2002 Mercedes Benz 240

INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) MY MERCEDES C240 (VIN: [XXX]) BURNED UP ITS FUEL PUMP WIRING, AND THE DEALER THAT REPAIRED IT, SAYS THEY HAVE SEEN THIS MANY TIMES BEFORE . I REPLACED A FAULTY FUEL PUMP AS DIAGNOSED BY MY MECHANIC. CAR STILL DID NOT WORK SO I HAD THE CAR SENT TO DEALER (EURO MOTORCARS OF GERMANTOWN MD 301 601 5560). DEALER SAID THE WIRES TO FUEL PUMP MELTED AND CHARGED $460 TO REPAIR THEM (NOT A SIMPLE EFFORT I WAS TOLD). THE DEALER SAYS THIS NOT UNCOMMON, BUT IT IS MORE COMMON TO SEE THIS HAPPEN AT CONNECTORS AT FUEL PUMP (WHICH IS SUBMERGED WITH GASOLINE INSIDE FUEL TANK!) IN MY CASE WIRING BURNED AFTER COMPUTERIZED FUSE BOX. I CONSIDER THIS A SAFETY HAZARD AND A LATENT DEFECT. A WELL DESIGNED ELECTRICAL SYSTEM HAS FUSES THAT ARE SACRIFICED BEFORE DAMAGE IS DONE THAT COULD START A FIRE, OR BURN WIRES (THAT IS WHY THEY ARE THERE). THERE IS A 30 AMP FUSE FOR THIS SYSTEM, AND APPARENTLY THEY DO NOT BLOW. I KNOW MY COUNTY BUILDING INSPECTOR WOULD FAIL ANY NEW HOUSE WIRING THAT WAS NOT ADEQUATELY PROTECTED FROM SITUATIONS THAT EXCEED THE RATING OF THE WIRES, IT SEEMS CRAZY THE SAME IS NOT HAPPENING HERE, AND ON A CIRCUIT THE RUNS INSIDE THE GAS TANK NO LESS! PLEASE INVESTIGATE, AND IF YOU TALK TO MERCEDES, I THINK FOR ME PAYING FOR A NEW FUEL PUMP IS SUFFICIENT, BUT I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY TO REPAIR A LATENT DEFECT AND OBVIOUS SAFETY ISSUE! THANKYOU FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION OF MY COMPLAINT *TR

(1) CAR WAS PARKED IN THE GARAGE. CAR DID NOT START. CALLED ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE AND WHILE WAITING FOR THE TECHNICIAN TO CALL, THE CAR STARTED (AFTER 45 MINUTES). I DROVE THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THE DEALER DID NOT FIND ANY FAULT CODES. I DROVE THE CAR TO WORK AND THE CAR STOPPED WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY (2) THE CAR SHUT OFF WHILE DRIVING. ENGINE SHUT OFF. ELECTRICAL POWER STILL ON AS RADIO STILL OPERATING. I PULLED OVER TO THE SHOULDER AND KEENLY DODGED TRAFFIC AND PARKED ON THE HIGHWAY SHOULDER. (3) I REMOVED THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION AND TRIED AGAIN REPEADETLY TO START THE CAR. THE CAR STARTED. I MADE IT TO WORK AND WAS JUST TO BUSY TO TAKE MY CAR INTO SERVICE. AFTER WORK, I TRIED TO RESTART THE CAR. THE CAR WOULDN'T START. I CALLED ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE. TECHNICIAN ARRIVED ONSITE AND THE CAR ONCE AGAIN TURNED ON WITH LUCK. THE TECHNICIAN BELIEVES A NEW FUEL PUMP IS NEED. *JB

I HAVE HAD A STRING OF PROBLEMS EVER SINCE I PURCHASED MY 2002 MERCEDES C240. I HAVE HAD THE PANIC ALARM FAIL IN A PARKING LOT (FORTUNATELY I HAD PEPPER SPRAY), I HAVE HAD MY SEAT RETRACT ALL THE WAY BACK AND GET STUCK (I HAVE TO DRIVE IT TO THE DEALER WITH PILLOWS AND BLANKETS BEHIND ME) AND HAVE HAD TO TURN OFF THAT CAR FEATURE SO IT WON'T HAPPEN AGAIN! MY KEY STOPPED UNLOCKING MY DOOR DUE TO A DEFECT IN THE KEY SO I WAS HAVING TO LEAVE MY DOORS UNLOCKED. MY ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS FOR DOORS, SUNROOF, ETC. COMES UNSYNCED ABOUT ONCE EVERY OTHER MONTH, MY SUNROOF MOTOR HAD TO BE REPLACED, I HAD A LEAK IN THE BACK OF MY CAR SOAKING THE BACK SEATS, CUP HOLDER QUIT RETRACTING, FUEL LINE BLOCKAGES THAT CAUSE THE CAR TO RUN BADLY, THEY HAD TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE LATCH ESSEMBLY IN MY TRUCK, AND OTHER LITTLE STRANGE THINGS. MY CAR HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP A RIDICULOUS NUMBER OF TIMES IN ITS FIRST TWO YEARS, AND AFTER THE PANIC ALARM INCIDENT, I AM TOO AFRAID TO DRIVE IT, AND MERCEDES JUST REFERS ME TO THE PARTS PEOPLE WHEN I COMPLAIN. I LIVE A HOUR A WAY FROM A DEALER AND END UP HAVING TO SPEND THE DAY IN THE WAITING ROOM WHILE THEY FIX THE PROBLEMS. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. THE PROBLEMS WITH MY CAR HAVE BEEN REPORTED TO MY STATE'S ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE.*AK

I HAVE HAD MY C230 COUPE IN THE SHOP AT ED POTTER MERCEDES COLUMBUS, OH SEVERAL TIMES. FOUR WEEKS AFTER I BOUGHT THE CAR THE WHEELS WERE SO OUT OF ALIGNMENT THAT THE CARS JUMPED LANES, REPEATEDLY I WAS ABLE TO DEMONSTRATE THE TERRIBLE 'PULL' EVEN WITH MR. POTTER IN THE CAR - NEVER COULD THEY FIX IT. THE FUEL TANK WAS REPLACED TWICE, THE STRUT WAS REPLACED, I HAD TO BUY NEW TIRES ($1,277) AFTER 20K MILES, RIGHT NOW IT'S IN THE SHOP, THE SEAL AROUND THE ROOF HAS TO BE REPLACED, THE FRONT SWAY BARS WERE REPLACED, THE RUBBER BUSHINGS ARE BEING REPLACED BECAUSE THE CAR SQUEAKS EE-EE-EE-EE AS I ROLL OVER SOFT WAVES IN THE ROAD. TODAY THEY CALLED, THEY NEED TO KEEP THE CAR LONGER TO REPLACE THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL SOMETHING ANOTHER - THE SERVICE MANAGER CALLED ME AND EARLIER THIS WEEK AND TOLD ME TO FILL OUT MY SURVEY FROM THE LAST SERVICE "ALL EXCELLENT" NOT EVEN REALIZING I NEEDED TO BRING THE CAR BACK IN THIS WEEK FOR MORE PART REPLACEMENT. ONCE I WAS IN TRAVELING IN LEXINGTON, KY ON MY WAY TO A DERBY PARTY IN LOUISVILLE ON SATURDAY AND THE LOCAL MERCEDES REP SAID TO GET A HOTEL ROOM IN LEXINGTON AND WAIT TILL MONDAY TO HAVE THE CAR FIXED. THE DAY I BOUGHT THE CAR I HAD A $31,000 VOUCHER FROM MY CREDIT UNION AND THE DEALERSHIP DIDN'T TRUST IT (I LIVE 3/4 A MILE A WAY) AND THEY MADE ME WAIT THREE DAYS UNTIL THE CHECK CLEARED BEFORE THEY DELIVERED THE CAR. I OWN A 1975 MB 450 SL THAT IS MORE RELIABLE THAN THIS HUNK OF JUNK. PLEASE DON'T BUY A MERCEDES AND IF YOU DID, PLEASE TAKE IT BACK, THEY AREN'T SAFE AND THE CUSTOMER SERVICE IS OUTRAGEOUS. *JB