1996 Mercedes-Benz E320 Suspension 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.

NHTSA ID

11111724

Incident

Jun 1, 2002

Mileage

60,000 mi

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

NHTSA ID

10525973

Incident

May 30, 2013

Mileage

168,000 mi

I WAS DRIVING DOWN A BACK ROAD IN MY 1996 MERCEDES E320 WHEN I HEARD A BANG AND THE PASSENGER FRONT SIDE DROPPED. THE FRONT COIL SPRING HAD POPPED OUT. IF I HAD BEEN GOING ANY FASTER I WOULD HAVE LOST CONTROL OF THE CAR. I HAVE HEARD THAT THE FRONT COIL SPRING MOUNTS IN THIS MODEL CORRODE DUE TO IMPROPER UNDERCOATING. *TR

NHTSA ID

10454818

Incident

Apr 9, 2012

Mileage

131,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 MERCEDES E320. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH, THE FRONT END SUSPENSION SPRINGS FRACTURED, CAUSING THE CONTACT TO LOOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO THE SIDE RAIL ON THE HIGHWAY. THE CONTACT SPOKE WITH A MECHANIC WHO STATED THAT HE HAD NEVER EXPERIENCED THE TYPE OF FAILURE DESCRIBED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 67,000.

NHTSA ID

10450851

Incident

Oct 10, 2006

Mileage

67,000 mi

I RECENTLY HEARD A LOUD POP FROM THE FRONT OF MY CAR WHILE TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEED. I STOPPED TO INSPECT THE NOISE AND FOUND THAT THE CAR WAS SLIGHTLY LEANING TO THE RIGHT. NOT SEEING ANYTHING ON THE ROADSIDE, I DROVE IT HOME SLOWLY TO INSPECT FURTHER. INFORMATION I READ ONLINE INFORMED ME OF A DESIGN FLAW INVOLVING THE FAILURE OF SPOT WELDS THAT ATTACH THE FRONT, TOP COIL SPRING PERCH TO THE CHASSIS. UPON DEEPER INSPECTION I FOUND MY R SIDE SPRING PERCH WELDS WERE 80% FAILED AND THE FORCE OF THE COIL SPRING HAD BENT THE SPRING PERCH UP 45 DEG. FROM NORMAL. EVIDENTLY THE NOISE I HEARD WERE THE WELDS BREAKING! THE COIL SPRING WAS BULGING OUTWARD, ABOUT TO POP OUT. THANKFULLY, THE SPOT WELDS DID NOT FULLY LET GO ON THIS CURVY ROAD. IF THEY HAD FULLY FAILED AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS THE CAR MOST CERTAINLY WOULD HAVE LOST CONTROL AND DEATH COULD HAVE BEEN THE RESULT. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY OFFERED TO WELD A NEW SPRING PERCH IN FOR $440. THE L SIDE HAD ALREADY BEEN CORRECTED BY A PREVIOUS OWNER. I HAVE PHOTOS AND THE FAILED PART IN MY POSSESSION. I WAS TOTALLY UNAWARE OF THIS PROBLEM WHEN I BOUGHT THE CAR. I HAD IT INSPECTED BUT THE DEFECT WAS MISSED. AT A MINIMUM, OWNERS OF THIS MAKE, YEAR AND MODEL SHOULD BE CONTACTED AND WARNED OF THIS PROBLEM. THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD RECALL AND REPAIR AT NO CHARGE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10289081

Incident

Oct 15, 2007

Mileage

227,850 mi

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

NHTSA ID

10265591

Incident

Apr 12, 2009

Mileage

134,000 mi

MERCEDES HAVE A FRONT SUSPENSION PROBLEM. CONSUMER STATES THAT THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE DROPPED AND WANTS TO KNOW WHY THERE IS NOT A RECALL FOR THIS. *NJ THE TECHNICIANS FOUND THE PROBLEM TO BE THE PERCH, WHICH HAD TO DO WITH THE FRONT SUSPENSION LETTING GO, WHICH CAUSED THE FRAME TO DROP. *JB

NHTSA ID

10238190

Incident

Jul 8, 2008

FRONT SPRING PERCHES ARE RUSTED AT THE WELDING SEAM. IT IS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE PERCH DISLODGES AND MAY CAUSE ACCIDENT OR DEATH WHILE DRIVING. THIS IS A VITAL PART OF THE SUSPENSION/STEERING SYSTEM AND SHOULD BE RECALLED. THE BEST DEAL THE DEALERSHIP CAN GIVE IS HALF OFF REPAIR BILL. THIS IS A MANUFACTURING ISSUE AND SHOULD BE FOR FREE!!! *TR

NHTSA ID

10192620

Incident

Jun 2, 2007

1996 MERCEDES BENZ E320. FRONT SUSPENSION COLLAPSED DUE TO FAULTY SPRING PERCH. THIS SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM AMONG W210 CHASSIS VEHICLES. *AK

NHTSA ID

10187406

Incident

Apr 5, 2007

Mileage

135,000 mi

THE LEFT FRONT UPPER SPRING PERCH FAILED CAUSING THE SUSPENSION TO COLLAPSE. THIS OCCURRED DUE TO POOR DESIGN OF THE PERCH ATTACHMENT TO THE FRAME. THE FAILURE OCCURRED IN MY DRIVEWAY, LUCKILY NOT AT SPEED ON THE ROAD WHERE TOTAL LOSS OF CONTROL WOULD HAVE OCCURRED. THE PERCH AND SPRING WAS REPLACED. *NM

NHTSA ID

10164939

Incident

Aug 2, 2006

HIGHWAY DRIVING 45-50 MPH WHEN THERE IS A LOUD CLUNK FROM UNDERNEATH CAR FOLLOWED BY A SLIGHT LOSS OF HANDLING LOOKED IN REARVIEW MIRROR AND SAW A SPRING LYING IN THE STREET. UPON STOPPING TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE AND RETRIEVE THE SPRING I NOTICED THE DRIVERS SIDE FRONT WAS VERY LOW. I LOOKED UNDERNEATH THE CAR AND SAW WHAT APPEARED TO BE A RUSTY MANGLED CAN. COME TO FIND OUT IT WAS THE SPRING TOP MOUNT AND IT HAD RUSTED COMPLETELY AWAY FROM THE FRAME. HAD TO HAVE VEHICLE TOWED OVER 60 MILES AWAY TO HAVE REPAIRED. HAD TO HAVE PARTS RE-WELDED AND FABRICATED AT THE SHOP TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM. *JB

NHTSA ID

10160418

Incident

May 28, 2006

Mileage

110,000 mi

CORRODED DRIVER SIDE SPRING HOUSING ON 1996 E320 MERCEDES BENZ. CORRODED TO THE EXTENT THAT IT SPRING COULD HAVE DISLARGED. REPORTS HAVE BEEN MADE IN OTHER LOCALS THAT THIS HAS OCCURED. MANUFACTURER CONTACTED AND INVESTIGATING, BUT HASN'T RECALLED PART.

NHTSA ID

10120738

Incident

May 9, 2005

FRONT COIL SPRING TOP SUPPORT CORRODED AND BROKE AWAY FROM THE BODY. WHEN DRIVING VEHICLE BECAME UNSTABLE. CURRENTLY VEHICLE CANNOT BE DRIVEN. *AK CONSUMER HEARD THAT THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE 1996 E CLASS MERCEDES . *BF

NHTSA ID

10113489

Incident

Feb 15, 2005

Mileage

63,999 mi

THE CONSUMER WAS PULLING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY AND HIT THE BRAKES. THE CONSUMER GOT OUT OF THE VEHICLE AND DISCOVERED THAT THE SUSPENSION OF THE VEHICLE HAD DROPPED DOWN TO THE GROUND. IT WAS ALSO DISCOVERED THAT 3 SPOT WELDS HAD FAILED. THE CONSUMER NOTIFIED THE MANUFACTURER AND WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS A REPAIR KIT FOR THIS PROBLEM. PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *JB

NHTSA ID

10099066

Incident

Oct 27, 2004

Mileage

44,000 mi

WHILE BACKING OUT OF THE DRIVE WAY, THE CONSUMER HEARD A LOUD THUMP COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A MECHANIC WHO FOUND THE FRONT SUSPENSION HAD BROKEN AWAY FROM THE CHASSIS. *JB

NHTSA ID

10064928

Incident

Mar 23, 2004

Mileage

70,000 mi

CONSUMER STATES THEATFRONT SUSPENSION IS RUSTED, ALL SUSPENSION BRACKETS COLLAPSED. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK

NHTSA ID

10026689

Incident

Jul 7, 2003

WHILE DRIVING THE FRONT LEFT COIL SPRING FAILED. *JB THE COIL SPRING FAILURE CAUSED THE CONSUMER TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE.*TS *JB

NHTSA ID

10020155

Incident

May 8, 2003

Mileage

61,000 mi

THERE IS A BOLT THAT DISCONNECTS FROM THE FRAME OF VEHICLE, CAUSING SOME NOISE. BOLT DIS ONNECTS FROM WAY BAR MOUNT. *AK

NHTSA ID

8005238

Incident

Mar 5, 2002

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

NHTSA ID

563647

Incident

Sep 14, 2001