2005 Mercedes Benz SL500

The contact owns a 2005 Mercedes-Benz SL500. The contact stated that while driving from a complete stop, the brake warning light and other unknown warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that he lost control of the vehicle but did not provide further information. The contact stated that while driving at 15 MPH, the brake pedal was depressed but failed to respond. The warning message "Reduced Braking Power, Depress Brake Pedal Fully" and another message advising the contact to take the vehicle to the nearest service station illuminated. The contact continued to depress the brake pedal all the way to the floorboard, but the brake pedal would not respond. The contact stated that the vehicle stopped independently at some point. The vehicle was towed to the dealer who test drove the vehicle and diagnosed that no issues were found as no warning lights were illuminated. The dealer also informed the contact that they could not repair the vehicle under an unknown extended warranty for the sensotronic brake control system replacement as his vehicle was not under the extended warranty. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and confirmed the information from the dealer. Later on, the manufacturer followed up with the contact and confirmed that his vehicle was under the sensotronic brake control system replacement extended warranty; however, the dealer would need to diagnose the vehicle at his expense before they would cover the repair. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 22,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MERCEDES-BENZ SL500R. WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED TO THE FLOORBOARD, BUT FAILED TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT HAD TO APPLY THE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SEVERAL UNKNOWN WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO MERCEDES-BENZ OF ORLAND PARK (LOCATED AT 8430 W 159TH ST, ORLAND PARK, IL 60462, (708) 460-0400) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED WITH A LOW BATTERY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 48,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MERCEDES BENZ SL500. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH AND ATTEMPTING TO ENGAGE THE BRAKES, THE BRAKE FAILED TO ENGAGE AND THE WARNING MESSAGE TO STOP THE VEHICLE ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE SENSOTRONIC BRAKE CONTROL WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 116,000. UPDATED 02/19/16*LJ UPDATED 02/22/16.*JB

I DROVE OUT OF MY DRIVE AND TRIED TO BRAKE THE CAR AND A WARNING LIGHT CAME ON SAYING THAT MY BRAKES WERE MALFUNCTIONING. THE CAR WOULD NOT BRAKE. THE BRAKES ON THE CAR WERE DEAD.FORTUNATELY THERE IS A HILL AT THE BOTTOM OF THE ROAD WHERE I LIVE AND BY GOING UP THE HILL THE CAR CAME TO A STOP. FORTUNATELY THERE WERE NO OTHER CARS OR PEDESTRIANS ON THE ROAD OTHERWISE I WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO STOP. WHEN I BROUGHT MY CAR TO THE DEALER, THEY SAID THAT IT WAS A SOFTWARE PROBLEM AND THEY WOULD FIX IT FOR FREE. A FEW MONTHS BEFORE, I HAD TAKEN THE CAR IN TO THE SAME MB DEALER FOR GENERAL MAINTENANCE. WHY DIDN'T THE DEALER REPAIR THE SOFTWARE BRAKE ISSUE? DO I HAVE TO GET KILLED OR DAMAGE OTHER CARS BEFORE THEY AUTOMATICALLY REPAIR THE BRAKE SOFTWARE, THAT THEY OBVIOUSLY KNEW TO BE DEFECTED AND A POTENTIAL FOR ACCIDENTS? THE ISSUE SHOULD HAVE BEEN A RECALL ITEM, DUE TO THE SERIOUSNESS OF THE MATTER. THE SAME CAR HAS A PROBLEM WITH THE TRANSMISSION WHICH APPEARS TO BE ANOTHER SOFTWARE ISSUE. WHY DOESN'T THE DEALER AUTOMATICALLY FIX THE SOFTWARE ISSUE BEFORE I HAVE AN ACCIDENT? THE "FIX-IT" COST HAS TO BE MINIMAL AND THE PREVENTION OF DAMAGE HAS TO BE HUGE. THE MB DEALER WANTS TO REPLACE ANYTHING THAT ISN'T RIGHT. THEY REPLACED MY ENGINE MOUNTS AT 42,000 MILES FOR $1,600 WHETHER THEY NEEDED IT OR NOT, BUT THEY WON'T FIX SOME SIMPLE SOFTWARE ISSUES THAT COULD KILL OR DAMAGE PROPERTY? IF THE MB DEALER DOESN'T WANT TO DO IT BECAUSE THEY DON'T MAKE ENOUGH MONEY, THEN HOPEFULLY THE DOT WILL FORCE THEM TO DO IT. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. THESE ARE SERIOUS ISSUES WHICH I DID NOT KNOW ABOUT. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MERCEDES-BENZ SL500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE STARTING THE VEHICLE, THE ACTIVE BODY CONTROL LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SHOCKS FELT AS IF THEY HAD FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS FOUND THAT THE SENSOTRONIC BRAKE CONTROL FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 05V133000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 65,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 66,060.