1999 Mercedes Benz 320

THIS IS A CORRECTION TO THE SUBMISSION MADE EARLIER THIS MORNING. JUST LIKE THE GM CARS THAT ARE CURRENTLY BEING RECALLED, MY CAR TURNED ITSELF OFF WHILE I WAS TRAVELING AT 60 MPH ON A LIMITED ACCESS ROAD. FORTUNATELY FOR MYSELF AND MY PASSENGER, TRAFFIC WAS LIGHT, I WAS IN THE RIGHT LANE, AND THERE WAS A WIDE SHOULDER. I COULD NOT RESTART THE CAR, WHICH HAD TO BE TOWED. THE MECHANIC KNEW IMMEDIATELY WHAT WAS WRONG, AND THE SAME THING HAD HAPPENED TO A MERCEDES HE REPAIRED THE WEEK BEFORE. *TR

WHILE DRIVING ON THE EXPRESS WAY AT NIGHT AT AROUND 50 MPH; THERE WAS A LOUD BANG AND A SOUND OF METAL BEING THROWN AROUND UNDER THE CAR. THE SOUND CAME FROM THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE CAR. THEN AFTER A LOUD THUMP THERE WAS NO LONGER ANY NOISE. THE CAR DIDN'T FEEL THE SAME AFTER THAT. AFTER PULLING OVER AND CHECKING THE PASSENGER SIDE, YOU COULD SEE THAT THE CAR WAS VERY LOW TO THE GROUND, THE WHEELS TOUCHED THE TOP OF THE WHEEL WELL. THE NEXT MORNING AFTER JACKING THE CAR UP THE SPRING WAS NO LONGER IN THE CAR, AND THE ENTIRE UPPER ASSEMBLY OF THE SPRING SETUP WAS COMPLETELY TORN OFF. AFTER LOOKING CLOSE YOU SEE THAT THERE WAS QUITE A LOT OF RUST WHERE THE METAL SHOULD HAVE BEEN PROTECTED. AFTER RESEARCHING ONLINE IT IS APPARENT THAT THIS IS A VERY FREQUENT AND WELL KNOWN PROBLEM, AND THAT THE COIL SPRING PERCH WAS POORLY PROTECTED IN MY MODEL OF MERCEDES. THERE HASN'T BEEN ANY RECALL FOR THIS ISSUE. *TR

THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED TO MY 1999 MERCEDES BENZ E320 SEDAN. THE "INCIDENT" INVOLVES THE FAILURE OF THE RIGHT FRONT SPRING PERCH FAILURE. IF IT WERE NOT FOR AN INSPECTION RELATED TO ROUTINE MAINTENANCE, MY MECHANIC WAS SURE THAT A SERIOUS CATASTROPHIC FAILURE WOULD HAVE OCCURRED. FROM WHAT I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GLEEN FROM MERCEDES BENZ OWNER WEBSITES, THIS IS A FAIRLY COMMON OCCURRENCE IN THESE VEHICLES AND YET MB HAS NOT ORDERED A RECALL. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT NO PARTICULAR SPEED, THE HEADLIGHTS INTERMITTENTLY ILLUMINATE. THE CONTACT INSPECTED AND DETERMINED THIS WAS DUE TO THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION AND NO REPAIRS WERE MADE. THE HEADLIGHTS WOULD GO OUT WITH THE TURN SIGNAL OR HIGH BEAM LIGHTS WERE USED. UPDATED 03/17/06. *JB

ATTEMPTED TO START THE CAR. THE BATTERY EXPLODED. THERE WAS AN EXYREMELY LOUD NOISE AND THE CAR WAS JARRED. THE BATTERY IS LOCATED UNDER THE REAR SEAT. THIS IS WHERE THE INFANT SEATS ARE LOCATED BECAUSE THIS IS WHERE MY GRAND CHILDREN ARE REQUIRED TO RIDE. FORTUNATELY, THEY WERE NOT IN THE CAR AT THE TIME. EMERGENCY ROAD SERVICE REPLACED THE BATTERY.*AK

THE FRONT CRANKSHAFT PULLEY FLIES OFF THE FRONT OF THE ENGINE, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO LOSE POWER STEERING. I OWN A MERCEDES REPAIR SHOP. THERE HAVE PROBABLY THOUSANDS OF FAILURES AND SOMEONE WILL DIE WHEN THEY LOSE THEIR STEERING.MERCEDES IS NOT COVERING THESE FAILURESOUT OF WARRANTY. IT AFFECTS ALL V-6 ENGINES FROM 96-2003 . CALL ANY DEALER PARTS DEPT. AND ASK HOW OFTEN THEY SELL ONE.*AK

DRIVER'S SIDE POWER WINDOW WAS INOPERATIVE. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED, AND STATED THAT THE FOUR WINDOW CLUSTERS FOR ALL THE WINDOWS HAD TO BE REPLACED TO GET THE DRIVER'S SIDE WINDOW TO OPERATE. THE CONSUMER WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHY ALL FOUR WINDOW CLUSTERS HAD TO BE REPLACED. ALSO, THE POWER STEERING FLUID LEAKED FROM THE HOSES/CLAMPS, AND CONNECTORS. THE LEAKS APPEARED MORE FREQUENTLY DURING THE WINTER SEASON WHICH CAUSED THE METAL TO EXPAND. THE DEALER/MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED AT THIS TIME. *AK *SCC *JB