1998 Mercedes-Benz C230 Problems

ON 09/06/2015 @ APPROX. 1:30 P.M., MY WIFE, SELF, AND GRANDCHILDREN WERE TRAVELING HOME FROM OUR GRANDSONS FIRST JFL FOOTBALL GAME FOR THE SEASON. AFTER INSPECTING THE SUSPENSION I NOTICED THAT THE COIL SPRING WAS FULLY EXPANDED AND ARCHED OUTWARD BADLY. FURTHER INSPECTION NOTICED THAT THE UPPER COIL SPRING CUP/MOUNT HAD RUSTED AWAY AND ALLOWED THE FRONT END TO DROP, FLATTENING THE SUSPENSION ALLOWING THE WEIGHT OF THE BODY TO REST UPON THE LOWER CONTROL ARM. I DID SOME RESEARCH TO FIND ANY INFORMATION THAT I COULD TO HELP ME UNDERSTAND WHAT JUST HAPPENED. MY SEARCH GATHERED ME ALL KINDS OF OWNERS WHO WERE ANGERED THAT THERE IS NOT A RECALL FOR SUCH A MAJOR PART THAT IS WELDED TO THE BODY AND RUSTS AWAY IN MAN Y INCIDENCES. MERCEDES BENZ WILL NOT WARRANTY THIS PROBLEM. MANY HAVE STATED THE POSSIBILITIES OF MANY ACCIDENTS THAT HAVE INJURED AND/OR HAVE KILLED THOUSANDS YET IF THERE WAS AN ACCIDENT DUE TO THE FAILURE OF THE WELDS OR RUSTED INSULATED WELDS, NO ONE WOULD THINK THAT THAT COULD HAVE BEEN THE CAUSE AND IT GOES UNATTENDED! I CALLED MY LOCAL MERCEDES BENZ DEALER AND THEY TELL ME THEY WILL NOT COVER THIS PROBLEM, BUT, THEY CAN TRANSFER ME TO THE PARTS DEPARTMENT SO I MAY BUY THE PARTS TO THEN TAKE TO A BODY SHOP TO PAY OUT OF POCKET TO HAVE THEM WELD NEW PARTS ON . MERCEDES BENZ DEALER SAID IT IS A COMMON PROBLEM AND HAVE SOLD MANY OF THESE REPAIR PARTS. A FORUM ON LINE STATES THAT THERE WAS LEGISLATION THAT THERE MUST BE A SECTION CUT OUT OF THE BODY AND A NEW REPLACEMENT PART WELDED IN PLACE. I AM GOING TO TRY TO GAIN INFORMATION FOR AN AREA TERRITORY REPRESENTATIVE TO DISCUSS WHAT PART MERCEDES BENZ WILL TAKE RESPONSIBILITIES TO REPAIR THE FAILED WELDS. THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL, "IT IS A MATTER OF LIFE OR DEATH!"

I WAS SITTING STOPPED IN TRAFFIC WITH THE ENGINE OFF, AND THE FRONT DRIVERS' SIDE OF MY VEHICLE JUST SPONTANEOUSLY DROPPED AS IF THAT PART OF THE VEHICLE HAD FALLEN INTO A SINK HOLE. I WAS WAITING FOR A DRAW BRIDGE TO COME DOWN AFTER A SAILBOAT PASSED, SO THE CAR WAS TURNED OFF. WHEN I GOT OUT OF THE VEHICLE TO INSPECT WHAT HAD HAPPENED, I COULD SEE THAT THE FRONT SPRING HAD SEPARATED FROM ITS TOP MOUNT IN WHAT I ASSUME WAS THE FRAME OF THE VEHICLE. WHEN I SEARCHED ON-LINE I FOUND THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT HAPPENS ALL THE TIME WITH VARIOUS MODELS OF MERCEDES BENZ. IF I HAD BEEN DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED I AND ANYONE ELSE IN THE CAR COULD HAVE EASILY BEEN KILLED, NOT TO MENTION OTHER VEHICLES, SINCE THE VEHICLE STEERING IS ALSO COMPROMISED WITH THE WHEEL BOTTOMING-OUT ON THE INSIDE OF THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THE CAR IS A '98, BUT WITH ONLY 148,000, THIS SHOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED. CLEARLY IT'S A DESIGN FLAW. WHY DOES NHTSA LET MERCEDES BENZ GET AWAY WITH THIS WITHOUT DEMANDING A RECALL? WHEN YOU LOOK ON THE WEB, YOU CAN SEE THAT THIS IS HAPPENING TO MANY PEOPLE, AND NOT ONLY IS MERCEDES REFUSING TO FIX IT FOR FREE, DEALERS ARE CHARGING CUSTOMERS THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS TO FIX THE DESIGN FLAW. I JUST GOT A QUOTE OF $2,000 FROM ONE DEALER OVER THE PHONE TO FIX BOTH FRONT SPRING PERCHES, AND IT COULD BE MORE IF ANYTHING IS DAMAGED OTHER THAN THE PERCH ITSELF. HE SAID OTHER DEALERS ARE CHARGING $5,000 FOR THE REPAIR TO BOTH SIDES. WHAT COULD BE MORE DANGEROUS THAN HAVING YOUR FRONT-END SUSPENSION DISINTEGRATE SPONTANEOUSLY WITHOUT WARNING? *TR

ONE MORNING CAR STARTED NORMAL BUT RPMS WERE HI WHILE IN PARK AND EVER SINCE THE CAR DROVE ROUGH, STALLING AT LIGHTS, DYING WHEN ACCELERATION WAS PRESSES. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON - OBD READER CODE SAYS MASS FLOW AIR SENSOR FAILURE. REPLACED THE SENSOR, PROBLEM FIXED, AT A COST OF $500 FOR PART! *NM

01 V 366 000/BATTERY: WHEN THE CONSUMER REMOVED THE BATTERY FROM THE TRUNK AND PLACED IT ON A CRATE TO CHECK THE WATER LEVEL, IT ALL OF A SUDDEN EXPLODED IN THE CONSUMERS FACE. THE CONSUMER SUSTAINED ACID BURNS, CUTS AND BRUISES TO HIS FACE. THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED. *JB THE CONSUMER STATED THAT HE WAS NOT TOUCHING THE BATTERY AT THE TIME OF EXPLOSION. *TC

MY LEFT FRONT SPRING PERCH RUSTED OFF THE FRAME AND MY FRONT WHEEL CAME OFF THE CAR AS I WAS DRIVING. THE RIGHT PERCH WAS RUSTED AND IT HAD TO BE REPAIRED ALSO. *TR

RIGHT AND LEFT SPRING PERCHES ARE RUSTING OUT AND COMING APART ON A 1998 230 C MERCEDES. PERCHES HAVE TO BE REWELDED SO FRONT WHEELS DON'T COME OFF THE CAR. *TR

THE WASHER FLUID RESERVOIR LEAKS AND MUST BE REPLACED. MERCEDES-BENZ CHOSE TO CHARGE $282.98 FOR THIS REPLACEMENT FOR PARTS AND LABOR. THE PART SEEMS OBVIOUSLY DEFECTIVE. WHEN THE CAR IS MOVING, THIS DEFECT CAN PREVENT THE WINDSHIELD FROM BEING CLEARED, AND CAUSE ACCIDENTS AND DEATH. MERCEDES-BENZ CARS WITH THE DEFECTIVE PART NUMBER MUST BE RECALLED. *TR

CONSUMER STATES ALL THE SIDE DOOR POWER WINDOWS WAS UNABLE TO GO DOWN, DEALER CONTACTED AND UNABLE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*JB

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 MERCEDES BENZ C230. WHILE DRIVING DOWNHILL AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND THE INSTRUMENT PANEL ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT ALSO DISCOVERED A FUEL LEAK AND HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO A LOCAL MECHANIC. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000.

WHILE DRIVING GAS GAUGE MALFUNCTIONS, HAS DONE THIS SEVERAL TIME. TOOK TO DEALER. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

I HAVE A 1998 MERCEDES C230 WITH A DEFECTIVE TRANSMISSION. FOR THE PAST 3 MONTHS I'VE BEEN TRYING TO GET THE MERCEDES REGIONAL MANAGER (MACINTOSH) TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEM, WHICH HAS BEEN PRESENT SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS NEW, BUT ONLY BECAME DANGEROUS IN THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS. MACINTOSH IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND ITS SERIOUS NATURE, BUT REFUSES TO RETURN MY CALLS. I'VE BEEN TOLD BY THE MERCEDES DEALER THAT I CANNOT ESCALATE THE SITUATION FURTHER. THE PROBLEM IS THAT THE TRANSMISSION CAUSES THE CAR TO LURCH FORWARD A FEW SECONDS AFTER A HARD STOP. FOR EXAMPLE, IF I HAD TO BREAK SUDDENLY IF A CHILD CAME OUT IN FRONT OF THE CAR, IT COULD LURCH FORWARD A FEW SECONDS AFTER I HAD STOPPED WITH DISASTROUS RESULTS. THE VEHICLE ALSO HAS DELAYED ACCELERATION, LURCHING FORWARD AT A MUCH FASTER RATE THAN INTENDED. THE TRANSMISSION HAS NEVER FELT RIGHT SINCE I TOOK DELIVERY IN 98, BUT AT THE TIME I WAS ENSURED THAT IT WAS NORMAL. I SPOKE WITH ONE OF MERCEDES?? TOP MECHANICS AT FOREIGN MOTORS WEST RECENTLY WHO TOLD ME THIS IS COMMON FOR C CLASS VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM 1997 TO EARLY 1998. THE SERVICE MANAGER ALSO SAID MY PROBLEMS ARE COMMON WITH TODAY??S VEHICLES. MERCEDES HAS APPARENTLY KNOWN ABOUT THIS TRANSMISSION ISSUE FOR YEARS. MERCEDES INSTALLED DIFFERENT COMPONENTS IN LATER MODELS TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. SINCE THE TRANSMISSION OFTEN LASTS FOR ABOUT 100,000 MILES BEFORE THE PROBLEM OCCURS, DEALERS ARE OFTEN ABLE TO CHARGE THE $8,000 FOR A NEW TRANSMISSION AND SHIRK RESPONSIBILITY. I'M SURE THERE HAVE BEEN SITUATIONS WITH DISASTROUS CONSEQUENCES WITH LESS KNOWLEDGEABLE DRIVERS THAN I. THIS IS MY THIRD MERCEDES AND CLEARLY THEY'VE ADOPTED A LOWER-QUALITY APPROACH TOWARD BUILDING AND RECALLING VEHICLES IN THE LAST 5 YEARS. HOPEFULLY YOU CAN DO SOMETHING TO PROTECT CONSUMERS. I DON'T KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE WITH AN EXTRA $8,000 LAYING AROUND TO FIX A PROBLEM THAT YOU WOULDN'T EXPECT IN A CAR LIKE THIS. *NLM

CONSUMER STATES VEHICLE WOULD JUMP OUT OF GEAR WHILE DRIVING. DEALER NOTIFIED.*JB. CONSUMER SATED THE PROBLEM CONTINUED EVEN AFTER THE TRANSMISSION WAS FIXED AND STILL JERKS IN AND OUT OF GEAR.*JB

I WAS SITTING STOPPED IN TRAFFIC WITH THE ENGINE OFF, AND THE FRONT DRIVERS' SIDE OF MY VEHICLE JUST SPONTANEOUSLY DROPPED AS IF THAT PART OF THE VEHICLE HAD FALLEN INTO A SINK HOLE. I WAS WAITING FOR A DRAW BRIDGE TO COME DOWN AFTER A SAILBOAT PASSED, SO THE CAR WAS TURNED OFF. WHEN I GOT OUT OF THE VEHICLE TO INSPECT WHAT HAD HAPPENED, I COULD SEE THAT THE FRONT SPRING HAD SEPARATED FROM ITS TOP MOUNT IN WHAT I ASSUME WAS THE FRAME OF THE VEHICLE. WHEN I SEARCHED ON-LINE I FOUND THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT HAPPENS ALL THE TIME WITH VARIOUS MODELS OF MERCEDES BENZ. IF I HAD BEEN DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED I AND ANYONE ELSE IN THE CAR COULD HAVE EASILY BEEN KILLED, NOT TO MENTION OTHER VEHICLES, SINCE THE VEHICLE STEERING IS ALSO COMPROMISED WITH THE WHEEL BOTTOMING-OUT ON THE INSIDE OF THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THE CAR IS A '98, BUT WITH ONLY 148,000, THIS SHOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED. CLEARLY IT'S A DESIGN FLAW. WHY DOES NHTSA LET MERCEDES BENZ GET AWAY WITH THIS WITHOUT DEMANDING A RECALL? WHEN YOU LOOK ON THE WEB, YOU CAN SEE THAT THIS IS HAPPENING TO MANY PEOPLE, AND NOT ONLY IS MERCEDES REFUSING TO FIX IT FOR FREE, DEALERS ARE CHARGING CUSTOMERS THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS TO FIX THE DESIGN FLAW. I JUST GOT A QUOTE OF $2,000 FROM ONE DEALER OVER THE PHONE TO FIX BOTH FRONT SPRING PERCHES, AND IT COULD BE MORE IF ANYTHING IS DAMAGED OTHER THAN THE PERCH ITSELF. HE SAID OTHER DEALERS ARE CHARGING $5,000 FOR THE REPAIR TO BOTH SIDES. WHAT COULD BE MORE DANGEROUS THAN HAVING YOUR FRONT-END SUSPENSION DISINTEGRATE SPONTANEOUSLY WITHOUT WARNING? *TR

WHILE TURNING ON THE TURN SIGNAL LIGHTS TURN SIGNAL LIGHTS WERE INOPERABLE. ALSO, WHILE DRIVING STEERING COLUMN HAD WIRES EXPOSED. CONSUMER DROVE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC REPLACED THE STEERING COLUMN SWITCH. CONSUMER INFORMED THE MECHANIC THAT THIS PROBLEM OCCURRED MORE THAN ONCE. *AK

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 MERCEDES BENZ C230. THE VEHICLE WILL STALL WITHOUT ANY PRIOR WARNINGS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL REPAIR FACILITY, AND THE CRANK SHAFT POSITION SENSOR WAS REPLACED, THE REPAIR DID NOT REMEDY THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TAKEN TO THE DEALER, BUT THE TECHNICIANS COULD NOT IDENTIFY THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 121,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 122,748.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 MERCEDES BENZ C230. WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE WOULD STALL WITHOUT ANY WARNINGS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL REPAIR FACILITY, AND THE CRANK SHAFT POSITION SENSOR WAS REPLACED. THE REPAIR DID NOT REMEDY THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, BUT THE TECHNICIAN COULD NOT IDENTIFY THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. HE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 121,000 . THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 122,748.

ON 6/2/09, I REMOVED MY OLD WHEEL FROM MY 1998 MERCEDES BENZ C230 PRIOR TO TRADING IT FOR ANOTHER VEHICLE. I POSTED THE CUSTOM WHEELS AND TIRES (YOKOHAMA YK520) THAT I PURCHASED FROM DISCOUNT TIRES. I MET WITH A GENTLEMAN WHO WAS INTERESTED IN PURCHASING THE TIRES, BUT CAREFULLY INSPECTED THEM AND FOUND HAIRLINE CRACKS ON THE INSIDE AND OUTSIDE WALL OF ALL 4 TIRES. THIS WAS ENOUGH FOR HIM TO CHANGE HIS MIND AND NOT MAKE THE PURCHASE. I THEN BECAME SUSPICIOUS AND AFRAID THAT MY FAMILY LIFE COULD HAVE BEEN AT RISK AND MANY OTHER FAMILIES OUT ON ROADS ACROSS THIS COUNTRY AND ELSEWHERE. ON 6/3/09, I CONTACTED DISCOUNT TIRES AND BROUGHT THE COMPLETE WHEEL AND TIRES FOR AN INSPECTION AND POSSIBLY REPLACEMENT. DISCOUNT TIRES STATED THAT THE TIRES ARE A SAFETY HAZARD, BUT WOULD ONLY PRORATE THE TIRES AND GIVE ME A PARTIAL CREDIT TOWARD THE PURCHASE OF TIRES. DISCOUNT THEN GAVE A NUMBER TO CONTACT YOKOHOMA TIRES CONSUMER AFFAIRS OFFICE DIRECTLY TO DISCUSS THIS SERIOUS MATTER. I LATER CONTACTED YOKOHOMA CONSUMER AFFAIRS OFFICE AND DISCUSSED THE MATTER IN DETAIL WHICH THEY LATER REFUSED TO REPLACE MY TIRES OF GIVE FULL CREDIT REFUND. I EXPLAINED TO THEM THAT THIS MATTER WILL IMMEDIATELY BE FORWARD TO MY ATTORNEY FOR REVIEW IF THIS MATTER CANNOT BE RESOLVED AT THIS LEVEL. I AM VERY CONCERNED THAT THIS PARTICULAR YOKOHOMA TIRE (YK520) 225/40R/18 HAS A MANUFACTURER MATERIAL OR DESIGN DEFECT THAT CAN BE CATASTROPHIC TO MILLIONS OF FAMILIES OUT ON THE ROADS AS I WRITE THIS TODAY. I AM ALSO CONCERNED THAT THE MILLIONS OF TIRE SHOPS SUCH AS DISCOUNT TIRES IN MY CASE FAIL TO COMPLETE A FULL THOROUGH INSPECTION OF TIRES AND WHEELS UPON REPAIR OR SAFETY CHECKS. SINCE THE PURCHASE OF THESE TIRES, I WENT BACK TO DISCOUNT TIRES FOR REGULAR ROTATIONS AND BALANCES AND THEY DIDN'T NOTICE THIS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS HAZARD. NOW THIS ISSUE COMES DOWN TO WHO IS AT FAULT, THE TIRE MANUFACTURER OR THE TIRE RETAILER. THE LEGAL COURSE MAY HAVE TO DETERMINE THIS CASE. *TR

TA TOURING, P205/60R15, REPLACEMENT EQUIPMENT WITH 22000 MILES ON A 1998, MERCEDES BENZ, C230. AT 45 MPH DRIVER'S FRONT TIRE DEVELOPED A SPLIT WHERE SIDEWALL MEETS TREAD, ALL THE WAY AROUND THE TIRE. *AK BF GOODRICH T/A TIRES, 90H MS, DOT BEUND311209, FAULTY TIRE CAUSED DAMAGE TO VEHICLE. *SLC

THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN FOR SERVICE 16 TIMES IN 24 MO. MANUFACTURER REFUSES TO DISCUSS "LEMON LAW" ISSUES. VEHICLE BECOMING MORE UNSAFE AS TIME PROGRESSES.

WHILE TURNING ON THE TURN SIGNAL LIGHTS TURN SIGNAL LIGHTS WERE INOPERABLE. ALSO, WHILE DRIVING STEERING COLUMN HAD WIRES EXPOSED. CONSUMER DROVE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC REPLACED THE STEERING COLUMN SWITCH. CONSUMER INFORMED THE MECHANIC THAT THIS PROBLEM OCCURRED MORE THAN ONCE. *AK

ODOMETER.

THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN FOR SERVICE 16 TIMES IN 24 MO. MANUFACTURER REFUSES TO DISCUSS "LEMON LAW" ISSUES. VEHICLE BECOMING MORE UNSAFE AS TIME PROGRESSES.

THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN FOR SERVICE 16 TIMES IN 24 MO. MANUFACTURER REFUSES TO DISCUSS "LEMON LAW" ISSUES. VEHICLE BECOMING MORE UNSAFE AS TIME PROGRESSES.