2003 Mercedes Benz S430

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MERCEDES BENZ S430. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE PARKED, HE NOTICED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER'S SIDE OF THE VEHICLE WAS SITTING ABNORMALLY LOW. THE CONTACT PROCEEDED TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE HOWEVER, ONCE HE REACHED 60 MPH A WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED, INDICATING THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TOO LOW. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER BUT DID THE CONTACT DID NOT HAVE A DIAGNOSTIC TEST PERFORMED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 07V263000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING, SUSPENSION). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 113,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MERCEDES BENZ S430. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER'S SEAT BELT SEIZED AND WOULD NOT RETRACT OR PULL OUT FURTHER FROM ITS PRETENSIONER. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED AND STATED THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS OR WARRANTIES ADDRESSING THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED TO BRING THE VEHICLE IN FOR AN INSPECTION. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 60,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MERCEDES BENZ S430 EQUIPPED WITH MICHELIN MXV4 225/55/R17 TIRES. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ALL THE TIRES LOST PRESSURE WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TAKEN TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE TIRES WERE NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 60,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MERCEDES BENZ S430. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS EMITTING SMOKE OUT OF THE TRUNK AND HE COULD SMELL BURNING PLASTIC. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE A PSE PUMP CONTINUED TO RUN AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS SHUT OFF, CAUSING IT TO OVER HEAT AND MELT THE WIRING HARNESS. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE HAD TO DISCONNECT THE PUMP FROM THE WIRING HARNESS IN ORDER TO STOP THE SMOKING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE ELECTRICAL RELAY PUMP MALFUNCTIONED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 78,000.

A FEW DAYS BEFORE THE MAIN INCIDENT, MY 2003 MERCEDES S430 WOULD STALL FOR NO APPARENT REASON. I CALLED MERCEDES ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE, AND THEY TOLD ME THAT I SHOULD LET THE CAR RESET, AND THIS WOULD FIX THE PROBLEM. THIS HAPPENED TWO TIMES AND BOTH TIMES THERE WAS A TEMPORARY FIX AFTER THE CAR RESET. A DAY AFTER THE SECOND RESET, MY CAR COMPLETELY STALLED AND ENGINE SHUT OFF COMPLETELY WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY CAUSING ME TO ALMOST GET INTO A FEW CRASHES. MERCEDES ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE CALLED THE TOW COMPANY, AND THEY TOOK OVER AN HOUR AND A HALF TO GET THERE. IT WAS A VERY HOT DAY, AND I FELT VERY SICK FROM THE HEAT. THE CAR WAS TOWED, AND IT TURNS OUT THAT THE CRANK SENSOR WAS FAULTY AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE DID NOT TELL ME IT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, BUT JUST TO LET THE CAR RESET. THERE WAS NO WARNING THAT THE SENSOR WAS FAULTY. THERE WERE NO LIGHTS THAT CAME ON THE DASHBOARD THAT THE SENSOR WAS FAULTY. THIS IS AN INHERENTLY DANGEROUS DEFECT, THAT A SENSOR GOES BAD WITH NO WARNING, AND THE ENGINE SHUTS OFF. THE SENSOR WAS REPLACED BY MERCEDES FOR $433.16. I AM TRAUMATIZED BY THE INCIDENT, AND I AM SCARED TO DRIVE A DANGEROUS CAR THAT CAN SHUT OFF WITH NO WARNING WHILE DRIVING FOR SOMETHING AS SMALL AS A BAD SENSOR. FURTHER, I WAS MISLED BY MERCEDES ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE THAT THE PART NEEDED TO RESET, RATHER THAN BE REPLACED. *TR