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Service Brakes
09/11/2017
WHILE DRIVING MY MERCEDES BENZ 2003 SL500 THE BRAKES BECAME DISABLED WITHOUT WARNING. IT WAS A TERRIFYING EXPERIENCE. THE FIRST MERCEDES DEALER I PHONED TOLD ME THAT THERE WAS NO KNOWN SAFETY RECALLS FOR THE BRAKES. THE SECOND MERCEDES DEALER THAT I CONTACTED INFORMED ME ABOUT 2 RECALLS IN 2004 AND 2005. I PHONED THE MERCEDES BENZ USA HEADQUARTERS AND SPOKE TO A CASE MANAGER WHO TOLD ME THAT MERCEDES' RESPONSIBILITY WITH THIS SAFETY ISSUE EXPIRED IN 2012. HOW CAN A SAFETY ISSUE SUCH AS HAVING NO BRAKES WHILE DRIVING EXPIRE? HOW CAN A CORPORATION BE ALLOWED TO WALK AWAY FROM THIS TYPE OF POTENTIALLY DEADLY SAFETY ISSUE? THIS IS A WELL DOCUMENTED SAFETY ISSUE WITH THIS CAR.
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Suspension, service Brakes
07/21/2017
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 HAVE SENT A COPY OF THE MERCEDES SERVICE BULLETIN S142.46-P-0012A WHICH ADDRESSES THIS ISSUE. MERCEDES STOPPED INSTALLING THIS SYSTEM IN 2006. 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 EVEN IF THE AUTOMOBILE IS OLDER
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Service Brakes
03/29/2017
WHILE DRIVING THE CAR IN TOWN ON CITY STREETS THE SBS BRAKE SYSTEM FAILED AS I CAME TO A TURN LEAVING ME WITH NO BRAKE RESPONSE EVEN THOUGH THE DEALER SAYS IT WAS SUPPOSED TO HAVE HYDRAULIC BACK-UP TO STOP THE CAR. I WAS ABLE TO COAST AND STOP THE CAR ONLY WITH THE EMERGENCY HAND BRAKE. THE SBS SYSTEM HAS BEEN RECALLED TWICE BY THE FACTORY BUT THERE IS STILL SOMETHING VERY WRONG WHEN A MODERN CAR HAD NO BACK-UP SYSTEM. THESE CARS ARE DANGEROUS! LUCKILY FOR ME THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT AND I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE DEALER AND IT IS BEING REPAIRED.
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Suspension, service Brakes, Hydraulic
01/05/2017
I OWN A 2003 MERCEDES BENZ SL 500 AND REPLACED THE HYDRAULIC PUMP IN 2014 FOR $6400.00. THE CAR WOULD DROP LOW (ON ONE SIDE IF PARKED FOR A FEW HOURS). TODAY, JANUARY 5, 2017 - THE IDENTICAL PROBLEM HAPPENED AGAIN. WHILE DRIVING, I HEARD A LOUD BURSTING SOUND AND THEN HYDRAULIC FLUID BEGAN SEEPING OUT ALSO, THE ABC RED DASH LIGHT ILLUMINATED STATING THAT THE CAR IS "TOO LOW TO DRIVE". I MANAGED TO SLOWLY DRIVE HOME (WITHOUT POWER STEERING). THIS IS A HUGE DEFECT IN MERCEDES BENZ TECHNOLOGY AND MANUFACTURING - A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT IS ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY. THIS VEHICLE IS DEFECTIVE AND DANGEROUS TO OPERATE. ALSO, CONSUMERS SHOULD NOT SPEND THOUSANDS UPON THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS ON DEFECTIVE PARTS. BY THE WAY, THIS VEHICLE HAS ALWAYS BEEN SERVICED BY MERCEDES BENZ DEALERSHIP TECHNICIANS. I WOULD APPRECIATE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION OR SUPPORT FROM THE NHTSA AS I PURSUE VIABLE RECOURSE OPTIONS. THANK YOU! *TR
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Steering, suspension, engine And Engine Cooling, fuel System, Gasoline
10/10/2012
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MERCEDES-BENZ SL500. WHILE DRIVING INTO THE GARAGE, THE ABC PUMP WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AND THE CONTACT NOTICED SMOKE INSIDE THE VEHICLE. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT NOTICED A LARGE AMOUNT OF HYDRAULIC FLUID ON THE GARAGE FLOOR. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE FRONT AND REAR AXLE VALVE LOCK, AND PRESSURE RESERVOIR FOR THE ABC SYSTEM NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED AND FLUSHED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 07V263000 (SUSPENSION, ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 55,620. *TR
