2001 Mercedes Benz C320

ON THE FIRST OCCASION (DECEMBER 16, 2010), MY MERCEDES C320 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM SHUT DOWN THE ENGINE WHILE I WAS DRIVING. THE CAR ENGINE SHUT OFF AS I WAS DRIVING 57 MPH ON THE FREEWAY DURING MORNING RUSH HOUR. THERE WERE SEVERAL CARS AND TRACTOR TRAILERS BEHIND ME WHEN THE CAR SHUT OFF AS I WAS DRIVING. THE INCIDENT WAS TERRIFYING, AS NO WARNING LIGHTS (NOTHING) CAME ON IN THE CAR. LUCKILY, OTHER DRIVERS SAW ME IN DISTRESS AND I WAS ABLE TO MANEUVER OVER THREE LANES OF TRAFFIC TO GET TO THE SIDE STRIP. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO PHOENIX MOTORS (MERCEDES BENZ DEALERSHIP) WHEREAS THEY INDICATED AN ELECTRICAL COMPONENT HAD GONE BAD. HOWEVER, I LATER LEARNED THIS DIAGNOSIS WAS INCORRECT, BECAUSE SEVEN MONTHS LATER THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM SHUT DOWN AGAIN AS I WAS DRIVING. ANOTHER INCIDENT TOOK PLACE WHERE I HAD NO CONTROL OVER THE CAR MOBILITY WHILE DRIVING 60MPH ON THE FREEWAY, BECAUSE THE ENGINE WENT DEAD. THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM SHUTTING DOWN THE ENGINE WITHOUT WARNING TO THE DRIVER CAN CAUSE A DEADLY CRASH. PRESENTLY (DECEMBER 21, 2011), MY CAR IS IN THE HANDS OF PHOENIX MOTORS AGAIN, HOWEVER, THEY HAVE YET TO DETERMINE WHY THE ELECTRICAL COMPONENT IS SHUTTING DOWN THE ENGINE WHILE DRIVING. I AM REQUESTING NHTSA TO INVESTIGATE THIS MATTER, BECAUSE THIS TYPE OF DEFECT HAS THE POTENTIAL TO DESTROY INNOCENT LIVES WHILE DRIVING. AN ELECTRICAL COMPONENT SHUTTING DOWN AN ENGINE WHILE DRIVING IS SERIOUS AND DEADLY. PLEASE, PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS MATTER. I WAS LUCKY IN BOTH INCIDENTS, BECAUSE AN ANGEL WAS WATCHING OVER ME. I COULD HAVE EASY BEEN INJURED OR KILLED, NOT TO MENTION OTHERS THAT COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED. IN BOTH INCIDENTS A TOW TRUCK WAS CALLED TO TOW THE VEHICLE. *KB

MALFUNCTIONING SEAT CONTROL MODULES DRAIN BATTERY IN 2001 C320 MERCEDES BENZ. NOT LONG AFTER PURCHASING THE CAR IN JANUARY 2008 WITH 51,000+ MILES, I PAID $175 DOLLARS FOR A NEW MBZ BATTERY, BEFORE ASKING DEALERSHIP TO DISCONNECT SEAT CONTROL MODULES. I WAS NOT PREPARED TO PAY $1200 TO REPLACE MODULES. JUNE 25, 2010, MY 2001 C320 STOPPED DURING A TRIP TO PHOENIX, AZ FROM CALIFORNIA, DUE TO FUEL PUMP GOING OUT. MY 79 YEAR-OLD MOTHER AND I WAITED IN 100+ DEGREE WEATHER FOR A TOW, WHICH TOOK 3 HOURS TO GET TO PHOENIX MBZ DEALERSHIP. OAKLAND SERVICE REP NEVER SUGGESTED REPLACING, ALTHOUGH THE CAR WAS SERVICED DURING THE SUGGESTED MILEAGE FOR REPLACEMENT. THE PHOENIX DEALERSHIP INITIALLY REPLACED ORIGINAL FUEL FILTER, AND NEVER THOUGHT TO CHECK IF ORIGINAL FUEL PUMP NEEDED REPLACING. ON JUNE 28, 2010, MY CAR STOPPED AGAIN ON THE RETURN TRIP TO CA, AND WE WERE TOWED BACK TO AZ, WHERE FUEL PUMP WAS REPLACED. THE INCIDENT COST ME ALMOST $2,000.00 MORE THAN I PLANNED TO SPEND, WHILE ATTENDING MY GRADUATION CEREMONIES IN ARIZONA. CONSIDERING THE EXPENSE TO MAINTAIN A MERCEDES, AS WELL AS THE COST OF THE CAR, YOU WOULD THINK THE SERVICE STAFF WOULD BE MORE PROACTIVE WITH CUSTOMER SERVICE. I SUGGEST MERCEDES CREATE A BETTER WARNING SYSTEM FOR EQUIPMENT FAILURES LIKE THE SEAT CONTROL MODULES AND FUEL PUMP. I ALSO SUGGEST MERCEDES CONSIDER LOWERING THEIR SERVICE PRICES, SO THE AVERAGE "JOANNA" CAN PAY THE MAINTENANCE TO KEEP A DEPENDABLE CAR. THE VALVE COVER GASKETS WERE LEAKING OIL AND TRANSMISSION ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR WAS LEAKING. UPDATED IVOQ 09/10/10 *TR

I ALSO HAVE A 2001 C320 SINCE NEW HERE IN SOUTH AFRICA AND I HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE ELECTRIC FRONT SEATS DRAINING THE BATTERY. IF IT STANDS FOR MORE THAN 2 DAYS THE BATTERY IS FLAT. IT'S A PROBLEM BECAUSE IT ALSO INFLUENCES THE OTHER ELECTRICAL ACCESSORIES AS THE BATTERY HAS TO BE CHARGED AND IN SOME CASES JUMP STARTED. WHILE THIS CAN BE DONE SUCCESSFULLY IF YOU ARE STUCK OUT OF HOME BASE SOMETIMES YOU CANNOT MANAGE THE RECOVERY TEAM THAT CAUSE ALL TYPES OF VOLTAGE SPIKES WHEN TRYING TO GET THE CAR ON LINE AGAIN. IT SEEMS LUDICROUS THAT A SEAT MOTOR THAT DOES NOT WORK HARD AT ALL CAN CAUSE THIS PROBLEM. REALLY NOT THE EXCELLENCE IN ENGINEERING I EXPECT FROM THIS MARQUE. HERE IS THE VIN NO [XXX] AS I CANNOT ENTER IT A FEW STEPS LATER AS IT DOES NOT ACCEPT IT. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

MERCEDES BENZ C320 2001 MODEL. POWER SEAT MODULE SHORTS AND DRAINS BATTERY. THE CONSTANT DRAW OFF THE SYSTEM COULD AT SOME POINT, CAUSE A FIRE, WHILE DRIVING OR OVER NIGHT IN GARAGE. 2 TWICE IT WAS FAILED WITHIN A 1 YR TIME FRAME. DEALER CHARGE $1000.00 TO FIX THE PROBLEM ONLY TO HAVE IT HAPPEN AGAIN. DEALER WOULD NOT SUPPLY OLD PART FOR INSPECTION. *TR

WE OWN A 2001 MERCEDES C320 AND HAVE HAD SEVERAL PROBLEMS WITH THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS ALL RELATED TO THE POWER SEAT ASSEMBLIES DRAINING THE BATTERY OVER NIGHT. WE HAVE HAD THEM REPLACED BY THE DEALER, FIRST TIME WAS UNDER WARRANTY, AND NOW- JUST ABOUT A YEAR OR SO LATER, SAME PROBLEM. IF WE UNPLUG THE POWER SEATS, THE BATTER DOES NOT DRAIN. WE KNOW WE ARE NOT THE ONLY ONES WITH THIS PROBLEM, SEE WWW.BENZWORLD.ORG/FORUMS/MB-SAFETY-TESTIMONIALS/1279095-C320-BATTERY-PROBLEM-PLZ-HELP.HTML . I AGREE THAT IT IS RIDICULOUS TO SPEND THE TYPE OF MONEY ON THIS CAR AND GET RIPPED OFF BY THE DEALERS FOR "DIAGNOSTICS" ON A VERY WELL KNOWN PROBLEM AND ALSO GETTING SHAFTED FOR REPLACEMENT PARTS, ONLY TO HAVE THEM FAIL THE SAME EXACT WAY. THIS IS A WIDESPREAD PROBLEM FOR MERCEDES, AND TO NOT ACKNOWLEDGE IT AND JUST KEEP RAPING CUSTOMERS WITHOUT FIXING THE ORIGINAL PROBLEM IS WRONG. I CAN ONLY HOPE THIS COMPLAINT WILL KEEP JUST ONE PERSON FROM PURCHASING A MERCEDES, OF ANY TYPE, IN THE FUTURE. MERCEDES NEEDS TO STEP UP AND DEAL WITH THIS. GREAT FOR THE IMAGE TO SEE MB OWNERS GETTING THEIR OVERPRICED CARS JUMP STARTED BY HONDAS AND VOLKSWAGENS...*TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 MERCEDES BENZ C320. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS, THE ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR REMAINED ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL UNTIL THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF. THE VEHICLE RESTARTED AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS AND WAS TAKEN TO THE AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS RELATED TO THE ENGINE CONTROL MODULE (ECM). THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED ACCORDING TO THE SERVICE WARRANTY. IN ADDITION, WHEN THE OUTSIDE TEMPERATURES EXCEEDED 100 DEGREES, THE VEHICLE WOULD SHUTTER. WHEN THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN PARKED FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS, THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM RAPIDLY DRAINS THE BATTERY. ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS, THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR IDENTICAL FAILURES WITHOUT RESOLUTIONS. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 1,079 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 85,000. UPDATED 2/5/09 *CN THE CONSUMER STATED THE AIR MASS SENSOR WAS REPALCED. UPDATED 02/10/09. *JB

AT 55,178 MILES (ONLY 5,000 OVER WARRANTY) I HAD TO HAVE MY FAULTY ELECTRONIC IGNITION SYSTEM REPLACED. DURING THIS REPAIR AT AN AUTHORIZED DEALERSHIP, THE TECHNICIANS BLEW OUT THE REAR SAM (COMPUTER CONTROLLING DIRECTIONAL SIGNALS, HAZARD LIGHTS, ETC), WHILE THE CAR WAS IN THEIR SHOP. THEY ATTEMPTED TO MAKE ME BELIEVE THAT THE REAR SAM FAILURE WAS AN UNDERLYING FAILURE THAT THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO DETECT WITH THE FIRST INSPECTION. HOWEVER, THIS REAR SAM FAILURE WAS NEVER DISCLOSED TO ME UNTIL AFTER THEY HAD INSTALLED THE ELECTRONIC IGNITION SYSTEM, APPROXIMATELY ONE WEEK LATER. IN OTHER WORDS, THE INITIAL INSPECTION WAS 100% ABOUT THE FAULTY ELECTRONIC IGNITION SYSTEM. IRONICALLY, THE IGNITION DID TURN ON DURING THE INITIAL INSPECTION AND I WAS THERE TO OBSERVE THE SERVICE MANAGER SCROLL THROUGH THE DISPLAY, FIND MY MILEAGE, ETC. THERE WAS NO INDICATION OF REAR SAM FAILURE ON 9/19/06, IE, VISIT WORKSHOP ON DISPLAY. NO MATTER WHAT THE CIRCUMSTANCES, HAVING ELECTRONIC ISSUES OF SUCH A MAGNITUDE (BOTH IGNITION AND REAR SAM) ON A CAR THAT HAD ONLY 55,000 MILES ON IT, INDICATES THAT MERCEDES BENZ HAS TREMENDOUS ELECTRONICS PROBLEMS. FURTHERMORE, WHILE I WAS WILLING TO PAY FOR THE ELECTRONIC IGNITION PROBLEM THAT I CAME TO THE DEALERSHIP TO FIX, I EXPECTED THE DEALERSHIP TO TAKE CARE OF THE REAR SAM FAILURE THEY CAUSED. THEY WOULD NOT OFFER TO TAKE CARE OF THIS PROBLEM. I HAVE SINCE LEARNED THAT THEY COULD HAVE AVAILED THEMSELVES OF M-B'S GOOD WILL REPLACEMENT PARTS PROGRAM FOR THE PART AND THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN OUT VERY LITTLE TIME AND MONEY. THE DEALERSHIP SUBSEQUENTLY SAID THEY DID OFFER TO TAKE CARE OF THE PROBLEM, WHICH IS A LIE! I HAVE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH BOTH THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS AND WITH MY CREDIT CARD CUSTOMER SERVICE DEPARTMENT TO SEEK REDRESS FOR THE DEALERSHIPS HANDLING OF THIS MATTER. THE CA DEPARTMENT OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS RECOMMENDED THAT I FILE A COMPLAINT WITH THE NHTS. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE LEFT LIGHT BULB WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THE WIRING HARNESS, REAR EXTERIOR LIGHT BULB, AND ADAPTER CABLE FOR THE TAIL LAMPS WERE REPLACED. THE PARK LIGHT ERROR LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE REAR LIGHT BULBS. ANOTHER, UNKNOWN, LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE DASH AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP WHO DETERMINED THE SAM MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO DETERMINED THE SAME SOLUTION. UPDATED 10/04/06. *JB