2001 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 STOP LAMP SWITCH, WHICH ACTIVATES THE STOP LAMPS, ANT-LOCK BRAKES, TRACTION CONTROL MECHANISMS, ON MY 2001 MERCEDES BENZ E320 HAS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED 4 TIMES IN THE PAST 5 YEARS. THE PART NUMBER THAT CONTINUALLY GOES BAD IS 001-545-64-09. THE MOST RECENT REPLACEMENT WAS 09-12-09. *TR

NHTSA ID

10283940

Incident

Sep 12, 2009

Mileage

128,431 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 MERCEDES BENZ E-320. WHILE CHANGING THE TIRE TO THE SPARE, THE CONTACT DID NOT USE THE SPECIAL SPARE NUTS. WHEN SHE ATTEMPTED TO ENTER ONTO THE HIGHWAY, THE MOUNTS IN THE WHEEL LOCKED AND CAUSED THE BRAKES TO ENGAGE. THERE WAS NO PRECAUTIONARY WARNING LABEL ON THE SPARE TIRE TO PREVENT THIS FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER AND THEY REPLACED THE NUTS AND BOLTS, REAR HUBS AND AXLE, BRAKE ROTORS, SHOES, CALIPERS, DRIVESHAFT, SPRINGS, SHACKLES, AND TIRE. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT SHE SHOULD HAVE READ THE INFORMATION IN THE OWNER'S MANUAL PRIOR TO CHANGING THE TIRE. THEY REFUSED TO ASSUME ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE REPAIR. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 99,485. UPDATED 10/14/08. *LJ THE CONSUMER EXPERIENCED A SECOND BLOWOUT. UPDATED 10/15/08. *JB

NHTSA ID

10241731

Incident

Sep 3, 2008

Mileage

99,485 mi

DURING SCHEDULED TIRE ROTATION AT SEARS AUTO SHOP, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT A LARGE PIECE (APPROXIMATELY 1 INCH IN DIAMETER) OF THE TIRE WAS MISSING. THE MISSING PIECE WAS FROM THE PART OF THE TIRE THAT MAKES CONTACT WITH THE STREET. THE SEARS MANAGER, INFORMED ME THAT THE TIRE IS UNSAFE TO RE-INSTALLED. HE ALSO STATED THAT IT WAS A DEFECTIVE AND OFFERED TO REPLACE IT AT 30% OF THE CURRENT PRICE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10225846

Incident

May 18, 2006

Mileage

62,000 mi

WE DRIVING ALONG ON THE FREEWAY WHEN MY WIFE BUMPED A CUP OF COFFEE IN THE CUP HOLDER THAT CAUSED A SMALL AMOUNT OF COFFEE TO SPLASH OUT OF THE CUP AND ONTO THE CONSOLE. IN ABOUT 10 MINUTES A NUMBER OF THINGS HAPPENED, FIRST THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER WENT BLANK, SPEEDOMETER, TACK, ETC, AND ALL VEHICLE ALARMS CAME ON, SECOND THE TRANSMISSION WAS LOCKED INTO HIGH GEAR AND THE CAR WOULD NOT DOWNSHIFT. I NOTICED WHEN I CAME TO A SMALL RISE IN THE ROAD THE CAR WOULD NOT DOWNSHIFT SO I LOST POWER. WHEN I STOPPED THE CAR AND PUT TRANSMISSION IN PARK, IT LOCKED IN THAT POSITION AND WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO ANY GEAR AND WOULD HARDLY START. I FOUND THIS TO BE UNSAFE CONSEQUENCE OF SUCH A SMALL AMOUNT OF COFFEE TO BE SPLASHED ONTO THE CONSOLE. AFTER HAVING THE CAR TOWED TO THE REPAIR SHOP I WAS TOLD THERE WAS A MODULE IN THAT AREA THAT AFFECTED NEARLY EVERY ASPECT OF THE CAR. THERE WAS SOMETHING LIKE 60 ALARM CODES IN THE CAR'S COMPUTER. THE BILL WAS $725. THIS IS A FREIGHTING THING TO HAPPEN AT 70 MPH. *JB

NHTSA ID

10207882

Incident

Sep 28, 2007

Mileage

69,600 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 MERCEDES BENZ E-320. THE CUP HOLDER LOCATED NEAR THE GEAR SHIFT WHEN HOLDING COLD SUBSTANCES SWEATS AND THE LIQUID LEAKS INTO THE ELECTRONICS OF THE GEAR SHIFT. WHILE DRIVING 35MPH, THE LEAKING IN THE CUP HOLDER BLEW OUT THE BRAINS OF THE TRANSMISSION AND LOCKED THE BACK WHEELS ON MAY 16, 2007. THE ENGINE WILL START; HOWEVER, WHEN THE GAS PEDAL IS ENGAGED THE VEHICLE WILL NOT MOVE FORWARD (ACCELERATE). THE VEHICLE JUST STOPPED SUDDENLY WITH NO PRIOR WARNING. THE ENGINE SIZE IS NOT AVAILABLE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE 69000.

NHTSA ID

10190965

Incident

May 15, 2007

Mileage

69,000 mi

INSTRUMENT CLUSTER DISPLAY HAS MALFUNCTIONED ON MY 2001 MERCEDES E320. IT IS A PROBLEM THAT HAS OCCURRED IN ALMOST EVERY MARCEDES. THE COMPANY IS AWARE OF THE DEFECT AND IT SHOULD BE RECALLED. *JB

NHTSA ID

10187120

Incident

Sep 1, 2006

Mileage

30,000 mi

DID A SMOG CHECK ON MY MERCEDES E320 AND FAILED BECAUSE THE ENGINE LIGHT WOULD NOT BE ON. CHECKED THE REPAIR SHOP AND THEY SAID MY INSTRUMENT CLUSTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, JUST FOR THE ENGINE LIGHT. I SAW THERE IS A RECALL FOR INSTRUMENT CLUSTER ON MERCEDES S-CLASS, AND WOULD LIKE TO LET YOU KNOW THAT PROBLEM ALSO EXIST IN E-CLASS. *JB

NHTSA ID

10175507

Incident

Dec 4, 2006

2001 BENZ E320 WHEEL BEARINGS FAILED. *TS ***NAR*** THE CONSUMER NOTICED A SCRAPING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT PASSENGERS SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE NOISE BECAME PROGRESSIVELY WORSE UNTIL THE VEHICLE BECAME UNDRIVABLE. THE CONSUMER ALSO NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PULLING TO THE RIGHT. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHO INDICATED THAT THE VEHICLE NEEDED NEW BEARINGS ON BOTH FRONT WHEELS AND A NEW LEFT SPINDLE, ROTOR AND BRAKE PADS. THE DEALER HAS REPLACED THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER (3 TIMES), FUEL LEVEL SENSOR, OIL LEVEL SENSOR, A/C CONTROL AND REGULATORS ( 3 TIMES), STEERING LOCK AND KEY, RIGHT HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY, BOTH CATALYTIC CONVERTERS AND THE RIGHT REAR WINDOW REGULATOR. ALL THESE REPAIRS WERE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY.

NHTSA ID

10157340

Incident

May 1, 2006

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

AIR MASS SENSORS. *MJ

ON SOME VEHICLES, UPON RELEASE OF THE BRAKE PEDAL AND / OR APPLICATION OF THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL, THERE IS A 1-2 SECOND DELAY UNTIL THE ACTUATOR MOVES TO THE NEW ACCELERATOR PEDAL INPUT POSITION. THIS DELAY IS INTEGRATED IN THE ENGINE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM AS A SAFETY FEATURE AND IS NOT SUBJECT TO MODIFICATION IN THE FIELD. *TT