1999 Mercedes Benz CLK430

ON FRIDAY MAY 30, 2014, AT APPROXIMATELY 0200, I WAS GETTING ON THE FREEWAY ON 880-S IN DOWNTOWN OAKLAND. I WAS DRIVING IN THE FAR LEFT LANE, AND THERE WAS CONSTRUCTION GOING ON. WHILE I WAS DRIVING I FELT A LARGE BUMP, AND IMMEDIATELY I TRIED TO PULL TO THE SHOULDER. I LOOKED BACK AND SAW IT WAS A LARGE LOG. I FILED A REPORT WITH THE CHP, AND THEY TOLD ME TO CONTACT THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION. BECAUSE OF THIS INCIDENT, MY CAR CANNOT DRIVE, AND MY FIANCE USES THIS CAR FOR WORK AND SCHOOL. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 MERCEDES BENZ CLK430. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE GEAR CLUSTER PIXEL HAS FADED OUT, PREVENTING HIM FROM SEEING WHAT GEAR HE IS IN WHEN DRIVING. THE FAILURE WAS NOTICED WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH. MERCEDES BENZ STATED THAT ALL OF THEIR VEHICLES ARE DESIGNED THAT WAY AND REFUSE TO REPAIR HIS VEHICLE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 73,000.

FAILED CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR LEFT MY CAR DEAD IN VERY HEAVY HIGHWAY TRAFFIC DURING RUSH HOUR. THE CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR IS NOTORIOUSLY FAILURE-PRONE ON THE 8-CYL MERCEDES MODELS. THIS IS OBVIOUSLY (FROM THE NUMBER OF COMPLAINTS) A DEFECTIVE PART AND NEEDS TO BE RECALLED RIGHT AWAY. FAILURE OF THE CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR RENDERS THE CAR IMMEDIATELY AND SUDDENLY IMMOBILE. THIS IS A POTENTIALLY LIFE THREATENING DEFECT. *NM

DT: THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE UNDER DASHBOARD AFTER IT WAS PARKED. IT SET FOR A SHORT TIME. THERE WAS NO FOREWARNING. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT PUT OUT THE FIRE. THE INSURANCE COMPANY DID AN INVESTIGATION, AND STATED THAT THE FIRE WAS DUE TO A MALFUNCTION IN WIRING FROM DISTRIBUTION PANEL AND THE FUSE GRID TO THE DASHBOARD. THIS HAPPENED ON MAY 10, 2003. CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER, AND RECEIVED NO SATISFACTION. *AK

AT ROUGHLY 80,000 MILES, BEGAN RECEIVING ABS AND ESP WARNING LIGHTS, INTERMITTENTLY AT FIRST AND THEN INCREAING IN FREQUENCY, SO THAT NOW THEY ARE ON ROUGHLY HALF THE TIME. MECHANIC DIAGNOSED ABS CONTROL MODULE FAULT CODE C1120 ("STANDSTILL CALIBRATION OF YAW RATE SENSOR ERRONEOUS") AND CONFIRMS THAT I AM WITHOUT ABS WHEN WARNING LIGHTS ARE ON. MECEDESBENZ TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN NUMBER AF42.45-U-8103A (DATED 22 JUN 2000) INDICATES THAT THIS DEFECTIVE ABS CONTROL MODULE PART WAS REPLACED IN PRODUCTION STARTING IN 2000, AND WAS REPLACED IN FIELD AS A RECALL ITEM FOR SOME PERIOD OF TIME THEREAFTER, ON REPORT FROM REGIONAL TECHNICAL COORDINATOR. MY ATTEMPT TO HAVE MBUSA REPLACE THIS PART (COST APPROX. $1100) HAS BEEN REFUSED. ATTEMPTING TO HAVE PART COVERED BY AFTERMARKET WARRANTY COMPANY AS WELL BUT A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY DEFECT IS STILL PRESENT IN THIS VEHICLE AND I BELIEVE THAT MBUSA SHOULD REPLACE CONTROL MODULE.*AK

CRACK ALONG PASSENGER SIDE FRONT AIR BAG ON THE DASH BOARD, IS AIR BAG GOING TO EXPLODED? DEALER WANTS TO CHARGE $2500. I HAVE DISCUSSED WITH OTHER CLK OWNERS AND FOUND OUT IT'S ACTUALLY A QUITE COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE MERCEDES CLK, SHOULD NHTSA ASK MERCEDES FOR RECALL? IF AIR BAG DEPLOYS AND CAUSES INJURY/ACCIDENTS WHILE DRIVING, COULD BE DEVASTATING. DT

I WAS DOING AROUND 55 AND THE ROAD WAS CURVING SLIGHTLY WHEN I SUDDENLY SAW A LARGE OBJECT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. I COULD NOT GO TO THE OTHER LANE BECAUSE A CAR WAS RIGHT NEXT TO ME SO I SLAMMED ON THE BRAKES, I FELT ABS KICKING IN AND WAS FINALLY ABLE TO GO AROUND THE OBJECT WHICH TURNED OUT TO BE A LARGE CARDBOARD BOX. AT THIS POINT IS WHERE I ENCOUNTER MY PROBLEM, I GIVE THE CAR GAS TO PROCEED DOWN THE ROAD, THE CAR JUST REVS AS IF IT WAS IN NEUTRAL, I LOOK DOWN AT MY SHIFTER AND IT IS IN D. I SHIFT DOWN TO LOWER GEARS AND NOTHING. NOW I'M NERVOUS BECAUSE I SEE CARS COMING TO MY REAR AND THERE IS NO EMERGENCY LANE ON THIS ROAD. AFTER 30 SECONDS OF NO CONNECTION BETWEEN ENGINE AND TRANS, THE TRANS FINALLY ENGAGES AND I AM ABLE TO PROCEED.*AK