2002 Mercedes-Benz C-Class Powertrain & Transmission Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MERCEDES BENZ C240. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO SHIFT OUT OF FIRST GEAR AND WAS LEAKING TRANSMISSION FLUID. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS LEAKING FLUID IN SIX DIFFERENT PLACES AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 125,000.

I HAVE A MERCEDES BENZ C-230 KOMPRESSOR EARLY THIS MONTH IT STARTED TO LURCH AFTER STOPPING THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED WE THOUGHT A VEHICLE HAD RUN INTO US BUT COULD FIND NO MARKS, THEN IT STARTED DOING IT AFTER ALMOST EVERY STOP, THE DEALER, CHANDLER MERCEDES BENZ HAS THE CAR NOW BUT CAN'T FIND THE PROBLEM, AND YES IT HAS DONE IT WHILE THEY DROVE IT. *JB

THE TRANSMISSION HAS REPEATEDLY LOCKED IN 2ND GEAR. THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM SHOWS CONSTANT LIGHT, COOLANT AND AIR BAG FAILURES. THE MEMORY FOR SEATS, MIRRORS AND THE STEERING WHEEL DEFAULTS ABOUT 30% OF THE TIME. I BOUGHT THIS CAR THROUGH M-B DIPLOMATIC SALES PROGRAM WHILE SERVING IN CANADA AND BROUGHT IT TO THE USA ON RETIREMENT. M-B CANADA WON'T HELP BECAUSE THE CAR IS IN THE US. M-B USA WON'T HELP BECAUSE I BOUGHT THE CAR IN CANADA. M-B CORPORATE IN GERMANY SIMPLY REFERRED MY CASE BACK TO M-B USA. I AM NOW OUT OF WARRANTY. I WANT M-B TO EXTEND THE WARRANTY ANOTHER 4 YEARS OR 50K MILES. THE CAR IS A DISASTER. *JB

I HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME EXACT PROBLEMS WITH TRANSMISSION NOT SHIFTING PROPERLY AS WELL THE POWER SEAT MODULE DRAINING THE BATTERY WITH NUMEROUS JUMP STARTS. THIS OCCURRED JUST TWO WEEKS AFTER GLADLY PURCHASING MY "FIVE POINT CERTIFIED" 2002 C320 WAGON. MERCEDES BENZ OF GREENSBORO ALSO WOULD NOT FIX CHIPPING ON THE FRONT BUMPER. STATES BECAUSE THE VEHICLE IS LOW PROFILE THE BUMPER SUSTAINED THIS EXTENSIVE PEELING AS A RESULT. PEELING IS LOCATED FROM LEFT TO RIGHT TOP TO BOTTOM. SERVICE DEPT MANAGER ACKNOWLEDGED THE FACT THAT DEALERSHIP DID A POOR JOB AT REPAIRING THE PRE-EXISTING DAMAGE PRIOR TO SELLING. AFTER ONE CARWASH THE CHIPPING WAS VERY NOTICEABLE AND INCREASED WITH EACH WASH. THE SALEMANS WOULD NOT AGREE. PAINT STILL PEELING AFTER NUMEROUS ATTEMPTS. I HAVE REFUSED TO PAY FOR A PRE-EXISTING PROBLEM, BUT WILL PROBABLY INCUR THIS EXPENSE JUST TO TRADE THE CAR. THE TRUNK MAKES A HORRIBLE RATTLING NOISE WHILE TRAVELING AT LOW OR HIGH SPEED. NUMEROUS LIGHTS REPLACED OVER THE PAST 2 YEARS. REAR VIEW MIRROR WILL NOT LOCK INTO POSITION WHEN INTERIOR OF CAR EXCEED 60-70 DEGREES BECAUSE RUBBER SEAL BECOMES TOO HOT. ALSO AT STATED TEMPERATURE THE DIGITAL MESSAGE BOARD BECOMES OBSCURE AND UNREADABLE. TIRES NEEDING TO BE REPLACED OFTEN. EMISSIONS PROBLEMS, TRULY THE LIST GOES ON. IN FACT, THE REASON I'M POSTING THIS COMPLAINT IS BECAUSE I HAVE THE TIME TO. MY CAR IS SITTING OUTSIDE AND WILL NOT START. POSSIBLY FUEL PUMP/SENSOR- A $700 REPAIR. I'M TIRED AND HAVE REACHED MY LIMIT WITH THE NUMEROUS PROBLEMS, TRULY. PERSONALLY FEEL INJURED AFTER SUSTAINING SUCH UNFAIR TREATMENT AND INCONVENIENCE AFTER NUMEROUS ATTEMPTS TO NEGOTIATE REPAIRS. PRAYERFULLY EXPECTING RECALLS AND FULL RESTITUTION FOR THE MONEY TIED UP IN THIS VEHICLE, BE IT FROM THE MANUFACTURER OR DEALERSHIP. ALL DOCUMENTATION OF SERVICE AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST. THE INTEGRITY OF MB ALONG WITH ITS REPUTATION HAS PROVEN NOT TO BE ONE OF IT LONG STATED HISTORY. SADLY, I AM DISAPPOINTED. *TR

I LEASED A 2002 MERCEDES C32 IN DECEMBER OF 2002. ITS A DOCUMENTED FACT MERCEDES HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING A HIGH NUMBER OF DEFECT COMPLAINTS WITH THIS MODEL CAR. RECENTLY FOR ME WAS THE MOST SERIOUS.. ON DECEMBER 26TH 2004, WHILE MERGING ONTO A MAJOR HIGHWAY(I95) MY CAR'S AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WENT INTO NEUTRAL WHILE IN THE DRIVE POSITION. I HAD TO PULL OVER ON THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY PUT THE CAR INTO PARK THEN BACK TO DRIVE TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. I NOTIFIED MERCEDES ON 12/27, AT AN APPOINTMENT I HAD PREVIOUSLY SCHEDULED FOR OTHER PROBLEMS. MERCEDES AFTER HOLDING THE CAR FOR A WEEK DIAGNOSED IT AS A TRANSMISSION CONTROL ISSUE. I HAD TO WAIT FOUR WEEKS FOR A REPLACEMENT TO ARRIVE FROM GERMANY. IN JANUARY 2005, WHILE WAITING FOR THIS PART TO ARRIVE THE SAME INCIDENT OCCURRED WHILE MERGING ONTO THE SAME HIGHWAY THE CAR WENT INTO NEUTRAL. I AGAIN FOUND MYSELF ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD RESOLVING THE PROBLEM.AT THE END OF JANUARY MY CAR WAS FINALLY FIXED BY MERCEDES, I RECEIVED THE CAR ON A TUESDAY. ON THE FOLLOWING SUNDAY I PULLED INTO A PARKING SPOT, PUT THE CAR INTO PARK AND TURNED OFF THE IGNITION. MY CAR JUMPED A 10 INCH HIGH CURB AND WHEN I TRIED TO GET THE IGNITION IT DID NOT RESPOND. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO MERCEDES WHO DIAGNOSED A BROKEN TRANSMISSION PIN. I DROVE THE CAR FOR THE NEXT FEW WEEKS WHICH THE FEAR OF THE TRANSMISSION PROBLEM RECURRING. I EVENTUALLY STOPPED DRIVING THE CAR AND CONTACTED MERCEDES. I ASKED THEM TO CONSIDER TAKING THE CAR BACK, ITS HAS 8 MONTHS REMAINING ON A 3 YEAR LEASE. THEY IN TURN TOOK THE CAR FOR A WEEK DROVE IT FOR 60 MILES THEN DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN RESOLVED. IN MY RIGHT MIND I CANNOT DRIVE THIS VEHICLE FOR FEAR OF KILLING MYSELF AND OTHERS. MERCEDES HAS WASHED THEIR HANDS OF THIS SITUATION. *JB

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE WOULD SHAKE IN THE REAR, AND THERES A WHISTLING NOISE. TOOK TO DEALER AND THEY REPLACED DIFFERENTIAL TO STOP THE WHISTLING. SHAKING IS STILL OCCURING. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. TS

WHILE DRIVING MY C-240 BETWEEN 30 & 60 MPH I CAN FEEL A VIBRATION ON THE SHIFT LEVER & THE STEERING WHEEL & IF PUT MY HAND ON TOP OF THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. YOU CAN SENSE THE VIBRATION AROUND YOU. IT SEEMS TO COME FROM THE POWER TRAIN, VIA DRIVE SHAFT, TRANS. OR DIFFERENTIAL, THE DEALER REPLACED & BALANCED ALL FOUR TIRES, AND IT I THUOGHT IT WAS CORRECTED BUT THE PROBLEM STILL PERSITS SOMETIMES IT IS MORE NOTICIBLE THAN OTHERS, I TOOK THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALER TO HAVE IT CHECKED OUT BUT ON A TEST DRIVE THE SERVICE MAN SAID HE CAN'T FEEL ANYTHING WRONG & THAT IT MIGHT BE ME....