2005 Mercedes Benz 211

WHILE DRIVING THE CAR WILL SHUT OFF RANDOMLY AT HIGH SPEEDS ON THE FREEWAY AND I WILL LOSE STEERING AND MY BRAKING ABILITIES. THE SBC PUMP ALREADY HAD BEEN REPLACED AND MERCEDES HAS NOT MADE ANY ATTEMPT TO REIMBURSE ME, MULTIPLE AREAS OF THE WIRING HARNESS WILL CRUMBLE IN YOUR HAND INSIDE THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, THE TRUNK HAD PINCHED WIRES SHORTING OUT AND CAUGHT FIRE LUCKILY I HAD BEEN IN THE GARAGE AT THAT TIME TO WITNESS AND PUT IT OUT. THE CAR WILL START UP AND DRIVE AND STALL OUT RANDOMLY NOW AT ANY SPEEDS OR EVEN BEING STOPPED.

THIS VEHICLE IS EQUIPPED WITH SENSOTRONIC BRAKE CONTROL THAT HAS A SERVICE THRESHOLD. WHEN THIS THRESHOLD IS REACHED THE BRAKE SYSTEM DEFAULTS TO NON POWER ASSISTED HYDRAULIC MODE TO THE FRONT WHEELS ONLY. THIS OCCURS WITHOUT ANY PRIOR WARNING AND RESULTS IN INCREASED STOPPING DISTANCE. I HAVE SENT A COPY OF THE MERCEDES SERVICE BULLETIN S142.46-P-0012A WHICH ADDRESSES THIS ISSUE. MERCEDES STOPPED INSTALLING THIS SYSTEM IN 2006. AT THE VERY LEAST, MERCEDES SHOULD ISSUE A MANDATORY RECALL TO INTERROGATE THESE VEHICLES WITH STAR DAS TO DETERMINE HOW CLOSE TO THE SERVICE THRESHOLD THE SBC UNIT IS AND REPLACE THEM AT THE DEALER'S EXPENSE. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED.

I WAS DRIVING MY MERCEDES E320 2005 ON I-75 AND TOOK EXIT 107. WHEN I PUSHED MY BRAKE PEDDLE I HAD WHAT SEEMED TO BE NO BRAKES AND A RED WARNING LIGHT CAME ON THE DASH. I RAN THE CAR OFF ON THE GRASS TO SLOW THE CAR DOWN. I HAD A GREEN LIGHT AND RAN ON THE SIDE STREET. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. I AM UPSET THAT MERCEDES WOULD DESIGN A SYSTEM THAT COULD DO THIS.

SBC BRAKE FAILURE ALMOST CAUSES ACCIDENT. I WAS DRIVING DOWN A 2 LANE HIGHWAY AT 60MPH AND STEPPED ON THE BRAKES. AT THE MOMENT I STEPPED ON THE BRAKES THE DASHBOARD STARTED TO BLINK RED AND BEEPING WITH BRAKE FAILURE MESSAGE AND THERE WAS NO NOTICEABLE BRAKE POWER. I PUSHED THE PEDAL ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR AND FELT NO RESISTANCE AND VERY LITTLE BRAKING POWER. I'M ESTIMATING 5% POWER FROM NORMAL. I HAD TO SWERVE TO AVOID THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. LUCKILY, THERE WAS NO TRAFFIC IN THE INTERSECTION BECAUSE I BLEW STRAIGHT THROUGH IT AND EVENTUALLY MANAGED TO GET THE VEHICLE STOPPED AFTER ABOUT 200 YARDS. THIS HAPPENED WITH NO PRIOR MESSAGES OR WARNINGS ON THE DASHBOARD. I TURNED OFF THE CAR AND RESTARTED IT AND BRAKING POWER RESUMED AS NORMAL. THERE ARE CURRENTLY NO MESSAGES ABOUT BRAKES. IT'S LIKE IT NEVER HAPPENED. *TR

THIS VEHICLE IS EQUIPPED WITH SENSOTRONIC BRAKE CONTROL THAT HAS A SERVICE THRESHOLD. WHEN THIS THRESHOLD IS REACHED THE BRAKE SYSTEM DEFAULTS TO NON POWER ASSISTED HYDRAULIC MODE TO THE FRONT WHEELS ONLY. THIS OCCURS WITHOUT ANY PRIOR WARNING AND RESULTS IN INCREASED STOPPING DISTANCE. I HAVE SENT A COPY OF THE MERCEDES SERVICE BULLETIN S142.46-P-0012A WHICH ADDRESSES THIS ISSUE. MERCEDES STOPPED INSTALLING THIS SYSTEM IN 2006. AT THE VERY LEAST, MERCEDES SHOULD ISSUE A MANDATORY RECALL TO INTERROGATE THESE VEHICLES WITH STAR DAS TO DETERMINE HOW CLOSE TO THE SERVICE THRESHOLD THE SBC UNIT IS AND REPLACE THEM AT THE DEALER'S EXPENSE. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED.

WHILE DRIVING MY VEHICLE, I BEGAN TO NOTICE A STRONG FUEL ODOR INSIDE MY VEHICLE. I PULLED OVER AND CHECKED TO SEE IF ANY FUEL WAS LEAKING ONTO THE GROUND. NOTHING APPEARED TO BE LEAKING. I THEN OPENED UP THE HOOD FOR THE ENGINE, AND OBSERVED THE COMPARTMENT FOR ABOUT A MINUTE TO SEE IF THE ODOR WAS DETECTABLE FROM THE ENGINE. IT WAS NOT. I WALKED BACK TO THE REAR DRIVERS SIDE AND BEGAN TO DETECT THE ODOR ONCE MORE. I OPENED THE DRIVERS SIDE PASSENGER DOOR AND FROM THE BACK SEAT I COULD DETECT A VERY STRONG FUEL ODOR, SO I GOT DOWN ON THE GROUND TO SEE IF THE VEHICLE WAS LEAKING FUEL FROM UNDER THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT. NO FUEL DETECTED. THE NEXT DAY, AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS SITTING OVERNIGHT, AS SOON AS I GOT INTO THE VEHICLE THERE WAS A REALLY STRONG ODOR OF FUEL. I STARTED THE VEHICLE NORMALLY, BUT THE VEHICLE TOOK LONGER TO START, IT TURNED OVER SEVERAL TIMES BEFORE STARTING. THIS WAS NOT NORMAL FOR MY VEHICLE. I GOT OUT AND GO INTO THE BACK SEAT AND THE ODOR WAS OVERWHELMING, THE ODOR OF FUEL WAS COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE REAR PASSENGER SEAT.