1996 Mercedes Benz E320

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 MERCEDES BENZ E320. THE VEHICLE WAS AT THE DEALER TO HAVE THE BUMPER REPAINTED DUE TO A CRASH. THE DEALER NOTICED RUST ON THE TRUNK OF THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 111,896 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 116,772. UPDATED 07/29/08 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THERE WAS RUST ON THE VEHICLE IN 3 PLACED. UPDATED 07/29/08

I PURCHASED BOTH L & R OUTER TIE ROD ENDS (KARLYN IND INC.) FROM AUTOHAUZ AZ RECENTLY FOR MY WIFE'S W210 MERCEDES E320. I NOTICED WHILE INSTALLING THE PARTS THAT THE THREADED END OF THE CENTRE TIE ROD, WHEN ASSEMBLED TO THE REPLACEMENT PART WAS SLOPPY AND APPEARED TO BE FAR FROM A COMPATIBLE SPECIFICATION. IT WAS AS IF ONE WAS METRIC THREAD AND THE OTHER WAS IMPERIAL. IT DID SNUG WITH THE LOCKING NUT...WHICH IS NOT THE PURPOSE OF THAT NUT HOWEVER, AND I DID RELUCTANTLY INSTALL THEM.....THEY HAVEN'T EVEN LASTED A WEEK BEFORE ONE HAS FAILED AT THE BALL JOINT. THE SALE OF SUCH INFERIOR QUALITY MERCHANDISE PUT'S AT RISK INNOCENT CONSUMERS. IF THE BALL JOINT WAS TO FAIL OR THE TIE ROD SEPERATE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS THERE WOULD BE AN EVENT THST COULD EASILY LEAK TO A LOSS OF LIFE. PART WAS PURCHASED FROM AUTOHAUS AZ ON INVOICE #176606 AND MANUFACTURED BY KARYLYN INDUSTRIES INC, SOUTHFIELDS, NY 10975. *TR

MY CAR SEEM NOT TO BE STARTING ALL THE TIME WHEN I TURN THE IGNITION KEY ON. MERCEDES SERVICE INFORMED ME THAT THE WIRE HARNESS NEEDS TO BE REPLACE AND THERE ARE BARE WIRE EXPOSED AND THIS COULD BE CAUSING THE PROBLEM. THE INFORMED ME THAT THE MATERIAL WAS MADE WITH BIODEGRADABLE MATERIAL AND THAT'S WHY THIS IS OCCURRED. I INFORMED THE DEALER THAT THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD AND SHOULD BE FIXED BY MERCEDES AS A CAMPAIGN RATHER THAN CHARGE THE OWNER 1,500 DOLLARS TO FIX. THE DEALER SAID TO NOT TOUCH THE WIRE HARNESS AND EVENTUALLY THE CAR WILL STOP RUNNING. THIS IS TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE FOR A 50K PLUS CAR AND NOT TO HAVE THE MANUFACTURER TO STAND BEHIND THEIR POOR DESIGN. I AM REPORTING THIS BEFORE I HAVE A FAILURE WHICH COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT DUE TO ENGINE FAILURE AND BRAKE FAILURE DUE TO LACK OF POWER. *TR

WHEN I FOUND OUT THAT MY DEAR WIFE WAS DYING FROM ADVANCED KIDNEY FAILURE, I WENT OUT AND BOUGHT A BEAUTIFUL 1996 E 320 (FROM ITS ORIGINAL OWNER). HOWEVER, WHEN HE DECIDED TO ADVERTISE THE CAR, HE CAREFULLY PRESSURE-WASHED THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, ETC., SO IT WOULD LOOK ITS BEST. AFTER WHICH, HE COULD NOT GET THE ENGINE TO FIRE AGAIN, SO HE HAD IT TOWED TO THE LOCAL DEALER, WHO CHARGED HIM ALMOST $800 TO "DRY OFF THE SPARK PLUG WIRES, & REPLACE THE SPARK PLUG BOOTS"!!! (NOTHING WAS MENTIONED ABOUT "CRACKED WIRING, ETC.) I TOOK POSSESSION OF THE CAR RIGHT AFTER THIS FIASCO, AND NEVER GAVE IT A SECOND THOUGHT UNTIL THE CAR BEGAN TO SPUTTER AND DIE, RIGHT IN THE MIDST OF TRAFFIC, ETC.! ON AT LEAST 3 OTHER OCCASIONS, THE CAR HAS SIMPLY SHUT OFF, JUST LIKE TURNING THE IGNITION OFF! THE ORIG. OWNER SAYS IT HAS NEVER DONE THIS FOR HIM! SO I STUMBLED ONTO THE HUGE LIST OF CONSUMER COMPLAINTS ON THE DETERIORATING WIRING HARNESS ISSUES, WHICH HAVE NOT BEEN RECALLED BY MB. I HAVE ALWAYS HELD MB IN HIGHEST REGARDS, BUT FOR THEM TO KNOW ABOUT THIS, YET NOT FIX IT, IS UNFORGIVABLE! MY WIFE'S AID MUST USE THIS CAR TO DRIVE HER TO HER ROUTINE DOCTOR APPOINTMENTS, AND I CAN ONLY SAY THAT THEY'D BETTER NOT GET HURT IN THIS VEHICLE BECAUSE IT STALLS OUT WITH THEM! THEY WILL HAVE A LAWSUIT ON THEIR HANDS FOR SURE! I ONLY EXPECT THAT SUCH BLATANT FAULTY WIRING PROBLEMS SHOULD BE FIXED...NO QUESTIONS ASKED! I BELIEVE ANY AMERICAN MANUFACTURER WOULD DO SO, AND I EXPECT MB TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE TO FIX THIS HORRIFIC WELL-DOCUMENTED PROBLEM! PLEASE USE WHATEVER POWER YOU CAN MUSTER, TO HELP CONVINCE THEM TO RECTIFY THIS DEFECT! (I NO LONGER BELIEVE THE DEALER MECHANIC WHO TOLD ME THAT HE HAD NEVER HEARD OF THIS CAR DOING SUCH A THING, AND IT MUST BE A DROP OF CONDENSATION IN THE GASTANK"! I WAS INSTRUCTED TO "RUN A CAN OF INJECTOR CLEANER THRU, AND IT SHOULD FIX THE STALLING PROBLEM". HA! NOT!!!! *TR

FRONT SPRING PERCHES ARE RUSTED AT THE WELDING SEAM. IT IS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE PERCH DISLODGES AND MAY CAUSE ACCIDENT OR DEATH WHILE DRIVING. THIS IS A VITAL PART OF THE SUSPENSION/STEERING SYSTEM AND SHOULD BE RECALLED. THE BEST DEAL THE DEALERSHIP CAN GIVE IS HALF OFF REPAIR BILL. THIS IS A MANUFACTURING ISSUE AND SHOULD BE FOR FREE!!! *TR

I HAVE A 1996 E320 AND THE FIRST THING TO GO WAS THE CONDENSER FAN, WHEN YOU TURN THE AC ON ITS THE FANS THAT HELP KEEP YOUR CAR COOL, BUT THEN THAT WENT OUT AND MY CAR WOULD RUN HOT IF I CONSTANTLY RAN AC. THEN MY AC BLOWER JUST WENT OUT ONE DAY. THEN I TOOK IT TO A MERCEDES SPECIALIST AND HE NOTICED THAT THE WIRING HARNESS WAS FRAIL AND WORN. HE CALLED MY CAR A TIME BOMB AND SAID IT WOULD BE A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE IT DIED ON ME. BUT I THOUGHT THAT MERCEDES LAST A LONG TIME. AND THEN, ABOUT A MONTH LATER, MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND MY CAR BEGAN SHAKING FROM TIME TO TIME AND I LOST A LOT OF POWER TO IT. SOMETIMES I WOULD HAVE TO PULL OVER AND TURN THE CAR OFF AND THEN TURN IT BACK ON TO STOP THE SHAKING. HE ALSO SAID THAT IT WOULD COST ABOUT $1000 TO REPLACE AND THAT IT WAS A BAD DESIGN BY MERCEDES. AND LAST SATURDAY NIGHT ON MY WAY HOME, I GOT INTO MY CAR AND TRIED TO START IT, BUT NOTHING HAPPENED, I COULDN'T EVEN HEAR A CLICK AT ALL WHEN I TURNED THE KEY. I TRIED JUMP STARTING IT, AND STILL NOTHING, SO I ENDED UP HAVING TO TOW IT HOME. I CALLED THE MERCEDES SPECIALIST AGAIN AND TOLD HIM WHAT WAS WRONG AND ALL THE STEPS I TOOK, AND HE SAID MORE THAN LIKELY ITS THE WIRING HARNESS. SO NOW I HAVE A NICE LOOKING CAR JUST SITTING IN MY DRIVE WAY DOING NOTHING. POOLER, GA. *NM

HIGHWAY DRIVING 45-50 MPH WHEN THERE IS A LOUD CLUNK FROM UNDERNEATH CAR FOLLOWED BY A SLIGHT LOSS OF HANDLING LOOKED IN REARVIEW MIRROR AND SAW A SPRING LYING IN THE STREET. UPON STOPPING TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE AND RETRIEVE THE SPRING I NOTICED THE DRIVERS SIDE FRONT WAS VERY LOW. I LOOKED UNDERNEATH THE CAR AND SAW WHAT APPEARED TO BE A RUSTY MANGLED CAN. COME TO FIND OUT IT WAS THE SPRING TOP MOUNT AND IT HAD RUSTED COMPLETELY AWAY FROM THE FRAME. HAD TO HAVE VEHICLE TOWED OVER 60 MILES AWAY TO HAVE REPAIRED. HAD TO HAVE PARTS RE-WELDED AND FABRICATED AT THE SHOP TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM. *JB