2001 Mercedes-Benz C320 Brakes Problems

AT 55 MPH THE FRONT LEFT BRAKE ENGAGES WITHOUT APPLYING THE BRAKE PEDAL AND AFTER A FEW SECONDS RELEASES, THE BAS AND ESC FAULTS ARE THEN VISIBLE ON THE DASH. THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH WAS REPLACED BY MERCEDES TWO TIMES, BUT THIS CONDITION SHOWS UP AFTER A FEW DAYS OF DRIVING , CODES SHOW THAT THE YAW RATE SENSOR OR CONNECTION IS AT FAULT. EVEN WHEN THE CAR IS IN PARK WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING ON A FLAT LEVEL SURFACE THE FAULT WARNING DASH LIGHTS ESC AND BAS WILL COME ON WITH NO MOVEMENT IN THE CAR. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION FOR A COLLISION FROM A VEHICLE FOLLOWING ME AND RUNNING INTO ME . MANY OTHERS POSTED THE SAME PROBLEM. WHY IS THERE NO RECALL ? I HAVE 8 GRANDCHILDREN THAT YOU SHOULD CARE ABOUT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10618834

Incident

May 5, 2014

Mileage

57,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 MERCEDES BENZ C320. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, THE BRAKES FAILED TO RESPOND WITHOUT WARNING. ALSO, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 185,277.

NHTSA ID

10577314

Incident

Apr 4, 2014

Mileage

185,277 mi

WHILE DRIVING ON A LEVEL AND STRAIGHT ROAD THE CAR AUTOMATICALLY APPLIED BRAKES AND CAME TO A COMPLETE HALT. WEATHER CONDITIONS WHERE; CLEAR VISIBILITY, ABOUT 85 DEG F, DRY ASPHALT SURFACE. ERROR CODES RESULTING FROM THIS FAULT INDICATES A FAULTY ESP YAW RATE SENSOR. THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC CODE READER SHOWED THAT THE YAW RATE SENSOR OUTPUT WAS READING ANGLE RATES FROM AS LOW AS 34 TO AS HIGH AS 300+ GRADIENTS/SEC, WHILE THE CAR WAS NOT MOVING AND PARKED AT THE SHOP. AS THE PERSON RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY ACTIONS WHILE DRIVING THIS CAR, I THAT THE CAR SHOULD NOT OVERRULE THE DRIVER'S INPUTS AND CREATE AN UNSAFE CONDITION. THE VEHICLE SHOULD JUST INDICATE TO THE DRIVER THE EXISTENCE OF AN UNSAFE CONDITION AND DO NOT TAKE ANY ACTION UNTIL THE DRIVER ACKNOWLEDGES THIS WARNING/CAUTION. *TR

NHTSA ID

10477464

Incident

Jul 18, 2012

Mileage

136,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 MERCEDES BENZ C320. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE BRAKES ENGAGED AND THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO LOSE CONTROL. WITHIN A FEW MOMENTS THE BRAKE RELEASED AND THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO CONTINUE DRIVING. AN ESP SYSTEM LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL DURING THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE RECURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING OR TO BE REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 121,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 131,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID

10401040

Incident

Dec 1, 2010

Mileage

121,000 mi

BEGINNING ON 10/18/01 TO PRESENT, THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN TAKEN INTO THE DEALERSHIP 34 DIFFERENT TIMES FOR THE FOLLOWING REASONS: (1) REMOTE INOP - 10/18/01; (2) REMOTE INOP - 11/14/01; (3) REPLACED REMOTE - 12/3/01; (4) REMOTE INOP - 12/11/01; (5) REPLACED FRONT PADS & SENSORS - 12/26/02; (6) REPLACED RIGHT FRONT DOOR WINDOW MOTOR - 4/24/03; (7) REPLACED REMOTES - 5/15/03; (8) REPLACED CRANKSHAFT SENSOR & CONNECTOR MODULE - 12/2/03; (9) REPLACED FAULTY REAR SAM CONTROL MODULE - 12/2/03; (10) REPLACED A/C PRESSURE SWITCH - 12/2/03; (11) REPLACED AIR MASS METER SENSOR - 12/11/03; (12) REPLACED RIGHT DOOR WINDOW REGULATOR - 1/5/04; (13) REPLACED REAR SHADE ROLLER BLIND - 1/5/04; (14) REPLACED SIDE BAG CONNECTOR ALL DOORS - 1/9/04; (15) REPLACED RIGHT FRONT DOOR WINDOW SEAL - 2/27/04; (16) REPLACED OIL LEVEL SENSOR & RESEALED OIL PAN - 4/28/04; (17) REPLACED SWAY BAR BUSHING AND CASTER ARMS - 4/28/04; (18) RESEALED ELEC PLUG FOR TRANS - 4/28/04; (19) REPLACED RIGHT REAR DOOR LINKAGE AND KNOB - 7/22/04; (20) REPLACED A/C BLOWER & FAN SPEED REGULATOR - 8/23/04; (21) REPLACED RIGHT REAR DOOR WINDOW REGULATOR - 8/23/04; (22) REPLACED MOUNTING CLIPS & BEARINGS DRIVER SEAT - 8/23/04; (23) REPLACED RIGHT REAR DOOR WINDOW MOTOR - 2/7/05; (24) LOW OIL LIGHT ON, CHANGED OIL & FILTER - 2/7/05; (25) REPLACED OIL SENDING UNIT - 3/17/05; (26) REPLACED RIGHT FRONT SEAT CONTROL MODULE - 5/20/05; (27) REPLACED ALTERNATOR AND REGULATOR - 5/20/05; (28) REPLACED DRIVER SIDE SEAT CLAMPS & PINS - 5/20/05; (29) REPLACED BRAKE PADS, SHOES, ROTORS AND DISC - 5/20/05; (30) REPLACED LEAKING TRANS PLUG AND LEAKING PAN GASKET - 5/20/05; (31) FUEL GAUGE INOP - 6/27/05. AT PRESENT "REMOTE WILL NOT OPEN TRUNK & MALFUNCTION (ELECT STAB PROG ESP) IS ON. I HAVE ASKED THAT VEHICLE BE REPLACED WITH A RELIABLE VEHICLE OF SAME TYPE AND MILEAGE, HQ MERCEDES LLC HAS REFUSED ON 2 OCCASIONS. I HAVE CONTACT WITH THE DEPT OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS.*JB

NHTSA ID

10139391

Incident

Oct 18, 2001

DT: CONSUMER WENT TO START THE VEHICLE AND DISCOVERED THAT ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS SUCH AS NAVIGATION, RADIO/CD, TELEPHONE, VOICE COMMAND, GAS GAUGES, AND POWER WINDOWS WERE NOT WORKING. SINCE THEN THE BRAKE LIGHTS AND TURN SIGNALS WERE REPLACED TWICE, AND WILL BE REPLACED THE THIRD TIME IN LESS THAN A YEAR. TOOK VEHICLE TO A DEALER AND CONTACTED MERCEDES ,WHO SAID THEY COULD REPLACE NAVIGATION AND THE RADIO/CD WHICH S\WERE CONNECTED BY SAME COMPUTER FOR $3,000. DEALER DID NOT KNOW WHY THIS HAPPENED, BUT THERE WAS AN ELECTRICAL SHORT. HAVE NOT BEEN REPLACED OR REPAIRED.*AK

NHTSA ID

10131420

Incident

Sep 1, 2004

Mileage

50,500 mi

DT: CAR HAS HAD SEVERAL PROBLEMS FROM AIR BAGS TO BRAKES TO ALTERNATOR. OWNER DOESNT THINK HE SHOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR THESE REPAIRS, ACTUALLY THE MAIN CONCERN HE HAS IS ABOUT THE WARRANTY. UPON PURCHASE, THE VEHICLE AIR BAG LIGHTS CAME ON, THEN THE BRAKES AND ALTERNATOR WENT OUT AS WELL. THE BRAKES FAILED DUE TO A MASTER CYLINDER FAILURE. THE ALTERNATOR FAILED AFTER THE OWNER INSTALLED A NEW BATTERY. *JB

NHTSA ID

10126338

Incident

Jan 26, 2005

Mileage

53,867 mi

CONSUMER WAS PULLING INSIDE OF A PARKING SPACE TO PARK AND VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED UNCONTROLLABLY. CONSUMER APPLIED THE BRAKES AND PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. THEN, VEHICLE CONTINUED TO ACCELERATE WITH SPEED, JUMPED THE CURB,AND CRASHED INTO A PARKED VEHICLE HEAD ON. UPON IMPACT, BOTH FRONTAL AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. NO INJURIES REPORTED. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, BUT MECHANIC COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ID

10103381

Incident

Dec 8, 2004

Mileage

29,943 mi

EXCESSIVE ROTOR WEAR ON 2001 MERCEDES C320 WITH ONLY 26,000 MILES. *JB

NHTSA ID

10010801

Incident

Mar 20, 2003

Mileage

28,000 mi