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

NHTSA ID

10392293

Incident

Mar 18, 2011

Mileage

237,557 mi

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

NHTSA ID

10147718

Incident

Jan 11, 2006

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 THEY WOULDN'T GIVE TRAFFIC TICKETS IF THEY ARE NOT WORKING. SINCE EVERY LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY IN THIS COUNTRY RECOGNIZES THAT BRAKE LIGHTS ARE A MATTER OF PUBLIC SAFETY I AM SURE THAT YOU DO ALSO. AT LEAST THE WIRING DOESN'T MELT WITH THE GAS TANK BACK THERE. I DON'T FEEL THAT I SHOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR A PROBLEM THAT MERCEDES ADMITS IS A MANUFACTURING PROBLEM. BRAKE LIGHTS ARE REQUIRED TO BE ON ALL CARS FOR PUBLIC SAFTEY REASONS AND IF A MANUFACTURER BUILDS A CAR WITH DEFECTIVE SAFTEY EQUIPMENT THEN THEY NOT ME OR ANY OTHER CONSUMER SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE TO PAY FOR THEIR DESIGN PROBLEM.*AK

NHTSA ID

10108413

Incident

Jan 14, 2005

Mileage

105,000 mi

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

NHTSA ID

10078806

Incident

Jun 24, 2004

Mileage

14,600 mi

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

NHTSA ID

10052402

Incident

Dec 29, 2003

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

NHTSA ID

10046749

Incident

Nov 2, 2003

Mileage

44,000 mi

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

NHTSA ID

8010282

Incident

May 8, 2002

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

NHTSA ID

727970

Incident

Mar 28, 2000

FLOW NOISES FROM AREA OF POWER STEERING PUMP AND/OR FOAMING OF POWER STEERING OIL IN RESERVOIR. *TT

WINDSHIELD WASHER NOZZLES HEATING INOPERATIVE. *TC

PARKTRONIC TRIGGERS WITHOUT OBVIOUS CAUSE AT FRONT BUMPER IN MERCEDES MODEL NUMBERS 171/211/230. *TC