2015 MERCEDES-BENZ GL450

ON 12/30/2017 WE PURCHASED A MERCEDES-BENZ CERTIFIED PRE-OWNED 'CPO' VEHICLE FROM MERCEDES BENZ OF NORTH PALM BEACH. WE ARRIVED AT THE DEALERSHIP IN THE AFTERNOON SENT BY MERCEDES BENZ OF WEST PALM BEACH THEIR AFFILIATED DEALERSHIP FOR THE SPECIFIC VEHICLE WE PURCHASED. WHEN WE ARRIVED AT THE DEALERSHIP TO VIEW THE VEHICLE, IT WAS NOT DETAILED FROM THE PREVIOUS OWNER. ON THE TEST DRIVE WITH OUR SALES PERSON I NOTED UNUSUAL NOISES AND RIDE CONDITIONS IN THE VEHICLE. THE SALESPERSON ASSURED US THAT IT IS A CPO VEHICLE WITH AN UNLIMITED MILEAGE WARRANTY BACKING UP BUMPER TO BUMPER FACTORY WARRANTY. HE GAVE US AN IMPLIED ORAL WARRANTY THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD BE REPAIRED TO OUR SATISFACTION - 'NOT TO WORRY'!

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 MERCEDES-BENZ GL450. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND THE PRE-SAFETY FUNCTION LIMITED WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS PUSHED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD BY THE CONTACT AND PASSENGER. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE VEHICLE, BUT IT FAILED TO START. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO MERCEDES-BENZ OF ARCADIA (101 N SANTA ANITA AVE, ARCADIA, CA 91006, (626) 701-8904) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT A LOOSE SCREW WAS NOT FASTENED BY THE MANUFACTURER AND AN UNKNOWN WIRE WAS DETACHED, WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO STALL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 25,000.

GL 450 WITH VIN [XXX] EXPERIENCED EXACT PROBLEM DEFINED BY NHTSA RECALL # 18V272 IN MAY 2018 (2 OR 3 WEEKS PRIOR TO RECEIVING RECALL NOTICE FROM MERCEDES-BENZ USA). DEALERSHIP, MERCEDES-BENZ OF MIDLOTHIAN VIRGINIA, PERFORMED REPAIR WORK REQUIRED (BASED URGENT NEED FROM MIL SAYING "DO NOT DRIVE VEHICLE. MB MIDLOTHIAN REPAIRED THE ACTIVE SUSPENSION SYSTEM BY REPLACING THE "SEALING CAP" ON THE "ACS OIL RESERVOIR" - THE EXACT REPAIR SPECIFIED IN THE RECALL. I WAS CHARGED IN EXCESS OF $400 FOR THIS REPAIR AS THE DEALERSHIP "HAD NOT YET RECEIVED OFFICIAL NOTICE THAT THE RECALL WOULD INCLUDE (MY) VEHICLE." UPON RECEIVING THE OFFICIAL RECALL LETTER IN JUNE 2018, I CONTACTED MERCEDES-BENZ USA. MB-USA TOLD ME THAT THE WORK I HAD PAID FOR WAS, INDEED, COVERED BY THE RECALL, AND THAT MB DEALERSHIP SHOULD REIMBURSE ME FOR THE CHARGES AND RE-CHARGE MB-USA. ON AUGUST 20, I AGAIN CONTACTED MB MIDLOTHIAN WHO TOLD ME THAT I NEEDED TO FILE WITH MB-USA FOR REIMBURSEMENT. SO I, AGAIN, CONTACTED MB-USA AND ASKED FOR REIMBURSEMENT. MB-USA, AGAIN, TOLD ME "NO", THE DEALERSHIP MUST INITIATE THE PROCESS AND PROVIDE REIMBURSEMENT. MB-USA REP SAID THAT THE DEALERSHIP SHOULD REIMBURSE ME SINCE THE WORK CONDUCTED WAS NOW A RECALL. PAYMENT FOR THE RECALL IS DIRECTLY BETWEEN MB-USA AND MB-DEALERSHIP. HOWEVER MB-MIDLOTHIAN DEALERSHIP SAID THAT "THIS IS NOT THE WAY IT WORKS." THIS IS AN ISSUE BETWEEN MB-USA AND MB-DEALERSHIP-NOT ME. I, THE CUSTOMER, AM CAUGHT BY THE FINGER-POINTING IN THE MIDDLE WITH NO RESOLUTION.THIS IS A KNOWN MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE IDENTIFIED BY A RECALL !!! MB-USA AND THEIR DEALERSHIPS WORK IT OUT, AND NOT LEAVE CUSTOMERS WITH NO RESOLUTION BECAUSE OF THEIR INCOMPETENCE. I AM A PHD AUTOMOTIVE ENGINEER, BUT DO NOT WORK FOR OR GET PAID BY MB. THUS, AS A VERY FRUSTRATED CUSTOMER, I AM CAUGHT IN MB BUREAUCRACY WITH NO RESOLUTION OR ACCEPTANCE OF RESPONSIBILITY. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 MERCEDES BENZ GL450. WHILE IN PARK, THE VEHICLE STARTED TO ROLL FORWARD AS IF THE VEHICLE WERE IN DRIVE. THE VEHICLE ROLLED OVER A CURB AND CRASHED INTO A TREE. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING, BUT WAS NOT REPAIRED. NO INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED AND A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 5,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

TRIED TO INSTALL CHILD SAFETY SEATS IN 2ND ROW SEATS. THE 2ND ROW HEADRESTS PREVENT THE PROPER INSTALLATION OF THE CHILD SAFETY SEATS. THE HEADRESTS CANNOT BE REMOVED, OR MOVED OUT OF THE WAY SO THAT THE CHILD SAFETY SEATS CAN BE INSTALLED PROPERLY. I HAVE REPORTED TO OUR MERCEDES-BENZ DEALER. THEY ARE WORKING ON A RESPONSE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 MERCEDES BENZ GL450. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEADREST PREVENTED THE CONTACT FROM PROPERLY INSTALLING A CHILD SAFETY SEAT IN THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE HEADREST COULD ONLY BE REMOVED BY THE DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 2,000.