2003 Mercedes-Benz E Class Electrical Problems

I STARTED THE CAR IN THE MORNING, AND IT GAVE ME A MALFUNCTION MESSAGE STATING THAT THE DISPLAY IS DEFECTIVE. THE FUEL GAUGE DISPLAY DOESN'T READ THE PROPER LEVEL, THE BACKUP LIGHTS DO NOT WORK, THE SIGNALS AND HAZARD LIGHTS DO NOT OPERATE, THE WIPERS DO NOT WORK. THE FEATURES OF AUTO ADJUSTING THE STEERING WHEEL TILT, THE MIRRORS, AND THE SEATS ARE NOT WORKING. CHECKED FOR RECALLS, FOUND A SIMILAR RECALL IN JULY OF 2008, BUT THE SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE AT THE DEALERSHIP SAID MY VIN NUMBER WASN'T INCLUDED! *TR

NHTSA ID

10436746

Incident

Nov 20, 2011

Mileage

4 mi

CAR PURCHASED AND ALWAYS SERVICED AT FLETCHER JOHES, NEWPORT BEACH, CA..A TOTAL OF 20 PLUS FAULTS AND 13 WEEKS IN REPAIR OUT OF 12 MONTH OF OWNERSHIP...HAD ASKED DEALER TO TAKE THE CAR BACK AND REPLACE IT WITH AN ALTERNATOR. DEALER WANTS US TO TRADE IN AND PURCHASE A NEW CAR. AFTER PAYING $50,000 FOR A QUALITY NAME, THIS SEEMS LIKE A JOKE. 1. FOUL AMONIA SMALL FROM A/C WHEN CAR IS FIRST STARTED. DEALER CHANGED VENTILATION FILTER BUT SMELL CONTINUES. 2. RADIO BUTTON STICKS. DEALER SAYS MB DOES NOT WANT TO FIX THIS. CAR IS WARRANTY FOR ANOTHER FOUR YEARS. 3. CONVINENCE SETTINGS FOR LIGHTS AND MIRROR KEEP RESETTING. DEALER SAYS THEY FOUND NO FAULT CODE BUT THIS PROBLEM REMAINS. 4. WHEN GOING UP HILL THE TRANSMISSION UPSHIFTS AND THE CAR GOES TO A CRAWL THEN STALLS, WHEN ACCELATOR IS PRESSED, THE TRANSMISSION DOWNSHIFTS TO 1ST GEAR AND THE CAR LEAPS FORWARD. DEALER SAYS THEY FOUND NO FAULT CODE BUT THIS PROBLEM REMAINS.*AK

NHTSA ID

10096507

Incident

Oct 13, 2004

Mileage

5,000 mi

ON THE '03 & '04 E CLASS THERE IS NO WAY TO SET UP THE PREFERENCE FOR THE RADIO TO SCAN TO THE NEXT PRE-SET STATION FROM THE WHEEL, OR ANY WHERE ELSE. ITS IS NOT A CHOICE TO BE SELECTED IN SETTINGS OR ANY WHERE ELSE. IT WILL ALWAYS SCAN TO THE NEXT FREQUENCY THAT IS ON AIR. THE '02S HAD THE CHOICE AVAILABLE TO THE OWNER IN "SETTINGS", BUT NOT THE NEW E CLASS (W211'S) IN THE USA. *AK

NHTSA ID

10078334

Incident

Feb 14, 2003

THIS IS THE BIGGEST SECRET KEPT BY MERCEDES BENZ ON THE NEW BODY STYLE OF THE 2003, E-CLASS CARS COMPLETE FIBER OPTICS FAILURE IN THE CAR BEGINS IN THE CAR AT 89 DEGREES F, THIS WILL BE DEMONSTRATED BY THE AUDIO SYSTEM RAPIDLY SKIPPING FROM CD TO CD IN THE 6 CD CHANGER, AND THEN THE VOLUME IN THE AUDIO SYSTEM WILL BECOME UNCONTROLLABLE FOR 15 MINUTES OR LONGER. THE VOLUME WILL TURN TO MAXIMUM VOLUME ON ITS OWN AND STAY THERE UNTIL YOU TURN THE CAR OFF, IF YOU ARE DRIVING AND DO NOT TURN THE CAR OFF, THE VOLUME LEVEL WILL STAY AT MAXIMUM VOLUME FOR 15 MINUTES OR MORE, THEN LOWER ITSELF DOWN DURING A 20 SECOND INTERVAL TO A MUTED STATE, THE AUDIO SYSTEM WILL TURN ITSELF OFF. THEN, TURN ITSELF BACK ON, TO FULL VOLUME AND REPEAT THE CYCLE. DURING THIS ENTIRE TIME, THE PERSON IN THE CAR WILL HEAR A VERY LOAD POPPING NOISE IN THE SPEAKERS, IN ADDITION TO ANY OF THE MUSIC BLASTING FROM THE STEREO SYSTEM. IF YOU TURN THE CAR OFF AND LEAVE IT FOR SEVERAL HOURS AND ALLOW IT TO COOL DOWN. THIS WILL NOT OCCUR AGAIN, UNTIL THE STEREO HEATS UP AGAIN. AFTER REPLACING MY CD SYSTEM MULTIPLE TIMES, MERCEDES REPLACE MY REAR COMPUTER TWICE AND MY MAIN FRONT COMPUTER ONCE, THEN BUILT A FAN TO COOL THE FIBER OPTICS SYSTEM. HOWEVER, THIS FAN IS ONLY INSTALLED TO MERCEDES OWNERS WHO REPEATEDLY COMPLAIN ABOUT FIBER OPTICS FAILURES AND UNCONTROLLABLE VOLUME ON THEIR STEREOS WHILE DRIVING. THIS IS A WELL DOCUMENTED PROBLEM ON ALL MERCEDES COMPLAINT WEBSITE, HOWEVER PEOPLE ARE UNAWARE THAT IT IS CAUSED BY AN OVERHEATING OF THE FIBER OPTICS SYSTEMS AT 92 DEGREES. IT APPEARS THAT THE MAJORITY OF DEALERSHIPS REPEATEDLY REPLACE THE CD SYSTEM FOR CUSTOMERS BECAUSE THEY ARE UNAWARE OF THE DEFECTIVE FIBER OPTICS SYSTEM IN THE 2003 E-CLASS MERCEDES. *LA

NHTSA ID

10054893

Incident

Mar 18, 2003

Mileage

3,288 mi

THROTTLE CONTROL FAILURE CAUSING EXACTLY A 20 SECOND DELAY BEFORE THE CAR WOULD ACTUALLY ACCELERATE AFTER PRESSING THE ACCELERATOR. THIS CAUSED ME TO BE IN NEARLY 3 ACCIDENTS, BECAUSE THE CAR DID NOT MOVE WHEN I WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF AN INTERSECTION AND PULLING OUT OF A PARKING SPOT, CARS WERE COMING, BUT I COULD NOT MOVE FORWARD, UNTIL AFTER THE 20 SECOND ACCELERATION DELAY. WHEN I TURNED THE CAR INTO PARKPLACE MERCEDES, THE INVOICE SHOWED THAT THEY HAD TO REPLACE MY IGNITION SYSTEM AS WELL AS THE THROTTLE CONTROL SYSTEM. *LA

NHTSA ID

10054891

Incident

May 20, 2003

Mileage

4,003 mi

MERCEDES 2003 E320: THE PARKTRONICS IN THE CAR, ARE SET OFF BY CONSTANT RAIN OVER THE HOOD OF THE CAR, IN SPEEDS UP TO 10MPH. THE DOUBLE RED LIGHTS GO OFF AND THE PARKTRONICS WARNING BUZZERS GO OFF, WARNING THAT YOU HAVE HIT A SOLID OBJECT. I WAS DRIVING THROUGH THE PARKING LOT OF A KROGER GROCERY STORE AND MY PARKTRONICS WARNING LIGHTS AND BUZZERS WENT OFF WARNING THAT I HAD HIT SOMETHING SOLID. I TOOK THE CAR INTO PARK PLACE MERCEDES IN DALLAS TEXAS AND THEY REPLACED MY PARKTRONICS TWICE, THEN THE THIRD TIME I BROUGHT THE CAR IN FOR THE SAME PROBLEM, THEY INFORMED ME THAT THEY WOULD NOT REPLACE THEM ANYMORE, BECAUSE MERCEDES DID NOT CONSIDER THIS A DEFECT ANY LONGER, BUT THAT THEIR PARKING SENSORS WERE VERY SENSITIVE TO RAIN RUNNING OVER THE FRONT OF THE CARS HOOD. I WOULD HAVE TO LIVE WITH THE SOLID OBJECT WARNING BUZZERS GOING OFF BECAUSE MERCEDES NO LONGER CONSIDERED THIS A DEFECT. THIS CAN POSE SERIOUS PROBLEM WITH ANYONE DRIVING IN A HEAVY OR BLINDING RAIN AND THEIR CAR KEEPS WARNING THEM, THAT THEY HAVE HIT A SOLID OBJECT. ESPECIALLY IN HEAVY RUSH HOUR TRAFFIC WHERE DRIVERS ARE MOVING AT LOWER SPEEDS, AND SLAMMING ON YOUR BREAKS EVERY TIME THE CAR WARNS THAT YOU HAVE HIT A SOLID OBJECT, WHEN YOU HAVE NOT, IS A SERIOUS SAFETY RISK. MY MERCEDES E320 HAS SPENT 47 DAYS IN 2003, IN THE DEALERSHIP REPAIR DEPARTMENT FOR MAJOR ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILURES, WHICH ARE COMMON TO THE ENTIRE 2003 E320 RELEASE. *LA

NHTSA ID

10054887

Incident

May 20, 2003

Mileage

3,288 mi

I OWN A 2003 E-CLASS MERCEDES BENZ PURCHASED THIS YEAR FROM RALLEY MOTORS, ROSLYN, NEW YORK. SINCE I TOOK THE TITLE TO THE VEHICLE, THERE HAS BEEN UNCONTROLLED MILD ACCELERATION AT LOW SPEEDS, THE CAR BUCKS AND SHAKES UPON DE-ACCELERATION RESULTING IN MY HAVING LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND CONSEQUENTLY REQUIRING MY JAMMING ABRUPTLY ON THE BRAKES TO AVOID HITTING ANOTHER VEHICLES AND PEDESTRIANS. IN ADDITION, THE CAR HAD SIGNIFICANTLY STEERED TO THE RIGHT AT ALL TIMES, REQUIRING MY CONSTANTLY HAVING TO STEER TO THE LEFT IN ORDER TO DRIVE STRAIGHT AHEAD. THE DEALERSHIP HAS ADMITTED THAT IT CAN NOT REPAIR THE TRANSMISSION PROBLEM, IE; THE UNCONTROLLED CHANGE OF SPEED, BUCKING AND ACCELERATION OF THE MOTOR VEHICLE. THEY HAVE ALSO REPLACED THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER WHICH I BELIEVE IS AN IMPORTANT VEHICLE COMPUTER WHICH CONTROLS MANY SYSTEMS OF THE CAR, AND THE VEHICLE NOW HAS THE THIRD INSTRUMENT CLUSTER, ALL IN ONE YEAR OF OWNERSHIP, ALL DUE TO PRODUCT DEFECTS! THE SERVICE MANAGER HAS ADMITTED TO ME THAT THERE IS A DESIGN DEFECT IN THE TRANSMISSION WHICH THERE ALLEGEDLY IS NO FIX TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. I WAS INFORMED THAT DUE TO HORRIBLE GAS MILEAGE, THE TORQUE CONVERTER OF THE TRANSMISSION IS SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED TO LOCK UP AT LOW SPEEDS, AND THIS IS THE REASON WHY THE 2003 AND 2004 E-CLASS AUTOMOBILES HAVE THIS TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. THE SERVICE MANAGER HAD ADVISED ME THAT HE KNOW OF NO FIX FROM THE FACTORY. THE DEALERSHIP BECAME FRUSTRATED WHEN I EXPRESSED MY DISPLEASURE, AND HAS NOW INFORMED ME THAT THEY WILL NO LONGER SERVICE MY BRAND NEW AUTOMOBILE. *LA *SCC THE CONSUMER STATED THE ENGINE STALLED, THE WIPER BLADES WERE NOISY. *JB

NHTSA ID

10047007

Incident

Jan 2, 2003

Mileage

500 mi

THE CAR HAS BEEN A DISAPPOINTMENTS SINCE I GOT IT IN JANUARY 28,2003. IT HAS HAD MANY PROBLEMS AND THE DEALERSHIP SAID ITS FIX. AUTOHAUS MERCEDES BENZ IN POMPANO BEACH , FLORIDA SOLD ME A CAR THAT HAS BEEN TO THE SHOP MORE THAN 10 TIMES . 1)WHIPPERS VERY LOUD AND DON'T CLEAN. 2) FUEL GAUGE DOES NOT WORK 3) TIRE SENSORS DO NOT WORK 4)STEREO SHUTS OFF AND ON 5)ALIGNMENT PROBLEM CAR PULLS TO THE RIGHT. 6)ENGINE IS VERY LOUD 7)ENGINE HESITATES. 8) SOS MALFUNCTION 9)MERCEDES BENZ PHONE DOES NOT WORK. 10) LOWJACK SYSTEM THAT THEY INSTALLED HAS NOT WORKED PROPERLY SINCE THEY PUT IT ON. WHEN THEY SOLD ME THE CAR THEY SAID THAT THEY WERE GOING TO COME OUT WITH A GPS AND A VOICE ACTIVATE KIT FOR THE MERCEDES BENZ AND NOW THEY TELL ME THAT THEY WERE NOT GOING TO MAKE IT FOR MY CAR SO I WAS LIED TOO . MY CAR HAS BEEN TO THE SHOP MORE THAN 10 TIMES AND STILL NOT FIX AND THE SERVICE MANAGER HAS LIED TO ME BECAUSE HE SAID THAT THE ITEMS ARE FIX AND TWO DAYS LATER THEY ARE BAD AGAIN . I WILL NOT RECOMMEND MERCEDES BENZ TO ANYONE AS THEY ARE NOT WHAT THEY JUST TO BE. ALSO I WILL NOT RECOMMEND TO ANYONE AUTOHAUS IN POMPANO BEACH , FLORIDA THEY DO NOT BELIEVE IN CUSTOMER SERVICE AND THEY SERVICE MANAGER JERRY ODESSY ONLY LIES TO PEOPLE AS IT DID TO ME SEVERAL TIMES AND HE IS ALSO VERY RUDE . I HAVE ALSO E-MAIL THE PRESIDENT OF AUTOHAUS AND HE HAS NEVER RESPONDED AND THE CORPORATE OFFICE IS NOT TO FAR BEHIND ABOUT CUSTOMER SERVICE AND RUDENESS . DO NOT BUY MERCEDES THERE ARE A LOT OF BETTER CAR OUT THERE . IF YOU BUY A MERCEDES MAKE SURE YOU CAR WAS NOT IN A FLOOD AS I READ THAT A LOT OF THEIR CARS WERE IN A FLOOD AND THEY ARE SELLING THEM LIKE NOTHING HAPPEND. *JB

NHTSA ID

10041141

Incident

Sep 20, 2003

Mileage

2,500 mi

ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS MALFUNCTIONS. SERVICE DEPT ADVISED ME THAT MERCEDES IS AWARE OF THE ISSUES (PLURAL) BUT THEY HAVE YET TO REACH A 'FIX'. I HAVE HAD MY E500 FOR 7 MONTHS. I AM SUSPECTING THAT THE FIX MAY BE IMPRACTICAL AS WAS THE CASE WITH THE NAVIGATION SOFTWARE THAT COULD NOT BE INTEGRATED - FORCING MERCEDES TO BUY BACK THEIR CARS. I BELIEVE WE ARE ALL GETTING FALSE PROMISES FROM MERCEDES-BENZ ON ANY PROPOSED FIXES WITH THE ELECTRICAL BUGS TOO. *JB

NHTSA ID

10039260

Incident

Aug 31, 2003

Mileage

17 mi

MY 2003 E 320 HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP 3 TIMES BECAUSE WHEN I COME TO A STOP AT TIMES IT WILL SUDDENLY SHUT OFF AND ALL THE LIGHTS ON THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER WILL LIGHT UP. THE PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT AND THE VEHICLE HAS 19,000 MILES ON IT. *PH

NHTSA ID

10038749

Incident

Jul 10, 2003

THE 2003 MERCEDES BENZ E500 HAS A FAULTY GATEWAY MODULE AND SOFTWARE. THIS MODULE HAS RESULTED IN PROBLEMS BEING REPORTED IN MY CAR THAT THE BRAKES, SELF RESTRAINT SYSTEM, TELEPHONE SYSTEM, AND TIRE PRESSURE HAVE FAILED. I HAVE NO WAY OF KNOWING IF THE THE SAFTY SYSTEMS ARE OPERATIONAL OR NOT. AT THIS POINT I AM DRIVING A CAR THAT SAYS MY SRS SYSTEM IS NOT WORKING. I HAVE BEEN IN THE MERCEDES SHOP NO LESS THAN 3 TIMES TO HAVE THE PROBLEM REPAIRED. IT SIMPLY RE-OCCURS AFTER EACH REPAIR. *AK

NHTSA ID

10025906

Incident

Jul 6, 2003

Mileage

3,800 mi