2006 Mercedes Benz ML350

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MERCEDES BENZ ML350. THE AIR BAG LIGHT BEEPED AND REMAINED ILLUMINATED. AT 10,000 MILES, THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED. AFTERWARDS, THE CONTACT HEARD A NOISE IN THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 20-50 MPH. THE DEALER TEST DROVE THE VEHICLE AND WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. ON DECEMBER 25, 2006, THE CONTACT WAS INVOLVED IN A CRASH AND THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED AFTER THE CRASH. THREE TO FOUR MONTHS LATER, THE TIRES WERE LOSING AIR RAPIDLY AND THE LOW PRESSURE LIGHT ILLUMINATED, WHICH INDICATED THERE WAS NOT ENOUGH PRESSURE IN THE TIRES. AT 20,000 MILES, THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED. AFTER THE REPAIR, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE NOISE WAS BECOMING LOUDER IN THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. SHE PAID $600 FOR THE REPAIR AND THE DEALER STATED THAT THEY DID NOT HEAR A NOISE AFTER DIAGNOSING THE FAILURE. AT 26,000 MILES, THE VEHICLE FAILED INSPECTION DUE TO THE TIRES, STRUTS, SHOCKS AND A POWER STEERING LEAK. SHE CALLED THE SALES DEALER AND THEY INFORMED HER TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER IN ANOTHER STATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TWO AND A HALF WEEKS AGO DUE TO THE POWER STEERING LEAK. THE PART FOR THE REPAIR HAD TO BE ORDERED FROM OVERSEAS. THE DEALER STATED THAT THEY REPLACED THE SHOCKS, BUT THE NOISE GREW LOUDER. THE DEALER ALSO STATED THAT THE CAUSE OF THE NOISE WAS DUE TO THE SHOCKS. ON JANUARY 24, 2008, THERE WAS AN ODOR PRESENT AND THE NOISE RECURRED. AFTER INSPECTING THE VEHICLE, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT A BELT WAS OFF TRACK. THE BELT WAS ADJUSTED AND THE DEALER JUMP STARTED THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER AGAIN ON JANUARY 28, 2008. THE COMPUTER HAD TO BE RESET, BUT CONTINUED TO MALFUNCTION WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 26,206 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 7,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MERCEDES BENZ ML350. THE VEHICLE HAS CONTINENTAL, SIZE P235/6517 TIRES. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE MANUFACTURER FOR REGULARLY SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE TREAD ON THE TIRES WAS WORN, HOWEVER, THERE WERE NO PREVIOUS FAILURES. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 13,500. UPDATED 12/12/07

THERE IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM THAT IS NOT BEING REPORTED TO OWNERS OF THE MERCEDES BENZ ML350 WITH APPEARANCE PACKAGES. THIS IS A 4 WHEEL DRIVE VEHICLE THAT IS BEING ADVERTISED AS A SNOW CAPABLE VEHICLE. THIS VEHICLE WITH THE APPEARANCE PACKAGE FROM MERCEDES IS A SERIOUS RISK TO ANY BUYER WHO ATTEMPTS TO DRIVE THIS VEHICLE IN THE SNOW. THE FACT THAT IS NOT BEING BROUGHT TO BUYERS ATTENTION IS THAT IT COMES WITH PERFORMANCE TIRES, NOT ALL SEASON/SNOW TIRES THAT ARE TYPICAL IN EVERY OTHER 4 WHEEL DRIVE VEHICLE. MERCEDES BENZ AND THEIR DEALERS ARE NOT AWARING CONSUMERS OF THIS UPON PURCHASE, WHICH IS A SERIOUS FRAUD WHEN THEY ARE ADVERTISING IT AS BEING A SNOW CAPABLE VEHICLE. THIS FACT WILL LEAD TO NUMEROUS CRASHES BECAUSE OWNERS/DRIVERS ARE NOT AWARE OF THIS VEHICLES LIMITATIONS AND ASSUME IT WILL HANDLE LIKE A STANDARD 4 WHEEL DRIVE VEHICLE. NHTSA NEEDS TO BRING THIS TO THE ATTENTION OF THE MANUFACTURER AND ALL REGISTERED OWNERS OF THE VEHICLE IN ORDER TO PREVENT FURTHER CRASHES. *NM