2007 Mercedes Benz C280

THIS VEHICLE SHOWS SAME SYMPTOMS AS WHAT WAS INVESTIGATED ON REPORT# VRTC-DCD-3206 BY NHTSA. UPON FILLING UP THE GAS TANK TO FULL, GAS LEAKS FROM SANDING UNIT UNDER REAR PASSENGER SEAT. FEW TIMES THE GAS HAS MADE ITS WAY OUT AND DRIPPED FROM REAR LEFT WHEEL WELL. REACHED OUT TO MB USA AND WAS TOLD THE RECALL WAS ONLY IN E-CLASS AND THEY WILL NOT EXTEND IT TO C-CLASS. I SEE THIS AS A POOR PRODUCT DESIGN AS THE CAR ONLY HAS UNDER 14,000 MILES. IT'S BOTH HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARD.

IN NOVEMBER OF 2012 MERCEDES-BENZ USA INITIATED A SERVICE CAMPAIGN THAT AFFECTED APPROX. 1,064,723 VEHICLES. THE DEFECTIVE PART WAS THE CAMSHAFT SOLENOID. MBUSA SENT THIS NOTICE TO ALL DEALERSHIPS, BUT FAILED TO NOTIFY THE VEHICLE OWNERS DIRECTLY. THEY APPARENTLY DID NOT DEEM THIS TO BE A SAFETY RECALL AND FELT NO OBLIGATION TO NOTIFY THE CONSUMER. HOWEVER, WHEN THE SOLENOID MALFUNCTIONS DUE TO THE DEFECTIVE PART IT DOES IN FACT AFFECT THE PERFORMANCE AND DRIVING ABILITY OF THE CAR. IF DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, IN WHICH IS THE CASE HERE, IT DOES BECOME A SAFETY CONCERN. IT SEEMS THAT MBUSA KNOWINGLY WITHHELD THIS INFORMATION FROM THEIR CONSUMERS. DURING THE TIME OF THEIR CAMPAIGN MY VEHICLE WAS ALSO UNDER WARRANTY AS WELL. MBUSA HAD AMPLE OPPORTUNITY TO NOTIFY THEIR CUSTOMERS OF THIS ISSUE TO HAVE IT CORRECTED. THEY NEVER ACTIVELY PROVIDED NOTICES TO CUSTOMERS DIRECTLY. DUE TO THE MALFUNCTION OF THE AFFECTED SOLENOID, MY VEHICLE HAD TO BE REPAIRED IN APRIL 2015. MY WARRANTY EXPIRED IN MARCH 2014. I HAD MY VEHICLE REPAIRED AT AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP AT A COST OF $232.93. MBUSA SHOULD BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR FAILURE TO NOTIFY THE VEHICLE OWNERS OF THIS POTENTIAL SAFETY HAZARD IF NOT CORRECTED, AS WELL AS THEY SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO REIMBURSE ANY OUT OF POCKET EXPENSES THAT WERE INCURRED AS A RESULT OF THIS ISSUE. I HAVE ATTACHED A COPY OF THE BULLETIN THAT MBUSA PROVIDED TO THEIR DEALERSHIPS, BUT AGAIN FAILED TO PROVIDE TO THE 1,064,723 CONSUMERS THAT WERE AFFECTED.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 MERCEDES BENZ C280. WHILE DRIVING HIGHWAY SPEEDS, THERE WAS A DRASTIC REDUCTION IN SPEED WITHOUT WARNING. IN ADDITION, THE RPMS RACED AND THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS NOT RESPONDING. THE CONTACT HAD TO APPLY FORCE TO THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL TO COAST THE VEHICLE OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, TURN OFF, AND RESTART THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AND THE TRANSMISSION SHAFT, SPRINGS, INTERNAL SPEED SENSOR, AND CAM SHAFT NEEDED TO BE RE-ADJUSTED TO THE CORRECT POSITION. THE CONTACT WAS NOT ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND PROVIDED NO REMEDY. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

ENGINE MOTOR MOUNTS ARE CONSTRUCTED OF UNTREATED ALUMINUM. IT IS WELL KNOWN THAT SALT WILL REACT EASILY WITH ALUMINUM, EXTENSIVE CORROSION RESULTS. THE DRIVER SIDE MOTOR MOUNT SITS IN A POCKET IN THE FRAME, WHERE BRINE CAN LAY ON IT FOR PROLONGED PERIODS. OF NOTE, MANY HIGHWAY DEPARTMENTS ARE NOW USING A BRINE MIX, INCLUDING MAGNESIUM CHLORIDE, THAT WILL REACT WITH MOISTURE IN THE AIR TO CONTINUE THE CORROSION PROCESS. A RECENT STUDY BY VOLKSWAGEN CONFIRMS THAT THIS ACCELERATES THE CORROSION PROCESS. IN APRIL OR MAY OF THIS YEAR, I HAD TO HAVE THE MOTOR MOUNTS ON MY CAR REPLACED. ONE FAILED COMPLETELY, THE OTHER WAS SEVERELY CRACKED AND NEARLY THE SAME WAY. THE ENTIRE TOP OF THE DRIVER SIDE MOUNT WAS COMPLETELY MISSING, APPARENTLY FROM CORROSION. WHAT WAS LEFT WAS WHITE POWDER. THE PASSENGER SIDE ALSO SHOWED EVIDENCE OF SIGNIFICANT CORROSION. THE MECHANIC WHO WORKED ON MY CAR SAID THAT THIS WAS A KNOWN PROBLEM, AND NOT THE FIRST HE HAD SEEN. I AM EXTREMELY CONCERNED ABOUT THIS. A COMPLETE FAILURE OF MOTOR MOUNTS COULD CAUSE A SEVERE ACCIDENT, WITH WIRING AND OR FUEL LINES BEING SHEARED, AND LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE BREAKAGE WOULD BE LIKELY TO OCCUR UPON ACCELERATION (THINK ABOUT ENTERING AN INTERSECTION) OR WHEN GOING OVER A BUMP. A COMPLAINT WAS FILED WITH MERCEDES CORPORATE OFFICES. I EXPLAINED THAT I WAS NOT LOOKING FOR ANY KIND OF FINANCIAL SETTLEMENT. I AM NOT. I WOULD LIKE THE PROBLEM ADDRESSED. IT HAS BEEN A FEW MONTHS NOW WITH NO RESPONSE. THIS SITUATION IS NOT ACCEPTABLE.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 MERCEDES-BENZ C280W. THE CONTACT STATED THAT A LOUD NOISE EMITTED FROM THE VEHICLE. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE COOLING FAN STAYED ON INDEPENDENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY A CERTIFIED MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL UNIT (ECU) NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 116,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 MERCEDES BENZ C-280.THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHERE THE RIGHT INTAKE CAM SHAFT MAGNET AND THE THERMOSTAT WAS REPLACED. ON A SEPARATE OCCASION WHILE THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 50 MPH, THE ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE WHICH WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL DEALER. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM TO BE THE BALANCE SHAFT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 94,000. THE MANUFACTURER WAS INFORMED OF THE FAILURE.

THE SMELL OF GASOLINE FUMES IS EXTREMELY STRONG AFTER FILLING THE TANK. THE INTENSE SMELL OF GASOLINE FILLS THE INTERIOR OF THE CAR AS WELL. I FEEL THAT THIS CONDITION IS UNSAFE AND PROVIDES THE POTENTIAL FOR A FIRE HAZARD. THIS CONDITION ONLY HAPPENS WHEN THE CAR IS FILLED AND LAST A DAY OR TWO. MY CAR IS IN EXCELLENT CONDITION BUT I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO PINPOINT THE CAUSE. *TR