2003 Mercedes Benz C230

THE 2003 MERCERDES BENZ 300C ENGINE SUDDENLY CAUGHT ON FIRE WHILE DRIVING IT TO WORK. THE CAR STALLED, FLAMES SHOOT OUT THE FRONT HOOD, THE CAR WOULD NOT RESTART, SO I COASTED TO THE FIRM. I OPENED THE HOOD TO SEE BLUE FLAMES SHOOPT 20 FEET IN THE AIR. A PASSERBY TRIED TO PUT OUT THE FIRWE UNSUCESSFULLY WITH A FIRE EXTIQUISHER. THE FLAMES GOT HOTTER AND SHOT 60 FEET IN THE AIR, AND POLICE AND FIRE DEPARTMENT RESPONDED AND WERE FINALLY ABLE TO PUT OUT THE FIRE . THE ENGINE BLOCK MELTED DOWN ,AND THERE WAS A LARGE HOLE BURNT INTO THE PASENGER SPACE. THE CAR WAS TOTALED. I WROTE MERCEDES BENZ, AND THEY WERE BEING NONRESPONSIVE. I HAVE PHOTOS OF THE MELTED ENGINE BLOCK AND THE LARGE HOLE BURNED INTO THE PASENGER SPACE THROUGH THE ENGINE FIREWALL. *AK

2003 MERCEDES C230- PURCHASED NEW- BOUGHT EXTENDED WARRANTY. HAVE FOLLOWED MAINTENANCE PROGRAM RELIGIOUSLY. LAST B SERVICE WAS DEC 4TH-$900.00 ON DEC 27- CAR COMPLETELY DIED & SMOKE COMING OUT THE BACK- COOLANT LIGHT ON. TOWED TO CLOSEST DEALER- THEY CAN'T TELL ME WHY IT HAPPENED BUT- THE SPARK PLUGS SOAKED W/COOLANT, #2 PLUG SMASHED ON TOP, #2 CYLINDER INTAKE VALVE BENT & BROKEN. #2 &4 PISTONS DAMAGED. EVEN THOUGH EXTENDED WARRANTY IS UP- MERCEDES WILL NOT STAND BEHIND THE CAR- SAY CAN NOT PIN POINT A MFG DEFECT EVEN THOUGH THIS RARELY HAPPENS EVEN WITH HIGH MILES- MERCEDES BENZ USUALLY CAN GET WELL OVER 200,000 MILES. NOW COST IS $8,000 TO PUT IN REBUILT MOTOR OR $11,000 TO REPAIR DAMAGED ONE- SOMETHING HAD TO CAUSE THIS- THERE WERE POSTS ON YOUR SITE FROM 2003 REGARDING ENGINE & COOLING ISSUES BUT COULD NOT FIND MORE DETAILED INFO- NHTSA ITEM# 10002965- DO YOU HAVE MORE INFO OR GIVE ME ADVICE? *JB

DT: THE CONTACT STATES THE AIRBAG SYSTEM FAILED TWICE IN THE PAST TEN MONTHS. THE ONBOARD COMPUTER SAID SRS WARNING DID NOT DRIVE AT THAT TIME,. THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. THERE WAS A CODE RESET IN THE COMPUTER. THIS HAPPENED AGAIN, AND THEY REPLACED A FUSE BOX IN THE DASHBOARD. THE GAS GAUGE HAS ALSO GONE OUT TWICE IN ONE MONTH. THE DEALERSHIP DRAINED THE GAS AND RESET A COMPUTER CODE. WHEN IT HAPPENED AGAIN THEY HAD TO REPLACE A PART IN THE GAS TANK AND RESET THE COMPUTER CODE AGAIN. BOTH ITEMS WERE WORKING CORRECTLY AT THIS TIME.*AK

I AM THE OWNER OF A C-230 4 DOOR SEDAN VIN#[XXX]. I HAVE AN ISSUE THAT I WAS LOOKING INTO ADDRESSING WHEN ANOTHER MAJOR ISSUE JUST AROSE THAT I NEED HELP FROM THE MANUFACTURER WHO I HAVE CONTACTED BUT NOT RECEIVED A RESPONSE. 1) LAST WEEK I DECIDED TO QUOTE INSURANCE AND MAKE A CHANGE TO ALLSTATE. ONCE THEY PUT IN THE VIN# MAJOR ISSUES CAME. THE PRICE WAS WAY DIFFERENT THEN WHAT I WAS PAYING WITH MERCURY. TO MAKE THIS SHORT, AFTER TALKING TO MY BROKER AT MERCURY, IT TURNS OUT MY 4 DOOR HAS THE VIN# OF A 2 DOOR COUPE. I CALLED BEVERLY HILLS LTD WHERE I PURCHASED THE CAR NEW. THEY DID NOTHING. I HAVE THE ORIGINAL TEMP REGISTRATION FROM THE DAY I PURCHASED THE CAR NEW, AND THE DEALER TYPED COUPE NOT FOUR DOOR AND ON THE LEASE AGREEMENT. I DID NOT NOTICE THIS. HERE ARE MY ISSUES. THE COUPE IS MORE EXPENSIVE ON INSURANCE - I HAVE BEEN OVERPAYING SINCE 2/2003. 2ND, AM I PAYING A FAIR LEASE RATE IF THE VIN# IS FOR ANOTHER BODY STYLE. THIS CAR HAS BEEN NOTHING BUT NIGHTMARE TO DEAL WITH SINCE THE DAY I PURCHASED IT. IT HAS BEEN SERVICED 8 TIMES, TRANSMISSION WORK, 2 COMPUTERS, CAMSHAFT, NEW RADIO, IDLE ISSUES, BRAKE SYSTEM FAILED, AND SO ON. IT'S A COMPLETE LEMON. IT IS GOING IN NEXT WEEK AGAIN. I HAVE ONLY 21,000 ON THE CAR, AND DRIVE MY 2ND CAR MORE A 79 300SD MERCEDES AS IT IS MORE RELIABLE THEN THIS NEW CAR. I NEED SOMEWHERE, SOMEONE TO GO TO, ANY INFORMATION WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. THANKS SO MUCH, [XXX] - PHONE OR EMAIL *JB UPDATED 07/18/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NEW CAR DIED IN MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. VEHICLE STALLED WHEN COMING TO A STOP. *BF THE CONSUMER BELIEVES THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO STALL DIE TO FAULTY ENGINEERING OF THE VACUUM AND COMPRESSION SYSTEMS. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TAKEN TO THE DEALER FIVE TIMES FOR THIS PROBLEM BUT NO MATTER HOW MANY TIMES THE PARTS WERE REPLACED THE VEHICLE CONTINUES TO STALL. THE DEALER REPLACED BROKEN VACUUM HOSE, BRAKE BOOSTER HOSE AND OXYGEN SENSOR. *NM

A YEAR AGO, I BROUGHT A C230 COMPRESSOR AT MERCEDES-BENZ AND SINCE THEN, I HAD TO REPAIR MY A/C TWICE, THE ABS LIGHT HAS BEEN FIXED TWICE IN ONE WEEK, AND NOW MY TRANSMISSION IS ACTING OUT. ALTHOUGH I HAVE BROUGHT MY CAR IN A GREAT DEAL, THE PROBLEM(S) STILL EXIST. IN ONE MONTH ALONE, I BROUGHT MY CAR IN ABOUT 3 TIMES TO FIX ALMOST THE SAME PROBLEM(S). MY LAST VISIT WAS THIS PAST WEEK, AND JUST TODAY, I GOT MY CAR BACK AND THE TRANSMISSION STILL FEELS FUNNY. IT JERKS WHEN I STEP ON THE ACCELERATOR AND FOR SOME REASON, I FEEL MORE UNSAFE NOW THEN BEFORE.*AK