2001 Mercedes Benz C320

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

WHILE OPERATING ON THE HIGHWAY AND IN TRAFFIC, THE VEHICLE STALLS SUDDENLY AND WITHOUT WARNING BECAUSE OF A 'CRANK POSITION SENSOR'. THE SENSOR IS A MAGNET WHICH, WHEN IT DETERMINES THE CRANKSHAFT IS OUT OF ALIGNMENT, ABRUPTLY SHUTS DOWN THE FUEL SYSTEM. SUBSEQUENT MODELS OF THIS MANUFACTURERS PRODUCT DO NOT ALLOW THE SENSOR TO DO THIS, BUT RATHER INDICATE A POSSIBLE PROBLEM WITH A WARNING LIGHT. THIS SENSOR SYSTEM IS EXTREMELY HAZARDOUS AND COULD RESULT IN SIGNIFICANT INJURY. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 MERCEDES BENZ C320. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO START THE VEHICLE AND FAILED. THE DEALER REMOVED THE FUEL PUMP AND FOUND THAT THE PLASTIC COMPONENT MELTED. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT HE HAD NEVER SEEN THIS TYPE OF FAILURE AND IT COULD POSSIBLY CAUSE AN EXPLOSION. THE MECHANIC ORDERED A NEW FUEL PUMP, AND DISCOVERED THAT MERCEDES WAS USING A NEW TYPE OF WIRING CONNECTION THAT LINKED THE FUEL PIPE TO THE ELECTRICAL CONNECTION. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 76,000. *AK UPDATED 06/08/07. *JB