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Service Brakes, Hydraulic, air Bags
08/07/2010
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 MERCEDES BENZ S CLASS. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 55 MPH WHEN A VEHICLE AHEAD OF HIM ABRUPTLY STOPPED. THE CONTACT APPLIED THE BRAKES AS THE PEDAL WAS APPLIED DOWN TO THE FLOORBOARD AND REMAINED. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO RELEASE THE BRAKE PEDAL AND CRASHED INTO THE PRECEDING VEHICLE. THE FRONTAL AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY AND THE SOS SYSTEM DID NOT ENGAGE. THERE WERE NO REPORTED INJURIES. A POLICE REPORT WAS AVAILABLE (SP1L15000802). THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL REPAIR FACILITY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 8,000.
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Service Brakes, Hydraulic, electronic Stability Control (esc)
02/25/2010
I WAS ON A SNOW COVERED ROAD IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD DRIVING ABOUT 10-15 MPH AND ATTEMPTED TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN. THE CAR KEPT GOING STRAIGHT AND SLID OFF THE ROAD. THE ESP STABILITY CONTROL AND ABS FAILED TO OPERATE AT THAT POINT. THIS WAS AFTER A RECENT REPROGRAMMING BY THE DEALER. THIS FUNCTION HAD OPERATED CORRECTLY ALL WINTER PRIOR TO THAT EVENT. THE ESP LIGHT DID NOT FLASH LIKE IT NORMALLY DOES IN THAT SITUATION. THERE COULD HAVE BEEN A CAR COMING THE OTHER WAY AND I WOULD HAVE HIT THEM DUE TO THIS FAILURE. NO ERROR LIGHTS WERE DISPLAYED BY THE CAR. THE CAR GOT HUNG UP ON A BIG ROCK THAT WAS IN SOMEONE'S YARD AS A RESULT OF THE INCIDENT. I DID NOT REPORT TO THE POLICE SINCE IT WAS JUST ME AND NO APPARENT DAMAGE TO THE YARD, ONLY TO MY CAR UNDERNEATH. *TR
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Latches/locks/linkages
07/01/2009
WE TOW A 2009 SMART PASSION CAB BEHIND OUR RV, AS ALLOWED BY SMART AND IN WRITING WITHIN ITS OWNERS MANUAL. TWICE NOW, WE HAVE LOST THE HOOD (OR AS SMART REFERS TO IT, THE SERVICE FLAP) WHILE TOWING. THE HOOD COMPLETELY DISENGAGES FROM ITS LOCATION AND BASICALLY FLAPS AROUND UNTIL THE CAR IS PULLED OVER TO A STOP. DAMAGE HAS OCCURRED TO THE HOOD, AND THE FIRST TIME WE IMMEDIATELY REPLACED IT AT A SMART DEALER WHO STATED IT MAY HAVE BEEN OUR PROBLEM DUE TO THE POSSIBILITY THAT WE MAY HAVE IMPROPERLY INSTALLED IT.. THE SECOND TIME IT OCCURRED (IN EXACTLY THE SAME MANNER) ANOTHER SMART DEALER TOOK IT TO THE MANUFACTURER WHO DECLARED THAT BY TOWING IT BEHIND THE RV WE HAD AN UNUSUAL AMOUNT OF TURBULENCE AND THEREFORE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY,NOR WAS THERE ANY 'FIX' FOR IT. MY CONCERN IS THAT THESE SAME TURBULENCE CAN BE FELT ON AN INTERSTATE BEHIND A LARGE VEHICLE OR IN A HIGH WIND. THEREFORE I FEEL THAT IT IS MORE OF A PROBLEM THAN THE MANUFACTURE WOULD CONFIRM. WE HAVE TWO O...
