1998 Mercedes-Benz E430

ODI HAS FOCUSED THIS INVESTIGATION ON ASSESSING THE RISKS POSED BY A SEPARATED SPRING AS (1) A ROAD HAZARD AND (2) THE POTENTIAL FOR VEHICLE CONTROL TO BE COMPROMISED AFTER THE FRONT COIL SPRING HAS BEEN EJECTED FROM ITS INTENDED POSITION IN THE VEHICLE.BOTH RISKS ARE ASSOCIATED WITH CORROSION, FLEXING, AND FRACTURE OF THE UPPER FRONT SUSPENSION MOUNTING BRACKET.TIME-IN-SERVICE FAILURE RATES ARE NOTABLY HIGHER IN SALT BELT STATES SINCE CORROSION IS A PRIMARY CONTRIBUTOR TO THE FAILURE MODE.SINCE A NUMBER OF INCIDENTS HAVE OCCURRED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS BEING OPERATED, ODI IS SKEPTICAL THAT OWNERS CAN ALWAYS DETECT THE SUBTLE SIDE TO SIDE DIFFERENCE IN RIDE HEIGHT AND/OR INSPECT OR NOTICE THAT THE UPPER SUSPENSION BRACKET HAS BEEN COMPROMISED BY CORROSION.(1) ROAD HAZARD - ALTHOUGH THE (APPROX. 7 LB.) FRONT SUSPENSION SPRING THAT MAY BE EJECTED AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS COULD POSE A SERIOUS ROAD HAZARD TO PEDESTRIANS AND OTHER VEHICLES, THE OCCURRENCE RATE HAS BEEN LOW (.03% BASED ON 51 REPORTED INCIDENTS OCCURRING AND AN INITIAL POPULATION OF 172,781 VEHICLES AFTER 9 - 12 YEARS OF USE / EXPOSURE) AND THERE ARE NO KNOWN INJURIES, FATALITIES, OR PROPERTY DAMAGE REPORTS DUE TO AN EJECTED SPRING.ALSO, MANY OF THE 51 INCIDENTS OCCURRED AT LOW SPEED OR WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED OR PARKED.(2) VEHICLE CONTROL - VEHICLE HANDLING AND CONTROL COULD BE AFFECTED BY THE FRACTURE OF THE UPPER SUSPENSION MOUNT AND/OR THE ASSOCIATED SPRING EJECTION.ODI FIRST IDENTIFIED ITS CONCERN ABOUT CORROSION IN THE UPPER SUSPENSION BRACKET OF SUBJECT VEHICLES IN 2002, AT WHICH TIME MERCEDES PROVIDED A VIDEO THAT SHOWED THAT A VEHICLE COULD BE STEERED, STOPPED, AND CONTROLLED THROUGH VARIOUS MANEUVERS AT HIGH SPEEDS WITH A FRONT COIL SPRING COMPLETELY MISSING FROM THE VEHICLE. DURING PE07-021, IN ADDITION TO REVIEWING THE 2002 VIDEO-TAPE, ODI ENGINEERS DROVE AN EXEMPLAR VEHICLE WITH THE SPRING REMOVED AND SIMULATED VARIOUS COMBINATIONS OF STEERING ANGLES TO ASSESS WHETHER THERE WERE ANY POSSIBLE CONDITIONS / DISPLACEMENTS IN WHICH THE SEPARATED SPRING MIGHT INTERFERE WITH THE WHEELS. IN A VEHICLE WITH THE FRONT SPRING REMOVED, THE TOP OF THE WHEEL CAN LIGHTLY CONTACT THE BOTTOM AREA OF THE WHEEL FENDER DURING HIGH ANGLE TURNS TYPICALLY ASSOCIATED WITH SLOWER SPEED MANEUVERS SUCH AS CITY DRIVING. THE LIGHT TIRE CONTACT GENERATED AN OBVIOUS GRINDING NOISE AND WOULD LIKELY ABRADE OR BEND THE EDGE OF THE FENDER WITH CONTINUED USE.HOWEVER, THE EXTENT OF THE INTERFERENCE WAS NOT SUFFICIENT TO AFFECT VEHICLE STEERING AND DOES NOT OCCUR AT SMALLER TURNING ANGLES ASSOCIATED WITH HIGHWAY DRIVING.ODI HAS NOT IDENTIFIED A SAFETY RELATED DEFECT TREND AT THIS TIME.FURTHER USE OF AGENCY RESOURCES DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE WARRANTED.ACCORDINGLY, THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING THAT A SAFETY RELATED DEFECT DOES NOT EXIST.THE AGENCY RESERVES THE RIGHT TO TAKE FURTHER ACTION IF FUTURE CIRCUMSTANCES WARRANT.

THE OFFICE OF DEFECTS INVESTIGATION (ODI) OPENED THIS PRELIMINARY EVALUATION TO INVESTIGATE ALLEGATIONS OF ENGINE CRANKSHAFT PULLEY HARMONIC BALANCER FAILURE THAT COULD RESULT IN LOSS OF POWER-STEERING ASSIST.ODI HAS RECEIVED A TOTAL OF 546 NON-DUPLICATIVE REPORTS THAT ALLEGE ENGINE CRANKSHAFT PULLEY HARMONIC BALANCER FAILURE ON ALL MERCEDES-BENZ VEHICLES USING THE SUBJECT COMPONENT.THE SUBJECT COMPONENT FAILURES ARE PROGRESSIVE IN NATURE AND ONLY A SMALL PERCENTAGE OF THE COMPLAINTS AND WARRANT CLAIMS INVOLVED A FAILURE THAT HAD PROGRESSED FAR ENOUGH TO EFFECT POWER STEERING PERFORMANCE (6 OF 55 ODI COMPLAINTS REFERENCE INCREASED STEERING EFFORT).THERE HAVE BEEN NO CRASHES OR INJURIES RELATED TO THE ALLEGED DEFECT.A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT HAS NOT BEEN IDENTIFIED AT THIS TIME AND FURTHER USE OF AGENCY RESOURCES DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE WARRANTED.ACCORDINGLY, THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT DOES NOT EXIST.THE AGENCY WILL TAKE FURTHER ACTION IF WARRANTED BY THE CIRCUMSTANCES.SEE SUMMARY REPORT ATTACHED FOR FURTHER DETAIL.

The contact owns a 1998 Mercedes-Benz E430. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH, the passenger’s side front coil spring collapsed. The contact referenced NHTSA Action Number: PE07021. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The vehicle was then taken to a dealer but was not diagnosed due to a possible safety risk. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and opened a case. The failure mileage was 170,000.

NHTSA ID

11563337

Incident

Jan 2, 2024

Mileage

170,000 mi

STALLING, ABRUPT ENGINE FAILURE, FAIL TO OR DELAYED START: FREQUENCY - 6 TIMES PER YEAR, NO WARNING. 1/YR - FAIL TO START AND DELAYED STARTING FOR SEVERAL MINUTES; 5/YR ENGINE STOPPED/ STALLED WHILE OPERATING AT SPEEDS FROM 35 TO 65 MPH. 1. DURING THE DELAYED STARTED THERE WAS NO ENGINE NOISE, I.E. NO GENERATOR/TURNOVER OCCURRED, EVEN DASH LIGHTS FAILED TO LIGHT; THEN STARTED - NO ERROR MESSAGE NOR CHECK ENGINE APPEARED. 2. DURING THE STALLS AT SPEED IN GEAR, THE ENGINE DIED WITH NO WARNING AND EVENTUALLY STARTED AGAIN WITH REPEATED KEY-TURNS. MULTIPLE INCIDENTS OF ENGINE FAILURE SINCE 2008. WITHOUT WARNING OR ANY SIGN OF A PROBLEM, THE ENGINE COMPLETELY SHUTS OFF. THIS OCCURS: WHILE STARTING - NO RESPONSE , WHILE STOPPED, DRIVING AT SURFACE STREET AND HIGHWAY SPEEDS, TURNING AT LOW SPEEDS AND EVEN BACKING UP. HAVE REPLACED/REPAIRED OR INSPECTED PLUGS&WIRES, WIRING HARNESS, K40 RELAY, FUSES, BATTERY, MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR, CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR, EGR VALVE, FUEL FILTER, ECU CHIP, FUEL PUMP/RELAY/LINES, VACUUM LINES, AIR FILTER, TENSIONER, HARMONIC BALANCER, VIBRATION DAMPER, IGNITION CONTROL UNIT, SOLENOID, TEST OF COIL PRIMARY AND SECONDARY RESISTANCE, O2 SENSORS, IGNITION SWITCH, IDLE AIR SLIDE, HARMONIC DAMPER ... AND THE SEARCH CONTINUES...THIS IS AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN (AND ACCORDING TO SEVERAL POSTS ON THIS SITE, IT ALREADY HAD) NOTE THAT SEVERAL DIAGNOSTIC SCANS OVER THE 7 YEARS SHOWS NO ERROR CODES AND THE MECHANIC HAS BEEN UNABLE TO REPLICATE THE PROBLEM. AFTERWARD, THE CAR STARTS ALMOST IMMEDIATELY OR WITHIN A FEW MINUTES. HISTORY: BOUGHT THE CAR USED IN 2005 WITH 92,000 MILES IN FLORIDA, NO ACCIDENTS, NO HX OF DAMAGE, FLORIDA (NO WATER DAMAGE), REGULARLY SERVICED AND ROUTINE MAINTENANCE IS UP TO DATE. THANK YOU FOR THE MEANS TO REPORT THIS SERIOUS PROBLEM.

NHTSA ID

10934426

Incident

Dec 1, 2016

Mileage

135,000 mi

4.11.15//1233HRS (MT) -- 1998 MERCEDES BENZ E430 STALLING, ENGINE FAILURE PROBLEM: MULTIPLE INCIDENTS (MORE THAN 15 IN 7 YEARS) OF ENGINE FAILURE SINCE 2008. WITHOUT WARNING OR ANY SIGN OF A PROBLEM, THE ENGINE COMPLETELY SHUTS OFF. THIS OCCURS: WHILE STARTING - NO RESPONSE , WHILE STOPPED, DRIVING AT SURFACE STREET AND HIGHWAY SPEEDS, TURNING AT LOW SPEEDS AND EVEN BACKING UP. HAVE REPLACED/REPAIRED OR INSPECTED PLUGS&WIRES, WIRING HARNESS, K40 RELAY, FUSES, BATTERY, MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR, CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR, EGR VALVE, FUEL FILTER, ECU CHIP, FUEL PUMP/RELAY/LINES, VACUUM LINES, AIR FILTER, TENSIONER, HARMONIC BALANCER, VIBRATION DAMPER, IGNITION CONTROL UNIT, SOLENOID, TEST OF COIL PRIMARY AND SECONDARY RESISTANCE...NONE OF THE REPAIRS CORRECTED THE STALLING PROBLEM. CURRENT MILEAGE = 135,000. PLAN TO INSPECT/REPLACE O2 SENSORS, IGNITION SWITCH, IDLE AIR SLIDE, HARMONIC DAMPER ... AND THE SEARCH CONTINUES...THIS IS AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN (AND ACCORDING TO SEVERAL POSTS ON THIS SITE, IT ALREADY HAS) WHAT IS DAIMLER/CHRYSLER DOING ABOUT IT ? NOTE THAT SEVERAL DIAGNOSTIC SCANS OVER THE 7 YEARS SHOWS NO ERROR CODES AND THE MECHANIC HAS BEEN UNABLE TO REPLICATE THE PROBLEM. AFTERWARD, THE CAR STARTS ALMOST IMMEDIATELY OR WITHIN A FEW MINUTES. HISTORY: BOUGHT THE CAR USED IN 2005 WITH 92,000 MILES IN FLORIDA, NO ACCIDENTS, NO CARFAX HX OF DAMAGE, (NO WATER DAMAGE), REGULARLY SERVICED AND ROUTINE MAINTENANCE IS UP TO DATE. THANK YOU FOR THE FORUM TO REPORT THIS SERIOUS PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ID

10705113

Incident

Jul 15, 2008

Mileage

120,000 mi

THE VEHICLE HAS EXHIBITED SYMPTOMS FOR 15 MONTHS RESULTING IN $2,000 IN ATTEMPTED REPAIRS: REPLACED IGNITION AND KEY, K MODULE, AND AIR REGULATOR. ANY AND ALL THE FOLLOWING SYMPTOMS MAY AND DO OCCUR WITHOUT WARNING: ENGINE LIGHT GOES ON, BAS ASR, BAS, EMERGENCY BREAK LIGHT, DEFECTIVE DISPLAY LIGHT, DEFECTIVE BULB, ALL WARNING LIGHTS GO ON AT ONCE. ALL THE LIGHTS WILL CLEAR WHEN RESTARTING THE CAR, AND THE ENGINE LIGHT WILL TURN OFF IN A DAY OR TWO. MECHANICALLY THE FUEL GAUGE AND RPM GAUGE WILL SWING WILDLY WHILE THE SPEEDOMETER SWINGS OR DROPS TO ZERO WHILE IN OPERATION (HAZARD 1), TYPICALLY THE SMELL OF BURNING WIRE (HAZARD 2), THE TRANSMISSION FAILS TO GO FROM A STOPPED POSITION PAST THE FIRST GEAR, DOWN SHIFTS ABRUPTLY TO THE POINT OF ALMOST BEING JERKED INTO THE WINDSHIELD, NEARLY CAUSING AN ACCIDENT IN OCTOBER 2010 ON COLLEGE ROAD, OLIVE BRANCH MS (HAZARD 3). THIS IS A RESULT OF ELECTRICAL ISSUES BECAUSE THE TRANSMISSION ISSUES DO NOT OCCUR UNTIL A CERTAIN SEQUENCE OF ELECTRICAL EVENTS OCCUR. THE SYMPTOMS ARE ALWAYS PRESENT IN SOME FORM DAILY BUT HAZARDS ARE INTERMITTENT. THEY ARE ESCALATING AGAIN. THERE IS NO DOUBT TO THE CAUSE BEING A DETERIORATING WIRING HARNESS AND THE CAR IS UNSAFE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10443248

Incident

Jan 9, 2012

Mileage

150,045 mi

MY WIFE WAS DRIVING THE 1998 MERCEDES E430 AT 65 MPH ON A TWO LANE FRONTAGE ROAD ALONG I-4 IN LAKELAND FLORIDA ON AUGUST 7, 2005. THE ROAD HAD CURVES AND STOP SIGNS. WITHOUT ANY WARNING OR CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS, THE VEHICLE LOST POWER STEERING AND ANTI-LOCK POWER BRAKES. MY WIFE RAN THROUGH A STOP SIGN AND INTO A FIELD BEFORE REGAINING CONTROL, ALTHOUGH LIMITED, OF THE VEHICLE. THE HARMONIC DAMPER HAD DISINTEGRATED TAKING OUT THE WHOLE FRONT OF THE ENGINE. THE FAILURE CAUSED AN IMMEDIATE SEIZING OF THE ENGINE AS THE DAMPER PARTS WEDGED BETWEEN THE REMAINING PART OF THE DAMPER AND THE ENGINE OIL PAN. MY WIFE WAS STARTLED BY THE NOISE, THEN THE QUIET AND THE LOSS OF THE POWER STEERING AND THE POWER BRAKES. MY WIFE, A WOMAN OF 125 LBS HAD ALL SHE COULD DO TO STOP AND STEER THE CAR. THE CAR WAS TOWED AT OWNER'S EXPENSE ($75) TO THE NEAREST MERCEDES DEALER FOR REPAIR. THE DEALER REPLACED 47 PARTS/GASKETS ON THE FRONT OF THE ENGINE UNDER THE RECALL. THE OWNER HAD TO REPLACE THE MASS AIR SENSOR AND THE AIR CONDITIONING COMPRESSOR AT A COST OF $1500.00. THE VEHICLE STILL HAS A RUMBLING VIBRATION GETTING WORSE AT 50-60 MPH THAT IT DID NOT HAVE BEFORE THE RECALL. THE ENGINE IS CONSUMING OIL OR LEAKING OIL NOW ALSO. *NM

NHTSA ID

10152252

Incident

Sep 7, 2005

Mileage

54,878 mi

YESTERDAY I GOT REAR ENDED BY ANOTHER VEHICLE. THIS ACCIDENT HAPPENED BECAUSE MY ENGINE STALLED WHILE I WAS APPROACHING AN INTERSECTION AND I WAS SLOWING DOWN TO MAKE A TURN. THE CAUSE OF THE ACCIDENT WAS RELATED TO A KNOWN MECHANICAL PROBLEM WITH MERCEDES BENZ. FAILURE OF THE CPS (CRANKSHAFT POSITIONING SENSOR) OR ALSO KNOWN AS THE REFERENCE SENSOR. I CHECKED SEVERAL MB FORUMS AND THIS PROBLEM IS NOT UNIQUE, IT HAS HAPPENED TO MANY PEOPLE ALREADY. I HAVE BEEN DRIVING MB VEHICLES FOR OVER 15 YEARS, AND I FIND IT HARD TO BELIEVE THAT MB HAS NOT DONE SOMETHING ABOUT THIS TYPE OF FAILURE. I AM DRIVING A '98 E430. THANKS. *JB

NHTSA ID

10134412

Incident

Aug 18, 2005

Mileage

110,000 mi

OUR PHONE/RADIO IS NOT WORKING PROPERLY. MERCEDES SAYS THERE IS NO REPLACEMENT (THEY NO LONGER STOCK THE PART). I THOUGHT THAT MANUFACTURERS HAD TO STOCK REPLACEMENT PARTS FOR SO MANY YEARS. OUR CAR IS A 1998 MODEL. I CONSIDER THIS A SAFETY PROBLEM BECAUSE MY WIFE CAN NO LONGER GET A HOLD OF ANYONE BY THE PHONE IN CASE ON AN EMERGENCY. *NLM

NHTSA ID

10014159

Incident

Oct 1, 2002

Mileage

90,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING 10-15 MPH ANOTHER VEHICLE HIT CONSUMERS VEHICLE ON DRIVERS SIDE. SEATBELT DID NOT RESTRAIN CONSUMER PROPERLY AS HE WAS TOSSED FROM SIDE TO SIDE. *AK CONSUMER WAS INJURED IN ACCIDENT. VEHICLE STALLED WHILE DRIVING. ACID DAMAGE FROM BATTERY DUE TO MISSING VENT HOSE. BRAKES SQUEAKED, DEALER REPLACED FRONT PADS AND ROTORS. GLOVE COMPARTMENT BROKE. *SLC

NHTSA ID

899165

Incident

Nov 9, 2001

Unmotivated Reaction from Park Assist - model series 213 facelift / 238 facelift with option code 235 (active par- king assist) and option code 501 (surround view system)

If the customer brakes sharply from a speed of > 30mph, without ABS intervention, there is a single cracking noise from the area of the ESP hydraulic unit

Harsh engagement when changing gear range from P to D or R

Harsh engagement when changing gear range from P to D

AIRMATIC Fault Message "Max 80 km/ h (50 mph) " In Instrument Cluster

Seat belt extender toothed rack sluggish or makes noises