2007 Mercedes Benz ML350

2007 MERCEDES ML 350: POOR DESIGN OF SHIFT LEVER, LOCATED ON STEERING COLUMN PUSH UP FOR REVERSE, PUSH DOWN FOR DRIVE, PUSH IN FOR PARK (WHEN DOING SO SYSTEM MAKES NEAR INAUDIBLE SOUND.) MY WIFE PUT CAR IN PARK, GOT OUT CAR ROLLED IN REVERSE CAUGHT HER LEG AND DRAGGED HER UNDER, CAR CONTINUED TO ROLL BACK AND CRUSHED HER LEFT LEG, MBENZ SAID TOO BAD BE MORE CAREFUL THIS IS A DESIGN FAULT DISASTER WAITING TO HAPPEN. MBENZ TOLD ME ALL OF THEIR MODELS ARE BEING CHANGED TO THIS DESIGN TO KEEP COFFEE ETC FROM SPILLING FROM CONSOLE CUP HOLDERS INTO STANDARD CONSOLE MOUNTED SHIFT LEVER. I GUESS MBENZ NEEDS DEATHS BEFORE THEY DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS. THIS IDIOTIC DESIGN ALMOST GOT MY WIFE KILLED AND NOW SHE HAS PERMANENT LEG DAMAGE AFTER SURGERY AND NEARLY 12 MONTHS REHAB. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 MERCEDES BENZ ML. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO REMAIN IN PARK. THE VEHICLE ROLLED FORWARD ACROSS THE STREET AND CRASHED INTO A POLE. THE POLE BROKE AND THE VEHICLE WAS DAMAGED, BUT THERE WERE NO PERSONAL INJURIES. THE ROAD WAS DRY AT THE TIME OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THEY KEPT IT FOR FIVE WEEKS BECAUSE THEY COULD NOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT BELIEVED THAT THIS WAS A SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 35,000. UPDATED 01/14/09. *LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE DIDN'T GO INTO PARK WHEN THE KEY WAS REMOVED FROM THE IGNITION AND SOMETIMES IT WOULD COME OUT OF PARK ON ITS OWN. UPDATED 01/15/09.*JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 MERCEDES BENZ ML350. THREE MONTHS AGO, THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR THE STRUCTURE AND THE INABILITY TO USE THE TOW BAR. THE NOTICE ALSO STATED THAT THE BODY OF THE VEHICLE COULD COME APART. THERE HAD BEEN NO FAILURE TO DATE. THE VIN AND NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER WERE UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 2,719.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 MERCEDES ML350. WHILE DRIVING 50MPH, SHE SMELLED SMOKE INSIDE THE VEHICLE, SAW FLAMES COMING FROM THE PASSENGER SEAT, THE SMOKE DISTRACTED HER AND CAUSED HER TO LOSE CONTROL ON THE VEHICLE AND CRASH INTO THE MEDIAN. THE LEFT SIDE OF THE VEHICLE WAS DAMAGED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO EXIT THE VEHICLE WITHOUT INJURY. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND THE POLICE ARRIVED. A REPORT WAS FILED AND THEY STATED THAT THE FAILURE MIGHT BE DUE TO THE HEATER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED BY A DEALER. THE CONTACT IS AWARE OF THE SAFETY RISK INVOLVED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 24,000.

I HAD THE SEAT HEAT ON, AND WAITING TO PICK UP MY FAMILY IN FRONT OF A THEATRE, I SMELLED BURNING, I OPENED THE WINDOW, TO SEE IF SOMETHING WAS BURNING OUTSIDE, I SUDDENLY FELT A PINCH IN MY LEFT LOWER LEFT BACK, I OPENED THE DOOR AND JUMPED OUT OF THE CAR, I SAW ON THE LOWER LEFT SIDE OF THE DRIVER SEAT A WHOLE THAT WAS GLOWING BRIGHT RED, I SAW FIRE WAS STARTING, I HIT IT FEW TIMES WITH MY HANDS AND PUT OUT THE GLOWING FIRE, THE SMELL WAS SICKENING, I TURNED OFF THE IGNITION, AND STARTED CHECKING MYSELF, I FELT A HOLE IN MY WINTER JACKET. THANK GOT THIS HAPPENED WHEN I WAS STOPPED, IF I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY THIS WOULD HAVE SURELY CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. IT IS HARD TO DESCRIBE THE PANIC CONDITION WHEN THIS HAPPENED. *TR

WHILE OUT OF STATE ON VACATION, WE ACTIVATED BOTH THE DRIVER SIDE AND THE PASSENGER SIDE SEAT WARMERS IN MY CAR. AFTER ABOUT TWO TO THREE MINUTES OF ACTIVATING THE SEAT WARMERS, WE BEGAN TO SMELL BURNING LEATHER. ALL OF A SUDDEN WE BEGAN TO SEE SMOKE COMING FROM THE DRIVER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. AFTER SEEING THE SMOKE, WE PULLED OVER TO THE ROADSIDE TO SEE WHERE THE SMOKE WAS COMING FROM. ONCE WE EXITED THE VEHICLE WE REALIZED MY HUSBANDS JACKET AND SHIRT HAD BEEN BURNED BY THE MALFUNCTION IN THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BACK WARMERS. AFTER INSPECTING THE SEAT BACK, WE SAW THAT THE SEAT HAD A LARGE BURN AREA. WE IMMEDIATELY TURNED OFF BOTH SEAT WARMERS AND THE VEHICLE'S ENGINE. THE BURNING FINALLY STOPPED AFTER TUNING OFF BOTH THE SEAT WARMERS AND THE VEHICLE. THIS WAS THE WORST ENCOUNTER THAT I EVER HAD WITH A VEHICLE, AND THE VEHICLE HAPPENS TO BE A BRAND NEW MERCEDES-BENZ ML350, 2007 MODEL FROM DOWNTOWN LA MOTORS. I HAD ALWAYS DREAMED OF OWNING A MERCEDES-BENZ, BUT I NEVER THOUGHT THAT I WOULD HAVE THIS KIND OF EXPERIENCE WITH SUCH A PRESTIGIOUS VEHICLE. I THOUGHT THAT I HAD PURCHASED MY DREAM VEHICLE, BUT AFTER THIS EXPERIENCE I REALIZED THAT I WAS MISTAKEN. THIS EXPERIENCE SPOILED OUR TRIP, AND TRAUMATIZED MY FAMILY AND I. NOT ONLY DID IT SPOIL OUR TRIP, WE WERE INCONVENIENCE AND DEVASTATED BY THE DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE AND ALSO TO MY HUSBAND WHO WAS ALMOST BURNED BY THE INCIDENT. MY VEHICLE IS NOW IN THE PROCESS OF BEING REPAIRED BY THE DEALERSHIP. UPON COMPLETION OF THE REPAIRS, I WILL BE HESITANT TO USE THE SEAT WARMERS IN MY VEHICLE AGAIN BECAUSE THE CONFIDENCE AND TRUST I ONCE HAD IN MY VEHICLE HAS BEEN DIMINISHED. I AM AFRAID THAT IT MAY HAPPEN AGAIN. *TR