2008 Mercedes Benz GL450

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCEDES-BENZ GL450. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED WITHOUT ANY WARNING AND THE POWER STEERING ASSIST BECAME UNRESPONSIVE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING HOWEVER, THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT HAD THE DEALER INSPECT THE VEHICLE NUMEROUS TIMES BUT TO NO AVAIL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND ADVISED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 08V682000 (STEERING). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 72,000.

THIS VEHICLE, AND ALL OTHERS MERCEDES-BENZ MANUFACTURES WITH AN AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SHIFT SELECTOR OF THIS TYPE NEED AN ADDED SAFETY FEATURE TO DISALLOW A SHIFT FROM THE NEUTRAL POSITION TO REVERSE OR DRIVE UNLESS THE BRAKE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED. AFTER REACHING OVER FROM THE EXTERIOR OF THE DRIVERS SIDE WINDOW TO TURN THE IGNITION TO THE ON POSITION TO SEE WHICH HEADLIGHT WAS NOT FUNCTIONING (AS THE DISPLAY MESSAGE STATED), A SLIGHT APPARENT TOUCH UPWARD AGAINST THE SHIFT SELECTOR (LOCATED ABOVE THE KEY AND BEHIND THE STEERING WHEEL) ENGAGED THE VEHICLE IN THE REVERSE POSITION CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO REVERSE AT APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH FOR 15 FEET AND COME TO A CRASHING STOP AGAINST AN ANCHORED METAL POST AND FORTUNATELY NOT INTO ANY OTHER VEHICLES, ONCOMING TRAFFIC, STRUCTURES, AND/OR ANOTHER INDIVIDUAL. I SUSTAINED A MINOR INJURY TO MY LEFT FOREARM AS I UNSUCCESSFULLY ATTEMPTED TO REACH BACK OVER WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN THE REVERSE MOTION TO TURN THE VEHICLE TO THE OFF POSITION. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCEDES BENZ GL450. THE CONTACT STATED THAT STEERING FLUID WAS LEAKING CONTINUOUSLY ONTO THE GROUND. THERE WAS A RECALL ASSOCIATED WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 08V682000 (STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM); ALTHOUGH THE CONTACT'S VIN WAS INELIGIBLE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 48,000.

I CAME OUT OF THE SHOPPING MAUL INTO THE PARKING LOT, ENTERED INTO THE CAR AND PUT IT IN REVERSE. THEN L PRESSED THE BRAKES TO STOP THE VEHICLE AND GO FORWARD, BUT THE BRAKES WOULD NOT STOP THE CAR. THE CAR KEPT GOING BACKWARDS AND L KEPT PRESSING THE BRAKES WITHOUT ANY RESULT. THE CAR SMASHED INTO 4 PARKED VEHICLES AND STILL DID NOT STOP. I ATTEMPTED TO PUT IT IN NEUTRAL TO STOP IT OR SLOW IT DOWN, BUT FINALLY THE CAR STARTED GOING FORWARD AND L PRESSED THE BRAKES MULTIPLE TIMES, BUT THE CAR STILL DID NOT RESPOND AND KEPT GOING FORWARD AND SKIDDING AND EVENTUALLY SMASHED INTO A TREE AND STOPPED. L HAVE CONTACTED MERCEDES, BUT THEY ARE YET ACT. THE CAR POWER STEERING WENT OUT 3 DAYS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT AND WAS JUST REPLACED THE DAY BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. THERE HAVE BEEN SEVERAL COMPLAINTS WITH THIS MODEL AND RECALL ON THE POWER STEERING. I HAVE INCURRED OVER 35,000 DOLLAR DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE AND OTHER VEHICLES AND NEED MERCEDES BENZ TO STEP UP AND FIGURE OUT WHY THE CAR KEPT ACCELERATING DESPITE MY APPLYING THE BRAKES. *TR

2008 MERCEDES GL 450 STEERING SPORADICALLY LOCKS UP AND CAUSES LOSS OF CONTROL OF VEHICLE. BROUGHT INTO DEALERSHIP. WAS NOT OCCURRING WHEN DEALERSHIP EVALUATED AND THEY FAILED TO DIAGNOSE ANY PROBLEM. NO PROBLEM FOR ABOUT 3-WEEKS AFTER DEALERSHIP VISIT. STEERING NOW LOCKING UP AGAIN. OCCURS AT SLOW, MEDIUM AND FAST SPEEDS. VEHICLE VERY DIFFICULT TO STEER AND STEERING WHEEL DIFFICULT TO TURN. ALMOST FEELS AS IF THERE IS A LOSS OF POWER STEERING CONTROL. WHEN STEERING LOCKS UP THE STEERING WHEEL TURNS WITH EXTREME FORCE AND JUMPS FROM ONE POSITION TO ANOTHER. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCEDES BENZ GL450. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING MALFUNCTIONED WHILE HE WAS DRIVING AT 30 MPH AND THE VEHICLE BECAME UNCONTROLLABLE. THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A FIRE HYDRANT AND THE CONTACT SUFFERED MINOR INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE POWER STEERING UNIT WAS REPLACED AND FLUIDS CHANGED. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER BUT WAS OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 54,000. UPDATED 11/03/10 *BF UPDATED 11/04/10

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCEDES BENZ GL450. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING MALFUNCTIONED WHILE HE WAS DRIVING AT 30 MPH AND THE VEHICLE BECAME UNCONTROLLABLE. THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A FIRE HYDRANT AND THE CONTACT SUFFERED MINOR INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE POWER STEERING UNIT WAS REPLACED AND FLUIDS CHANGED. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER BUT WAS OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 54,000.