2003 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Air Bags & Restraints Problems

System restraint malfunction seems like it the passenger side airbag won’t let you no if on or of

The contact owns a 2003 Mercedes-Benz E500. The contact stated while driving 75 MPH, the air bags on the driver’s side of the vehicle inadvertently deployed without warning. After the air bags were deployed, a message showing an air bag malfunction was displayed on the instrument panel. The contact received medical attention for ringing in his ear from the air bag deployment. The vehicle was not diagnosed because the dealer informed the contact that he had to pay for the diagnostic test. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 65,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MERCEDES-BENZ E320. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 40 MPH, THE CONTACT HIT A POT HOLE WHICH CAUSED THE PASSENGER'S SIDE FRONTAL AIR BAG TO DEPLOY WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE RESIDENCE. THE CONTACT SPOKE WITH MERCEDES-BENZ OF ATLANTA SOUTH (3775 ROYAL S PKWY, ATLANTA, GA 30349) AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN AN AIR BAG RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALSO NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. *BF CONSUMER STATED SINCE THE INCIDENT, MANUFACTURE SENT A LETTER STATING THERE WAS A RECALL WITH THE AIRBAGS.*JB

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT GOES ON AND OFF FOR DAYS AT A TIME . BRAKE LIGHTS ON DASH STAY ON ALL THE TIME ABS WILL ALSO COME ON WHILE DRIVING AND MY CAR WILL STOP . I HAVE TO FORCE THE CAR INTO PARK ... PUMP MY BRAKES THE BREAKS MAKE A SOUND AND THEN THEY START WORKING AGAIN .... THERE IS A HUMMING NOICE WHEN I START MY CAR AS WELL AS THE SEAT BELT LIGHT GOES ON AND OFF EVEN WITH MY SEALS BELT ON.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MERCEDES-BENZ E350. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE PASSENGER'S SIDE FRONT AND REAR AIRBAGS DEPLOYED INDEPENDENTLY WITHOUT WARNING OR A CRASH. AN UNKNOWN WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. MERCEDES BENZ OF WALNUT CREEK (1301 PARKSIDE DR, WALNUT CREEK, CA 94596, (844) 896-1941) WAS CONTACTED BY PHONE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO BE DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND A CASE WAS FILED. THE CONTACT WAS ALSO ENCOURAGED TO HAVE THE VEHICLE TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2004 MERCEDES-BENZ E320. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF A SECOND VEHICLE. THE FRONT END WAS SEVERELY DAMAGED, BUT THE AIR BAG DID NOT DEPLOY. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED CHEST AND TORSO INJURIES, WHICH REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED AND TOWED. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 193,000.

SMELLS GASOLINE WHEN CAR IS PARKED IN GARAGE AND SOMETIMES WHEN DRIVING SMEELS GASOLINE IN CABIN..SRS RESTRAINTS MALFUNCTION LIGHTS KEEPS COMING ON.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2003 MERCEDES-BENZ E320. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE AND REAR CEILING AIR BAGS DEPLOYED WITHOUT WARNING OR IMPACT. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT A CRACK IN THE RIM CAUSED THE AIR BAGS TO DEPLOY. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000. UPDATED 06/21/16*LJ

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MERCEDES BENZ E500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS APPLIED BUT DID NOT RESPOND. THE CONTACT APPLIED EXTREME FORCE TO THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE VEHICLE SPUN AROUND AND CRASHED INTO A TREE. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED WHIPLASH AND PAINS TO THE WRISTS DUE TO THE FORCE FROM THE IMPACT THAT DID NOT REQUIRE MEDICAL ATTENTION. IN ADDITION, THE HEAD RESTRAINT AIR BAGS DEPLOYED ON THE DRIVERS SIDE AND THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE ONLY. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED BACK TO THE CONTACTS RESIDENCE AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED YET TO DETERMINE HOW THE FAILURE HAPPENED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

THIS VEHICLE IS EQUIPPED WITH SENSOTRONIC BRAKE CONTROL THAT HAS A SERVICE THRESHOLD. WHEN THIS THRESHOLD IS REACHED THE BRAKE SYSTEM DEFAULTS TO NON POWER ASSISTED HYDRAULIC MODE TO THE FRONT WHEELS ONLY. THIS OCCURS WITHOUT ANY PRIOR WARNING AND RESULTS IN INCREASED STOPPING DISTANCE. I DO BELIEVE THAT THIS ISSUE IS RELAYED IN THE MERCEDES SERVICE BULLETIN S142.46-P-0012A WHICH ADDRESSES THIS ISSUE. MERCEDES STOPPED INSTALLING THIS SYSTEM IN 2006.I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE IN DECEMBER OF 2007 AS A USED VEHICLE WITH APROX. 40,000 MILES. I HAVE NOT BEEN SENT ANYTHING FROM MBENZ NOTIFYING OF THIS ISSUE.VEHICLE PUT IN SHOP 4-16-20015 AT MERCEDES. DIAGNOSIS WAS FAULTY SBC PUMP SYSTEM AT A COST FOR REPAIR $2400.00. AT THE VERY LEAST, MERCEDES SHOULD ISSUE A MANDATORY RECALL TO INTERROGATE THESE VEHICLES WITH STAR DAS TO DETERMINE HOW CLOSE TO THE SERVICE THRESHOLD THE SBC UNIT IS AND REPLACE THEM AT THE DEALER'S EXPENSE. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED.LASTLY, PASSENGER AIR BAG LIGHT HAS BEEN ON SINCE SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE. KNOWN AS THE SRS SYSTEM.THIS ISSUE IS SPELLED OUT AS A MAJOR SAFETY CONCERN IN MERCEDES E CLASS OPERATOR'S MANUAL, TOLD BY MERCEDES SERVICE DEPT,THIS IS A $800.00 BILL TO HAVE REPAIRED. QUESTION,, DOES SOMETHING TRAGIC HAVE TO HAPPEN BEFORE, MERCEDES BENZ LIVE UP TO THEIR OBLIGATION OF KEEPING THOSE WHO PURCHASE THEIR VEHICLE,,,,,SAFE. *TR

VEHICLE PRESENTED WITH RED LIGHT INDICATING TO TAKE VEHICLE TO WORKSHOP IN RED. BRAKING WAS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT, SRS SYSTEM STALLED THE VEHICLE, EMERGENCY MODE WAS ACTIVITED,WE WERE UNABLE, AT FIRST TO TURN ON THE IGNITION SWITCH. THE VEHICLE OPERATED AS IF IT WAS PARALYZED. WE FINALLY GOT THE VEHICLE TO RUN AND TURNED VEHICLE INTO MB DEALERSHIP. WE WERE INFORMED THAT THE SBC UNIT WAS IN NEED OF REPLACEMENT, WE WERE BESET WITH 1,800.00 REPAIR. THE VEHICLE IS VERY DANGEROUS TO DRIVE IF YOU ARE NOT PREPARED FOR LONGER STOPPING DISTANCES, THANKFULLY MY HUSBAND WAS ABLE TO GET THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP. I FOUND MYSELF NOT STRONG ENOUGH TO PRESS ON THE BRAKE PEDAL FOR ADEQUATE BRAKING DISTANCE. FUEL: UPON FUELING VEHICLE, THE FUEL HANDLE WILL STOP AND IMMENSE AMOUNTS OF FUEL WILL SPURT OUT FROM FUEL TANK. THERE IS ALSO A SMELL OF GAS/FUEL IN THE CABIN AFTER FILL UP. THIS CREATES A HUGE SPILL AND NOTIFICATION TO ATTENDANT. TAKES UP A GREAT AMOUNT OF TIME TO FILL UP TANK. SURPRISINGLY WE HAVEN'T BEEN CHARGED FOR FUEL SPILLS. SRS: LIGHT ON FOR SAFETY RESPONSE SYSTEM, SHORTLY AFTER VISIT AT MB DEALERSHIP. HAVE NOT TAKEN VEHICLE TO MB DEALERSHIP FOR FEAR OF ANOTHER EXPENSIVE REPAIR.

SRS LIGHT INDICATES MALFUNCTION. LIGHT COMES AND GOES AND APPEARS TO BE RANDOM. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MERCEDES BENZ E500. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 40 MPH WHEN THE DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT AND REAR AIR BAGS DEPLOYED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,600 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 90,683. UPDATED 05/09/12 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED HER DAUGHTER WAS INJURED WHEN THE AIR BAGS DEPLOYED FOR NO REASON. UPDATED 06/01/12

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MERCEDES E320. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER AND REAR PASSENGER SIDE AIR BAG DEPLOYED WITHOUT WARNING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE BUT DENIED ANY ASSISTANCE WITH REPAIRS TO THE DEFECT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THE CONTACT WAS AWAITING DIAGNOSIS OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 123,000.

AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY IN A 100 MPH. COLLISION AND AM NOT SURE BECAUSE THEY SHOULD HAVE.THIS RESULTED IN THE DRIVERS FACE SMASHING INTO THE WINDSHIELD OF THE VEHICLE AND BREAKING HIS NOSE. CAN YOU PLEASE ADVISE? *TR

WHILE TRAVELING ON I94 THRU NORTH DAKOTA MY SRS WARNING LIGHT CAME ON. A MESSAGE ON THE DASH BOARD TOLD ME TO VISIT A REPAIR SHOP AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. ABOUT 10 MINUTES LATER THE LIGHT WENT OUT. THE LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN WHILE SLOWING TO EXIT THE INTERSTATE HIGHWAY FOR A FUEL STOP. UPON RESTARTING THE ENGINE EVERYTHING WAS NORMAL. ABOUT 30 MINUTES LATER THE SRS LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN FOR ABOUT 5 OR TEN MINUTES. THIS PATTERN OF NORMAL ENGINE STARTS AND THEN INTERMITTENT SRS WARNINGS CONTINUES. I HAVE READ IN THE MERCEDES BENZ OWNERS FORUM THAT THERE HAS BEEN AN NHTSA INVESTIGATION : PE10017 THAT APPEARS TO REFLECT THE SAME PROBLEM I AM HAVING. PLEASE HELP.

WHILE DRIVING ON INTERSTATE 12 IN BATON ROUGE, A DUMP TRUCK MERGED INTO TRAFFIC IN FRONT OF ME SPREADING SMALL ROCK SIZED DEBRIS EVERYWHERE. I DECIDED TO TAKE THE EXIT BEFORE MY PLANNED EXIT IN EFFORT TO AVOID ANY POSSIBLE DAMAGE. I AVOIDED QUARTER SIZE ROCKS BY DRIVING SLIGHTLY ONTO THE SHOULDER WHERE I EXPERIENCED THE VIBRATION CREATED FROM THE SHOULDER GROOVES IN THE ROAD AND ONE SMALL RAISED BUMP FROM THE BLACKTOP. THIS LASTED A SPLIT SECOND AND THEN BAM!, THE DRIVER SIDE CURTAIN AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. I BECAME IMMEDIATELY DISORIENTED AS TO THE NATURE OF THE EVENTS. I PULLED OVER AND EXAMINED ANY DAMAGE TO THE EXTERIOR. THERE WAS NONE OTHER THAN SOME WINDSHIELD DINGS AND HOOD CHIPS TO THE PAINT. I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE ABOUT ONE MILE HOME AND CONTACTED MY INSURANCE COMPANY. I DID NOT HIT ANY DEBRIS TO MY KNOWLEDGE NOR DID ANYTHING OTHER THAN SMALL ROCKS HIT MY CAR. I FEEL CONFIDENT THE RAISED BUMP ON THE BLACKTOP, GIVEN SIZE AND HEIGHT OF THE BUMP, SURELY COULD NOT CAUSE FOR THIS THE AIR BAGS TO DEPLOY. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MERCEDES BENZ E320. THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE RESTRAINT SENSOR LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT SRS SENSOR FAILED. THE DEALER WILL REPLACE THE SENSOR AT THE COST OF $857. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY AND WOULD NOT ASSIST. THE CONTACT FEELS THAT THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD PAY FOR THE REPAIR. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 48,000.

ON-BOARD COMPUTER GIVES AN "SRS MALFUNCTION - VISIT WORKSHOP!" MESSAGE, DESPITE BEING EVALUATED AND RESET BY LOCAL SERVICE CENTER AT OWNER'S EXPENSE. PROBLEM APPEARS TO EXIST FOR MANY OWNERS OF THIS MAKE/MODEL. *TR

E 320 MERCEDES 2003 CAR FRONT PASSENGER AIRBAG SRS LIGHT ON DASHBOARD APPEARED ABOUT 2 YEARS AGO. I TOOK IT TO MERCEDES DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT IT WOULD COST ME $1,000 TO ASSESS AND CORRECT PROBLEM. AIRBAGS HAVE NEVER BEEN DEPLOYED AND HAVE NEVER BEEN USED. I NEVER FIXED THIS PROBLEM BECAUSE I THINK IT IS A DEFECT AND SHOULD FALL UNDER MERCEDES CARE. THIS IS OF CONCERN SINCE IF I AM IN AN ACCIDENT AND AIRBAGS DEPLOY MY PASSENGER MAY BE CRITICALLY HURT. *TR