2005 Mercedes Benz SL500

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MERCEDES-BENZ SL500. WHILE DRIVING 75 MPH, THE VEHICLE WENT INTO LIMP MODE AND THE SPEED DECREASED TO 35 MPH. IN ADDITION, THE ABS AND ESP WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO MERCEDES-BENZ OF PALM BEACH (4000 OKEECHOBEE BLVD, WEST PALM BEACH, FL 33409, (561) 609-0902), BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO STATED THAT THE FAULT CONDUCTOR PLATE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT WAS REFERRED TO THE LOCAL DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 33,000. THE VIN WAS INVALID.

WHILE DRIVING IN TRAFFIC AT APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH THE TRANSMISSION DISENGAGED (SLIPPED) SO MUCH SO THAT THE RPM'S SHOT UP AND THE CAR NO LONGER HAD POWER TO THE DRIVE WHEELS. I NEEDED TO MOVE OVER 2 LANES THROUGH TRAFFIC TO PULL OVER TO THE CURB AND GET OUT OF TRAFFIC. ONCE I STOPPED THE CAR AT THE SIDE OF THE ROAD THE TRANSMISSION ENGAGED AND THE CAR REGAINED POWER THE THE REAR WHEELS AND I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE CAR OFF THE ROAD TO SAFETY WITH SOME MINIMAL SLIPPING OF THE TRANSMISSION. ONCE I GOT THE CAR HOME I CHECKED FOR ERROR CODES EVEN THOUGH THERE WAS NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON. THE ERROR CODE WAS P2206 "THE SIGNAL FROM COMPONENT Y#?*N3 OUTPUT SPEED SENSOR (VGS) IS NOT AVAILABLE". LOOKED THE CODE UP AND DISCOVERED THAT THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM TO THIS 7 SPEED TRANSMISSIONS CONDUCTOR PLATE/VALVE BODY WHICH NEEDS TO BE REPLACED BY THE DEALER AS A UNIT. I HAVE RECENTLY HAD MY 05 SL500 WHICH HAS 60,000 MILES SERVICED AT A MERCEDES BENZ DEALER FOR AN UNRELATED ISSUE AND OULD HAVE HOPED THAT THE DEALER OR MBUSA WOULD HAVE NOTIFIED ME ABOUT THIS COMMON DANGEROUS DEFECT AS THE DEFECT APPEARS TO BE WELL KNOWN TO THE MANY OWNERS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS FAILURE AS WELL AS THE DEALERS AND MBUSA WHO HAVE NEEDED TO REPAIR A LARGE NUMBER OF THESE EARLY 7 SPEED TRANSMISSIONS.