1997 Mercedes-Benz 420

WELD BROKE AND DISLODGED THE SPRINGS.. *TR

NHTSA ID

10546758

Incident

Oct 4, 2013

Mileage

212,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 MERCEDES BENZ E420. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, HE HEARD A LOUD POP NEAR THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT PULLED THE VEHICLE OVER AND SAW THAT METAL WAS HANGING FROM UNDER THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO BE DRIVEN BUT WAS UNSAFE AND HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO HIS HOME. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN FOR INSPECTION. NEITHER THE DEALER NOR THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID

10461727

Incident

Jun 13, 2012

Mileage

140,000 mi

I AM FILING A COMPLAINT REGARDING AFTER WARRANTY SUPPORT FOR THE ABOVE REFERENCED VEHICLE. THE SPRING SEAT DETACHED FROM THE BODY OF THE AUTOMOBILE CAUSING THE SUSPENSION TO FAIL WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION AT 45 MPH ON A DOWNHILL GRADE. AS THE SUSPENSION DETACHED FROM THE CAR, THE LEFT FRONT SIDE DRAGGED ON THE ROAD CAUSING THE RIGHT REAR TO SLIDE INTO THE OTHER LANE OF TRAFFIC. IMPACT FROM AN APPROACHING VEHICLE WAS NARROWLY ADVERTED. FURTHER, LARGE PIECES OF THE VEHICLE INCLUDING THE COIL SPRING WHERE LEFT IN THE ROAD CAUSING A HAZARD. MY MECHANIC AND THE FACILITY THAT REPAIRED THE VEHICLE HAS STATED THAT THIS IS A COMMON DEFECT IN THE DESIGN OF THIS VEHICLE. FURTHER, A INTERNET SEARCH REVEALS NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS OF THIS FAILURE SPECIFIC TO THIS MODEL. I HAD A DISMISSIVE CONVERSATION WITH MERCEDES BENZ USA. WHO STATED THAT THEY WOULD ONLY INVESTIGATE THE PROBLEM IF THE REPAIR WAS DONE AT AN AUTHORIZED MERCEDES BENZ DEALER. I WOULD ASK THE NTSB TO RE OPEN THIS ONGOING ISSUE WHICH IF LEFT UNADDRESSED COULD CAUSE SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH. *TR

NHTSA ID

10424746

Incident

Jun 28, 2011

Mileage

163,000 mi

I AM A VICTIM OF A DANGEROUS SAFETY DESIGN FLAW IN MY 1997 MERCEDES BENZ E420. LAST WEEK, MY WIFE WAS DRIVING THE CAR IN A STRAIGHT LINE ON A LOCAL STREET NEAR OUR HOME, WHEN THE PASSENGER SIDE COIL SPRING FLEW OUT OF THE CAR, RESULTING IN HER COMPLETELY LOSING CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THERE WERE NO WARNING SIGNS - NO SOUNDS, RATTLES, ETC. LUCKILY, SHE WAS DRIVING AT A SLOW SPEED OF 35MPH AND THAT THE CARS AROUND HER STOPPED, ALLOWING HER TO MANEUVER THE CAR TO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD. AS A RESULT, SHE AVOIDED ANY ACCIDENT AND WAS NOT HURT. THE COIL SPRINGS SUPPORT THE FULL WEIGHT OF THE CAR, AND WHEN THE SPRING FLEW OUT OF THE CAR, THE CAR COLLAPSED ONTO THE TIRE UNDER ITS OWN WEIGHT. THE WHEEL WELL RESTED ON THE TIRE AND SUPPORTED THE ENTIRE WEIGHT OF THE CAR. THE CAR BEGAN MAKING A LOUD NOISE AS A RESULT OF THE WHEEL WELL RUBBING AGAINST THE TIRE AND CAME TO AN IMMEDIATE HALT. MY WIFE COULD NOT STEER THE CAR LEFT OR RIGHT, SINCE THE WHEEL WELL PREVENTED THE TIRE FROM MAKING SUCH TURNS. WHEN SHE FORCED A TURN SO THAT SHE COULD PULL OVER TO THE SHOULDER, THE CAR JUMPED AS THE WHEEL EXITED THE WHEEL WELL AND RODE ON ITS EDGE. THE WHEEL WELL SCORED DEEP GASHES IN THE TIRE. THE COIL SPRING DENTED THE WHEEL WELL, THE WHEEL AND THE SHOCK ABSORBER. WHEN YOU LOSE SUCH CONTROL OF THE CAR, YOU CAN VERY EASILY BE INVOLVED IN A SERIOUS ACCIDENT AND JEOPARDIZE YOUR SAFETY. I DREAD TO THINK WHAT THE OUTCOME WOULD HAVE BEEN IF WE WERE DRIVING AT 65MPH ON A HIGHWAY WHEN THE COIL SPRING FLEW OUT. A COIL SPRING FLYING OUT OF THE CAR IS NOT CAUSED BY NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR, IT IS A SERIOUS DESIGN FLAW. I HAD A MECHANIC INSPECT THE DAMAGE - 1. THE COIL SPRING MOUNT (A.K.A "SPRING PERCH") IS MADE OF THIN SHEET METAL AND IS POORLY DESIGNED. IT IS SPOT WELDED ONTO THE WHEEL WELL IN 3 SPOTS. THIS DESIGN IS TOO WEAK TO SUPPORT THE WEIGHT OF THE CAR, AND IT BROKE OFF AS A RESULT. 2. NEW SHOCK ABSORBER, TIRE, WHEEL 3. WHEEL ALIGNMENT. PHOTOGRAPHS AND REPLACED PARTS AVAILABLE. *TR *KB

NHTSA ID

10413904

Incident

Jul 12, 2011

Mileage

200,150 mi

1997 MERCEDES E420 DRIVER'S SIDE COIL SPRING PERCH FAILURE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10257996

Incident

Feb 8, 2009

Mileage

172,000 mi

HEADLIGHT WIRING HARNESS IS DISINTEGRATING, AND LOOKS IDENTICAL TO PICTURES SENT TO NHTSA BY OTHER OWNERS AND IS A FIRE HAZARD THAT IS UNDETECTABLE UNTIL SHORTS OR FIRES DEVELOP. THE INSULATION IS LITERALLY FALLING APART, AND THIS CREATES GREAT POTENTIAL FOR UNSAFE OPERATION, SHORTCIRCUITS, BREAKDOWN AND IS A POTENTIAL FIRE HAZARD. *TR

NHTSA ID

10249623

Incident

Nov 21, 2008

Mileage

111,111 mi

I HAVE A 1997 MERCEDES BENZ E420. THE SPRING PERCHES HAVE FAILED ON BOTH FRONT SIDES OF THIS CAR. THE DRIVE SIDE COMPLETELY SEPARATED FROM THE FRAME OF THE CAR AND HAD TO BE WELDED AND REPAIRED. I CAUGHT THE PASSENGER SIDE BEFORE ANY SERIOUS DAMAGE OCCURRED. THIS IS A KNOWN DEFECT WITH THIS AUTOMOBILE AND HAS BEEN RECALLED IN CANADA FOR THIS EXACT PROBLEM BUT NOT IN THE USA. THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM AND THIS CAR SHOULD BE RECALLED DUE TO THE VERY REAL PROBABILITY OF INJURY OR DEATH FROM THE FAILURE OF THIS PART. *TR

NHTSA ID

10222929

Incident

Jul 15, 2006

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 MERCEDES BENZ 420. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT COIL SPRING WAS CRACKED. THE FAILURE WAS NOTICED DURING A ROUTINE OIL CHANGE AT THE DEALER. THE DEALER STATED THAT NO RECALLS WERE AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT RUST ENCOMPASSES THE ENTIRE AREA WHERE THE COIL SPRING CRACKED. HE INSPECTED THE COIL SPRING ON THE PASSENGER SIDE AND IT TOO HAS RUST, BUT IT IS NOT AS NOTICEABLE AS THE DRIVER SIDE COIL SPRING. THE COIL SPRING WAS REPLACED AT THE COST OF $666. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 88,300.

NHTSA ID

10201267

Incident

Aug 28, 2007

Mileage

88,300 mi

TIRES - DIRECTIONAL TREAD PATTERN. *TW