2008 Mercedes Benz ML350

THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THE RACK AND PINION HAS FAILED. ONCE AT 85000 MILES IN A PARKING LOT AT WORK IN GREENVILLE TEXAS. THIS TIME IT WAS WITH A REBUILT A1CARBIN RACK AND PINION. THE STEERING FELT LIKE IT LOCKED UP. AFTER IT FAILED THE STEERING OF THE CAR IS IMPOSSIBLE AT SLOW SPEED EVEN FOR A MAN. ALMOST HIT TWO PEOPLE BUT WAS ABLE TO AVOIDED IT. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCEDES BENZ ML350. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE HEATED SEAT OVERHEATED AND SMOKE EMITTED INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE MASSIVE HEAT PENETRATED A SMALL HOLE WITHIN THE DRIVER'S SEAT CUSHION. THERE WAS NO PERSONAL INJURY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 41,200.

MARCH 2011, I WAS HEADING HOME. I WAS TALKING ON THE HANDS FREE PHONE SYSTEM, AND IMMEDIATELY I FELT A JERK AND HEARD A NOISE. I LOOKED AT THE CONTROL PANEL AND THE VEHICLE PANEL READ "N" NEUTRAL INSTEAD OF "D" DRIVE. THE VEHICLE AUTOMATICALLY SWITCHED INTO NEURAL ON THE FREEWAY AT 70MPH!!!! AT THIS POINT I AM IN THE FAST LANE AND HYSTERICAL. I PRESSED THE GAS AND NOTHING HAPPENED. THE SPEED DECREASED TO 40MPH AND CARS ARE NOW RACING PAST AND BEHIND ME. LUCKILY, A POLICE OFFICER SPOTTED ME AND PHYSICALLY HIT MY CAR AND MOVED IT OVER TO THE SIDE WHILE I WAS IN IT. I EXPLAINED WHAT OCCURRED AS HE YELLED "ARE YOU CRAZY YOU COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED WHAT HAPPENED". I ASKED HIM FOR A POLICE REPORT AND HE IMMEDIATELY HAD TO DEPART. THE NEXT DAY, I IMMEDIATELY REPORTED THE INCIDENT TO THE DEALER. THE DIAGNOSIS WAS MY CONTROL PANEL NEEDED TO BE RESET, AN APOLOGY WAS GIVEN AND TEST DRIVES OCCURRED. I WAS ASKED DID I TOUCH ANY BUTTONS AND REPLIED NO. THEY RECREATED THE SCENE AND CONDUCTED A TEST DRIVE. THE CAR DID NOT SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL EVEN WHEN IT WAS TAMPERED WITH WHILE DRIVING. ON 8 MAY 2012, THE INCIDENT OCCURRED AGAIN! MY CAR SWITCHED INTO NEUTRAL TWICE IN 1 DAY! THE SECOND TIME I WAS AT A STOP SIGN. TODAY IS 15 MAY 2012, AND MY CAR IS WITH THE DEALER NOW. I AM AFRAID OF DRIVING MY ML350 2008 MODEL. MUCH WORSE, THE DEALER ALLUDES TO ASKING ME HAVE I TOUCHED ANYTHING. IF THIS IS THE CASE, THEN A SAFETY MESSAGE SHOULD BE POSTED, WARNING IF YOU "TOUCH" A BUTTON YOUR CAR WILL SWITCH TO NEUTRAL WHILE DRIVING. I HAVE A 4 MONTH OLD DAUGHTER AND BOUGHT THE VEHICLE FOR SAFETY. I EXPLAINED TO THE DEALER I SHOULD NOT HAVE TO WAIT TILL I AM HURT OR INJURED FOR SOMETHING TO BE DONE. HE STATED "NOTHING IS COMING UP ON THE DIAGNOSTICS THE SYSTEM IS VERY SMART'. THE DEALER EVEN DENIED THERE ARE ANY RECALLS FOR THE ML 350 2008. I'VE HIRED AN ATTORNEY.

I HAD THE CAR SERVICED BY THE DEALER AND ASKED THAT THEY SPECIFICALLY CHECK FOR ANY LEAKS OR OTHER ABNORMALITIES AS I WOULD BE OUT OF THE 50,000 WARRANTY PERIOD. ABOUT THREE WEEKS LATER I NOTICED AN OIL DROP ON THE FLOOR OF MY GARAGE. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALER AND THEY SAID THAT THE SEALS IN THE STEERING WERE THE CAUSE OF THE LEAK AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. I ARGUED WITH THEM ABOUT PAYING FOR THIS REPAIR AS THE CAR ONLY HAD 53000 +_ AND THIS SHOULD NOT FAIL UNLESS IT WAS A DEFECT DESIGN. EVENTUALLY THEY AGREED TO FIX IT WITH MB PAYING 1/3 AND I PAY 2/3 SOME $1200. WHEN I WENT TO PICK UP THE CAR THEY TOLD ME THAT IN ADDITION TO SEAL FAILURE THAT THE BEARING ON THE FIREWALL THAT HOLDS THE STEERING COLUMN WAS ALSO DEFECTIVE AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. I TOLD THEM I WOULD NOT PAY FOR THE REPAIR AND TO GO BACK TO MB AND TELL THEM THIS IS LUDICROUS AND THEY WILL HAVE TO PAY. THE FINAL UPSHOT WAS THAT THEY INCREASED THE AMOUNT THAT MB WOULD PAY TO 2/3 AND THAT MB WOULD ALSO PAY FOR THE ENTIRE BEARING REPAIR. IN MY OPINION THIS IS A DESIGN DEFECT AS THIS CAR HAS NEVER BEEN OFF ROAD OR OTHERWISE ABUSE AND HAS BEEN SERVICED AS REQUIRED BY THE MANUFACTURER. IT IS MY WIFE'S CAR AND GET VERY LITTLE USE. I WAS ADVISED BY THE DEALER THAT THEY HAVE HAD OTHER SIMILAR CLAIMS. THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL ITEM. *TR

I HAVE OWNED A 2008 MERCEDES BENZ ML350 SINCE IT WAS NEW AND IT NOW HAS 52,000 MILES ON IT. THIS PAST WEEKEND I NOTICED A CRACK IN THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL THAT GOES ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE WHEEL "SPOKE". THAT IS THE MAIN PART OF THE WHEEL HAS FAILED AND IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE. THE WHEEL IS ORIGINAL OEM SUPPLIED AND HAS NEVER BEEN MODIFIED. ALL OF THE DRIVING HAS BEEN BY MYSELF ON CITY STREETS AND FREEWAYS WITH NO ABUSIVE DRIVING, OR OFF-ROAD ACTIVITY. IN FACT THE VEHICLE HAS NEVER BEEN DRIVEN ON A NON-PAVED ROAD. I LIVE IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA SO POTHOLES AS YOU WOULD FIND IN OTHER PARTS OF THE US ARE NOT AN ISSUE. MY FEELING IS THAT THIS IS A MATERIAL DEFECT IN THE MANUFACTURE OR DESIGN OF THE WHEEL. THE DEALER HAS ADVISED ME THAT IF I CONTINUE TO DRIVE ON IT IN THE PRESENT CONDITION THE WHEEL WILL FAIL AT SOME POINT WHEN THE CAR IS IN MOTION WHICH WILL SURELY CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCEDES BENZ ML350. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A FUEL LEAK. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THAT THE STEERING ASSEMBLY WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 08V682000 (STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM) BUT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS IN THE PROCESS OF BEING REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 51,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCEDES BENZ ML350. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 50 MPH WHEN A POP SOUND CAME FROM THE SUNROOF. THE CONTACT THEN REALIZED THAT THE SUNROOF WAS SHATTERED, BUT DID NOT FALL COMPLETELY APART. THE DEALER INSPECTED THE SUNROOF AND FOUND NO STRUCTURAL DAMAGE BUT ADVISED THAT THE SUN ROOF HAD MORE THAN LIKELY BEEN STRUCK BY A ROCK. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS BEING DRIVEN ON OPEN ROAD WITH NO OTHER VEHICLES AROUND. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 51,000.