1997 Mercedes-Benz E320 Seat belts Problems

Driver seatbelt exploded while buckled up as the car was going about 30 mph on a 4 lane street. No warning and was very traumatic. I had to pull over when I smelled something burning. When I released seatbelt to get out of the car it would not buckle up when I tried to get back in the seat. Had to drive home without seatbelt on Christmas Eve. The same thing happened a month later to the passenger seatbelt when I was a passenger in my car. This was very traumatic while driving down a 4 lane Avenue.

NHTSA ID

11504083

Incident

Dec 24, 2022

WAS DRIVING SLOW LIKE 10 MPH AND PREPARING TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN AND THERE WAS A LOUD EXPLOSION AS THE PASSENGER SEAT BELT RETRACTED WITH SUCH FORCE THAT IT SLAMMED INTO THE STERNUM OF MY 73 YEAR OLD MOTHER, WHO ALMOST HAD AN EPISODE OF CARDIAC ARREST, BOTH FROM THE IMPACT OF THE BELT PUSHING ON HER HEART AND THE EXPLOSION. ONE WEEK LATER THE DRIVERS SIDE SEATBELT DID THE SAME THING . I HAD NOT USED THE DRIVERS SIDE BELT ON THE DAY OF THE FIRST INCIDENT, OR ANY DAY SINCE. BUT THEY ARE EXPLODING ABOUT THE SAME TIME AS THE SECOND INCIDENT HAPPENED THE VERY FIRST TIME THAT THE DRIVERS BELT WAS PUT IN USE AFTER THE PASSENGER BELT INCIDENT. THE SAME SLOW RIGHT TURN, WHILE BRAKING INTO A THE TURN, WAS BEING PERFORMED. THE SRS LIGHT HAS BEEN ON EVER SINCE.

NHTSA ID

11048526

Incident

Nov 25, 2017

Mileage

146,000 mi

WHILE PROCEEDING STRAIGHT ON A CITY STREET, AT ABOUT 30 MPH, DURING THE DAY, WITH NO OTHER VEHICLES ON THE ROAD, I HEARD A METALLIC EXPLOSION INSIDE OUR 1997 MERCEDES BENZ E320 SEDAN. THE SEAT BELT IMMEDIATELY AND PAINFULLY PINNED ME BACK INTO THE DRIVERS SEAT, RENDERING ME BREATHLESS AND DISORIENTATED. I FELT LIKE I HAD BEEN SHOT, AND I LOOKED AROUND OUTSIDE THE CAR FOR THE SOURCE. I TURNED OFF THE STREET AND PARKED. I WAS ABLE TO RELEASE THE SEATBELT, BUT IT DID NOT RETRACT. THE SRS WARNING LIGHT WAS ON. I GOT OUT OF THE CAR AND INSPECTED ITS EXTERIOR. THERE WAS NOTHING TO NOTE. I SUBSEQUENTLY TOOK THE CAR IN FOR AN AUTHORIZED INSPECTION AND EVALUATION. I LEARNED THAT THE SEATBELT RETRACTION SYSTEM HAD ACTIVATED, EVEN THOUGH THERE WAS NO INPUT TO THE ACTIVATION SENSOR. THERE IS NO RECALL FOR THIS ISSUE, SO THE REPAIR BILL IS ON ME.

NHTSA ID

10944015

Incident

Dec 22, 2016

Mileage

137,000 mi

I WAS DRIVING IN A PARKING LOT OUTSIDE A DRUGSTORE VERY SLOW. I DID NOT HIT ANYTHING AT ALL. ALL OF A SUDDEN THE SEATBELT MADE A LOUD EXPLOSION SOUND AND SMELLED LIKE BURNING. MY ENTIRE BODY WAS RESTRAINED VERY TIGHT AGAINST THE SEAT AND A HARD IMPACT ON MY CHEST. IT WAS SCARY AND I THOUGHT I WAS SHOT. I WAS LUCKY THAT I WAS NOT DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AT THE TIME SEAT BELT EXPLODED. THIS COULD HAVE CAUSED A SERIOUS ACCIDENT IF I WERE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY WITH HEAVY TRAFFIC. *TR

NHTSA ID

10715016

Incident

May 5, 2015

Mileage

176,000 mi

ON NOVEMBER 19TH, 2014, WHILE STOPPED ON HABANA AT MLK, JR. BLVD. IN TAMPA, FLORIDA, WITHOUT ANY WARNING WHATSOEVER, A VERY LOUD "EXPLOSION" OCCURRED INSIDE MY CAR AND THERE WAS INSTANT PRESSURE ON MY CHEST. FROM THE NOISE AND THE PRESSURE, I THOUGHT I'D BEEN SHOT, BUT THEN REALIZED NEITHER I NOR THE CAR WAS STRUCK BY ANYTHING! I LOOKED AT THE DRIVERS ON EITHER SIDE OF ME (NOBODY BEHIND ME) TO SEE IF THEY HAD HEARD OR SEEN ANYTHING, BUT NOBODY WAS LOOKING MY WAY, SO IT WAS OBVIOUS THEY HAD NOT HEARD OR SMELLED ANYTHING (BURNING ODOR" EMANATING FROM SOMEWHERE IN THE CAR). I FELT PAIN IN MY CHEST & BACK/SHOULDER, AND WAS SHAKING, BUT SINCE I WAS ON MY WAY TO THE DOCTOR ANYWAY, I PROCEEDED TO HER OFFICE FOR MY APPOINTMENT. IMMEDIATELY AFTER, I WENT TO THE MERCEDES DEALERSHIP (NO SEAT BELT), WHERE I LEFT THE VEHICLE TO BE REPAIRED. THEY ACTED AS THOUGH THIS KIND OF THING HAPPENS EVERY DAY - NOBODY EVEN ASKED IF I WAS OK; NOR DID ANYONE DISCUSS THE OBVIOUS "MALFUNCTION" THAT HAD JUST OCCURRED. I WAS LATER ADVISED THIS HAPPENED BECAUSE THE "COMPUTER" THOUGHT I WAS ABOUT TO CRASH! NOW, THE CAR NEEDS A NEW SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY AND AN SRS CONTROL UNIT/TOTAL PRICE ~$3,000! I TOLD MY SERVICE GUY (DR) THAT THEY NEED TO PAY FOR THESE REPAIRS, THAT THIS WAS OBVIOUSLY A MALFUNCTION/DEFECT IN THE CAR. I WAS TOLD THIS IS NOT THE DEALERSHIP'S CONCERN, THAT I NEED TO CONTACT MERCEDES BENZ, WHICH I DID. I AM WRITING THIS ON DECEMBER 6TH, 17 DAYS AFTER LEAVING MY CAR AT THE DEALERSHIP. I AM SHOCKED BY THE LACK OF CUSTOMER SERVICE FROM MBUSA - THE CUSTOMER SERVICE GIRL AT MB WOULD NOT EVEN GIVE ME HER SUPERVISOR'S FULL NAME OR CONTACT INFO.! *****NOTE: THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THIS EXACT ISSUE ON MY EXACT MODEL, WHICH NEITHER THE DEALER NOR MBUSA HAS MENTIONED YET!!***** UNFORTUNATELY, I AM FORCED TO RETAIN COUNSEL. *TR

NHTSA ID

10662558

Incident

Nov 19, 2014

Mileage

135,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 MERCEDES BENZ E320. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 40 MPH WHEN THE SEAT BELT BEGAN TO RETRACT AND LOCK ACCOMPANIED BY AN ABNORMAL NOISE. THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT ALSO ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE WHO ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS FOR THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000.

NHTSA ID

10443318

Incident

Jan 9, 2012

Mileage

130,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 MERCEDES BENZ E-320. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH WHEN THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE SEATBELT TIGHTENED AND WOULD NOT RETRACT. THE SEATBELT WAS UNLOCKED BUT STILL WOULD NOT RETRACT. THE FAILURE ALSO OCCURRED ON THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE SEATBELT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE SEATBELT MODULES FAILED. THE SEATBELTS WERE REPLACED BUT THE FAILURE CONTINUED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN REPAIRED AFTER EACH FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 192,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 201,000.

NHTSA ID

10376345

Incident

Dec 14, 2009

Mileage

192,000 mi

WHEN TURNING ON THE CAR, NOTICE SRS (SEAT BELT RESTRAINT SYSTEM) LIGHT ON, UPON MOVING FORWARD IN SLOW SPEED, A LOUD POP FOLLOWED BY THE TIGHTENING OF THE SEAT BEAT AND THEN BURNING SMELL OF SMOKE FILLED THE CABIN. THIS I ASSUME IS HOW THE SYSTEM SHOULD WORK DURING AN ACCIDENT BUT THIS HAPPENED WHILE I WAS DRIVING AND IF I HAD BEEN DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY OR PUBLIC HIGHWAYS, I COULD HAVE EASILY CRASHED DUE TO THE INCIDENT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10312254

Incident

Feb 19, 2010

Mileage

105,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 MERCEDES E320. WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH THE DRIVER-SIDE FRONT SEAT BELT RETRACTOR SEPARATED. THE NEXT DAY THE PASSENGER FRONT SEAT BELT RETRACTOR FAILED IDENTICALLY. THE SEAT BELTS NO LONGER WORK PROPERLY. A TECHNICIAN FROM THE DEALER CONCLUDED THAT THE SEAT BELT CONTROL MODULE WAS CONTAMINATED. THE REPAIR COST $3400.00. THE DEALER WILL NOT RELEASE THE VEHICLE UNTIL THE SEAT BELTS ARE REPAIRED. NO REPAIRS WERE MADE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 113000.

NHTSA ID

10291167

Incident

Oct 25, 2009

Mileage

113,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 MERCEDES BENZ E 320. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS, THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD POPPING NOISE INSIDE THE VEHICLE. UNEXPECTEDLY, THE FRONT AND PASSENGER SIDE SEAT BELT RETRACTORS INSTANTLY LOCKED AND SECURED THE OCCUPANTS. THIS CAUSED EXTREME DISCOMFORT FOR THE OCCUPANTS. THE CONTACT PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND INSPECTED THE SEAT BELTS. THE SEAT BELT RETRACT MECHANISM FAILED TO DISENGAGE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS RELATED TO THE EMERGENCY LOCK RETRACTORS (ELR). THE EMERGENCY LOCKING RETRACTOR ONLY ACTIVATES DURING A CRASH OR SUDDEN STOP, NOT NORMAL DRIVING. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 171,000.

NHTSA ID

10252563

Incident

Dec 6, 2008

Mileage

171,000 mi