2000 Mercedes-Benz M Class Steering Problems

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 MERCEDES BENZ ML. IN DECEMBER OF 2008, THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER TO HAVE IT REPAIRED ACCORDING TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 08V465000 (STEERING: HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST: HOSE, PIPING). AFTER THE REPAIR, HE NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS STILL LEAKING FLUID. THE DEALER STATED THAT IF HE BROUGHT THE VEHICLE BACK, HE WOULD BE CHARGED FOR THE REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THEY WOULD CALL HIM BACK, BUT THEY NEVER DID. ON MARCH 26, 2009, WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE PULLED TO THE RIGHT AND THE CONTACT LOST CONTROL OF THE STEERING. THE VEHICLE VEERED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND WAS TOWED TO A REPAIR SHOP. THE MECHANIC FOUND THAT THE POWER STEERING FLUID WAS LEAKING ON THE BELTS AND CAUSED THE STEERING TO FAIL. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 100,000.

NHTSA ID

10263170

Incident

Mar 26, 2009

Mileage

80,000 mi

THIS COMPLAINT ARISES OUT OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 08V465000 (MOST RECENT) INVOLVING A DEFECTIVE HOSE AND CLAMP ASSOCIATED WITH THE POWER STEERING. I AM WAITING TO HAVE THOSE ITEMS INSTALLED ON MY 2000 MERCEDES ML55 WHEN THE PARTS ARE OBTAINED BY MY DEALER, MBL OF TYSON'S CORNER, VA, WHICH SOLICITED ME TO HAVE THE REPAIRS MADE AND I TRIED TO DO SO BUT THE PARTS WERE NOT IN STOCK. MY COMPLAINT HAS TO DO WITH MERCEDES'S REFUSAL TO TAKE ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE FACT THAT SINCE I BOUGHT THE CAR IN 2000, IT HAS HAD THREE OR FOUR POWER STEERING PUMPS TO GO BAD AND HAVE TO BE REPLACED. IN YOUR RECALL NOTICE, YOU STATE THAT THE DEFECTIVE HOSE AND CLAMP "ULTIMATELY CAN DAMAGE THE POWER STEERING PUMP. THIS COULD RESULT IN A LOSS OF CONTROL AND A CRASH WITHOUT WARNING>" SINCE I BOUGHT THIS CAR IN 2000, IT WILL NOT HAVE HAD A NON-DEFECTIVE POWER STEERING SYSTEM. AS BEST I CAN DETERMINE FROM PAPER IN MY POSSESSION, THE POWER STEERING PUMP HAS BEEN REPLACED AT LEAST THREE TIMES. I SUPPOSE THAT MERCEDES COULD ARGUE THAT FOUR PUMPS REPRESENTS NORMAL WEAR-AND-TEAR, BUT IT SEEMS TO ME THAT THERE IS SOME CONNECTION BETWEEN THE DEFECTIVE HOSE AND CLAMP AND THE NEED TO REPLACE MULTIPLE PUMPS. THE PUMP IS A BIG-TICKET ITEM--MORE THAN $1,200 EACH TO BUY AND HAVE INSTALLED. IT STRIKES ME AS UNLIKELY IN THE EXTREME THAT THE DEFECTIVE HOSE AND CLAMP DID NOT CONTRIBUTE TO THE FAILURE OF AT LEAST THREE POWER STEERING PUMPS OVER THE LAST 9 YEARS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10252349

Incident

Dec 19, 2008

POWER STEERING LEAKING LOSS OF STEERING TOOK TO DEALERSHIP. ADVISE NOT AWARE OF RECALL. CAR WAS REPAIRED IN 2003 DUE TO THE SAME ISSUE UNDER ANOTHER RECALL. FINALLY REPLACE HOSE, BUT POWER STEERING CONTINUES TO LEAK. *TR

NHTSA ID

10250823

Incident

Dec 3, 2008

Mileage

140,000 mi

BAS/ESP LIGHT COMES ON, BRAKES ENGAGE, STEERING WHEEL TURNS TO THE RIGHT...HAPPENS AT SPEEDS 60 MPH AND HIGHER; CAR DIFFICULT TO CONTROL, NO WARNING--I HAVE USED TWO CATEGORY OPTIONS ON THE FORM, BUT I REALLY DO NOT KNOW WHICH OPTIONS TO CHOOSE TO DESCRIBE THE ABOVE PROBLEM...SUV HAS DONE THIS ON EXPRESSWAY DRIVING OVER AND OVER FOR THE PAST 6 YEARS....EACH TIME THE DEALER THINKS THEY HAVE FIXED THE PROBLEM....*NM

NHTSA ID

10155050

Incident

Nov 11, 2005

Mileage

37,648 mi

A YEAR AGO I WAS TURNING A CORNER IN MY MERCEDES ML320 WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL "LOCKED." IT HAD LOST THE POWER STEERING FLUID AND FOR ME, THE WHEEL WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO TURN. I WAS TOLD THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE CLAMP. IT WAS UNDER WARRENTY AND REPAIRED AT SIMONSON MERCEDES, 1626 WILSHIRE BLVD, SANTA MONICA , CA 90403. ONE MONTH AND ONE THOUSAND MILES LATER THE SAME THING HAPPENED. THIS TIME I WAS TOLD THAT MERCEDES HAD SENT A MODIFIED CLAMP TO CORRECT A PROBLEM WITH THE ORIGIONAL HOSE CLAMP. APRIL 20, 2003, AT 30,000 MILES THE POWER STEERING FAILED AGAIN. I HAD IT TOWED INTO SIMONSON ON APRIL 21, 2003 AND HAVE REFUSED TO PICK IT UP EVEN THOUGH IT HAS BEEN "REPAIRED." I TOLD THE MANAGER THAT I FELT THIS WAS A LIFE THREATENING DEFECT THAT THEY HAD NOT BEEN ABLE TO FIX TWICE IN THE PAST. I ASKED THEM TO BUY BACK THE VEHICLE AND WAS TOLD SOMEONE FROM MERCEDES HIGHER UP WOULD CONTACT ME.

NHTSA ID

10070225

Incident

Mar 15, 2002

Mileage

17,000 mi

THIRD TIME FOR STEERING LOSS - 3. POWER STEERING HOSE FELL OFF, DRAINING ALL THE FLUID, CAUSING LOSS OF STEERING ABILITIES, AND ALMOST CAUSED A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. 2. TWO MONTHS EARLIER, POWER STEERING HOSE CLAMP CAME LOOSE,LOSS OF FLUID AND STEERING, AND ALMOST CAUSED A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. 1. AND, SIX MONTHS PRIOR TO THE SECOND INCIDENT, POWER STEERING HOSE CLAMP FELL OFF, LOSS OF FLUID AND STEERING, AND ALMOST CAUSED A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. DEALERSHIP HAS SO FAR REPLACED THE POWER STEERING CLAMP TWICE AND THE HOSE ONCE. *LA

NHTSA ID

10051089

Incident

Dec 17, 2003

Mileage

36,200 mi

I BROUGHT THE CAR TO THE DEALER (HBL MERCEDES BENZ OF TYSON'S CORNER, VA) IN AUGUST 2003 DUE TO A RECALL TO FIX A POSSIBLE PROBLEM WITH THE POWER STEERING HOSE CLAMP. THE CAR HAD NO PROBLEMS WHATSOEVER BEFORE BRINGING IT TO THE DEALER. HBL PERFORMED THE RECALL WORK AND THEY ACTUALLY MADE IT WORSE. THE HOSE CLAMP WAS INSTALLED IMPROPERLY WHICH LED TO POWER STEERING FAILURE WHILE MY WIFE WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY. WE HAD ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE REFILL THE POWER STEERING FLUID AND TRIED TO GET IN TOUCH WITH HBL TO GET IT FIXED YET AGAIN. AFTER A FEW DAYS, I FINALLY GOT THEM TO LOOK AT THE CAR. THEY AGAIN TRIED TO REPLACE THE CLAMP IN SEPT. 2003. YESTERDAY, NOV. 25, 2003, MY WIFE WAS DRIVING TO WORK AND LOST POWER STEERING AGAIN. *LA

NHTSA ID

10047644

Incident

Nov 25, 2003

POWER STEERING FLUID HOSE CAME UNATTACHED FORM THE RADIATOR (CLAMP FAILED) POWER STEERING FLUID SPRAYED OVER THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. NO FIRE RESULTED. LOST POWER STEERING ASSIST. CALLED MERCEDES ROAD REPAIR - THEY REPLACED THE CLAMP WITH A NEW "IMPROVED" CLAMP. THEY CHARGED $45.00 FOR THE SERVICE>. *JB

NHTSA ID

10014040

Incident

Feb 15, 2003

Mileage

62,500 mi