410 on a Mercedes-Benz
On the M271 1.8 Kompressor, P0410 is one of the most common stored codes we see — the secondary air pump corrodes internally, the combi-valve sticks open, and on bad cases the inlet manifold ports clog with carbon. A complete fix needs the pump, both combi-valves and often the manifold cleaned. Half-jobs return within months.
Mercedes-Benz engines that log P0410
- M271 1.8 Kompressor (C180/C200/SLK200, 2003–2010)
- M272 V6
- M271 EVO direct-injection 1.8
How we diagnose P0410 on a Mercedes-Benz
- STAR Diagnosis: actuate SAI pump and watch live current draw
- Inspect combi-valves on inlet manifold for stuck/seized operation
- Pressure-test air rail back to pump for blockages
- Inspect inlet manifold air ports for carbon/coke build-up
- Quote complete package — pump + valves + clean — never just the pump
The common misdiagnosis to avoid
Mercedes M271 P0410 is rarely just the pump — budget for combi-valves and manifold cleaning together or you'll be back inside a year.
Mercedes-Benz P0410 repair cost in the UK
Expect £250–£1400 including parts and labour at an independent garage. Main-dealer quotes on Mercedes-Benz are usually higher for the same job, and the spread exists because the cheap cause and the expensive cause throw the same code — pay for the diagnosis before you pay for parts.
Bob's workshop tip
M271 owners chasing intermittent MOT emissions fails are nearly always P0410 — get the full package quoted up front, no surprise extras at MOT time.
Codes usually seen alongside P0410 on Mercedes-Benz
- P0411
- P0412
- P0413
Symptoms drivers report with P0410
- A loud 'vacuum cleaner' or 'jet engine' noise from under the bonnet for the first 60 seconds after a cold start.
- A sudden drop in revs or a slight stumble just as the air pump shuts off.
- Engine management light (EML) glowing amber, often appearing a minute after driving off from cold.
- A strange 'mooing' or clicking sound when the engine is idling during warm-up.
- The car failing its MOT on the 'Major' defect of having an active EML, even if the emissions are actually okay.
Repairs that clear P0410
- Replace air pump
- Clear or replace hoses
- Replace check valve
For the generic, all-makes explanation of this code — meaning, every known cause and UK cost bands — see our P0410 guide.
Reading P0410 on a Mercedes-Benz properly
A generic reader will show P0410 and nothing else. What matters is the freeze-frame data stored with it — engine speed, load, coolant temperature and fuel trims at the moment the fault was logged — plus whether any other module on the Mercedes-Benz has logged something at the same time. Codes rarely arrive alone, and the order they were stored in usually points at which one is the cause and which are the consequences.
Clearing P0410 without fixing it
Erasing the code resets the Mercedes-Benz's readiness monitors as well as the light. The fault returns on the next drive cycle if the cause is still there, and in the meantime the incomplete monitors can stop the car passing an emissions check. After a genuine repair, the car is driven until the relevant monitor completes before it is handed back.
Bob's Mechanical Repairs is an independent garage in Birnam, Dunkeld, Perthshire, with 32 years of Bob's experience on the tools. If P0410 is showing on your Mercedes-Benz, bring any scan results with you — we will read the live data ourselves, confirm which cause it actually is, and price the repair before any work starts.