2001 Mercedes Benz C320

AFTER REPLACING MY BATTERY I LEARNED ON LINE THAT THE MERCEDES HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THEIR SEATS WHERE THEY DRAIN THE BATTERY AND CANNOT HOLD A CHARGE. AFTER HAVING MY CAR JUMP STARTED 5 TIMES I TOOK IT TO MY MECHANIC WHO CONFIRMED IT WAS BEING DRAINED BY THE SEATS....MAKES NO SENSE. HOWEVER, APPARENTLY IT IS HAPPENING TO MANY PEOPLE WITH THIS YEAR AND MAKE OF CAR. MERCEDES IS NOT STANDING BEHIND THEIR DEFECTIVE PRODUCT. THIS IS NOT OK.... *TR

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

ACCELERATOR PEDAL WENT FULL THROTTLE AT STOP LIGHT,TESTED AND HAD A FAULTY ELECTRONIC ACCELERATOR PEDAL DEALER AND MERCEDES BENZ REFUSED ANY WARRANTY REPAIR AND WERE NOT INTERESTED IN SEEING THE FAULTY PART. I HAVE KEPT THE FAULTY PART PENDING FURTHER INVESTIGATION. I AM UPSET THAT TOYOTA MUST FIX A DANGEROUS SITUATION BUT MERCEDES GETS AWAY WITH IT,AS I KNOW A FRIEND WITH A 2000 S430 THAT HAD THE EXACT SAME FAULT. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 MERCEDES C320 EQUIPPED WITH A ACTIVHEAT SEAT COVER, MODEL NUMBER: 6HCSBL24, BATCH CODE 21010B. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE RECEIVED THE NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 11E014000 (EQUIPMENT) RECALL NOTICE IN THE MAIL. THE CONTACT COMPLIED WITH THE INSTRUCTIONS AND CALLED THE MANUFACTURER TO FIND OUT THE STATUS, BUT THE MANUFACTURER WAS UNRESPONSIVE AND THE CONTACT HAD NOT RECEIVED A NEW SEAT COVER.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 MERCEDES BENZ C320. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE BRAKES ENGAGED AND THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO LOSE CONTROL. WITHIN A FEW MOMENTS THE BRAKE RELEASED AND THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO CONTINUE DRIVING. AN ESP SYSTEM LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL DURING THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE RECURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING OR TO BE REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 121,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 131,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

I HAVE 2001 MERCEDES-BENZ C320 SEDAN. I HAVE LEARNED THAT THIS PARTICULAR MODEL HAS A FACTORY DEFECTIVE ELECTRONIC PASSENGER SEAT MODULE WHICH CAUSE THE BATTERY TO BE DRAINED VERY QUICKLY. I CALLED THE COMPANY TO REQUEST TO FIX THIS PROBLEM.THEY DENIED TO DO SO. I BELIEVE THIS MODEL IS LEMON. AS SOON AS PASSENGER SEAT MODULE IS DISCONNECTED THE BATTERY IS HOLDING CHARGE, I CAN START CAR RIGHT AWAY. *TR

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

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 MERCEDES C320. WHILE DRIVING 68 MPH WITHOUT WARNING THE VEHICLE STALLED, LOST POWER AND WAS UNABLE TO CONTROL THE STEERING WHEEL. HE WAS ABLE TO DROVE ONTO THE EMERGENCY LANE USING A LOT OF FORCE. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TOWED TO A MERCEDES DEALER WHERE THEY DIAGNOSIS INDICATED THAT THERE WAS A FAULTY CRANK POSITION SENSOR AND THE COMPUTER SHUT DOWN THE VEHICLE. THE FAULTY SENSOR WAS REPLACED AT THE OWNERS EXPENSE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 31,151 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 35,488. UPDATED 3/30/10 *CN THE FIRST TIME THE VEHICLE STALLED, THE MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR WAS REPLACED. UPDATED 06/25/10.*JB