2000 Mercedes-Benz E Class

THE PETITIONER ALLEGES THAT COFFEE FROM A CUP, PLACED IN THE CUP HOLDER, SPILLED ONTO THE GEAR SHIFTER AND SHUT DOWN THE VEHICLE?S ENTIRE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. THE CONCERN RAISED BY THE PETITIONER WAS INVESTIGATED (SQ01-010) AND WAS CLOSED AFTER ODI CONCLUDED THAT THE FACTS DID NOT DEMONSTRATE A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT.ODI HAS SUBSEQUENTLY RECEIVED NINE MORE COMPLAINTS ALLEGING FLUID CONTAMINATION OF THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTER SINCE THE INVESTIGATION WAS CLOSED, NONE OF WHICH REPORT CRASHES OR INJURIES.THESE NINE COMPLAINANTS MAINLY EXPRESSED DISSATISFACTION WITH THE DESIGN OF THE CUP HOLDER AND THE COST OF REPLACING THE CONTAMINATED ELECTRONIC SELECTOR MODULE.SIMILARLY, IN PETITIONER?S CASE SHE WAS ABLE TO OPERATE THE VEHICLE TO A PLACE WHERE IT COULD BE SAFETY STOPPED AFTER THE LIQUID SPILLAGE.THE PETITIONER HAS NOT PROVIDED ANY EVIDENCE OF A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT.IN VIEW OF THE FOREGOING AND THE NEED TO ALLOCATE AND PRIORITIZE NHTSA'S LIMITED RESOURCES TO BEST ACCOMPLISH THE AGENCY'S SAFETY MISSION, THE PETITION IS DENIED.

THE OFFICE OF DEFECTS INVESTIGATION (ODI) OPENED THIS PRELIMINARY EVALUATION TO INVESTIGATE ALLEGATIONS OF ENGINE CRANKSHAFT PULLEY HARMONIC BALANCER FAILURE THAT COULD RESULT IN LOSS OF POWER-STEERING ASSIST.ODI HAS RECEIVED A TOTAL OF 546 NON-DUPLICATIVE REPORTS THAT ALLEGE ENGINE CRANKSHAFT PULLEY HARMONIC BALANCER FAILURE ON ALL MERCEDES-BENZ VEHICLES USING THE SUBJECT COMPONENT.THE SUBJECT COMPONENT FAILURES ARE PROGRESSIVE IN NATURE AND ONLY A SMALL PERCENTAGE OF THE COMPLAINTS AND WARRANT CLAIMS INVOLVED A FAILURE THAT HAD PROGRESSED FAR ENOUGH TO EFFECT POWER STEERING PERFORMANCE (6 OF 55 ODI COMPLAINTS REFERENCE INCREASED STEERING EFFORT).THERE HAVE BEEN NO CRASHES OR INJURIES RELATED TO THE ALLEGED DEFECT.A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT HAS NOT BEEN IDENTIFIED AT THIS TIME AND FURTHER USE OF AGENCY RESOURCES DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE WARRANTED.ACCORDINGLY, THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT DOES NOT EXIST.THE AGENCY WILL TAKE FURTHER ACTION IF WARRANTED BY THE CIRCUMSTANCES.SEE SUMMARY REPORT ATTACHED FOR FURTHER DETAIL.

MY 2000 E320 HAS EXCESSIVE RUST ISSUES THROUGH OUT THE ENTIRE BODY. I WAS TOLD BY MERCEDES BENZ OF NORTH AMERICA THIS IS A COMMON ISSUE BECAUSE OF THE USE OF A NEW WATER BASED PAINT USED BETWEEN 1997-2002 BUT BECAUSE I AM OUT OF WARRANTY AND THE CAR IS OVER 10 YEARS OLD THEY CAN NOT HELP ME OR OFFER ME ANY FURTHER ASSISTANCE WITH THE ISSUE. I HAVE LOCATED ONLINE FORUMS WITH CONSUMERS WHO OWN THE SAME CAR AS MYSELF AND HAVE THE SAME EXACT ISSUES IN THE SAME PLACES AND RECEIVED THE SAME INFORMATION FROM MBUSA. THE WORST AREAS ARE IN EVERY WHEEL WELL CAUSING THE WHEEL WHEELS TO BUCKLE AND CHIP INTO THE SUSPENSION AND BREAK AREA AND IT HAS CAUSE THE FRAME OF THE CAR TO SEVERELY WEAKEN, IN ADDITION MY REAR TRUNK KEY HOLE AREA IS RUSTING THROUGH AND I WAS ADVISED IT WILL RUST THROUGH AND AT THAT POINT THE LOCKING MECHANISM WILL COME OFF AND I WILL AT THAT POINT NEED TO REPLACE THE TRUNK LID POSSIBLY CAUSING THE TRUNK TO INVOLUNTARY OPEN WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10472635

Incident

Aug 18, 2012

Mileage

138,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 MERCEDES BENZ E320. WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD BANGING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE AFTER DRIVING OVER A BUMP IN THE ROAD. THE CONTACT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED THAT THE FRONT SPRING TOWER HAD FRACTURED. HE ALSO NOTICED CORROSION ON THE SPRING TOWER. NO REPAIRS WERE PERFORMED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 148,000.

NHTSA ID

10416902

Incident

Aug 1, 2011

Mileage

148,000 mi

I AM THE OWNER OF A 2000 E320. I HAVE BEEN HAVING CHRONIC PROBLEMS WITH HEADLAMPS, FOG LIGHTS, AND BRAKE LAMPS GOING OUT VERY FREQUENTLY. OFTEN, I RECEIVE AN ERROR MESSAGE THAT THE "LAMPS ARE INOPERABLE", AFTER CHECKING ALL BULBS, I FIND THIS IS NOT THE CASE, MERCEDES MAY NOT ADMIT TO THIS, BUT THERE IS AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM WITH MANY OF THEIR CARS. I HAVE JUST RECENTLY (TWO DAYS AGO) HAD MY PASSENGER SIDE BULB HOUSING MELT AWAY. DON'T KNOW HOW LONG THAT BEEN HAPPENING. I BELIEVE I AM LUCKY THAT THE CAR HAS NOT CAUGHT ON FIRE AS OF YET WITH ALL OF THE ELECTRICAL ISSUES. THE ONLY GOOD NEWS I HAVE ABOUT THESE CONSTANT PROBLEMS IS, THE BODY REPAIR COMPANY FOR MERCEDES-BENZ OF SOUTH ATLANTA (GA), WILL SEE ME ON MONDAY TO SEE IF THEY CAN REPLACE THE HEADLAMPS HOUSING, PROVIDED THEY HAVE ONE IN STOCK. SO, "WISH ME LUCK" AND PRAY FOR MERCEDES TO DO THE RIGHT THING BEFORE SOMETHING BAD HAPPENS TO ONE OF THEIR CUSTOMERS...... *TR

NHTSA ID

10392173

Incident

Mar 15, 2011

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 MERCEDES E 320. THE CONTACT STATED THAT EVERY PANEL ON THE VEHICLE WAS RUSTED. THE CONTACTS PERSONAL MECHANIC ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE POSSIBLY WOULD NOT PASS INSPECTION WITHIN A YEAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO EXPLAIN THE CAUSE OF THE RUST, BUT THE CONTACT STATED THERE WAS INFORMATION ONLINE SUGGESTING THAT THE MANUFACTURER MAY HAVE USED WATER BASED PAINT ON THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 82,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 129,000.

NHTSA ID

10359148

Incident

Jun 16, 2005

Mileage

82,000 mi

FAULTY CAM AND CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR CAUSED ENGINE TO DIE (STALL) IN THE MID TRAFFIC ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS WITHIN A PERIOD OF TWO WEEKS. DEALER REPLACED CAM POSITION SENSOR 003-153-28-28 AND SENDER UNIT 004-153-69-28, INDICATING THE CAUSE AS AN INTERNAL FAULT. DEALER'S SERVICE REP INDICATED THAT THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ID

10331967

Incident

Feb 15, 2010

Mileage

87,500 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 MERCEDES BENZ E CLASS 320 WAGON WHICH WAS PURCHASED USED IN MARCH 2003. HE STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT SPEEDS OF LESS THAN 40 MPH, THE CONTACT THOUGHT HE HAD RUN OVER SOMETHING AND THERE WAS A VIOLENT VIBRATION IN THE STEERING WHEEL. THEN, WHILE MAKING A LEFT TURN HE COULD HEARD A GRINDING AND THUMPING SOUND COMING FROM UNDER THE VEHICLE. HE THEN NOTICED THE FRONT PASSENGER'S SIDE WHEEL WAS ACTUALLY INSIDE THE WHEEL WELL. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE NEAREST DEALER WHERE THEY FOUND THE FRONT PASSENGER'S SIDE COIL SPRING PERCH FAILED CAUSING THE FRONT END PASSENGER'S SIDE OF THE VEHICLE TO COLLAPSE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE UNDER 130,000. UPDATED 01/19/10 *BF THE AIR MASS FLOW SENSOR AND OUTER TIE ROD WERE REPLACED. THE LOWER BALL JOINTS WERE WORN AND WERE REPLACED. THE CRANK SENSOR WAS REPLACED. THE ENGINE WAS CONSUMING LARGE AMOUNTS OF OIL. THE DEALER STATED THE VEHICLE NEEDED NEW RINGS AND A VALVE SEAL. THE TRANSMISSION WOULD SLIP DURING COLD WEATHER CONDITIONS. THERE WAS AN INTERNAL FAULT WITH THE CLUTCHES. THE GEAR SHIFTER HAD EXCESSIVE PLAY. THE LEFT WINDOW REGULATOR HAD TO BE REPLACED, BECAUSE IT WOULD NOT CLOSE. THE LEFT REAR DOOR LATCH WAS INOPERATIVE. UPDATED 01/20/10.*JB

NHTSA ID

10298324

Incident

Dec 28, 2009

Mileage

130,000 mi

90K MILES GAUGE CLUSTER LED CLOCK AND OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE DISPLAYS FAILING. CAN NOT READ NUMBER. NOT A MAJOR PROBLEM, BUT IT HAS LESS THAN 100K MILES AND IT'S A 2000 I HAD A 1996 AND NOW A 1993 WITH ALMOST TWICE THE MILEAGE AND ALL THE DISPLAYS WORK. *TR

NHTSA ID

10295926

Incident

Nov 1, 2009

Mileage

90,000 mi

MY CAR IS A 2000 MERCEDES E320 WITH ONLY 43,000 MILES AND THE INSTRUMENT PANEL HAS NOT BEEN WORKING FOR THE LAST 10,000 MILES. THE BENZ WON'T REPLACE IT OR FIX IT. THE DISPLAYS DON'T WORK!!! *TR

NHTSA ID

10294681

Incident

Dec 6, 2008

Mileage

30,000 mi

SENTEX gate operator with Clik Card Remote not compatible with Homelink

REVISED REPAIR PROCEDURE AND ADDITIONAL APPLICABLE MODELS. MODEL 170, 202, 208 AND 210 MODELS. FRONT FOG LAMP(S) INOPERATIVE. MERCEDES-BENZ. *TT MODEL YEARS: 1994-2004. UPDATED 09/09/08. *PE

TRUNK LID OPENS OR CLOSES TOO QUICKLY WHILE OPERATING WITH REMOTE TRUNK LID CONTROL BUTTON. *TT

CONSUMER SHUTOFF DISPLAYED IN INSTRUMENT CLUSTER WHILE DRIVING. *TT

SERVICE CAMPAIGN TO REPLACE THE FRONT LEFT, REAR LEFT AND / OR RIGHT SIDE IMPACT AIRBAGS ON 2000 SLK AND E-CLASS VEHICLES. *TT

BRIEF INFORMATION ON INSTALLING TELEPHONE. *TT