1997 Mercedes Benz SL500

VEHICLE HAS APPROX. 209K MILES. SUNDAY 1/19/20 DRIVING WB ON MONTAUK HIGHWAY (NYS 27A?) AT QUOGUE NY. SPEED APPROX. 35-40 MPH. SLIGHT TURN/BEND IN ROAD TO THE RIGHT. SUNNY, DRY PAVEMENT. NO OTHER CARS FOLLOWING OR AHEAD, EITHER DIRECTION. VERY LOUD BANG HEARD INSIDE CABIN, BOTH SEATBELTS IMMEDIATELY TIGHTENED AND BOTH DRIVER AND PASSENGER FELT STRONG AIR BLAST; THAT EACH DESCRIBED AS BEING HIT IN CHEST. SOUND/AIRBLAST FOLLOWED IMMEDIATELY BY A BURNING/GUNPOWDER SMELL AND SLIGHT WHITE SMOKE IN CABIN. SRS LIGHT ON DASHBOARD WENT ON. PULLED TO SIDE OF ROAD AND OBSERVED NO OBJECTS IN ROAD BEHIND VEHICLE. ALSO, NO POTHOLES OR ROAD DEFECTS, ONLY SMOOTH PAVEMENT. NO DAMAGE TO FRONT OR SIDE OF VEHICLE OBSERVED. PASSENGER SIDE SEATBELT RETRACTED BUT LOCKED. DRIVER'S SEATBELT RETRACTED AND FUNCTIONED AFTER INCIDENT. ASSUMED BOTH AIRBAGS (DRIVER AND PASSENGER ) ACTIVATED BUT DID NOT DEPLOY. CAR WAS DRIVEN HOME WITH SRS LIGHT AND NON WORKING PASSENGER SEATBELT. MB DEALER SERVICE DEPT. (HUNTINGTON MB) DENIES THIS COULD HAVE HAPPENED (AIRBAG ACTIVATION AND/OR NO DEPLOYMENT). SAYS PROBABLY SEATBELT.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 1997 MERCEDES-BENZ SL 500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE HYDROPLANED UP TO 70 MPH AND CRASHED INTO A TREE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AND THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT SUFFERED BROKEN RIBS AND A SHATTERED SPINE. THE CONTACT WAS WEARING THE SEAT BELT DURING THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT WAS TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL TO TREAT THE INJURIES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000.

DT: CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING A 1997 MERCEDES SL-500 IT WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT WHERE THE DRIVER, PASSENGER, AND SIDE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. CONSUMER WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 15-20 MPH, WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STRUCK (T-BONED) ON THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR. THE IMPACT CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO HIT OTHER VEHICLES. THE CONSUMER WAS WEARING A SEAT BELT. THE AIR BAG LIGHT WAS NOT ILLUMINATED BEFORE THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN IN ANY PREVIOUS ACCIDENTS. THERE WAS A RECALL TO HAVE THE DRIVER SIDE AIR BAG REPLACED. THE CONSUMER DID HAVE THIS RECALL SERVICE PERFORMED. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THE AIRBAGS WERE NOT INTENDED TO DEPLOY IN THIS TYPE OF ACCIDENT. *AK

CONSUMER WAS DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, AND THE AIR BAG ON THE PASSENGER SIDE INADVERTENTLY DEPLOYED. CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, AND THE DEALER TOLD THE CONSUMER THAT THEY'VE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS, AND WAS TELLING THE CONSUMER THAT THE VEHICLE HAD TO HAVE HIT SOMETHING FOR THIS TO HAPPEN. VEHICLE WAS NOT HIT. *AK *NM