1999 Mercedes Benz E300

THE FRONT RIGHT COIL SPRING PERCH FAILED DUE TO RUST WHICH CAUSED THE SUSPENSION TO DROP TO THE GROUND ON THAT SIDE. THE COIL SPRING FELL OUT AND ROLLED DOWN THE STREET. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO A WELDER AND FIXED THE PERCH. THIS LUCKILY HAPPENED ON A LOW SPEED ROAD, WHERE I COULD SAFELY PULL OVER WITH A BOTTOMED OUT SUSPENSION. THE CAR WAS TRAVELLING STRAIT DURING THE INCIDENT.

MY FRONT LEFT CONTROL ARM SHEARED OFF JUST AFTER PULLING OFF THE HIGHWAY. LUCKILY, I WAS PARKING THE VEHICLE WHEN IT RIPPED OFF. I WAS TRAVELLING AT 65 MPH MINUTES BEFORE COMPLETE FAILURE. THE STEERING DID FEEL STRANGE ON THE HIGHWAY BEFORE. THIS EVEN RESULTED IN THE FRONT WHEEL DISCONNECTING FROM THE CAR COMPLETELY. A QUICK EXAMINATION OF THE SUSPENSION ASSEMBLY REVEALED THAT THE CONTROL ARM SHEARED COMPLETELY OFF AT THE WELD OF THE LOWER BALL JOINT. THE CONTROL ARM SHEARED WHILE THE CAR WAS IN REVERSE, BACKING INTO A PARKING SPACE. THE VEHICLE HAD 129,273 MILES ON IT WHEN THE INCIDENT OCCURRED. 1999 MERCEDES-BENZ E300 TURBODIESEL.

1999 MERCEDES BENZ E-300. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE SUSPENSION COLLAPSE. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED THE SUSPENSION COLLAPSED AFTER HITTING A BUMP IN THE ROAD. HE AND HIS WIFE HEARD A FEW LOUD THUDS, A FEW SECONDS APART AS SOME THINGS STRUCK THE BOTTOM OF THE VEHICLE. WHEN THE CONSUMER REMOVED THE TIRE AND EXAMINED THE VEHICLE, HE COULD SEE THE LEFT FRONT SPRING PERCH WAS RIPPED LOOSE WHERE THE SPOT WELDING WAS WEAKENED BY RUST. HE COULD ALSO SEE THAT THE SPRING, TOGETHER WITH ANY RELATED HARDWARE, WAS MISSING. THE CONSUMER BELIEVED THE SEALING MATERIAL WAS NOT CAPABLE OF KEEPING WATER OUT OF THE SPOT WELD AREA. INSTEAD, MOISTURE WAS RETAINED IN THE SPOT WELD AREA, ALLOWING RUST TO FORM. THE RUST EVENTUALLY BROKE THE SPOT WELD. WHEN THE SPOT WELD FAILED, THE SPRING NO LONGER SUPPORTED THE VEHICLE AND THE SUSPENSION COLLAPSED. JB

1999 MERCEDES BENZ E300TD FAULTY UPPER COIL SPRING SUPPORT DESIGN. MY VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN A GROCERY STORE PARKING LOT WHEN THE LEFT UPPER SPRING MOUNT SIMPLY COLLAPSED. THE CAR DROPPED DOWN AND THE COIL SPRING FELL OFF.IT HAD TO BE TOWED TO A REPAIR FACILITY AS IT WAS RENDERED INOPERABLE. MOMENTS EARLIER I HAD BEEN AT 70 MPH DOWN THE HIGHWAY.I FEEL EXTREMELY LUCKY TO BE ALIVE! HAD THIS HAPPENED WHILE I WAS TRAVELING AN ACCIDENT INVESTIGATOR WOULD BE FILING THIS REPORT. I DID NOTHING UNUSUAL TO CAUSE THIS EVENT.THE VEHICLE HAS ABOUT 151,000 MILES ON IT AND THESE VEHICLES ARE CLAIMED TO BE ABLE TO LAST FOR 400-500,000 MILES. I HAVE READ ON THE INTERNET THAT THIS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS VINTAGE OF MERCEDES VEHICLES. LOOKING AT THE DESIGN, THE MATERIAL HAS NO CORROSION ALLOWANCE FOR A PART THAT IS LOCATED IN AN AREA THAT IS SUBJECT TO A DAMP ENVIRONMENT. IT IS EXTREMELY THIN AND THE METHOD OF ATTACHMENT ENCOURAGES RUSTING, EXACERBATING THE PROBLEM. FOR ME, THE CONSEQUENCES WERE INCONVENIENCE AND FINANCIAL LOSS. OTHERS MAY NOT BE SO FORTUNATE, AND THAT IS WHY I BRING IT TO YOUR ATTENTION. MANY OTHERS HAVE ALSO COMPLAINED TO YOU REGARDING THIS SITUATION. I HAD THE VEHICLE REPAIRED AND DROVE IT HOME, AS I WAS 900 MILES AWAY WHEN THIS HAPPENED. I HAVE THE OLD PART IN MY POSSESSION AND AM PROCEEDING TO REPLACE THE RIGHT SIDE BRACKET AS A PRECAUTION. PLEASE ACT ON THIS COMPLAINT BEFORE SOMEONE IS KILLED. *TR

THE BRAKE LIGHT CAME ON THAT SAID BRAKE FLUID IS BELOW MINIMAL CHECK . I CHECKED AND ADDED BRAKE FLUID. THE NEXT DAY WHILE DRIVING THE LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN. I CONTACTED ATLANTA CLASSIC CARS, HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED. I WAS TOLD THAT THE ABS/ASR HYDRAULIC UNIT WAS LEAKING. UPON RESEARCHING I CAME UPON SOME INFORMATION THAT IS RELATED TO MY SITUATION. THE COST TO REPLACE THE SYSTEM WAS 2048.30, THERE WAS A RECALL OF THE E-CLASS IN FOREIGN COUNTRIES WHERE THE VEHICLE IS USED AS A TAXI CAB. THE SERVICE ADVISOR TOLD ME THAT THIS SITUATION HAD NEVER OCCURRED. MY VEHICLE IS A 1999 -E 300 DW WITH 167,755 MILES I HAVE HAD ALL SERVICES DONE BY AUTHORIZED MERCEDES-BENZ DEALERS. I AM REGISTERING THIS COMPLAINT BASED ON A LETTER DATED APRIL 30, 2004 FROM MERCEDES-BENZ USA. PART 579 FOREIGN DEFECT REPORT . *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 MERCEDES BENZ 300E. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO PUT THE VEHICLE INTO GEAR, SHE HEARD A GRINDING NOISE. SHE PULLED OVER AND TRIED TO SHIFT INTO REVERSE AND WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. AFTER TURNING THE VEHICLE OFF SHE WAS ABLE TO SHIFT INTO REVERSE; HOWEVER, THE GRINDING NOISE CONTINUED AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED SERVICE MECHANIC AND THEN TO DEALER. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS FULL OF SHAVINGS AND TO INSTALL A REBUILT TRANSMISSION. THE OWNER'S MANUAL INDICATED THAT FLUID CHECKS AND CHANGES FOR TRANSMISSION WERE NOT REQUIRED AS THE DIPSTICK WAS OMITTED. IN 2005 THE DEALER GAVE HER DOCUMENT S100.20-P-0022A WHICH INDICATED THAT FLUID CHECKS AND CHANGES WERE REQUIRED. HER CONCERN WAS THAT SHE WAS NOT UPDATED WITH THE NEW DOCUMENT WHICH MAY HAVE PREVENTED THE TRANSMISSION FAILURE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 115,000.

FUEL LINE LEAKS X4. 1999 MERCEDES 300 TD. STARTING IN FEB. 03 FIRST FUEL LINE LEAK. CAR WOULD NOT START TOWED TO DEALER. FUEL LINE REPLACED. TWICE AGAIN IN MARCH OF 03, FUEL LINE LEAKS. REPAIRED BY DEALER. NOV.23 05, CAR CAME TO A STOP WHILE DRIVING. CAR TOWED TO DEALER. FUEL LINE LEAK DIAGNOSED. ALL FUEL LINES AND CUT OFF SWITCH REPLACED. PARTS NOT AVAILABLE. *JB