2007 Mercedes Benz GL450

ON FEBRUARY 18, 2008 AT APPROXIMATELY 3:30 PM I WAS INVOLVED IN AN MVA IN WHICH I STRUCK THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME AT CONSIDERABLE SPEED. THIS CAUSED CONSIDERABLE DAMAGE TO MY CAR (2007 MERCEDES GL450) WITH NO AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT. DURING THE ATTEMPT AT STOPPING I FELT THE BRAKE PEDAL BECOME MUSHY AND BE INEFFECTIVE. AT FIRST THE BRAKES GRABBED STRONG AND THEN LET LOOSE WITH THE EVENTUAL COLLISION. AFTER CONSULTING WITH AN INDEPENDENT MERCEDES MECHANIC, IT WAS SUGGESTED THAT THIS BRAKE BEHAVIOR COULD BE EXPLAINED BY AN ANTI-LOCKING BRAKE (ABS) SENSOR FAILURE. THIS WOULD ACCOUNT FOR THE RELEASE OF THE BRAKES (POSSIBLE DETECTION OF SKID) BUT ALSO THE FALSE DATA REACHING THE CENTRAL COMPUTER WITH AN ERRONEOUS SPEED, THUS DISABLING THE AIRBAGS. I HAVE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH MERCEDES BENZ OR NORTH AMERICA WHICH HAS YIELDED NO INSPECTION OR RESOLUTION. I HAVE BEEN ASKING FOR ONE OF THEIR FIELD ENGINEERS TO EXAMINE THE CAR AND SEE IF THE ABS SENSOR IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE POSSIBLE BRAKE FAILURE. ALTHOUGH THE CRASH MAY STILL BE MY DRIVER ERROR, I DON'T FEEL COMFORTABLE REPAIRING THE CAR AND GIVING IT BACK TO MY WIFE FOR TRANSPORTATION OF THE FAMILY. HAS AN ABS SENSOR FAILURE BEEN REPORTED FOR THIS MODEL BEFORE? *TR

AUTOMATIC OPENING REAR HATCH OPENS WITHOUT A COMMAND TO DO SO. SEVERAL TIMES I'VE FOUND IT OPEN WHEN PARKED IN PUBLIC PARKING LOTS. TWICE IT HAS OPENED WITHIN MY GARAGE, CAUSING THE HATCH TO STRIKE THE GARAGE DOOR AND SCRATCH AND DAMAGE THE TRUCKS PAINT. ON ONE OCCASION THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED OUTSIDE AND BACKED UP TO A FENCE. THE HATCH OPENED AND STRUCK TWO SHOVELS THAT WERE LEANING AGAINST THE FENCE. IN TURN, THE SHOVELS FELL ALONG THE SIDE OF THE VEHICLE AND CAUSED $800 IN PAINT DAMAGE. THE REASON THIS HAPPENS IS BECAUSE THE SHAPE OF THE REMOTE KEY FOB IS CONVEX INSTEAD OF CONCAVE. IN TURN, WHEN THE FOB IS IN YOUR FRONT PANTS POCKET AND YOU KNELL TO PICK SOMETHING UP, PRESSURE FROM YOU LEG CAUSE THE THE HATCH SWITCH TO ENGAGE AND THE HATCH TO OPEN. I KNOW THIS BECAUSE IT HAPPENED ONE TIME WHEN I WAS NEARBY THE CAR WHEN THE HATCH INADVERTENTLY OPENED. THE PROBLEM IS EXCESSIVE BECAUSE THE FOB HAS A LONG RANGE. CONSEQUENTLY, THE HATCH CAN OPEN WHEN YOU ARE WELL AWAY FROM THE VEHICLE (E.G. INSIDE A BUILDING). I'VE COMPLAINED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS TO MY MERCEDES-BENZ DEALER AND HAVE BEEN REPEATEDLY TOLD THAT THIS HAS NEVER HAPPENED TO ANYONE ELSE. I FIND THAT VERY HARD TO BELIEVE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 MERCEDES BENZ GL450. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER HAS BEEN UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THIS FAILURE HAS OCCURRED PREVIOUSLY. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 11,139.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 MERCEDES BENZ GL450. THE CONTACT HEARD A SQUEAKING NOISE WHEN HE DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE STOPPING DISTANCE INCREASED. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE CAUSE OF FAILURE, HOWEVER, THEY GRINDED THE EDGES OF THE BRAKE PADS TO REDUCE THE SQUEAKING NOISE. THE SPEED WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 4,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 6,600. THE DEALER RECOMMENDED CHAMFERING THE BRAKE PADS TO ALLEVIATE THE NOISE. THE DEALER STATED VEHICLE LOW ON OIL. UPDATED 09/2807 *TR

ON THREE SEPARATE OCCASIONS THE 'CHARGE AIR HOSE' CONNECTING TO THE TURBO INTERCOOLER SYSTEM ON MY 2007 MERCEDES GL320CDI HAS FAILED. THE HOSE HAS BEEN REPLACED FOUR TIMES TOTAL. ACCORDING TO INTERNET MESSAGE BOARDS THERE ARE NUMEROUS FAILURES THAT MB HAS FAILED TO FIX INCLUDING MINE. ON ALL OCCASIONS OF THE INCIDENT MY ENTIRE FAMILY HAS BEEN IN THE VEHICLE. WHILE UNDER ACCELERATION THE HOSE FAILS AND FORWARD SPEED IS LOST. ON TWO OCCASIONS I HAVE BEEN ON THE INTERSTATE AND DRIVING ON THE INCLINE OF A HILL WHERE OTHER VEHICLES WERE BEHIND ME. IT IS NOT SAFE. *TR