1997 Mercedes Benz E320

ON NOVEMBER 19TH, 2014, WHILE STOPPED ON HABANA AT MLK, JR. BLVD. IN TAMPA, FLORIDA, WITHOUT ANY WARNING WHATSOEVER, A VERY LOUD "EXPLOSION" OCCURRED INSIDE MY CAR AND THERE WAS INSTANT PRESSURE ON MY CHEST. FROM THE NOISE AND THE PRESSURE, I THOUGHT I'D BEEN SHOT, BUT THEN REALIZED NEITHER I NOR THE CAR WAS STRUCK BY ANYTHING! I LOOKED AT THE DRIVERS ON EITHER SIDE OF ME (NOBODY BEHIND ME) TO SEE IF THEY HAD HEARD OR SEEN ANYTHING, BUT NOBODY WAS LOOKING MY WAY, SO IT WAS OBVIOUS THEY HAD NOT HEARD OR SMELLED ANYTHING (BURNING ODOR" EMANATING FROM SOMEWHERE IN THE CAR). I FELT PAIN IN MY CHEST & BACK/SHOULDER, AND WAS SHAKING, BUT SINCE I WAS ON MY WAY TO THE DOCTOR ANYWAY, I PROCEEDED TO HER OFFICE FOR MY APPOINTMENT. IMMEDIATELY AFTER, I WENT TO THE MERCEDES DEALERSHIP (NO SEAT BELT), WHERE I LEFT THE VEHICLE TO BE REPAIRED. THEY ACTED AS THOUGH THIS KIND OF THING HAPPENS EVERY DAY - NOBODY EVEN ASKED IF I WAS OK; NOR DID ANYONE DISCUSS THE OBVIOUS "MALFUNCTION" THAT HAD JUST OCCURRED. I WAS LATER ADVISED THIS HAPPENED BECAUSE THE "COMPUTER" THOUGHT I WAS ABOUT TO CRASH! NOW, THE CAR NEEDS A NEW SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY AND AN SRS CONTROL UNIT/TOTAL PRICE ~$3,000! I TOLD MY SERVICE GUY (DR) THAT THEY NEED TO PAY FOR THESE REPAIRS, THAT THIS WAS OBVIOUSLY A MALFUNCTION/DEFECT IN THE CAR. I WAS TOLD THIS IS NOT THE DEALERSHIP'S CONCERN, THAT I NEED TO CONTACT MERCEDES BENZ, WHICH I DID. I AM WRITING THIS ON DECEMBER 6TH, 17 DAYS AFTER LEAVING MY CAR AT THE DEALERSHIP. I AM SHOCKED BY THE LACK OF CUSTOMER SERVICE FROM MBUSA - THE CUSTOMER SERVICE GIRL AT MB WOULD NOT EVEN GIVE ME HER SUPERVISOR'S FULL NAME OR CONTACT INFO.! *****NOTE: THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THIS EXACT ISSUE ON MY EXACT MODEL, WHICH NEITHER THE DEALER NOR MBUSA HAS MENTIONED YET!!***** UNFORTUNATELY, I AM FORCED TO RETAIN COUNSEL. *TR

ONE DAY I NOTICED THAT THE FRONT LEFT TIRE SEEMED TO BE LOW. AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS OF FILLING THE TIRE, ONE DAY I DECIDED TO FURTHER INVESTIGATE WHAT IS THE CAUSE OF THIS ISSUE (TIRE WAS FINE). I QUICKLY CAME TO REALIZE THAT MY LOWER CONTROL ARM WAS NOT ONLY CRACKED BUT ALSO BENT OUT OF SHAPE. ADDITIONALLY I FOUND THAT THE UPPER HOUSING OF THE COIL (SPRING) WAS LITERALLY PEELING OFF THE BODY OF THE VEHICLE THUS CAUSING THE ADDED PRESSURE TO THE LOWER CONTROL ARM WHERE THE SPRING SITS. I WENT TO A LOCAL BODY SHOP AND GOT A QUOTE FROM THE TECH THERE. IT COST ME JUST OVER $1,100 TO FIX IT WITH A WELDED PLATE ONTO THE SIDE OF THE WHEEL WELL (TO REINFORCE THE HOUSING OF THE COIL (SPRING) PLUS CHANGING THE LOWER CONTROL ARM. I DID NOT DARE TAKE THIS VEHICLE TO A MB DEALER FOR REPAIRS. THEY WERE QUOTING ME $5100 TO FIX THE ISSUE (WELL MORE THEN WHAT THE CAR IS WORTH). IT'S A SHAME TO KNOW THIS MANY PEOPLE HAVE MADE COMPLAINTS BUT YET THIS ISSUE HAS NOT BEEN TURNED INTO A RECALL. BASED ON WHAT I'VE READ, I'M STUNNED AT HOW MANY INCIDENTS HAVE OCCURRED AND NOT 1 PERSON HAS BEEN INJURED OR WORSE KILLED! THOSE COILS(SPRINGS) ARE UNDER A LOT OF PRESSURE AND HAVING ONE THIS THING FLYING AROUND IS NOT A JOKE! SAD TO SAY BUT SOON ENOUGH SOMEONE WILL GET HURT AND THEN MAYBE THIS WILL TURN INTO A RECALL. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 MERCEDES BENZ E320. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, SHE HEARD A LOUD BANGING SOUND. THE CONTACT ASSUMED A TIRE HAD BLOWN HOWEVER, UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION SHE NOTICED THAT THE ENTIRE FRONT SUSPENSION COIL SPRING HAD BEEN EJECTED FROM ITS INTENDED POSITION IN THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSIS AND THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED TO HAVE THE VEHICLE TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 85,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 MERCEDES BENZ E320. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 40 MPH WHEN THE SEAT BELT BEGAN TO RETRACT AND LOCK ACCOMPANIED BY AN ABNORMAL NOISE. THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ALSO ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE WHO ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS FOR THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 MERCEDES BENZ E320. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, HE HEARD A CRACKING NOISE UNDERNEATH THE FRONT END. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER'S SPRING PERCH FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 165,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 MERCEDES BENZ E320. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE COLLAPSED WITHOUT WARNING. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED BUT DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED OR REPAIRED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 197,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 MERCEDES BENZ E-320. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH WHEN THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE SEATBELT TIGHTENED AND WOULD NOT RETRACT. THE SEATBELT WAS UNLOCKED BUT STILL WOULD NOT RETRACT. THE FAILURE ALSO OCCURRED ON THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE SEATBELT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE SEATBELT MODULES FAILED. THE SEATBELTS WERE REPLACED BUT THE FAILURE CONTINUED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN REPAIRED AFTER EACH FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 192,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 201,000.

WHEN TURNING ON THE CAR, NOTICE SRS (SEAT BELT RESTRAINT SYSTEM) LIGHT ON, UPON MOVING FORWARD IN SLOW SPEED, A LOUD POP FOLLOWED BY THE TIGHTENING OF THE SEAT BEAT AND THEN BURNING SMELL OF SMOKE FILLED THE CABIN. THIS I ASSUME IS HOW THE SYSTEM SHOULD WORK DURING AN ACCIDENT BUT THIS HAPPENED WHILE I WAS DRIVING AND IF I HAD BEEN DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY OR PUBLIC HIGHWAYS, I COULD HAVE EASILY CRASHED DUE TO THE INCIDENT. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 MERCEDES-BENZ 320E. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS AND THERE WAS A LOUD CLANKING NOISE OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE DRIVER PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE; HOWEVER, THE DRIVER WAS ABLE TO RESUME OPERATION. THE VEHICLE BEGAN PULLING IN ONE DIRECTION. THE FOLLOWING DAY THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE WAS SLIGHTLY IN A COLLAPSED POSITION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE FAILURE WAS CONTRIBUTED TO THE COIL SPRING. THE TECHNICIAN RECOMMENDED THAT THE VEHICLE BE TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR REPAIR. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED FOR THE MALFUNCTION AT THIS TIME. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000.