1999 Mercedes Benz E430

THIS IS IN REGARDS TO 1999 MERCEDES BENZ E430 CONCERNING FRONT SPRING PERCHES. DATE THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED 9/22/2009. FAILURE TO THE PASSENGER FRONT SPRING PERCH RESULTING IN THE SPRING TO DISLOCATE. FORTUNATELY, THIS DID NOT OCCUR AT DRIVING SPEED RATHER OCCURRED IN A PARKING LOT. HOWEVER, THIS IS NOT THE FIRST INCIDENT UNFORTUNATELY THE SECOND INCIDENT WITHIN 5 YEARS. THE FIRST INCIDENT OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING. THE DRIVER SIDE FRONT SPRING PERCH DISLOCATED AND THE SPRING EJECTED ONTO THE FREEWAY AND THE FRONT END DROPPED TO THE WHEEL. NO INJURIES OR CASUALTIES OCCURRED. THE DRIVER SIDE PERCH WAS REPAIRED AND A VISUAL INSPECTION WAS PERFORM ON THE PASSENGER SIDE AND NO APPARENT DAMAGE WAS NOTED, HOWEVER, NOW THIS INCIDENT HAPPENED. I BELIEVE THIS IS A SAFETY CONCERN. I BELIEVE A 10 YEAR OLD VEHICLE MANUFACTURED BY A PRESTIGE AUTOMOBILE COMPANY SHOULD NOT FAIL IN SUCH CIRCUMSTANCES. *TR

1. EVENTS LEADING UP TO THE FAILURE: ON DECEMBER 24, 2005, I WAS DRIVING MY 1999 MERCEDES BENZ E430 ON INTERSTATE 95 TRAVELING TO CHARLOTTE, NC FROM HILTON HEAD ISLAND, SC. 2. FAILURE AND ITS CONSEQUENCES: WITHOUT ANY APPARENT CAUSE, THE REAR WINDSHIELD OF THE CAR COMPLETELY SHATTERED AS I WAS DRIVING ON I-95. SHARDS OF GLASS BEGAN FLYING OUT OF THE WINDSHIELD ONTO THE CAR AND THE ROAD, AS WELL AS INTO THE CAR. THE EXTERIOR AND INTERIOR OF THE CAR WERE DAMAGED. 3. WHAT WAS DONE TO CORRECT THE FAILURE: I NOTIFIED MY INSURANCE COMPANY AND THE WINDSHIELD AS WELL AS THE DAMAGE TO THE CAR WILL BE REPAIRED. THE MERCEDES DEALERSHIP IS ORDERING A MANUFACTURER/OEM REPLACEMENT WINDSHIELD. I CALLED MERCEDES CORPORATE TO INQUIRE WHETHER THIS PROBLEM OCCURRED IN ANY OTHER SIMILAR MODELS AND TO FIND OUT THE MANUFACTURER OF THE GLASS. THE MERCEDES REPRESENTATIVE TOLD ME THAT SUCH INFORMATION WAS PROPRIETARY AND THAT SHE COULD NOT GIVE ME ANY OF THE REQUESTED INFORMATION. *JB

THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG DEVELOPED CRACKS ALL AROUND AND SEPARATED FROM THE FRAME. THIS ALSO OCCURRED AT THE RIGHT HAND SIDE OF THE DASHBOARD NEAR THE SPEAKER. I AM WORRIED THAT THE AIRBAG WILL DEPLOY UNEXPECTEDLY AND WILL CREATE A LIFE SAFETY ISSUE. I WROTE SEVERAL TIMES TO THE MECEDES-BENS HEADQUARTERS AND NOT ONLY DID THEY DENY THIS MASSIVE MATERIAL AND WORKMANSHIP DEFECT BUT THEY REFUSED TO INVESTIGATE OR PROPOSE A CORRECTIVE MEASURE. I AM PLANING TO TAKE THIS TO THE MEDIA AND COURT. THIS IS A $55,000 FOUR-YEAR-OLD LUXURY CAR AND IS NOT EXPECTED TO HAVE CHEAP AND DEFECTIVE MATERIALS. *MR

I WAS DRIVING DOWN ROUTE 72S AND SUDDENLY MY DRIVER FRONT SIDE COLLASPED. AT FIRST I THOUGHT IT MIGHT OF BEEN THE TIRE WAS BLOWN, BUT AFTER TAKING A LOOK I SAW FROM UNDERNEATH THAT A SPRING WAS HANGING. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO MY HOUSE AND LOOKED UNDERNEATH IT MYSELF. THE UPPER SPRING MOUNT WAS COMPLETELY RUSTED AND WAS TEARING AWAY FROM THE BODY OF THE CAR. THIS IS A 1999 MERCEDES E430 SO IT IS FAIRLY A NEW VEHICLE. I DID SOME RESEARCH ONLINE AND FOUND OUT THAT THERE WAS A SERVICE RECALL FOR THE FRONT SPRING TOWERS ON E CLASS MODELS DATING FROM 97-2000. IT ALSO IS COMMON AND HAPPENS FREQUENTLY. I HAD TALK TO MERCEDES AND THEY TOLD ME TO BRING IN THE VEHICLE SO THEY COULD TAKE A LOOK. BUT THEY ARE TELLING THAT THERE WAS NEVER SUCH A RECALL. SO AT THIS MOMENT MY VEHICLE IS SITTING AT THE DEALER.*AK

THE CAR STOPPED ON THE FREEWAY WITHOUT WARNING. FORTUNATELY, IT DID NOT CAUSE AN ACCIDENT BECAUSE THE TRAFFIC ON THE FREEWAY WAS HEAVY AND EVERYONE WAS STUCK IN THE TRAFFIC. TRANSMISSION, CONVERTER AND RADIATOR WERE DAMAGED BEYOND REPAIR AND HAD TO BE REPLACED AT 65,600 MILES. THE CAR HAD SCHEDULED SERVICES AT THE AUTHORIZED MBZ DEALERS SINCE IT WAS PURCHASED IN 11/98. THE MOST CURRENT MAINTENANCE WAS ONE ON 11/28/03 AT 61,290 MILES. THERE WERE NO WARNINGS FROM THE DEALERS ABOUT THE DEFICIENCIES OF THE TRANSMISSION. MBZ DEALER COULD NOT PROVIDE ANY EXPLAINATIONS AS TO WHY A NEW TRANSMISSION WAS NEEDED AT 65,600 MILES. I HAVE FILED A COMPLAINT WITH THE MERCEDES-BENZ OF NORTH AMERICA AND RECEIVED NO REPLY FROM THEM.

PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG HAS DEVELOPED CRACKS IN THE DASH BOARD THAT SEPARATE THE AIR BAG FROM THE OCCUPANTS. I FEEL THE AIR BAG MAY NOT FIRE PROPERLY SINCE THE DASH BOARD IS CRACKED ALL THE WAY THROUGH ON 1/2 OF THE TOTAL AREA THAT SURROUNDS THE AIRBAG. I BROUGHT THE CAR TO MY LOCAL DEALERSHIP BUT THEY DID NOT DO ANYTHING AND REALLY DID NOT CARE. I ALSO TRIED TO REACH THE AREA DSM FOR MERCEDES BUT THE LOCAL SERVICE MANAGER WOULD NEVER PATCH ME THROUGH. THE CRACKS HAVE DEVELOPED THROUGH THE DASH BOARD DECOMPOSING UNUSUALLY QUICKLY FOR A CAR THAT IS A 1999 MODEL. I HAVE NEVER SEEN A DASHBOARD CRACK THIS BADLY ON ANYTHING OTHER THAN A 10+ YEAR OLD CAR. I HAVE SPOKEN TO MANY PEOPLE THAT HAVE THIS SAME PROBLEM ON THEIR MERCEDES E430'S AND HAVE ATTEMPTED TO GET MERCEDES TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THE PROBLEM BUT MERCEDES HAS NOT EVEN ATTEMPTED TO ACT TO FIX THE PROBLEMS. I AM OUT OF WAYS TO GET THE ATTENTION OF MERCEDES AND AM FORCED TO FILE THIS COMPLAINT TO THE NHTSA. *NLM