2008 Mercedes Benz GL450

POWER STEERING FLUID IS LEAKING AT TOP SEAL AT INPUT SHAFT ON POWER STEERING GEAR. IT LEAKS ONTO BOTTOM OF CHASSIS FRAME AND CONCERNED ABOUT CATCHING FIRE DUE TO EXHAUST PIPE NEARBY. THIS IS NOTICEABLE WHEN VEHICLE IS PARKED OVERNIGHT AS IT LEAVES PUDDLE OF FLUID UNDERNEATH. POWER STEERING RESERVOIR WAS ALSO LEAKING AND WAS REPLACED AT 74,000 MI.

WAS NOTIFIED BY MERCEDES DEALERSHIP THAT THE CAR HAD "POSSIBLE STEERING RACK CONTROL HEAD LEAKING. FLUID COULD BE SPATTER FROM RESERVOIR LEAKING." I WAS TOLD TO "REPLACE POWER STEERING RESERVOIR AND SEAL RING," WHICH I DID. LESS THAN 20,000 MILES LATER, THE CAR BECAME INTERMITTENTLY HARD TO STEER. WITHIN A SHORT TIME PERIOD, THE CAR BECAME WORSE AND, BECAUSE IT WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE DUE TO THE UNEXPECTED INABILITY TO STEER, I DROVE TO THE DEALERSHIP SERVICE DEPARTMENT WITHOUT AN APPOINTMENT. I WAS TOLD THAT NOW I NEEDED TO REPLACE THE POWER STEERING RACK, AND REPLACE POWER STEERING PUMP AND RESERVOIR. AN ONLINE SEARCH BRINGS UP HUNDREDS OF SIMILAR COMPLAINTS WITH THE 2008 (AND SIMILAR YEARS) GL450 POWER STEERING.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCEDES BENZ GL450. WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, THE STEERING WHEEL FAILED TO TURN RIGHT OR LEFT. THE FAILURE RECURRED EVERYTIME WHEN DRIVING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE RACK AND PINION STEERING NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 08V682000 (STEERING). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 94,000.

PURCHASED 2008 CPO GL-450. UNFORTUNATELY FOR ME I HAVE HAD NUMEROUS INCIDENTAL/CONSEQUENTIAL REPAIRS WHICH DOES NOT COINCIDE WITH THE MARKETING SPECIFIC PERFORMANCE. THE FOLLOWING ARE THE CURRENT REPAIRS: CRACK IN REAR BUMPER 10/22/12, FAULTY REAR HATCH 11/01/12, FAULTY DOOR 2/4/13, ENGINE PISTON LEAK 3/5-19/13, , SYSTEM STEREO/NAVIGATION FAILURE 5/13, FUEL SMELLS 7/6/13, STEERING WHEEL REPLACEMENT 3/14, GARNISH MOLDING REPLACEMENT, AIR PRESSURE SHOCKS MALFUNCTION 3/14, AND SEAT BELT FAILURE 6/14. AND I AM TO BELIEVE MY VEHICLE PASSED A CPO INSPECTION WITH ALL THESE NOTICEABLE FAILURES. AS A CONSUMER, I WAS WILLING TO SACRIFICE EXTRA COSTS FOR QUALITY AND REASSURANCE; INSTEAD I EXPERIENCED A DEFECT IN ??TRUTH-IN-ADVERTISEMENT. I HAVE 4 MONTHS LEFT ON MY EXTENDED WARRANTY(YOU CAN ONLY PURCHASE MERCEDES BENZ WARRANTY IF YOU BUY A CPO MERCEDES BENZ VEHICLE ;WHICH ARE EXTRA ADDED FEES TO THE COST/PRICE OF THE VEHICLE.), IF NOT PROPERLY ADDRESSED, I BELIEVE THIS TYPE OF EXCEPTIONAL CIRCUMSTANCE OF AUTO SALES/PERFORMANCE AND BUSINESS PRACTICE WILL GROW AND TRANSFER SEVERE FINANCIAL HARDSHIP ON ANY/ AND ALL CONSUMERS. *TR

POWER STEERING FAILURE. DEALER RESEALED RACK HEAD ASSEMBLY AND REPLACED POWER STEERING PUMP. IT'S UNCLEAR TO ME HOW A SEALED RESERVOIR AND RELATED PARTS ARE LEAKING WHEN IT WAS DESIGNED BY THE MANUFACTURER AS PART NOT SUBJECT TO WEAR-AND-TEAR DETERIORATION. MY RESEARCH REVEALED NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 08V682000 BUT DEALER SAID IT DID NOT APPLY TO MY VIN. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCEDES-BENZ GL450. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED WITHOUT ANY WARNING AND THE POWER STEERING ASSIST BECAME UNRESPONSIVE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING HOWEVER, THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT HAD THE DEALER INSPECT THE VEHICLE NUMEROUS TIMES BUT TO NO AVAIL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND ADVISED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 08V682000 (STEERING). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 72,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCEDES BENZ GL450. THE CONTACT STATED THAT STEERING FLUID WAS LEAKING CONTINUOUSLY ONTO THE GROUND. THERE WAS A RECALL ASSOCIATED WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 08V682000 (STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM); ALTHOUGH THE CONTACT'S VIN WAS INELIGIBLE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 48,000.

2008 MERCEDES GL 450 STEERING SPORADICALLY LOCKS UP AND CAUSES LOSS OF CONTROL OF VEHICLE. BROUGHT INTO DEALERSHIP. WAS NOT OCCURRING WHEN DEALERSHIP EVALUATED AND THEY FAILED TO DIAGNOSE ANY PROBLEM. NO PROBLEM FOR ABOUT 3-WEEKS AFTER DEALERSHIP VISIT. STEERING NOW LOCKING UP AGAIN. OCCURS AT SLOW, MEDIUM AND FAST SPEEDS. VEHICLE VERY DIFFICULT TO STEER AND STEERING WHEEL DIFFICULT TO TURN. ALMOST FEELS AS IF THERE IS A LOSS OF POWER STEERING CONTROL. WHEN STEERING LOCKS UP THE STEERING WHEEL TURNS WITH EXTREME FORCE AND JUMPS FROM ONE POSITION TO ANOTHER. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCEDES BENZ GL450. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING MALFUNCTIONED WHILE HE WAS DRIVING AT 30 MPH AND THE VEHICLE BECAME UNCONTROLLABLE. THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A FIRE HYDRANT AND THE CONTACT SUFFERED MINOR INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE POWER STEERING UNIT WAS REPLACED AND FLUIDS CHANGED. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER BUT WAS OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 54,000. UPDATED 11/03/10 *BF UPDATED 11/04/10