2002 Mercedes Benz CL500

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS 2002 MERCEDES CL500. THE CONTACT STATED THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER FAILED AND THE GAUGES WERE UNABLE TO BE READ. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER, WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTERS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE FAILURE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 78,000.

WHILE DRIVING MY 2002 MERCEDES CL500, I NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE ENGINE BAY AND THE SMELL OF SOMETHING BURNING. UPON INSPECTION IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT A HYDRAULIC SUSPENSION HOSE RUPTURED AND SPRAYED FLUID ONTO A CATALYTIC CONVERTER. THIS RESULTED IN A LARGE AMOUNT OF SMOKE AND SMALL FLAMES STARTING TO APPEAR RIGHT BEFORE THE PASSENGER SIDE ENGINE BAY WAS HOSED DOWN WITH WATER. THE MERCEDES DEALERSHIP ADVISED THIS WAS A KNOWN ISSUE AND A RECALL WAS ISSUED/PERFORMED BACK IN 2005/2007. MERCEDES ADVISED ME NO FURTHER WORK WOULD BE DONE UNDER THE RECALL. I AM REPORTING THIS TO NHTSA AS THIS IS A DANGEROUS SAFETY RELATED RECURRING DEFECT REPORTED ON MANY WEBSITES/FORUMS, YET MERCEDES REFUSES TO TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION TO PERMANENTLY RESOLVE IT. *TR