2007 Mercedes Benz GL320

I WAS DRIVING ON I10 WEST NEAR MOBILE, AL AT NIGHT. I HEARD A LOUD POP NEAR THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE AND FEEL IT LIFT INTO THE AIR AND START BOUNCING UNCONTROLLABLY. THE SEATBELT ENGAGED AND I WAS WORRIED FOR MY 10 MONTH OLD IN THE BACKSEAT. I HAD TO COME TO A COMPLETE STOP TO REGAIN CONTROL. A PASSERBY STOPPED AND SAID IT LOOKED LIKE THE CAR LIFTED 2 FEET IN THE AIR. AFTER RESTARTING THE CAR MULTIPLE TIMES THE AIR SUSPENSION HAS NOT RECALLIBRATED. MY BACK AND NECK ARE SORE. I CALLED MY FIANCE TO MEET MYSELF AND THE BABY SO WE COULD GET HOME. I WAS NOT GOING TO RISK SHAKEN BABY SYNDROME. AFTER GOOGLING THE ISSUE, IT SEEMS THE AIR BAGS IN THE STRUTS EXPLODED, WITHOUT PROVOCATION OR WARNING. THE CAR WENT TO DRIVING FINE TO TERRIBLE, PAINFUL, AND TIRING. AND IT SEEMS THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM.

MY GL 320 ? 2007 LOST ALL ELECTRICAL POWER AND THE ENGINE STALLED WHILE BEING DRIVEN. THE POWER COMES BACK ON IN 10 TO 20 SECONDS AND THE CAR CAN BE RESTARTED. THIS HAPPENED 3 TIMES DURING THE FIRST 10 DAYS OF OCT 2009 WHEN THE MILEAGE WAS JUST UNDER 30,000. NOTE THE POWER STEERING AND BRAKE ASSIST GO OUT COMPLETELY AS DO THE HEADLIGHTS. ON ONE ACCESSION AT NIGHT ON A CURVE I WENT OFF THE ROAD BEFORE BEING ABLE TO STOP. ON ALL OCCASIONS THIS HAPPENED 15 TO 20 SECONDS AFTER APPLYING THE BRAKES TO DEACTIVATE THE SPEED CONTROL AND AFTER COASTING TO LESS THAN APPX. 40MPH. THE DEALER COULD FIND NO DIRECT CODE INDICATION FOR THE PROBLEM BUT DID FIND NUMEROUS LOW VOLTAGE CODES AND CHANGED OUT A NUMBER OF FUSE AND REFUSE BOXES AND FUSES. THE CAR HAS BEEN DRIVEN ONLY 100 MILES SINCE THE DEALER WORK AND THE PROBLEM HAS NOR RECURRED. *TR

DRAMATIC EXPLOSIVE FAILURE OF THE RIGHT ADAPTIVE SUSPENSION STRUT AIRBAG WHILE VEHICLE WAS STANDING IN THE DRIVEWAY WITH THE ENGINE ON. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALERSHIP SERVICE DEPARTMENT WHERE THE STRUT WAS REPLACED AND THE FAILED PART WAS RETURNED TO MBUSA FOR INSPECTION. I HAVE HIGH QUALITY DIGITAL PHOTOS OF THE INCIDENT WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STILL IN THE DRIVEWAY, IF NHTSA WOULD LIKE THEM, BUT UNFORTUNATELY NOT OF THE REMOVED, DAMAGED STRUT. *TR

ON THE 2007-2008 MERCEDES GL THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE AC VENT CLOSEST TO THE SIDE WINDOWS ALLOWS AIR TO BE DIRECTED THE VENT ON THE DOOR (WHICH SHOULD BE USED FOR DEFROST ONLY); THIS THEN FOGS UP THE SIDE WINDOWS, MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE THE SIDE MIRRORS WHENEVER THE AC IS ON. THIS IS CERTAINLY A HUGE SAFETY PROBLEM IN HOT HUMID AREAS LIKE HOUSTON. I HAVE HAD TO DUCT TAPE THE VENT TUBE IN ORDER TO KEEP THE VENTS FROM FOGGING UP THE SIDE WINDOWS AND BLOCKING THE VIEW OF THE SIDE MIRRORS. THIS WAS REPORTED TO MERCEDES USA A YEAR AGO, ACCORDING TO MY LOCAL DEALERSHIP, BUT MERCEDES USA HAS YET TO FIX THIS DANGEROUS DESIGN DEFECT. *TR