Owner-reported complaints naming the steering system, filed with NHTSA
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Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2013 Mercedes-Benz E350 submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 10 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
Car difficult to control found to have corroded sub frame and rear break lines. Very unsafe to drive brought to independent dealer who had car towed back to Mercedes. No warning lamps, or other symptoms prior to failure. Scary situation.
Contacted Mercedes because Dealer said it was a common problem. Airbag light was on. I was told that airbags could unsafely deploy as driving the vehicle and the issue was connected to the steering column. After looking online, I found that there are several drivers that could be in unsafe conditions while driving the car who reported the same thing. I contacted Mercedes to advise and Mercedes was dismissive. My concern is for innocent people that could be in danger because of Mercedes defects or possible negligence in addressing the safety issue that could lead to the loss of life.
The contact owns a 2013 Mercedes-Benz E350. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact heard an abnormal sound coming from the vehicle. Additionally, the contact stated that the power steering function was inoperable, and the steering wheel seized. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed with a fractured steering box. The contact was informed that the steering box needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact was informed that the parts to complete the repair were on backorder. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 57,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 MERCEDES BENZ E350. THE CONTACT STATED WHEN HER SPOUSE DROVE HER VEHICLE THE STEERING WHEEL WAS ADJUSTED TO HIS DESIRED POSITION AND AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS THE CONTACT NOTICED THE WHEEL WAS REMAINED IN THE LAST POSITION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO CROWN EUROCARS MERCEDES-BENZ LOCATED AT (8302 US HWY 19 N, PINELLAS PARK, FL 33781) TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO A STEERING MECHANISM MALFUNCTION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 51,000. THE VIN WAS INVALID.
THE ELECTRIC STEERING COLUMN ADJUSTMENT TO MOVE STEERING WHEEL UP AND/OR DOWN (TILT FEATURE) HAS BECOMES INOPERABLE (THE TELESCOPIC ADJUSTMENT FEATURE STILL WORKS). THIS MAKES PROPER STEERING WHEEL AND AIR BAG LOCATION IMPOSSIBLE. IT WAS FIRST NOTICED UPON STARTING THE CAR AT WORK THAT THE STEERING WHEEL REMAINED IN THE UP POSITION (ENTRY/EXIT). THIS APPARENTLY IS A KNOWN AND COMMON PROBLEM THAT IMPACTS MULTIPLE MODELS AND MODEL YEARS. MY FRIEND'S 2013 C250 ALSO HAD THIS PROBLEM, BUT WAS REPAIRED UNDER A RECALL / TSB. THE BROKEN PART IS INEXPENSIVE, BUT THE LABOR REQUIRES REMOVAL OF THE LOWER DRIVER'S DASH COMPONENTS, WHICH CAN BE COSTLY.
SUSPENSION ISSUES, I JUST PLACED 4 NEW TIRES ON MY CAR IN JUNE OF 2018. ON DEC 28, 2019 MY CAR FELT AS IF SOMEONE WAS UNSCREWING ALL OF MY WHEELS OFF AND I SPENT OUT LOSING CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. I AM UNABLE TO GET MERCEDES-BENZ USA TO SHARE GROUND CLEARANCE SPECIFICATION FOR MY VEHICLE. MY CAR HAS 100.000 MILES. MBUSA DIRECTED ME TO THE LOCAL DEALER BUT THE DEALER COULDN'T FIND THE SPEC. I WAS TOLD I WOULD RECEIVE A CALL BACK AND NEVER DID. I GOOGLED INFO REGARDING MY ISSUES AND SAW THIS SITE AND WAS LIKE WOW. IT WAS RAINING AND I WAS DOING 60 MILES NOTHING MORE.
SUSPENSION ISSUES, I JUST PLACED 4 NEW TIRES ON MY CAR IN JUNE OF 2018. ON DEC 28, 2019 MY CAR FELT AS IF SOMEONE WAS UNSCREWING ALL OF MY WHEELS OFF AND I SPENT OUT LOSING CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. I AM UNABLE TO GET MERCEDES-BENZ USA TO SHARE GROUND CLEARANCE SPECIFICATION FOR MY VEHICLE. MY CAR HAS 100.000 MILES. MBUSA DIRECTED ME TO THE LOCAL DEALER BUT THE DEALER COULDN'T FIND THE SPEC. I WAS TOLD I WOULD RECEIVE A CALL BACK AND NEVER DID. I GOOGLED INFO REGARDING MY ISSUES AND SAW THIS SITE AND WAS LIKE WOW.
I WAS TOLD MY BATTERY DID NOT PASS MEDTRONICS TESTING DURING SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE SERVICE BUT I CHOSE NOT TO REPLACE BATTERY AT THAT TIME, EXACTLY 1 WEEK LATER MY CAR DOES NOT START WHILE OUT RUNNING ERRANDS. I TRY TO JUMP START VEHICLE AND STILL UNABLE TO START IT...I HAVE IT TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP IT WAS AT 1 WEEK PRIOR. THEY REPLACE BATTERY AT $425 THEN TELL ME THAT MY CAR STILL WON'T START. THEY RUN OTHER DIAGNOSTIC TESTS AND TELL ME THAT MY KEY IS NOT RECOGNIZING THE STEERING WHEEL; THAT THE STEERING WHEEL LOCK MODULE NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF $1409. MY CAR IS STILL UNDER WARRANTY ALTHOUGH, BUT I AM BEING TOLD THAT THIS STEERING LOCK ISSUE IS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY.
THE ELECTRIC STEERING COLUMN ADJUSTMENT TO MOVE STEERING WHEEL UP AND/OR DOWN HAS BECOME INOPERABLE. HOWEVER THE IN & OUT ADJUSTMENT STILL WORKS. THIS MAKES PROPER STEERING WHEEL AND AIR BAG LOCATION IMPOSSIBLE. IT WAS NOTICED WHILE DRIVING THAT THE STEERING WHEEL WAS NOT IN THE PROPER/COMFORTABLE POSITION. I HAVE GONE ONLINE AND THIS APPARENTLY IS A KNOWN AND COMMON PROBLEM IN MERCEDES BENZ AUTOMOBILES. SAFE ADJUSTMENT IS IMPOSSIBLE. VEHICLE STATIONARY.
THE ELECTRIC STEERING COLUMN ADJUSTMENT TO MOVE STEERING WHEEL UP AND/OR DOWN BECOMES INOPERABLE. HOWEVER THE IN & OUT ADJUSTMENT STILL WORKS. THIS MAKES PROPER STEERING WHEEL AND AIR BAG LOCATION IMPOSSIBLE. IT WAS NOTICED WHILE DRIVING THAT THE STEERING WHEEL WAS NOT IN THE PROPER/COMFORTABLE POSITION. I HAVE GONE ONLINE AND THIS APPARENTLY IS A KNOWN AND COMMON PROBLEM. A PLASTIC PART CALLED THE COUPLING COLLAR, PART #A203 462 06 78 BREAKS AND RENDERS THE UP AND DOWN ADJUSTMENT IMPOSSIBLE. FROM WHAT I HAVE READ THIS COVERS MULTIPLE MODELS AND MODEL YEARS.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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