1999 MERCEDES-BENZ 230

I HEARD A LOUD BANG AND FELT THE VEHICLE SHUDDER VIOLENTLY. I IMMEDIATELY PULLED OVER AND INSPECTED THE VEHICLE. I THOUGHT THAT PERHAPS THE ENTIRE EXHAUST SYSTEM HAD FALLEN OFF THE CAR BUT IT HAD NOT. UPON CLOSE INSPECTION I NOTICED THAT THE DRIVERS FRONT SUSPENSION HAD COLLAPSED AND THE FENDER AND WHEEL WELL WERE RESTING ON THE TIRE. I WONDERED IF THE A-ARM BALL JOINT HAD BROKEN SO I JACKED UP THE CAR. WITH THE CAR JACKED UP IT WAS CLEAR THAT THE UPPER SPRING POCKET ALSO CALLED A SPRING PERCH HAD TORN AWAY FROM THE BODY OF THE CAR. IT HAD RUSTED THROUGH, YOU COULD SEE A CLEAR RUST LINE AT THE CREASE WHERE THE CUP OF POCKET MEETS IT'S FLANGE. THIS IS CLEARLY A MANUFACTURING DEFECT, MY OTHER MBZ IS AN 88 WITHOUT A SPECK OF RUST IN THAT AREA. WHAT'S WORSE IS THAT THERE ARE MANY COMPLAINTS FOR THIS MODEL AND YEAR WITH EXACTLY THE SAME MANUFACTURING DEFECT. *TR

Mileage: 237,557

WITHOUT ANY MEMORY OF HITTING ANY BAD POTHOLES OR ANYTHING ELSE THAT COULD HAVE COMPROMISED THE SUSPENSION. WHILE SITTING IN LINE TO PICK UP THE CHILDREN AT SCHOOL THE TOP SUPPORT ON THE COIL SPRING GAVE AWAY, RELEASING THE SPRING AND CAUSING THE FRONT OF THE CAR TO STRIKE THE GROUND. UPON THE INSPECTION OF THE COIL SPRING SUPPORTS AT A GARAGE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE OPPOSITE COIL SPRING HAS BEEN 3/4 COMPROMISED, RESULTING IN THE REPLACEMENT OF BOTH COIL SPRING MOUNTS. THE RESULTS OF THE FAILURE COULD HAVE BEEN CATASTROPHIC HAD IT OCCURRED ON THE INTERSTATE AT 70 MPH. *JB

APPROXIMATELY, IN 2001 I STOPPED INTO A MERCEDES DEALER IN LATROBE, PA. FOR HELP REPLACING MY RIGHT REAR BRAKE LIGHT. IT WAS FROZEN IN THE SOCKET AND IT WOULDN'T MOVE. I WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS A DESIGN PROBLEM AND THAT THE SOCKET HOLDING THE BULB GETS SO HOT THAT THE PLASTIC ADHERES TO THE FRAME. THEY REPLACED THE ENTIRE LIGHT ASSEMBLY EXPLAINING TO ME THAT IT WAS A SAFETY ISSUE AND EVEN THOUGH I WAS OUT OF WARRENTY SAFETY ISSUE RESPONSIBILITY NEVER EXPIRE AS A MANUFACTURER. I LIKE THAT, I FELT OK WITH IT. SINCE THEN I AM CONTINUING TO PLACE BRAKE LIGHT BULBS ON BOTH SIDES FREQUENTLY NEEDING PLIERS TO GET THE BULB OUT. NOW REPLACING DOESN'T DO IT AND 2 DEALERS ARE TELLING ME THAT SINCE IT IS OUT OF WARRANTY AND THAT BOTH SIDES NEED REPLACING IT WILL COST ME $501 TO REPAIR THEIR MANUFACUTRERS DEFECT, NOT WHAT I WAS TOLD IN LATROBE. I GUESS SAFETY DOES EXPIRE, WELL NOT TO ME.I WAS ALSO TOLD THAT THERE WAS NO GUARANTEE HOW LONG THE NEW MODULE WOULD WORK. BRAKE LIGHTS ARE A SAFETY ISSUE OR T

Mileage: 105,000

CRANKSHAFT PULLEY HARMONIC BALANCER DETACHED FROM ENGINE WHILE DRIVING, CAUSING LOSS OF POWER STEERING. VERY DANGEROUS. CAR HAS ONLY 14600 MILES. *AK

Mileage: 14,600

THE LIGHT IN THE DASH BOARD THAT COMES ON WHEN BRAKE PADS ARE LOW DID NOT COME ON UNTIL PADS AND ROTORS WERE BELOW SPECS, AND I HAD TO REPLACE THE ROTORS. THE WARNING SYSTEM TO REPLACE PADS DID NOT PERFROM IT'S JOB BECAUSE THE ROTORS WERE WORN TO THE POINT WHERE THEY HAD TO BE REPLACED.*AK

DRIVING THE CAR AT 45 MILES AN HOUR, HEARD A BUZZING NOISE GETTING LOUDER AND LOUDER, THE ACCELERATOR WAS PICKING UP SPEED ON ITS OWN, PRESSED THE BRAKES AND THE CAR WASN'T STOPPING, I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY, TOOK THE STEERING WHEEL MADE A HARD LEFT, WAS IN THE LEFT LANE, HIT THE CONCRETE DIVIDER TO AVOID HITTING OTHER CARS, HIT THE CAR IN FRONT THAT CAR HIT THE CAR IN FRONT OF HIM, THE AIRBAG OPENED, KNOCKED ME OUT, THEN I GUESS THE CAR SWERVED DIAGONALLY HIT A CAR IN THE MIDDLE LANE AND THEN HIT THE CONCRETE WALL ON THE RIGHT SIDE, WHEN I CAME TO I HAD TO GET OUT OF THE CAR DUE TO SMOKE, DUST, THE CAR WASN'T RUNNING ANYMORE. THE CAR IS AT ALLSTATE AND I CALLED MERCEDES AND THEY ARE GOING TO INVESTIGATE, DO I NEED TO HIRE A INDEPENDENT COMPANY TO INVESTIGATE. THERE IS SOME DEFEAT IN THIS CAR, I DID LOCATE ANOTHER COMPLAINT ODI ID # 727970. *LA

Mileage: 44,000

BRAKES ARE WORN OUT, AND T ROTORS ARE BELOW SAFETY LEVEL. *AK

MY CAR SELF-ACCELERATED CAUSING CRASH INTO OTHER VEHICLE. BRAKES FAILED TO STOP SELF-PROPELLED CAR. MANUFACTURER NOT ACKNOWLEDGING CAR PROBLEM. PUTTING BURDEN OF PROOF ON ME. I HAVE NO WITNESSES . I REPORTED THIS TO YOU ON 5/28/00 AND DO NOT SEE IT APPEARING ON YOUR WEBSITE. I CALLED THIS A.M. GOT NO WHERE WITH YOUR OPERATOR. I HAVE COPY OF VOQ CONFIRMATION. PLEASE RESPOND ASAP.*AK