1996 Mercedes-Benz E320 Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 MERCEDES-BENZ E320. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY SHOOK AND VIBRATED BEFORE COLLAPSING. DURING THE INCIDENT, THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE SUSPENSION SPRING SEPARATED FROM THE VEHICLE AND CAUSED A PUNCTURE TO THE FUEL TANK. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER AND LOCAL DEALER WERE NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000.

SPRING PERCH SNAPPED AND SPRING SHOT OUT ON FRONT PASSENGER SIDE WHILE WIFE AND CHILDREN WERE IN THE CAR. THANK GOD THEY WERE LESS THE 200 FEET FROM THE HOUSE AND ONLY TRAVELING ABOUT 5 MPH. *TR

MY VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN FRONT OF STORE ALLOWING A 93 YEAR OLD LADY TO GO SHOPPING,AS I WAS PARKED THERE I WAS SIDESWIPED, I IMMEDIATELY TOOK IT TO THE AUTO SHOP TO HAVE IT REPAIRED, AFTER DOING THIS I DISCOVERED THAT THE KEY CAN'T START THE CAR BECAUSE THE IGNITION IS JAMMED OR KEY WILL NOT TURN, SO THE CAR WON'T START. I CALLED A LOCKSMITH AND DISCOVERED THAT THE IGNITION IS DEFECTED. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 MERCEDES BENZ E320. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSIS AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE STARTER WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED BACK TO THE MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSIS AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE WIRING HARNESS HAD BEGAN TO DRY ROT AND WAS TO DETERIORATING. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 48,000. ..UPDATED 07-01-13 *BF

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 1996 MERCEDES BENZ E320. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY AFTER THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED KNEE, BACK, NECK, AND CHEST INJURIES THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 131,000.

WHEN YOU REPLACE THE BATTERY ON THESE VEHICLES THE SAFETY RESTRAINT SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONS RENDERING THE SAFETY EQUIPMENT USELESS IE. AIR BAGS THE AUTOMOBILE SHOULD HAVE A RECALL WHEREBY MERCEDES FIXES THE DEFECTIVE SYSTEM. *TR

FRONT SPRING PERCHES MUST HAVE BEEN RUSTED AT THE WELDING SEAM. WHEN I WAS DRIVING AT 35 MPH I HEARD A BIG SNAP AND THE FRONT OF THE CAR HIT THE GROUND AT WHICH POINT I LOST STEERING CONTROL. THE FRONT PERCHES MUST HAVE DISLODGED AND ALMOST CAUSED ACCIDENT WHILE I WAS DRIVING. THIS IS A VITAL PART OF THE SUSPENSION/STEERING SYSTEM AND SHOULD BE RECALLED. THE DEALERSHIP WOULD NOT HELP OUT REPLACING THIS PART. THIS IS CLEARLY A MANUFACTURING ISSUE AND SHOULD BE RECALLED. LUCKILY I WAS DRIVING ON A LOCAL ROAD, OR IT COULD HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT OR DEATH, AT WHICH POINT THEY WOULD HAVE HAD A LAWSUIT ON THEIR HANDS. I ALSO HAD 2 ADDITIONAL PASSENGERS AT THE TIME OF THE OCCURRENCE. THIS EVENT COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED BY A RECALL AS I'VE ALSO HEARD THE SAME ISSUES FROM OTHER OWNERS. THE CAR IS A MERCEDES BENZ 1996 E320 WITH 134,000 MILES ON IT. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 MERCEDES BENZ E320. THE VEHICLE WAS AT THE DEALER TO HAVE THE BUMPER REPAINTED DUE TO A CRASH. THE DEALER NOTICED RUST ON THE TRUNK OF THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 111,896 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 116,772. UPDATED 07/29/08 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THERE WAS RUST ON THE VEHICLE IN 3 PLACED. UPDATED 07/29/08

AFTER FILLING UP ON GAS JUST TWO DAYS AGO, THERE WAS A VERY PECULIAR SMELL. IT SMELLED OF GAS FUMES. JUST TODAY, I NOTICED THAT MY GAS GAUGE WAS GOING DOWN QUITE FAST AND IT WASN'T UNTIL JUST NOW THAT MY GAS TANK IS LEAKING.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE THE DRIVE BELT PULLEY ON THE ENGINE IS DEVELOP FATIGUE CRACKS IN THE METAL AND BREAK. THE DRIVE PULLEY BREAKS, THE CAR WOULD NOT HAVE ENGINE COOLING, BATTERY CHARGING, AND/OR POWER STEERING. CONSEQUENCE: LOSS OF THESE SYSTEMS CAN CAUSE THE CAR TO OVER HEAT, LOSE POWER FROM THE BATTERY, AND LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE CAR INCREASING THE POTENTIAL FOR A VEHICLE ACCIDENT I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP, AND THEY SAID THAT THERE IS NO RECALL ON THE CAR AND THEY CAN NOT HELP ME SO NOTHING WAS DONE TO CORRECT THE FAILURE. *TR

AFTER FILLING UP ON GAS JUST TWO DAYS AGO, THERE WAS A VERY PECULIAR SMELL. IT SMELLED OF GAS FUMES. JUST TODAY, I NOTICED THAT MY GAS GAUGE WAS GOING DOWN QUITE FAST AND IT WASN'T UNTIL JUST NOW THAT MY GAS TANK IS LEAKING.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 MERCEDES-BENZ E 320. THE CONTACT STATED THAT FUEL WAS LEAKING FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSTIC TEST. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE SENDING UNIT WAS DEFECTIVE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 102,000.

MY VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN FRONT OF STORE ALLOWING A 93 YEAR OLD LADY TO GO SHOPPING,AS I WAS PARKED THERE I WAS SIDESWIPED, I IMMEDIATELY TOOK IT TO THE AUTO SHOP TO HAVE IT REPAIRED, AFTER DOING THIS I DISCOVERED THAT THE KEY CAN'T START THE CAR BECAUSE THE IGNITION IS JAMMED OR KEY WILL NOT TURN, SO THE CAR WON'T START. I CALLED A LOCKSMITH AND DISCOVERED THAT THE IGNITION IS DEFECTED. *TR

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE THE DRIVE BELT PULLEY ON THE ENGINE IS DEVELOP FATIGUE CRACKS IN THE METAL AND BREAK. THE DRIVE PULLEY BREAKS, THE CAR WOULD NOT HAVE ENGINE COOLING, BATTERY CHARGING, AND/OR POWER STEERING. CONSEQUENCE: LOSS OF THESE SYSTEMS CAN CAUSE THE CAR TO OVER HEAT, LOSE POWER FROM THE BATTERY, AND LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE CAR INCREASING THE POTENTIAL FOR A VEHICLE ACCIDENT I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP, AND THEY SAID THAT THERE IS NO RECALL ON THE CAR AND THEY CAN NOT HELP ME SO NOTHING WAS DONE TO CORRECT THE FAILURE. *TR

I HAVE A 1996 E320 AND THE FIRST THING TO GO WAS THE CONDENSER FAN, WHEN YOU TURN THE AC ON ITS THE FANS THAT HELP KEEP YOUR CAR COOL, BUT THEN THAT WENT OUT AND MY CAR WOULD RUN HOT IF I CONSTANTLY RAN AC. THEN MY AC BLOWER JUST WENT OUT ONE DAY. THEN I TOOK IT TO A MERCEDES SPECIALIST AND HE NOTICED THAT THE WIRING HARNESS WAS FRAIL AND WORN. HE CALLED MY CAR A TIME BOMB AND SAID IT WOULD BE A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE IT DIED ON ME. BUT I THOUGHT THAT MERCEDES LAST A LONG TIME. AND THEN, ABOUT A MONTH LATER, MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND MY CAR BEGAN SHAKING FROM TIME TO TIME AND I LOST A LOT OF POWER TO IT. SOMETIMES I WOULD HAVE TO PULL OVER AND TURN THE CAR OFF AND THEN TURN IT BACK ON TO STOP THE SHAKING. HE ALSO SAID THAT IT WOULD COST ABOUT $1000 TO REPLACE AND THAT IT WAS A BAD DESIGN BY MERCEDES. AND LAST SATURDAY NIGHT ON MY WAY HOME, I GOT INTO MY CAR AND TRIED TO START IT, BUT NOTHING HAPPENED, I COULDN'T EVEN HEAR A CLICK AT ALL WHEN I TURNED THE KEY. I TRIED JUMP STARTING IT, AND STILL NOTHING, SO I ENDED UP HAVING TO TOW IT HOME. I CALLED THE MERCEDES SPECIALIST AGAIN AND TOLD HIM WHAT WAS WRONG AND ALL THE STEPS I TOOK, AND HE SAID MORE THAN LIKELY ITS THE WIRING HARNESS. SO NOW I HAVE A NICE LOOKING CAR JUST SITTING IN MY DRIVE WAY DOING NOTHING. POOLER, GA. *NM

THE FRONT LEFT UPPER SPRING SUPPORT BRACKET RUSTED AND BENT UNDER NORMAL DAILY DRIVING CONDITIONS, THIS ALLOWED THE SPRING TO BECOME PARTIALLY EXPOSED. *SLC

WHEN YOU REPLACE THE BATTERY ON THESE VEHICLES THE SAFETY RESTRAINT SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONS RENDERING THE SAFETY EQUIPMENT USELESS IE. AIR BAGS THE AUTOMOBILE SHOULD HAVE A RECALL WHEREBY MERCEDES FIXES THE DEFECTIVE SYSTEM. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 MERCEDES-BENZ E320 EQUIPPED WITH YOKOHAMA YK580 TIRES, SIZE 215/55/R16. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL FEELING FROM THE TIRES. THE CONTACT MOVED OFF THE ROADWAY AND DISCOVERED THAT THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE TIRE HAD BECOME SHREDDED. THE CONTACT INSTALLED THE SPARE TIRE AS A TEMPORARY REMEDY. THE CONTACT LATER WENT TO THE DEALER WHERE THEY ADVISED HIM THAT THE TIRE INFLATION WAS TOO LOW SO THEY WOULD NOT REPLACE THE TIRE AT THEIR EXPENSE. THE TIRE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 7,000 AND THE VEHICLE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 159,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.