1999 Mercedes Benz E320

JUST LIKE THE GM CARS NOW BEING RECALLED, MY CAR SHUT ITSELF OFF COMPLETELY WHILE I WAS TRAVELING AT 60 MPH. IT HAD TO BE TOWED TO BE REPAIRED---AND THE DIAGNOSIS WAS MADE IMMEDIATELY, AS THE MECHANIC HAD DONE TAKEN CAR OF A CAR THAT HAD THE IDENTICAL "PROBLEM" JUST THE WEEK BEFORE. PARTS REPLACED WERE L CATALYTIC CONVERTER AND AIR MASS METER. *TR

INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) SEPTEMBER 12, 1998 I PURCHASED A 1999 E320W.] I AM THE ONLY OWNER OF THE CAR. THE CAR IS DRIVEN LEISURELY. TO DATE, IT ONLY HAS 92,000 MILES ON IT. I HAVE BEEN REGULARLY OBTAINING THE A & B MAINTENANCE SERVICES. THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM HAS BEEN MALFUNCTIONING FOR MONTHS AND MB ALLEGEDLY CAN'T DIAGNOSE IT; AND I HAVE BEEN USING AN EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF OIL. A SECOND OPINION MECHANIC SAID IT IS OIL SLUGGING WHICH WAS RECALLED BUT MB WON'T HONOR. HE ALSO SAID MY ENGINE / MOTOR NOW NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. THERE IS ALSO AN INTERMITTENT SCRAPING ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. DURING ALL OF THE SERVICES TO MB THEY NEVER TOLD ME ABOUT THE RECALL NOR PROVIDED SERVICE TO ENSURE THAT MY CAR WAS NOT AFFECTED. THEY SAID IT WAS NOT A TOTAL RECALL BUT A CASE-BY-CASE SITUATION AND I AM NOT ELIGIBLE. I AM VERY FEARFUL WHEN I AM DRIVING. EACH TIME I GO OUT I FEAR WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN. I DO NOT HAVE THE FUNDS TO PAY FOR A ENGINE. PLEASE HELP ME. I CAN PROVIDE A TIMELINE OF THE HISTORY OF MY VEHICLE WHICH WITH HINDSIGHT LOOKS LIKE I PURCHASED A LEMON. THE SECOND OPINION MECHANIC INFORMED ME OF THE RECALL/CLASS ACTION BUT MB CONCEALED THE INFORMATION. *TR THE LOCKS WERE INOPERABLE AND THE KEY WOULD NOT COME OUT OF THE IGNITION, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED, THE SERPENTINE BELT, BALL JOINTS, TIE ROD ENDS WERE ALL REPLACED. THE FUEL SENSOR LEVEL WAS REPLACED. THERE WAS A SHIMMY IN THE SUSPENSION. THE DEALER REPLACED THE TIRES AND LEFT RIM. THE VALVE STEM WAS LEAKING, THE LEFT REAR WINDOW WAS INOPERABLE. THE CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR WAS REPLACED. ALL OF THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS INTERMITTENTLY, BUT REGULARLY TURN INTO LINE BARS. THE TAIL LIGHT CIRCUIT BOARD AND THE RIGHT REAR TAIL LAMP, RIGHT FRONT HEAD LIGHT AND LEFT FRONT PARKING BULBS WERE HAD TO BE REPLACED UPDATED IVOQ 05/27/10.*JB

CRANK POSITION SENSOR (CPS) STARTED TO FAIL WHEN THE OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE WAS ABOVE 95F. CAR (1999 MERCEDES BENZ E320) FAILED TO START TWICE WHEN PARKED AFTER DRIVING FOR A SHORT DISTANCE. ONLY AFTER COOLING IT WOULD START AGAIN. AT ONE POINT THE ENGINE BECAME VERY ERRATIC WHILE IN TRAFFIC. AT ANOTHER POINT I WAS STOPPED ON THE TRAFFIC LIGHT AND THE ENGINE JUST STOPPED RUNNING. FORTUNATELY I WAS NEAR HOME AND AFTER WAITING A FEW MINUTES IT STARTED AGAIN. IT WAS EMBARRASSING TO SAY THE LEAST , HAVING A MB CAR STALL IN FRONT OF OTHER MUCH CHEAPER CARS ON THE TRAFFIC LIGHT. FORTUNATELY, I WAS USING THIS CAR FOR ONLY SHORT TRIPS AND DID NOT INCUR THE RISK OF HAVING IT STALL ON A HIGHWAY, BUT I AM SURE IT WOULD AS LONG AS THE ENGINE TEMPERATURE WAS ABOVE A CERTAIN POINT. I RESEARCHED THIS PROBLEM ON THE INTERNET AND FOUND THE FOLLOWING MB CAR OWNERS CHAT/FORUM ROOM WITH DISCUSSIONS ON THE MANY SIMILAR PROBLEMS EXPERIENCED BY OTHERS: HTTP://WWW.MBWORLD.ORG/FORUMS/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?T=80989. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATED WHILE DRIVING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED BY DIAGNOSTIC TESTING THE AIR MASS SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT STATED ALSO OWNS AN ML320 WHICH HAD THE SAME FAILURE JULY 2006. IF THE AIR MASS SENSOR IS NOT REPLACED, FURTHER DAMAGE CAN RESULT TO THE ENGINE.

AS I WAS ACCELERATING ONTO THE FREEWAY, I HEARD A LOUD NOISE FROM MY ENGINE. I STARTED LOSING POWER STEERING AND MY BATTERY CHARGER LIGHT KEPT FLASHING INDICATING A PROBLEM WITH THE CRANKSHAFT PULLEY. LUCKILY I WAS ABLE TO GET HOME SAFELY.*AK AFTER SAFELY DRIVING HOME, I LOOKED UNDER THE HOOD AND NOTICED HUGE CHUNKS OF RUBBER PARTS INSIDE. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE MERCEDES DEALERSHIP THE NEXT DAY AND WAS TOLD THAT THE HARMONIC BALANCER HAD BEEN DAMAGED. WHEN THE HARMONIC BALANCER WAS DAMAGED, IT IN TURN RUINED THE OIL PAN COVER AND THE TIMING CHAIN COVER RESULTING IN A $2500 REPAIR BILL. THE SERVICE MANAGER STATED HE WOULD WRITE MERCEDS TO SEE IF SOME OF THE COSTS CAN BE DEFRAYED AND WILL BE GETTING BACK TO ME. I HIGHLY DOUBT ANY SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT WILL BE DEFRAYED BY THE MANUFACTURER. I AM EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTED IN MERCEDES AND THE E320.

DURING NORMAL OPERATION I EXPERIENCED TOTAL LOSS OF STEERING ASSIST AND THE ENGINE QUIT RUNNING. I BARELY MISSED HITTING SEVERAL ROADSIDE OBSTACLES AND WAS NEARLY STRANDED IN THE MIDDLE OF A HIGH SPEED ROADWAY. I AM A WOMAN OF OVER 70 YEARS OF AGE AND DO NOT HAVE THE STRENGTH TO WRESTLE A 3000 POUND CAR AROUND WITHOUT POWER ASSIST. I HAD GREAT DIFFICULTY MAINTAINING CONTROL AND AVOIDING A COLLISION. THE CAR HAD TO BE TOWED NEARLY 20 MILES TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE IT WAS OUT OF SERVICE FOR APPROXIMATELY A MONTH AT A COST OF $4500.00. THE DEALERSHIP TOLD ME THAT THE CAR HAD A FAILURE OF THE HARMONIC BALANCER ON THE ENGINE WHICH DESTROYED A LARGE NUMBER OF SURROUNDING PARTS. THE DAMAGED PARTS WERE REPLACED AND THE BALANCER WAS ALSO REPLACED. THE OLD PART HAS BEEN REQUESTED FROM THE DEALER.*AK