2004 Mercedes-Benz E-Class Complaint Log

6 DISC CHANGER DOOR WILL NOT OPEN. RIGHT AFTER BUMPER TO BUMPER WARRANTY WAS OVER, DEALER SAID THEY HAD REPLACED MANY OF THEM THAT WEEK, BUT REFUSED TO FIX IT AND IT WAS ONLY 1,000 MILES PAST WARRANTY. BEFORE WARRANTY WAS UP, THE DEALER SAID THE FIXED GAS HOSE RECALL BUT STILL SMELL GAS AFTER FILLING THE VEHICLE. THEY WILL NOT LOOK AT IT ANYMORE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MERCEDES BENZ E500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A STRONG ODOR OF FUEL EMITTED INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE AFTER REFUELING. WHENEVER THREE GALLONS OR MORE OF FUEL WAS DISPENSED INTO THE FUEL TANK, THE FUEL WOULD SPEW FROM THE FILLER NECK ONTO THE GROUND. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER AND THEY WERE UNABLE TO PROVIDE A REMEDY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 42,000.

ON 12/6/07 MY FAMILY WAS INVOLVED IN A HEAD ON COLLISION THAT CAUSED BOTH FRONT AIRBAGS TO DEPLOY. MY CONCERN IS REGARDING THE PASSENGER AIRBAG THAT SHOULD NOT HAVE DEPLOYED ACCORDING TO THE DASHBOARD CONSOLE. WHEN MY 7 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER IS IN THE PASSENGER SEAT THE ?PASSENGER AIR BAG OFF? LIGHT STAYED ON AND THIS WAS THE ONLY REASON WE LET HER RIDE IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT. UNFORTUNATELY IN THIS ACCIDENT THE AIRBAG DEPLOYED WHICH CAUSED MINOR HEAD INJURIES. I CONTACTED MERCEDES BENZ OF SACRAMENTO TO LOOK INTO THIS AND THEY INDICATED THAT IF THE LIGHT INDICATED THE AIRBAG WAS OFF, THE AIRBAG SHOULD NOT HAVE DEPLOYED. THEY ALSO INDICATED THAT THE AIRBAG SHOULD NOT HAVE DEPLOYED IF THE PASSENGER WEIGHED LESS THAN 60 LBS. IN THIS SITUATION THE PASSENGER WEIGHED APPROXIMATELY 50 LBS. I ASKED MERCEDES BENZ TO CHECK THE VEHICLE FOR DEFECTS, BUT I WAS TOLD THAT THEY DID NOT HAVE EQUIPMENT TO CHECK THE CAR IN THE FIELD. I WOULD HAVE TO BRING THE CAR INTO THE DEALERSHIP TO BE CHECKED. UNFORTUNATELY THE VEHICLE IS NO LONGER DRIVABLE AND WAS CONSIDERED A TOTAL LOSS BY MY INSURANCE COMPANY SO I AM NO LONGER THE LEGAL OWNER. TO AVOID THIS SITUATION FROM HAPPENING TO ANY OTHER UNSUSPECTING FAMILY, I NEED TO KNOW IF WE WERE DOING SOMETHING WRONG OR IF THERE IS A MANUFACTURER?S DEFECT THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED. *TR

DROVE CAR FINE ALL DAY ON SATURDAY. SUNDAY AM, PUT SON AND WIFE IN CAR, STARTED OUT DRIVE WAY AND CAR GAVE NOTICE THAT CAR WAS TOO LOW. WALKED AROUND EXTERIOR OF CAR AND FOUND THAT RIGHT FRONT SUSPENSION MECHANISM HAD LET AIR OUT ITSELF AND TIRE WAS WELL INSIDE THE WHEEL WELL. APPARENTLY, THIS IS A WELL KNOWN ISSUE. DTB (DAIMLER TECHNICAL BULLETIN) P-B-32.22/15A FEB07 VEHICLE LEVEL DECREASES AT FRONT AXLE. IN EXTREME CASES THE AIRMATIC COMPRESSOR WILL NOT ACTIVATE TO RAISE THE VEHICLE. IT IS NOT DEFECTIVE. THE COMPRESSOR IS NOT ACTUATED DUE TO INSUFFICIENT RESIDUAL PRESSURE IN THE SUSPENSION STRUTS. ANY AFFECTED STRUTS WILL BE REPLACED AND THE COMPRESSOR WILL BE ACTUATED WITH STAR DIAGNOSIS. *TR

AFTER FUELING UP COMPLETELY, THERE WAS A STRONG RAW GASOLINE SMELL IN MY GARAGE. IT WAS COMING FROM THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE WHEEL WELL. THIS IS THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF WHERE THE FUEL FILL CAP IS! THERE WERE NO VISIBLE PUDDLES ON MY FLOOR, BUT IT SMELLED AS IF THERE SHOULD BE. THE PROBLEM WENT AWAY FOR A LITTLE BIT, HOWEVER, IT DOES THIS NOW EVERY TIME I FILL UP THE CAR AND IT IS HOT OUTSIDE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MERCEDES BENZ E500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER REFUELING, THERE WERE GASOLINE FUMES PRESENT IN THE INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 9,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 93,000. *TR

DT: THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING SHE TURNED ON SEAT WARMER AS WELL AS THE HEATER AND SHE DETECTED THE ODOR OF SOMETHING BURNING . SHE TURNED OFF THE HEATER BUT NOT THE SEAT WARMER. SHE CONTINUED DRIVING BUT SENSED A FEELING OF SOMETHING BITING THE SIDE OF HER LEG. SHE DISCOVERED A SPARK COMING FROM A HOLE IN LEATHER SEAT. SHE EXPERIENCED A SMALL BURN TO HER LEG. THERE WERE NO VISIBLE FLAMES ONLY SPARKS. SHE TURNED OFF THE SEAT WARMER AND PULLED OVER. TO EXTINGUISH ANY SPARKS SHE POURED WATER ONTO SEAT. SHE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER. MERCEDES WILL REPLACE THE SEAT FREE OF CHARGE. *AK

MY CAR PICKED UP A NAIL ON THE HIGHWAY AND IT BLEW A ROUND HOLE ABOUT THE SIZE OF A QUARTER IN THE TIRE RIM. THESE ARE ALUMINUM ALLOY LOW PROFILE RIMS THAT CAME WITH MY E500 2004 MERCEDES BENZ AS STANDARD EQUIPMENT. TWO MONTHS LATER I HAD A NEW SET OF TIRES PUT ON THE CAR AND THE DEALER TOLD ME THAT TWO MORE RIMS WERE BENT. I AM AN EXPERIENCED DRIVER (OVER 1.5 MILLION MILES OF DRIVING EXPERIENCE) AND I HAVE NEVER HAD A RIM GO BAD. SUDDENLY I HAVE THREE RIMS GO BAD. I DID NOT HIT ANY POT HOLES OR CURBS OR ANY THING OTHER THAN NORMAL BUMPY ROADS. THE DEALER SAID I WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR NEW RIMS AND MOUNTING. I COMPLAINED TO M B AND THEIR ANSWER HAS BEEN THAT THE PROBLEM WAS CAUSED BY ROAD HAZARD. I SAID THAT I KNOW THAT THE ROAD HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH IT BUT THAT THIS IS NOT AN EXCUSE FOR USING MATERIALS THAT OBVIOUSLY CANNOT TAKE THE STRAIN OF REASONABLE DRIVING. ANECDOTALLY I CAN TELL YOU THAT A CLOSE FRIEND IS DRIVING AN S500 WITH THE SAME LOW PROFILE TIRE AND HE TOO HAS HAD TO REPLACE THREE WHEELS OVER A PERIOD OF TWO YEARS. I FEEL CERTAIN THAT IT IS THE COMPOSITION OF THE RIM WHICH IS AT FAULT SINCE IT CANNOT STAND UP TO THE ROAD SURFACE PROBLEMS AS WELL AS A RIM OF THE SAME MATERIAL THAT IS NOT OF THE LOW PROFILE DESIGN. *NM

DT: CONTACT STATED WHEN STEPPING ON THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL THE VEHICLE WILL NOT ACCELERATE. THIS CAUSED A SAFETY CONCERN BECAUSE WHILE MERGING INTO TRAFFIC THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE. THIS ONLY OCCURRED WHEN THE VEHICLE IS STOPPED OR WAS CLOSE TO STOPPING. THE MAJORITY OF THE TIME IT HAPPENED WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED UP. THERE WAS NO INDICATION AS TO WHEN THIS WILL OCCUR. IT HAPPENED APPROXIMATELY 30 TIMES. THE SERVICE DEALER ATTEMPTED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE ONCE, BUT BECAUSE IT HAPPENED PERIODICALLY THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THE MANUFACTURER REFUSED TO SERVICE THE VEHICLE. CONSUMER FELT THE PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE COULD BE THE DRIVE- BY -WIRE OR COMPUTER SYSTEM. *AK THE RIGHT REAR BRAKE LOCKED UP WHILE THE CONSUMER WAS MAKING A RIGHT TURN. THIS OCCURRED AFTER THE BRAKE HAD BEEN REPROGRAMMED. ON COLD MORNING THE GPS DID NOT WORK PROPERLY. THE LEATHER ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG WAS PEELING. THE TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEM HAD TO BE REPROGRAMMED. THE FRONT WHEEL BEARING HAD PLAY IN IT. THE REAR ALIGNMENT WAS OFF SLIGHTLY WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO SHIMMY WHILE DRIVING ABOVE 62 MPH. *NM ON AUGUST 22, 2005 WHILE DRIVING A LOANER MERCEDES BENZ E350 FROM THE DEALER THE CONSUMER EXPERIENCED THE SAME INTERMITTENT HESITATION ON ACCELERATION AS HE HAD WITH HIS OWN 2004 E350. THE CONSUMER BELIEVES THIS HESITATION PROBLEM IS NOT ISOLATED TO VEHICLE. *NM

2004 500E ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM IS NOT FUNCTIONING PROPERLY. ***NO ANSWER REQUIRED***. *MR THE CONSUMER STATED THE PURPOSE OF AN ANTI-LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM IS THAT WHEN ALL BRAKES ARE LOCKED, IT WILL THEN PULSATE THE BRAKES SO THAT THE DRIVER DOES NOT HAVE TO. THE CONSUMER STATED ON HIS VEHICLE THE BRAKES SYSTEM COULD LOCK WITHOUT PULSING. THE CONSUMER BELIEVED THE BRAKES DID NOT LOCK AND THE BAS DID NOT PERFORM AS DESIGNED. *JB

VIBRATION WHEN VEHICULE COLD, AFTER A FEW MILES PROBLEM GOES AWAY.

DT: PURCHASED A NEW MERCEDES BENZ , 320E 2004 MODEL. ON 2 OCCASIONS ON THE FREEWAY AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS THE ENGINE SHUT DOWN WITHOUT WARNING. THE ENGINE SHUT OFF AT ONCE AND WILL NOT CRANK WHEN ENGINE HAS BEEN TRIED TO START AGAIN. HAD TO HAVE VEHICLE TOWED. DEALER EXPLAINED HE WAS UNFAMILIAR WITH THIS PROBLEM. THOUGHT THIS MAY BE THE COMPUTER IN THE CAR. MADE REPAIRS AND REPLACED PARTS. ABOUT 2 WEEKS AFTERWARDS THIS HAPPENED AGAIN. TOOK BACK TO DEALER, AND THIS WAS CORRECTED. HOWEVER, WAS AFRAID THIS MAY HAPPEN AGAIN. HOWEVER, HAS NOT HAPPENED 2-3 MONTHS AFTER THE REPAIRS. *AK THE CONTROL MODULE FAILED. ALSO, CONSUMER HAS CONTINUOUS PROBLEMS WITH BRAKING SYSTEM. *TT *NM

THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED SUDDEN DECELERATION AT 55 MPH FOR A TOTAL OF 4 TIMES. TAKEN IN FOR CHECKUP, BUT RESULTS SHOW THAT THE CAUSE IS UNDETERMINED. *NM

WHILE PULLING INSIDE OF A PARKING SPACE DRIVER APPLIED THE BRAKES AND THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. DRIVER WAS UNABLE TO STOP OR MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, AND IT COLLIDED INTO A GLASS WINDOW OF A BUSINESS. NO INJURIES REPORTED. UPON IMPACT, BOTH AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC INSISTED THAT THE PROBLEM COULD NOT DUPLICATED. *AK

TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS RESULTED WHEN DOWNSHIFTING, THE CAR WILL DOWNSHIFTS 2 OR 3 MORE GEARS AT A TIME. *BF *JB

TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS, VEHICLE WOULD NOT SHIFT OUT OF PARK POSITION TO REVERSE OR DRIVE. *BF THE PLASTIC PIECE ATTACHED TO THE FENDER WAS LOOSE AND THE TIRE WAS RUBBING THE PLASTIC. THERE WAS AN OIL LEAK WHICH HAD COME FROM THE PAN IN THE ENGINE. *SC WHEN THE CONSUMER WENT TO CHANGE THE TIRE, HE DISCOVERED THERE WAS NO SPARE TIRE IN THE VEHICLE.

WHILE DRIVING 35 MILES PER HOUR DOWN HILL, THE OWNER HEARD A WARNING LIGHT STATING THAT THE BRAKES HAD FAILED. THE OWNER HAD TO SWERVE TO THE RIGHT TO AVOID AN ACCIDENT BEFORE THE VEHICLE CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP. THE OWNER WILL CONTACT THE MANUFACTURER. *JB

MERCEDES BENZ E320 2004 - VEHICLE LURCHED FORWARD AT HIGH RATE OF SPEED WITHOUT OPERATOR ACCELERATION. STRUCTURAL DAMAGE TO HOME, GREAT CONCERN FOR THE POTENTIAL OF INJURY IF EVENT OCCURS AGAIN. VEHICLE SENT TO DEALERSHIP ( MB BLOOMFIELD, MI ) FOR EVALUATION. WEB SEARCH FINDS SIMILAR EVENTS WITH SAME MODEL 2003.*AK

ELECTRONIC INTERFERENCE FROM AIRCRAFT CAUSED LIGHTS TO COME ON WHEN PARKED AT AIRPORT AND DRAINED BATTERY. CAR PARKED MORNING OF 9/4/04. SINGLE INCIDENT OF CAR ALARM REPORTED EVENING OF 9/6/04. RETURNED TO CAR 9/11/04 AND FOUND LIGHTS IN OFF POSITION AND BATTERY DRAINED. *AK

TAPPING NOISE INSIDE THE CAR : THE FUEL CANISTER TOUCHES THE CHASIS AND MAKE LOUD TAPPING NOISE INSIDE THE CAR, REPORTED THIS TO MBUSA AND REPERESETATIVE PUT INSULATION AROUND FUEL CANISTER AND WHICH IS NOT SAFE. *JB

WHEN BACKING OUT, ONE OF THE FEATURES OF THE VEHICLE IS FOR THE REAR VIEW MIRRORS TILT DOWN. THE MIRRORS DON'T TILT BACK UP UNTIL THE VEHICLE REACHES 8 MPH. *AK

VEHICLE PURCHASED NEW IN JUNE 2004. SINCE THEN THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN SERVICED FOUR TIMES WITHIN SIX MONTHS OF PURCHASE FOR THE SAME ISSUE - TRANSMISSION OIL LEAK. DEALERSHIP HAS STATED THAT LEAK IS RELATED TO CONNECTOR (?) NOT BEING LONG ENOUGH AND HAS USED ANOTHER NON-MANUFACTURING SPEC'D CONNECTOR TO RESOLVE MATTER. VEHICLE IS ALSO LEAKING ENGINE OIL. ON LAST SERVICE IT WAS NOTED THAT SWEAT STAINS WERE SEEN AND GASKET REPLACED. AS OF TODAY - ENGINE OIL LEAK EVIDENCE CAN STILL BE SEEN. VEHICLE IS IN DANGEROUS STATE SINCE SERIOUS MALFUNCTION IS IMMINENT. LEMON LAW ACTION WILL BE TAKEN.*AK

WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH BRAKE SENSOR LIGHT CAME ON. AS A RESULT, WHEN CONSUMER ATTEMPTED TO PULL OVER TOTAL BRAKE FAILURE OCCURRED. *AK

WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH CONSUMER APPLIED THE BRAKES BUT THEY BRAELY FUNCTIONED. THIS CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO HIT A BUS. UPON IMPACT, BOTH FRONTAL AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. A SIGNAL FLASHED ON THE DASHBOARD INDICATING AIR BAGS MALFUNCTIONED. NO INJURIES REPORTED. CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO A REPAIR FACILITY. *AK NOT ONLY DID THE AIR NAG FAIL TO DEPLOY BUT THE DASH INDICATOR ILLUMINATED INDICATING A MALFUNCTION WITH THE RESTRAINT SYSTEM *NM

INTERMITTENT FAILURE OF THE DISTRONIC RADAR-CONTROLLED CRUISE CONTROL. IN EXTREME WET CONDITIONS THE CAR IN FRONT IS INTERMITTENTLY NOT SEEN BY THE SYSTEM CAUSING THE CAR TO ACCELERATE INTO THE BACK OF THE CAR IN FRONT. THIS FAULT PERSISTS FOR SOME DAYS AFTER THE WET CONDITIONS SUBSIDE. THE CAR'S FAULT DETECTION SYSTEM SOMETIMES DETECTS THIS AS A FAULT, BUT RESETS ITSELF AUTOMATICALLY LEADING TO THE DANGEROUS CONDITION RECURRING RANDOMLY. *AK

BRAKE FAILURE, CAUSED A MAJOR COLLISION. CAR DID NOT STOP IN TIME TO AVOID ANOTHER VEHICLE. ALSO ELECTRICAL ISSUE. *BF CONSUMER RECEIVED A LETTER STATING THAT HIS VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. RECALL STATING THAT THE PUMP MOTOR MAY RUN OUT OF PERMISSIBLE TOLERANCES THEREBY TRIGGERING THEY HYDRAULIC BACKUP FUNCTION MODE LEAVING CONSUMER TO USE GREATER BRAKE PRESSURE LEAVING BRAKE TRAVEL LONGER LIKELY TO RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT. *TC

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MERCEDES-BENZ E55. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE NOTICED A STRONG ODOR OF FUEL INSIDE THE VEHICLE. THE ODOR SMELL WOULD OCCUR MORE FREQUENTLY WHEN THE CONTACT WAS SITTING IN HEAVY TRAFFIC AND DRIVING UPHILL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND ADVISED HIM THAT HE COULD NOT SMELL A GASOLINE FUEL SMELL FROM THE INTERIOR OF THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 57,205.

WHILE DRIVING TRANSMISSION FAILED AT 300 MILES. DEALER STATED TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.*AK FAILURE OCCURRED WHEN CONSUMER WAS CROSSING LANES TO AN ON COMING TRAFFIC. AS THE TRANSMISSION FAILED, THE GEAR SHIFTED FROM FIRST GEAR TO NEUTRAL ON ACCELERATION AND VEHICLE WOULDN'T MOVE FORWARD. *LA

WHILE DRIVING AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILED. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO REPAIRED THE TRANSMISSION, BUT DID NOT INFORM THE CONSUMER OF THE PARTS THAT WERE REPAIRED. TWO WEEKS LATER, THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILED AGAIN. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO REPAIRED THE TRANSMISSION AGAIN, BUT CONSUMER WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY, AND DID NOT WANT TO TAKE THE VEHICLE BACK. *AK

RECALL CAMPAIGN:04V296000 THE CONSUMER HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE'S BRAKE LIGHTS PRIOR TO RECEIVING THE RECALL NOTICE. *NM THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE IN TO GET THE RECALL SERVICE DONE FOR THE REPEATED DEFLATING TIRE AND FRONT BRAKE PADS. THE CONSUMER WAS REFUSED A RENTAL OR LOANER VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THAT HIS VEHICLE WOULD NOT COMPLY TO THE PUMP AS THE SYSTEM WOULD NOT BLEED. ANOTHER CUSTOMERS PARTS WOULD BE USED AS THE PUMP CONTINUED TO BE FAULTY TO THE CONSUMERS VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER WAS ALLOWED BY THE SERVICE DEPT TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE OFF WITH FAILED SERVICE. WHILE DRIVING THE EMERGENCY BRAKE LIGHT FLASHED REPEATEDLY. THE CONSUMER STATED THAT THE SERVICE ON HIS VEHICLE WAS BROKEN UP INTENTIONALLY TO AVERT THE LEMON LAW CITATION. THE CONSUMERS VEHICLE IS A MERCEDES E320. *TC *JB

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILURE. *AK

ENGINE CHECK LIGHT ILLUMINATED. DRIVER PUT VEHICLE INTO DRIVER AND IT WOULD ONLY GO BACKWARDS. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER, AND DEALER DETERMINED THE NEED FOR A NEW TRANSMISSION. *AK