1984 Mercedes Benz 380

CAR: 1984 MERCEDES 380SL I WAS PULLING INTO MY DRIVEWAY WHEN I HEARD A CLUNK. I KEPT DRIVING INTO MY CARPORT (GARAGE), AND I LOOKED UNDERNEATH TO SEE IF I COULD SEE ANYTHING. I HAD SOMEONE ELSE LOOK AT IT, AND WE DISCOVERED THAT THE SUBFRAME THAT HOLDS THE LOWER A-ARM WAS BROKEN, AND THE A-ARM HANGING BY ONLY ONE END. THE MODELS 350SL-450SL CURRENTLY HAVE A RECALL, AND SO MUST 380SL BECAUSE IT SHARES THE SAME SUBFRAME DEFECT AS THE OTHERS. NOT ONLY IS THIS A COSTLY REPAIR, BUT IT IS AN DANGEROUS ONE, AS IF THE SAME THING HAPPENED WHILE THE CAR WAS MOVING I WOULD MIGHT HAVE LOST CONTROL OF THE CAR, AND MIGHT HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY INJURED OR KILLED. THERE ARE 3 OTHER REPORTS HERE: HTTP://WWW.PEACHPARTS.COM/SHOPFORUM/ARCHIVE/INDEX.PHP/T-191764.HTML THERE IS 1 MORE REPORT HERE: HTTP://WWW.BENZWORLD.ORG/FORUMS/R-C107-SL-SLC-CLASS/1594298-SUBFRAME-MY-380SL-CRACKED-BOTH-SIDES.HTML THERE'S ANOTHER ONE HERE: HTTP://WWW.JUSTANSWER.COM/MERCEDES/4H5VI-MERCEDES-BENZ-380SL-NEED-REPLACE-SUB-FRAME.HTML THERE'S ANOTHER 1 HERE: HTTP://HOME.ALLII.COM/THREAD-33268-1-1.HTML THERE MORE HERE: HTTP://WWW.ALLWORLDAUTO.COM/COMMENTS/MERCEDES_BENZ_380_COMMENTS_AND_COMPLAINTS_113-33690-1.HTML. *TR

PARKED VEHICLE IN FRONT OF GARAGE. TURNED OFF ENGINE, GOT OUT & DECIDED TO MOVE CAR CLOSER TO GARAGE. PUT ON SEAT BELT, RESTARTED CAR, PUT FOOT ON BRAKE, & SHIFTED INTO DRIVE. VEHICLE TOOK OFF LIKE A ROCKET, SMASHED THROUGH GARAGE DOOR, THROUGH STRUCTURAL BEAMS & OUT THE SIDE OF THE BUILDING LANDING ON THE GROUND WITH FRONT OF CAR. ENGINE WAS STILL ROARING & I WAS ABLE TO TURN OFF THE IGNITION & OPEN THE PASSENGER DOOR TO GET OUT. *TR

I HAVE A 1984 MERCEDES BENZ (MB) 380SL. THIS MODEL IS EQUIPPED WITH THE EXACT SAME SUBFRAME THAT WAS INSTALLED ON THE MB 450SL MODELS. THE SUBFRAMES FOR THE 450SLS WERE RECALLED BECAUSE OF THE DANGER OF IT CRACKING AND THE LEFT WHEEL COLLAPSING UNDER THE CAR OR COMING OFF ALTOGETHER WHILE DRIVING. MB MADE THE ERRONEOUS ASSUMPTION THAT BECAUSE THE 380SL ENGINE WAS ALUMINUM VERSUS THE CAST IRON OF THE 450SL ENGINES, THAT THE DEFECTIVE SUBFRAME COULD SUPPORT THE ENGINE. A SEVERE CRACK HAS BEEN DISCOVERED IN MY 380SL SUBFRAME IN THE SAME EXACT PLACE AND EXACT SAME TYPE AS THE CRACKS THAT OCCURRED IN THE 450SLS. I ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS NOT TOTALLY UNCOMMON IN THE 380SL MODEL. I HAVE TALKED WITH "JAMES" AT MB-USA TO ASK THAT THE RECALL BE APPLIED TO MY VEHICLE AND THAT THEY PERFORM THE REPAIRS AS THEY DID FOR THE 450SLS. MY REQUEST WAS DENIED. I LEFT TWO VOICEMAIL MESSAGES AND SENT AN E-MAIL TO MB'S SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA MARKETING MGR, ANDY NOYE. MR. NOYE HAS NOT RETURNED MY CALLS NOR RESPONDED TO MY E-MAIL. THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP, MB OF SAN DIEGO IS ALSO STONE-WALLING ME. I AM ONE OF THE VERY LUCKY ONES THAT THE SEVERE CRACK IN MY CAR'S SUBFRAME WAS DISCOVERED BY MY INDEPENDENT MB MECHANIC DURING A ROUTINE SERVICE. THE CRACK IS SO SEVERE THAT IT IS FAR TOO DANGEROUS TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE. AS MB REFUSES TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE AND I CANNOT AFFORD TO KEEP A RENTAL CAR INDEFINITELY, AS OF THIS AFTERNOON, I HAVE INSTRUCTED MY INDEPENDENT MB MECHANIC TO PERFORM THE REPAIR AT A COST OF APPROXIMATELY $2235+ TAX. I HAVE REQUESTED THAT MY INDEPENDENT MB MECHANIC RETAIN THE DEFECTIVE AND CRACKED SUBFRAME REMOVED FROM MY VEHICLE FOR INSPECTION. MY CAR WILL BE REPAIRED BY JIM FAHEY AT MB AUTO CENTER IN SAN DIEGO CALIFORNIA. MR. FAHEY CAN BE CONTACTED IF NECESSARY TO SUBSTANTIATE MY CLAIM AT (619) 234-5418.

IN 1993 I HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE ENGINE SHUTING DOWN WHILE DRIVING IF AT ANY SPEED. I WOULD STEP ON THE GAS AND THE VEHICLE HAD NO POWER. IT WOULD RESTART AND I COULD PROCEED. IT WAS VERY DANGEROUS AND SOMETIMES I WAS MAKING A LEFT TURN AND ONCOMING TRAFFIC WAS APPROACHING. THE VEHICLE WAS UNDER WARRANTY BY MERCEDES-BENZ AND I TOOK IT IN. THEY REPLACED THE INGNITION CONTROL MODULE AND OVERLOAD PROTECTION RELAY. IN JULY 2000, I HAD THE ENGINE SHUTTING DOWN AGAIN. IT WAS VERY INTERMITTEN BUT FINALLY I HAD IT TOWED TO THE DEALER IN NASHVILLE ON AUGUST 7, 2000. IT WAS IN SEVERAL TIMES AS IT WAS HARD TO DUPLICATE TO PROBLEM. VARIOUS PARTS WERE CHANGED BUT THE INTERMITTEN PROBLEM CONTINUED. WHEN IT WAS STILL CONTINUING IN SEPTEMBER I GOT ANOTHER APPOINTMENT AND HAD A FRIEND GO IN WITH ME. HE WATCHED THE INSTRUMENTS DURING THE FOUR TIMES IT STALLED AND NOTICED THAT THE TEMPATURE GUAGE WAS RISING WHEN IT SHUT DOWN. I HAD THE AIR CONDITIONING ON. I TURNED OFF THE AIR CONDITIONER AND IT DID NOT STALL DURING THE NEXT 25 MILES. I TURNED ON THE AIR AND WITHIN TWO BLOCKS THE CAR STALLED AGAIN. I PASSED THAT INFORMATION AND THE DEALER KEPT THE CAR FOR 3 DAYS. THEY REPLACED THE IGNITION CONTROL MODULE AND AT AN EARLIER APPOINTMENT REPLACED THE OVERLOAD PROTECTION RELAY. THEY TEST DROVE THE VEHICLE AND IT DID NOT FAIL AGAIN. I HAVE NOT HAD THE PROBLEM SINCE. I APPEARS THAT THE UNITS BREAK DOWN DURING HOT WEATHER WHEN THE AIR CONDITIONING IS ON. POSSIBILITY DUE TO INCREASED HEAT IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT . IT IS VERY DANGEROUS BECAUSE IT REQUIRES THAT YOU GET THE ENGINE RESTARTED WHILE DRIVING ON THE OPEN ROAD. COULD RESULT IN SERIOUS ACCIDENT. IN DECEMBER 2000, I WROTE MERCEDES-BENZ AND THEY TOLD ME TO GO THRU THE DEALER FOR ANY ASSISTANCE. THEIR SERIAL NO. IS 107045-1A-008030. I FEEL THAT THIS PROBLEM IS SIMILAR TO THE FORD RECALL FOR THE IGNITION CONTROL MODULE. I HAVE KEPT THE PART THAT WERE REPLACED SHOULD YOU LIKE THEM. *AK