1984 MERCEDES-BENZ 380

CAR: 1984 MERCEDES 380SL I WAS PULLING INTO MY DRIVEWAY WHEN I HEARD A CLUNK. I KEPT DRIVING INTO MY CARPORT (GARAGE), AND I LOOKED UNDERNEATH TO SEE IF I COULD SEE ANYTHING. I HAD SOMEONE ELSE LOOK AT IT, AND WE DISCOVERED THAT THE SUBFRAME THAT HOLDS THE LOWER A-ARM WAS BROKEN, AND THE A-ARM HANGING BY ONLY ONE END. THE MODELS 350SL-450SL CURRENTLY HAVE A RECALL, AND SO MUST 380SL BECAUSE IT SHARES THE SAME SUBFRAME DEFECT AS THE OTHERS. NOT ONLY IS THIS A COSTLY REPAIR, BUT IT IS AN DANGEROUS ONE, AS IF THE SAME THING HAPPENED WHILE THE CAR WAS MOVING I WOULD MIGHT HAVE LOST CONTROL OF THE CAR, AND MIGHT HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY INJURED OR KILLED. THERE ARE 3 OTHER REPORTS HERE: HTTP://WWW.PEACHPARTS.COM/SHOPFORUM/ARCHIVE/INDEX.PHP/T-191764.HTML THERE IS 1 MORE REPORT HERE: HTTP://WWW.BENZWORLD.ORG/FORUMS/R-C107-SL-SLC-CLASS/1594298-SUBFRAME-MY-380SL-CRACKED-BOTH-SIDES.HTML THERE'S ANOTHER ONE HERE: HTTP://WWW.JUSTANSWER.COM/MERCEDES/4H5VI-MERCEDES-BENZ-380SL-NEED-REPLA

Mileage: 215,095

PARKED VEHICLE IN FRONT OF GARAGE. TURNED OFF ENGINE, GOT OUT & DECIDED TO MOVE CAR CLOSER TO GARAGE. PUT ON SEAT BELT, RESTARTED CAR, PUT FOOT ON BRAKE, & SHIFTED INTO DRIVE. VEHICLE TOOK OFF LIKE A ROCKET, SMASHED THROUGH GARAGE DOOR, THROUGH STRUCTURAL BEAMS & OUT THE SIDE OF THE BUILDING LANDING ON THE GROUND WITH FRONT OF CAR. ENGINE WAS STILL ROARING & I WAS ABLE TO TURN OFF THE IGNITION & OPEN THE PASSENGER DOOR TO GET OUT. *TR

Mileage: 12,225

WHEN THE CRUISE CONTROL IS ACTIVATED, THE CAR WILL SUDDENLY ACCELERATE TO HIGH SPEED BY ITSELF AND THE BRAKE DOES NOT WORK. THE ONLY OPTION IS TO SHIFT TO "NEUTRAL"AND APPLY THE BRAKES OR SWITCH -OFF THE ENGINE. IT IS MOST DANGEROUS WHEN YOU ARE IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. *JB

Mileage: 185,000

DT: CONSUMER FOUND A RECALL ONLINE AND CONTACTED MERCEDES BENZ, AND DEALER,. THEY ACKNOWLEDGED THE RECALL, BUT REFUSED TO REIMBURSE THE CONSUMER FOR THE REPAIRS OF THE VEHICLE. THE SUBFRAME BROKE, AND HE HAD IT REPAIRED BEFORE HE FOUND THERE WAS A RECALL. HE HAD IT REPAIRED AT A FIRESTONE. *AK

Mileage: 156,066

I HAVE A 1984 MERCEDES BENZ (MB) 380SL. THIS MODEL IS EQUIPPED WITH THE EXACT SAME SUBFRAME THAT WAS INSTALLED ON THE MB 450SL MODELS. THE SUBFRAMES FOR THE 450SLS WERE RECALLED BECAUSE OF THE DANGER OF IT CRACKING AND THE LEFT WHEEL COLLAPSING UNDER THE CAR OR COMING OFF ALTOGETHER WHILE DRIVING. MB MADE THE ERRONEOUS ASSUMPTION THAT BECAUSE THE 380SL ENGINE WAS ALUMINUM VERSUS THE CAST IRON OF THE 450SL ENGINES, THAT THE DEFECTIVE SUBFRAME COULD SUPPORT THE ENGINE. A SEVERE CRACK HAS BEEN DISCOVERED IN MY 380SL SUBFRAME IN THE SAME EXACT PLACE AND EXACT SAME TYPE AS THE CRACKS THAT OCCURRED IN THE 450SLS. I ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS NOT TOTALLY UNCOMMON IN THE 380SL MODEL. I HAVE TALKED WITH "JAMES" AT MB-USA TO ASK THAT THE RECALL BE APPLIED TO MY VEHICLE AND THAT THEY PERFORM THE REPAIRS AS THEY DID FOR THE 450SLS. MY REQUEST WAS DENIED. I LEFT TWO VOICEMAIL MESSAGES AND SENT AN E-MAIL TO MB'S SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA MARKETING MGR, ANDY NOYE. MR. NOYE HAS NOT RETURNED MY C

CONSUMER WAS INFORMED ON A RECALL ON VEHICLE, BUT CONSUMER'S VEHICLE IS NOT INCLUDED DUE TO VIN. *LA

IN 1993 I HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE ENGINE SHUTING DOWN WHILE DRIVING IF AT ANY SPEED. I WOULD STEP ON THE GAS AND THE VEHICLE HAD NO POWER. IT WOULD RESTART AND I COULD PROCEED. IT WAS VERY DANGEROUS AND SOMETIMES I WAS MAKING A LEFT TURN AND ONCOMING TRAFFIC WAS APPROACHING. THE VEHICLE WAS UNDER WARRANTY BY MERCEDES-BENZ AND I TOOK IT IN. THEY REPLACED THE INGNITION CONTROL MODULE AND OVERLOAD PROTECTION RELAY. IN JULY 2000, I HAD THE ENGINE SHUTTING DOWN AGAIN. IT WAS VERY INTERMITTEN BUT FINALLY I HAD IT TOWED TO THE DEALER IN NASHVILLE ON AUGUST 7, 2000. IT WAS IN SEVERAL TIMES AS IT WAS HARD TO DUPLICATE TO PROBLEM. VARIOUS PARTS WERE CHANGED BUT THE INTERMITTEN PROBLEM CONTINUED. WHEN IT WAS STILL CONTINUING IN SEPTEMBER I GOT ANOTHER APPOINTMENT AND HAD A FRIEND GO IN WITH ME. HE WATCHED THE INSTRUMENTS DURING THE FOUR TIMES IT STALLED AND NOTICED THAT THE TEMPATURE GUAGE WAS RISING WHEN IT SHUT DOWN. I HAD THE AIR CONDITIONING ON. I TURNED OFF THE AIR CONDITIONER AND I

CAR WAS IDLING INTO DRIVEWAY, CONSUMER PUT CAR IN REVERSE, AND IT TOOK OFF IN REVERSE, LIKE PEDAL WAS STUCK. CONSUMER TRIED EVERYTHING TO STOP VEHICLE, AND CONSUMER COULD NOT. CONSUMER LANDED IN BETWEEN TWO TREES. *AK

VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED CAUSING FRONTEND COLLISION AT HIGH UNKNOWN SPEED CRASHING INTO 2 VEHICLES AND MEDIAN STRIP. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. TT