2017 MERCEDES-BENZ GLE350

THERE IS A STRONG SMELL OF MOLD COMING FROM THE AIR CONDITIONING DUCTS OF MY VEHICLE, WHICH MERCEDES WILL NOT PERMANENTLY FIX. COMPLAINTS TO THE DEALER RESULT IN THE DEALER CLEANING THE A/C SYSTEM AND REPLACING THE FILTER, BUT THE SMELL RETURNS WITHIN ONE MONTH. I AM ADVISED THAT THE A/C SYSTEM IS NOT ALLOWING THE CONDENSATION TO DRAIN AND IT REMAINS IN THE SYSTEM AND DOES NOT EVAPORATE CAUSING THE MOLD SMELL. I AM FURTHER ADVISED THAT THE SYSTEM IS DEFECTIVELY DESIGNED TO TRY TO EVAPORATE THE CONDENSATION WITHIN THE SYSTEM WITHOUT A DRAIN TUBE, WHICH IS NOT WORKING. THERE HAVE BEEN TWO CLASS-ACTION LAWSUITS FILED AGAINST MERCEDES TO COMPEL IT TO RECTIFY THE SITUATION, BUT NO RESOLUTION HAS BEEN REACHED. IN THE MEANTIME THE OCCUPANTS OF MY VEHICLE AND OTHER MERCEDES VEHICLES ARE EXPOSED TO A SUBSTANTIAL HEALTH HAZARD AS THEY ARE REQUIRED TO INHALE AIR WITH MOLD IN IT. MERCEDES CONTINUES TO DENY THE A/C SYSTEM IS DEFECTIVE AND REFUSES TO PERMANENTLY FIX THIS PROBLEM.

WHEN BACKING OUT OF MY GARAGE AT 2 MPH I STRUCK A TRASH RECEPTACLE THAT WAS LOCATED TOWARD THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE MERCEDES BENZ (MB) PARKTRONIC SENSOR DID NOT SOUND AN AUDIBLE ALARM UNTIL IT WAS TOO LATE TO REACT. FOLLOWING THE INCIDENT I TESTED THE AUDIBLE ALARM SENSOR FOUR TIMES AND DISCOVERED THAT THE ALARM DID NOT SOUND UNTIL THE VEHICLE WAS 3", 9", 9", AND 12" FROM THE TRASH RECEPTACLE. THE OWNER'S MANUAL STATES THAT THE REAR CORNER SENSOR ACTIVATES AT 32" - BUT IT DOES NOT STATE WHICH TYPE OF SENSOR ACTIVATES, I.E. VISUAL (FLASHING LIGHTS) OR AUDIBLE. I BROUGHT THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP TO REPLACE A BROKEN TAIL LIGHT COVER AND TEST THE SYSTEM. I WAS INFORMED THAT THE SYSTEM WAS WORKING AS DESIGNED, AND THAT THE AUDIBLE SYSTEM DOES NOT SOUND UNTIL YOU ARE EXTREMELY CLOSE TO STRIKING AN OBJECT. THIS INFORMATION IS NOT CLEARLY IDENTIFIED IN THE OWNER'S MANUAL OTHER THAN TO STATE THAT THE REAR CORNER SENSOR ACTIVATES 32" FROM AN OBJECT. SINCE I RELY ON THE AUDIBLE SENSOR AND NOT THE FLASHING LIGHTS ON THE DASHBOARD, THE LACK OF CLARITY IS QUITE SERIOUS. HAD THERE BEEN A CHILD IN THE DRIVEWAY AND NOT A TRASH RECEPTACLE, I WOULD HAVE POTENTIALLY STRUCK THE CHILD CAUSING SERIOUS INJURY. AT NO TIME WAS I EVER INFORMED OF THE DIFFERENCE IN DISTANCES BETWEEN THE VISUAL AND AUDIBLE SYSTEMS. FURTHER, THE OWNER'S MANUAL DOES NOT DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN VISUAL AND AUDIBLE DISTANCES WHEN DESCRIBING THE PARKTRONIC SENSORS. AFTER TESTING THE PARKTRONIC SYSTEM THE DEALERSHIP INFORMED ME THAT EVERYTHING WAS OPERATING AS DESIGNED, YET THE DEALERSHIP DID PROVIDE A "SOFTWARE UPDATE" ALTHOUGH I DO NOT KNOW WHAT WAS UPDATED. I BELIEVE THE POTENTIAL FOR SERIOUS INJURY EXISTS IF A DRIVER RELIES ON THE AUDIBLE SENSOR WHEN BACKING UP THE VEHICLE. MB DEALERS SHOULD INFORM ALL DRIVERS WHOSE VEHICLES ARE EQUIPPED WITH THE SYSTEM OF THIS INHERENT DANGER.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 MERCEDES-BENZ GLE350. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE SUN ROOF EXPLODED WITHOUT IMPACT. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED BEFORE THE FAILURE. NO INJURIES OCCURRED FROM THE SHATTERED GLASS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO MERCEDES-BENZ OF WEST HOUSTON (1025 HWY 6, HOUSTON, TX 77079, (281) 492-5800) WHERE THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED THAT A NEW SUN ROOF WOULD HAVE TO BE PAID FOR BY THE CONTACT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 18,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 MERCEDES-BENZ GLE350. WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT, THE HEADLAMPS FAILED TO PROJECT FAR ENOUGH AHEAD TO SAFELY DRIVE THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT CALLED CENTENNIAL IMPORTS MERCEDES-BENZ AT 866-966-1094 AND WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT THE MANUFACTURER, BUT THEY WERE CLOSED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 10,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 MERCEDES-BENZ GLE350. WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT, THE EXTERIOR HEADLAMPS INSUFFICIENTLY ILLUMINATED THE DRIVER'S LINE OF SIGHT ON THE ROAD. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS ON THE VEHICLE AND NO WAY TO MODIFY THE POSITIONING OF THE LIGHTS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 12,671.

WHEN THE VEHICLE IS PARKED, THE DOOR LOCK WILL AUTOMATICALLY LOCK ON ITS OWN - WITH THE KEYS SILL INSIDE THE VEHICLE. THIS VEHICLE IS EQUIPPED WITH THE "KEYLESS GO" FEATURE THAT WILL ALLOWS THE DRIVER TO LOCK/UNLOCK THE VEHICLE WITHOUT USING THE "KEYLESS REMOTE FOB'. AS A PRECAUTIONARY MEASURE, IF THE REMOTE FOB IS DETECTED IN THE VEHICLE, THE DOORS ARE NOT TO LOCK. I HAVE TWO INFANTS AND I WOULD LOAD THEM INTO THE BACK SEATS, AS I CLOSE THE REAR DOOR, AND TRY TO ENTER THE DRIVER SEAT, ALL THE DOORS WOULD LOCK (THE REMOTE FOB WOULD STILL BE IN THE VEHICLE AND SHOULD PREVENT THE DOORS FROM LOCKING). I AM NOW LOCKED OUT OF THE VEHICLE AND BOTH INFANTS ARE LOCKED IN. I AM NOT ABLE TO OPEN THE DOORS, BECAUSE THE REMOTE FOB IS ALSO LOCKED IN THE VEHICLE. THIS WILL ALSO HAPPEN IF I EXIT THE DRIVER'S SEAT. THE DOORS WILL THEN AUTOMATICALLY LOCK WHEN I CLOSED THE DRIVER'S DOOR, NOW WITH BOTH INFANTS LOCKED IN THE REAR SEATS. FORTUNATELY WHEN THIS HAPPENED, IT WAS DURING THE EVENING ON A COOL DAY AND I HAD ENOUGH TIME TO RETRIEVE MY EXTRA FOB TO OPEN THE DOORS. IF THIS HAPPENED ON A VERY HOT DAY, THE POTENTIAL FOR A SERIOUS OR LIFE THREATENING INJURY MAY HAVE OCCURRED. I FEEL THIS IS A SERIOUS DEFECT WITH THE KEYLESS GO SYSTEM. I RESEARCHED THE INTERNET AND THIS DEFECT HAS HAPPENING TO MULTIPLE PEOPLE WITH MERCEDES BENZ VEHICLE. THE KEYLESS GO SYSTEM THAT MERCEDES USES IS IMPLEMENTED INTO DIFFERENT MODELS ACROSS THE ENTIRE MERCEDES BENZ LINEUP OF VEHICLES THEY MANUFACTURE. SO THIS ISSUES IS NOT ISOLATED TO JUST MY MAKE/MODEL MERCEDES, BUT MULTIPLE MAKES/MODELS/YEARS THAT HAS THE KEYLESS GO FEATURE INSTALLED IN IT. THIS DEFECT HAS HAPPENED TO ME MULTIPLE TIMES AND I'VE TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP TWICE TO HAVE THIS CHECKED OUT. THEY STATED THAT THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO DUPLICATE THE ISSUE OR FIND ANY FAULT CODES IN THE COMPUTERS.

THE PLASTIC FUEL TANK IN MERCEDES BENZ GLE 350 WAS RUPTURED BY ROAD DEBRIS DUE TO LACK OF SHIELD PROTECTION TO THE TANK. THIS ACCIDENT HAPPENED WHILE I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY I-45 FROM DALLAS TO HOUSTON ON AUG 12 2017. THE HALF TANK OF THE GAS WAS LEAKING OUT WITHIN 10 MINUTES. THANKS TO NO TRAFFIC MET DURING THAT TIME, OTHERWISE WE COULD GET FIRE.

MY CAR IS 2017 MERCEDES BENZ GLE 350 SUV. LAST SATURDAY (AUG 12), I DROVE ON HIGHWAY I-45 WITH MY FAMILY FROM DALLAS TO HOUSTON. SUDDENLY I HEARD SOMETHING HIT MY CAR UNDERNEATH, BUT THE CAR WAS MOVING LIKE NOTHING HAPPENED DURING THAT TIME. AFTER AROUND 10 MINUTES, ONE DRIVER DROVE UP AND KEPT WARNING ME TO STOP. I PULLED OVER MY SUV AND WAS TOLD THAT THE FUEL WAS LEAKING BEHIND ON THE HIGHWAY, I LOOKED AT THE UNDERNEATH OF THE CAR, FOUND THAT THE FUEL TANK WAS BROKEN WITH A HOLE, BECAUSE IT WAS A PLASTIC FUEL TANK AND THERE WAS NO UNDER GUARD PROTECTING THE TANK. WE REALLY APPRECIATED THAT DRIVER STOPPED US ON TIME, HE WAS A FIGHTER WORKING IN FIRE DEPART IN HOUSTON. IF HE DIDN'T COME UP, MY SUV COULD GET FIRE AND AN SERIOUS ACCIDENT BECAUSE THE CAR COULD LOST FUEL QUICKLY AND STUCK ON THE HIGHWAY. I JUST HAD THIS NEW SUV FOR 8 MONTHS AND QUICKLY MET THIS INSTANCE, FROM MY INSTANCE, IT CLEARLY PROVED THAT THE FUEL TANK WITH NO UNDER GUARD WAS EASILY BROKEN BY ROAD DEBRIS. THIS SUB IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE AND IT BRINGS DANGER TO CONSUMER ANY TIME.

SINCE LEASING THIS VEHICLE ON DECEMBER 1, 2016, THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS SAFETY ISSUES WITH THE SEAT BELT, ERRONEOUS WARNING ALARMS, AND THE WINDSHIELD WIPER. FIRST, WHILE DRIVING IN A SNOW STORM IN JANUARY 2017, THE DRIVER'S SIDE WINDSHIELD WIPER WENT FLYING OFF THE VEHICLE. THE DEALERSHIP REPAIRED THE WINDSHIELD WIPER. SECOND, WHILE DRIVING ON VARIOUS DATES/TIMES, THE CAR BEGAN SOUNDING AN ALARM AND A MESSAGE APPEARED THAT THE KEY WAS NOT IN THE VEHICLE. PLEASE SEE THE ATTACHED VIDEO. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN BROUGHT INTO THE SHOP ON TWO DIFFERENT OCCASIONS. DURING THE FIRST OCCASION, THE PUSH BUTTON WAS REPLACED. ON THE SECOND OCCASION, THE DEALERSHIP INDICATED THEY COULD NOT REPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY CONCERN BECAUSE THE CAR DISPLAYS THIS ALARM AT RANDOM TIMES DESPITE THE FACT THAT THE KEY IS IN THE VEHICLE. THE ALARM IS DISTRACTING WHILE DRIVING. LASTLY, ON ANOTHER OCCASION, THE SEAT BELT WENT INTO THE SEAT MECHANISM PREVENTING THE DRIVER FROM USING THE SEAT BELT. THIS WAS ALSO REPAIRED BY MERCEDES-BENZ.

THE LOW BEAM HALOGEN HEADLIGHTS ON THIS VEHICLE ARE INSUFFICIENT FOR NIGHTTIME DRIVING. THEY BARELY LIGHT UP ROADWAYS .THE VISIBILITY IS SO POOR, THAT WHILE DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY, PARTICULARLY DURING THE RAIN, YOU MUST FOLLOW A VEHICLE IN FRONT OF YOU TO SEE THE ROAD.. MAKING IT SO DANGEROUS, WITH GREAT POSSIBILITY OF CAUSING A MAJOR ACCIDENT. IT IS VERY HARD TO JUDGE ROAD PATTERNS WHEN YOU ARE ON UNFAMILIAR ROADS BECAUSE YOU CANNOT SEE CURVES, CURBS, TRAFFIC SIGNS, OR PEDESTRIANS CLEARLY. IT APPEARS THAT THESE LIGHTS JUST BARELY PASS FEDERAL AND STATE LAWS. MOST OF THE TIME YOU CANNOT TELL IF THEY ARE TURNED ON. I HAVE TO TRY AND AVOID NIGHTTIME DRIVING IN FEAR OF HURTING SOMEONE AND CAUSING A MAJOR ACCIDENT. THIS REQUIRES A MAJOR INVESTIGATION BEFORE SOMEONE GETS FATALLY INJURED.