2006 Mercedes Benz CLS500

I WAS ENTERING ONTO A HIGHWAY (100). AT THE POINT OF THE HIGHWAY I WAS ENTERING(FROM CTY RD 81) IT OPENS THE HIGHWAY TO A 3RD LANE ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY. AT THE SAME PLACE IT OPENS THE HIGHWAY UP, THERE IS AN IMMEDIATE EXIT(42ND AVE). AS I AM ACCELERATING TO HIGHWAY SPEEDS, JUST PRIOR TO THE NEW LANE AVAILABILITY THAT DRIVERS MUST ENTER TO GET OFF ON 42ND, MY CAR STARTS CHIMING AND THERE'S A RED WARNING ON MY DASH THAT STATES "STOP, REDUCED BRAKING POWER. DEPRESS BRAKE FULLY." OR SOMETHING QUITE SIMILAR. THERE IS NO SHOULDER, I'M GOING LIKE 10 MPH, TERRIFIED. PEOPLE ARE HONKING AND TRYING TO GET OVER TO GET OFF ON 42ND AVE IN A LANE WHERE I'M GOING 10 MPH AND THEY WERE AT A SPEED OF APPROX 60 MPH(POSTED HWY SPEED). AS I LIMP MY CAR PAST THIS EXIT TO A SHOULDER I THEN ATTEMPT TO BRAKE AND HAVE NO BRAKING POWER. I EVENTUALLY ROLLED TO A STOP. TURNED MY VEHICLE OFF TO DETERMINE MY NEXT MOVE. I TURNED THE VEHICLE BACK ON TO SEE WHAT EXACTLY THE WARNING LIGHT SAID- THERE WAS NOTHING THERE. TESTED MY BRAKES A LITTLE ON THE SHOULDER AND THEY WERE FINE. I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE REST OF THE WAY TO MY DESTINATIONS WITHOUT ANY PROBLEMS. THIS HAS SINCE OCCURRED A COUPLE MORE TIMES. THROUGH A TRIP TO THE MECHANIC AND THOROUGH RESEARCH IT IS DETERMINED THE PROBLEM LIES IN MY SENSOTRONIC BRAKE PUMP. THIS IS A PUMP THAT MERCEDES WARRANTIED FOR 10 YEARS DUE TO THIS ISSUE. THIS WILL OCCUR TO ALL OTHER DRIVERS OF THIS VEHICLE THAT HAVEN'T HAD THIS PART REPLACED. I NEVER KNEW OF THE SAFETY ISSUE WITH THE BRAKING SYSTEM UNTIL THIS PROBLEM OCCURRED. I WOULD HAVE REPLACED IT YEARS AGO (UNDER WARRANTY AT THE TIME OF REPLACEMENT). MY CHILDREN'S LIVES, MY LIFE, AND THE LIVES OF ALL THE DRIVERS ON THE HIGHWAY THAT MORNING WERE PLACED AT SEVERE RISK. THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN RECALLED AND STILL SHOULD FOR ALL OF THE OTHER UNSUSPECTING DRIVERS- FOR THEIR SAFETY AND OTHERS ON THE ROAD.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MERCEDES-BENZ CLS500. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, A MESSAGE APPEARED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL STATING THAT THE BRAKE SYSTEM HAD MALFUNCTIONED AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP. THE DRIVER STOPPED THE VEHICLE AND SHUT OFF THE ENGINE. AFTER RESTARTING THE VEHICLE, THE MESSAGE RE-APPEARED. IN ADDITION, WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE, THE SPEEDOMETER WOULD DISPLAY INACCURATE SPEEDS. THE FAILURES WERE NOT DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES, BUT NO ASSISTANCE WAS OFFERED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 05V133000 (SERVICE BRAKES) AND 08V303000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED THE SAME FAILURES LISTED IN THE RECALLS. THE LOCAL DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

I OWN A 2006 MERCEDES-BENZ CLS 500 4 DOOR I TOOK TO MB DEALER TO CHECK FOR ANY OPEN RECALL ON SBC BREAKS AND THE THE ANSWER BY MB WAS THAT MY VEHICLE MANUFACTURE DATE WAS PAST THE RECALL ON THE BREAKS. MY VEHICLE THAT I PAY TOP MONEY IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE, IS PARKED INTO MY GARAGE FOR ALMOST 12 MONTHS, I KEEP LOOKING FOR SALE AND WHEN THE MB DEALER SEE THE BRAKE RED LIGHT ON DASH, THEY WALK AWAY WITH LESS THAN $ 3,000 DOLLARS FOR MY VEHICLE THAT I PAID $ 18,000. MB ESTIMATED AROUND $ 4700 TO FIX MY VEHICLE. THE SBC MODULE NEEDS TO BE REPLACE COMPLETE TO BE REPROGRAM AGAIN AND BE A SAFE DRIVE VEHICLE. MY WIFE E-500 ALSO HAVE THE SAME ISSUES AND THEY SAID THE SAME, BUT DOE S NOT SHOW ANY RECALLS ON THE SBC MODULE. JUST WONDERING WHY MB DO NOT FIX THE PROBLEM AND LET THE OWNERS LIKE ME CONTINUE ON THE MB FAMILY.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MERCEDES-BENZ CLS500. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE ABS WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKES FAILED TO ENGAGE AND WAS FORCED TO DRIVE OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD IN ORDER TO STOP THE VEHICLE FROM CRASHING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 103,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MERCEDES BENZ CLS500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS AND ATTEMPTING TO DEPRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL, IT TRAVELED TO THE FLOORBOARD CAUSING A GREATER STOPPING DISTANCE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE NEARLY CAUSED ACCIDENTS ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE SENSOTRONIC BRAKE CONTROL HYDRAULIC PUMP HAD FAILED AND WOULD NEED TO BE REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 177,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MERCEDES BENZ CLS500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL AT 70 MPH, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO STOP AND THE REDUCE BRAKE ERROR MESSAGE DISPLAYED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO AVOID AN ACCIDENT. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE HYDRAULIC PUMP AND THE SBC BRAKE SYSTEM FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND MENTIONED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY SERVICED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 05V133000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 107,500.

THIS VEHICLE IS EQUIPPED WITH SENSOTRONIC BRAKE CONTROL THAT HAS A SERVICE THRESHOLD. WHEN THIS THRESHOLD IS REACHED THE BRAKE SYSTEM DEFAULTS TO NON POWER ASSISTED HYDRAULIC MODE TO THE FRONT WHEELS ONLY. THIS OCCURS WITHOUT ANY PRIOR WARNING AND RESULTS IN INCREASED STOPPING DISTANCE. I HAVE SENT A COPY OF THE MERCEDES SERVICE BULLETIN S142.46-P-0012A WHICH ADDRESSES THIS ISSUE. MERCEDES STOPPED INSTALLING THIS SYSTEM IN 2006. AT THE VERY LEAST, MERCEDES SHOULD ISSUE A MANDATORY RECALL TO INTERROGATE THESE VEHICLES WITH STAR DAS TO DETERMINE HOW CLOSE TO THE SERVICE THRESHOLD THE SBC UNIT IS AND REPLACE THEM AT THE DEALER'S EXPENSE. THE WARRANTY HAS BEEN EXTENDED TO 10 YEARS, UNLIMITED MILEAGE, SO MB KNOWS OF THE DEFECT. UNFORTUNATELY, MANY VEHICLES ARE OUTSIDE THIS 10-YEAR WINDOW, YET THE PROBLEM SHOULD BE FIXED. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MERCEDES BENZ CLS500. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE "BRAKING POWER INSUFFICIENT" WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT HAD TO DEPRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL TO THE FLOORBOARD IN ORDER TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 86,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MERCEDES CLS500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE BELIEVES THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN RECALL NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 05V133000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC). THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THE SBC UNIT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED BUT WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THE RECALL. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THE ONLY PART COVERED WAS THE SBC PUMP. THE CONTACT WAS WAITING TO HEAR BACK FROM THE MANUFACTURER FOR POSSIBLE ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 59,767.

DRIVING AT STEADY SPEED, TRIED TO BRAKE- BRAKE PEDAL SANK TO THE FLOOR, DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT WHEEL LOCKED UP- NO APPARENT BRAKING ACTUALLY HAPPENED, DESPITE PRESSING ON THE BRAKE PEDAL. LOCKING UP OF DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT WHEEL CAUSED TOTAL LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL, CAUSING A 360 DEGREE SPIN. CAR MALFUNCTIONED AFTERWARDS, COULD NOT DRIVE UNTIL TURNED OFF THE ENGINE AND RESTARTED THE CAR. THERE WERE NO WARNING LIGHTS AFTERWARD- NO BRAKE LIGHT, NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, NO ERROR MESSAGE IN THE DASHBOARD RELATING TO BRAKE FAILURE. *TR