1989 Mercedes-Benz 300E Owner Complaints

CAR CUTS OFF AFTER A LONG DRIVE WHEN COASTING TO A STOP OR WHEN TURNING. WHEN ENGINE CUTS OFF POWER STEERING NO LONGER FUNCTIONS (VERY UPSETTING WHILE TURNING WHICH IS USUALLY WHEN IT CUTS OFF). HAVE TAKEN IT TO PRIVATE SHOP AND MERCEDES DEALER BUT NOTHING RESOLVED THE ISSUE. CAR IS DRIVEN RARELY NOW DUE TO THIS ISSUE AND ISSUE IS STILL ACTIVE IN CAR. I HAVE FIVE RECEIPTS FROM PRIVATE AUTO REPAIR SHOP AND MERCEDES BENZ DEALER DOCUMENTING EACH TIME CAR WAS TAKEN FOR THIS ISSUE DATING BACK TO 2003. *TR

NHTSA ID

10572854

Incident

Sep 2, 2003

Mileage

145,856 mi

SUDDEN ACCELERATION . A 1989 MERCEDES BENZ 300E WITH AROUND 158,900 MILES. SINCE THE PAST 6 WEEKS HAS BEEN EXHIBITING THE APPARENTLY HARD TO PROOF CASE OF SUDDEN ACCELERATION. THE FIRST OCCURRENCE WAS WHILE DRIVING TO WORK ON HIGHWAY 101. THERE WAS A CONSTRUCTION GOING ON SO THE TRAVELING SPEED ON THAT STRETCH OF THE HIGHWAY WAS REDUCED TO AROUND 50MPH. AFTER DRIVING FOR SOME MINUTES WITH MY SPEED AROUND 50MPH, THE CAR SUDDENLY SURGED WITH THE SPEEDOMETER RISING. I WASN'T IN ANYWAY ACCELERATING. I WAS MAINTAINING MY CURRENT SPEED, THE SUDDEN SURGED MADE ME REMOVED MY LEG COMPLETELY FROM THE PEDAL. WITH THE SPEEDOMETER STILL RISING I DROVE THE NEXT FOUR/ FIVE MILES WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE BEFORE I WAS ABLE TO STEERED THE CAR TO SIDE LANE AND PUTTING THE CAR IN NEUTRAL.I HAVE HAD 4 SUBSEQUENT OCCURRENCES SINCE THEN. IT NOW HAPPENS LIKE TWICE EVERY WEEK. I HAD A MECHANIC DISENGAGED THE CRUISE CONTROL THINKING THAT WAS THE FAULT.THE LAST OCCURRENCE WAS TODAY. DRIVING OUT OF MY HOUSE WITH LESS THAN 30MPH. THE CAR SURGED AGAIN,I MANEUVERED THE CAR TO THE ROAD SIDE CHANGED THE GEAR TO PARKING. THIS TIME THE REF WENT ALL THE WAY TO THE RED ZONE WITH THE CAR IN PARKING GEAR.I CONTACTED MERCEDES BENZ ABOUT IT ,BUT AS USUAL NOBODY LISTENS TO COMMON PEOPLE .ANYWAYS TODAY I BOUGHT A HANDY VIDEO RECORDER TO BE IN MY CAR ,MAYBE WITH EVIDENCE THE UNSOLVED ISSUE OF SUDDEN ACCELERATION CAN FINALLY BE ADDRESSED AND CLASSIFIED AS BEEN REAL AND NO MORE A BOGUS MAKE UP STORY. .A LITTLE BIT ABOUT MY DRIVING EXPERIENCE , I DRIVE TAXI CAB IN SAN FRANCISCO AND IN TOTAL HAVE 20YEARS OF DRIVING CARS WITH A CLEAN RECORD. THANKS *TR

NHTSA ID

10263812

Incident

Mar 31, 2009

Mileage

158,900 mi

VEHICLE INTERMITTENTLY STALLED WHILE DRIVING DOWN AN INCLINE OR SLOWING DOWN TO A STOP POSITION. VEHICLE HAD BEEN TO THE REPAIR SHOP ON FIVE SEPARATE OCCASIONS, AND AT THE DEALER ONCE, HOWEVER, AND NEITHER OF THEM COULD RESOLVE THIS PROBLEM.*AK WHEN TURNING ON THE HEADLIGHTS THE SRS AND ABS LIGHT ILLUMINATE. THE TACHOMETER PERFORMED ERRATICALLY. THE ALTERNATOR ASSEMBLY WAS REPLACED. THE VEHICLE'S ENGINE NOISE WAS CAUSED BY A BOLT IN THE WATER PUMP WHICH WAS TOO LONG AND HIT AGAINST THE PUMP. *NM

NHTSA ID

10101215

Incident

Jan 1, 1996

PASSENGER FRONT WHEEL CAME OFF OF VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING. *MR (OHIO TRAFFIC REPORT) THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. *SCC *JB

NHTSA ID

10042069

Incident

May 16, 2003

CRUISE CONTROL DISENGAGES BY ITSELF WITHOUT DRIVER ASSISTANCE ON AN INTERMITTENT BASIS. DEALER HAS YET TO BE CONTACTED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

NHTSA ID

8002498

Incident

Jan 1, 2002

UNTIL I READ ABOUT OTHERS WHO HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE AIRBAG INDICATOR LIGHT, I ASSUMED THIS WAS NORMAL. I HAVE TALKED TO THE DEALER ABOUT IT, AND WAS TOLD I WOULD HAVE TO PAY OVER $2500 TO REPAIR/REPLACE THE AIRBAG. THE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY -- I INTENDED FOR THE DATE SHOWN TO INDICATE WHEN THE DASHBOARD LIGHT FIRST CAME ON.*AK

NHTSA ID

742102

Incident

May 1, 1995

WHILE SITTING AT A STOP AIR BAG ON THE DRIVER'S DEPLOYED FOR NO APPARENT REASON. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHP WHERE THE AIR BAG WAS REPLACED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

NHTSA ID

850227

Incident

Sep 10, 1999

THE DASH INDICATOR RESTRAINT SYSTEM LIGHT COMES ON AND STAYS ON, INDICATING A MALFUNCTION. DEALER SAYS SEAT BELTS AND AIR BAG UNIT ARE DEFECTIVE. THE CONTROL UNIT WAS REPLACED AT 1350 PLUS LABOR. PLEASE ADD VIN#. *AK

NHTSA ID

836990

Incident

Mar 28, 1999

VEHICLE SLIPS OUT OF GEAR ON AN FLAT PLANTFORM, WHEN THIS OCCURS THE VEHICLE ROLLS BACKWARD. OWNER HAS HEARD THE VEHICLE SLIP OUT OF GEAR MANY TIMES. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER AND THEY DID MINOR WORK. ALSO THEY TOLD HER TO PUT ON HER EMERGENCY BRAKES. *AK

NHTSA ID

807173

Incident

Jul 3, 1996

SUNROOF SQUEAKS.

NHTSA ID

513985

Incident

Jun 29, 1995

VEHICLE FIRE.

NHTSA ID

489326

Incident

Apr 17, 1995