25 of the
546 complaints filed about the Mercedes Benz E500
are about the transmission —
5% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 2003.
25
Complaints
5%
Share of all complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
Transmission & Drivetrain complaints by model year
I was traveling at about 60mph and started to slow to turn off the highway. Suddenly a red brake warning light came on and it took tremendous pressure to slow the car down and I overshot the turn. Then the car had no power. I was 36 miles from my home. I limped at 5-20 mph to a friends house and had the car towed to my home. There was absolutely no warning of any kind of brake problem. The car was driving just fine before this happened. I believe it could have been a much worse situation had I been in any kind of traffic.
NHTSA complaint #11475607 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
THIS HAS ACTUALLY HAPPENED 2X ALREADY-I WAS STATIONARY AT A LIGHT AND WHEN I WENT TO ACCELERATE THE CAR STALLED AND WOULD NOT START BACK UP. THERE WHERE MANY CARS BEHIND ME AND MY CAR WOULD NOT MOVE. I TURNED CAR OFF AND THEN IT FINALLY RESTARTED AND I WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD . I WAS TERRIFIED. THE SECOND TIME THE CAR WAS ACTUALLY MOVING AND THEN JUST DIED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE INTERSECTION. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER BOTH TIMES AND SINCE NOTHING CAME UP ON MY DASH THEY COULD NOT FIND OUT WHAT WAS WRONG. I AM TERRIFIED THIS WILL HAPPEN AGAIN WITHOUT A GOOD OUTCOME NEXT TIME. I FEEL MY CAR IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. I HAVE TRIED TALKING TO MBUSA AND TOLD THEM WHAT HAPPENED THEY DID NOTHING. I WROTE A LETTER THEY DID NOTHING. I TOLD HOEHN MERCEDES I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP WHO SOLD ME THE CAR NOTHING. 1ST TIME CAR WAS STATIONARY ON CITY STREET, 2ND TIME IN MOTION ON A HIGHWAY. GOING STRAIGHT. 2ND MECHANIC SAID HE HAD HEARD OF THAT HAPPENING BEFORE, RANDOM INCIDENT STARTER? I AM THE ORIGIONAL OWNER-PAID $60,000 FOR THIS CAR I CANNOT EVEN GET $5,000 FOR IT.
NHTSA complaint #11299230 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
THE PROBLEM WITH MY VEHICLE IS THAT WITH ITS CURRENT TCM( TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE) IN A 722.9 TRANSMISSION, THE CONDUCTOR PLATE THAT HOLDS THE SENSORS IN PLACE BECOME DEFECTIVE AND CREATES A PROBLEM IN WHICH THE TRANSMISSION GETS STUCK IN 2ND GEAR. THIS CAUSES A MAJOR PROBLEM DRIVING ON ROAD WAYS THAT ARE +45MPH BECAUSE THE VEHICLE CANNOT DRIVE OVER 25MPH FURTHER CAUSING MORE PROBLEMS THAT MAY ACTUALLY FREEZE UP THE ENGINE CAUSING THE CAR TO STOP. IF THE CAR IS STOPPED AND BEGINS TO GO AGAIN, THE RMP'S CAN GO VERY HIGH WITHOUT ANY POWER OR MOTION IN THE VEHICLE. THIS HAS HAPPENED TO 2 OF MY PERSONAL FRIENDS ALREADY WITH THE 722.9 TRANSMISSION. IN PARTICULAR THE CONDUCTOR PLATE OR VALVE BODY WAS CORRUPTED AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO FAIL. I AM REPORTING THIS BECAUSE THE PART CAN FAIL ANYTIME DURING OPERATION OF THE VEHICLE AND IS A SAFETY ISSUE TO THE DRIVER AND OTHERS AROUND WHEN THIS MAY OCCUR. MANY OTHER OWNERS (I'VE READ ONLINE) WITH THIS 722.9 TRANSMISSION CONDUCTOR PLATE FAULT IS ALSO FRUSTRATED BY THE FACT THAT NOT ONLY MERCEDES-BENZ DOESN'T ALLOW FOR A CONSUMER TO BUY THE PART BUT MANY WARRANTIES ARE VOIDED WITH THIS FAULT. MY VEHICLE (MERCEDES-BENZ E500 2004) ALSO IS ONLY AT 56,000 MILES ON THE SPEEDOMETER. CONSIDERING THE MILEAGE, THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT SEEMS TO BE PREMATURE DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN SERVICED BY A MERCEDES-BENZ DEALER BUT HAS NO SERVICE FOR THE VERY COMMONLY FAULTED PART.
NHTSA complaint #11220227 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MERCEDES BENZ E500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATE 60 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED BUT CONTINUED TO ROLL WITHOUT STOPPING, THE BRAKE PEDAL FAILED, AND THE GEAR SHIFTER FAILED TO COME OUT OF PARK. IN ADDITION, ALL THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 86,000.
NHTSA complaint #10837458 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MERCEDES BENZ E500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE GEAR SHIFTER FAILED TO SHIFT OUT OF GEAR. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE VEHICLE REQUIRED TO BE RESTARTED IN ORDER FOR THE GEAR SHIFTER TO FUNCTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE TURBINE SENSOR, THE WHEEL, THE SPARK PLUGS, AND THE COIL PACK NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. IN ADDITION, THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.
NHTSA complaint #10808274 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MERCEDES BENZ E500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE DOWNSHIFTED AND THE BRAKES FAILED. THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF AND WAS ABLE TO BE RESTARTED. AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED, THE BRAKE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 83,000.
NHTSA complaint #10777681 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
BENZ E500 2004 (54K MILES) SAFETY ISSUE1: NOV 2008(36K MILES), THE CAR USED TO LOSE POWER AND SHUT DOWN WHILE DRIVING WITH ALL THE LIGHTS BLINKING ON THE DASH BOARD. BUT I WAS ABLE TO BREAK ANSDSTOP . SOMETIMES IT STARTED BACK ON AND SOMETIMES IT DID NOT.DEALER REPLACED THE CRANKSHAFT SENSOR AND THE SENDER UNIT. HAD TO PAY THE BILL OF $600 PLUS TOWING. THEY DID NOT INSPECT OTHER SAFETY ISSUES LIKE THE SBC PUMP OR LET ME KNOW ABOUT THE 10 YEAR WARRANTY. NEITHER DID THEY TELL ME IF SBC PUMP FAILURE OR ITS MALFUNCTION HAS ANY IMPACT ON OTHER PARTS OF THE CAR. SAFETY ISSUE 2: JAN 6TH 2015.(REFER TO COMPLAINT #10676289)SBC PUMP FAILED DURING A LONG ROAD TRIP AND THINKING IT WAS JUST BRAKE PADS, COULD HAVE BEEN FATAL. DEALER/MB REFUSED ANY ASSISTANCE IN REPAIRS. COST US $2200. WHEN THE DEALER REFUSED TO LOOK AT THE SBC PUMP BEFORE THE WARRANTY EXPIRED AND THEY KNOW IT IS GOING TO FAIL, CUSTOMER IS IN A VERY UNCOMFORTABLE POSITION WITH SAFETY ASPECT, HUGE REPAIR COSTS INVOLVED AND POSSIBLE IMPACT ON OTHER PARTS AND SITUATIONS. THEY DESIGNED A WARRANTY ON THIS PROGRAMMABLE UNIT THAT IS PROGRAMMED TO LEND CERTAIN CYCLES OR SERVICE. MERCEDES BENZ HAS TURNED THIS MAJOR DEFECT INTO A MONEY MAKING OPPORTUNITY LATELY. THEY ARE INSTALLING REMAN UNITS WITH A HIGH REPAIR COST OF $2000-3000. SOMETIMES, MORE THAN THE WORTH OF THE CAR. REGULATORS SHOULD REVISIT THE CASE AND HAVE THEM PROVIDE LIFE TIME WARRANTY ON THIS MAJOR FLAW AND MAYBE MORE. WHEN THERE WERE TWO RECALLS JUST A YEAR AFTER IT WAS BOUGHT, HOW CAN THEY GET AWAY WITH A 10 YEAR WARRANTY AND A HUGE REPAIR COST. SINCE THEY HAVE MORE LAWYERS THAN ANY COMMON MAN, ONLY REGULATORS CAN HELP THE CITIZENS AND PROTECT THEIR INTERESTS AND SAFETY.
NHTSA complaint #10676537 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MERCEDES BENZ E500. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH AND APPLIED THE BRAKES HOWEVER, THE BRAKES MALFUNCTIONED AND CAUSED THE CONTACT TO MOMENTARILY LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE BRAKING POWER REDUCED WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AFTER THE FAILURE OCCURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC BUT THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED AND NO REPAIRS WERE PERFORMED. THE VEHICLE WAS LATER TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER, WHO ADVISED THAT THE SBC HYDRAULIC PUMP WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE MANUFACTURER WAS AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 104,981. UPDATED 01/23/2014 *BF ACCORDING TO THE INVOICE, BOTH FRONT BRAKE HOSES WERE DRY ROTTED AND CRACKED, THE LEFT OUTER AXLE BOOT WAS TORN AND LEAKING, THE SERPENTINE ENGINE BELT WAS BADLY WORN, AND WAS SPLITTING DOWN THE MIDDLE. THE ENGINE COVER GASKETS WERE LEAKING OIL, THE DRIVER'S SUN VISOR WAS DAMAGED AND WOULD NOT FOLD UP PROPERLY, THE TRANSMISSION PILOT BUSHING WAS LEAKING TRANSMISSION OIL INTO THE VEHICLE HARNESS. UPDATED 03/18/14 ..UPDATED 03/18/14 *BF
NHTSA complaint #10556396 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
CODE: 4A30 ENGINE CONTROL MODULE NOT IDENTIFIED OR INCORRECT CONTROL MODULE. CODE: 54F0 CAN COMMUNICATION WITH CONTROL UNIT TRANSMISSION CONTROL IS SPORADICALLY DISTURBED. SAFETY ISSUE: I RECENTLY GOT OFF THE FREEWAY, CAME TO A STOP, AND THEN ATTEMPT TO PROCEED NORMALLY WITH THE VEHICLE NOW STUCK IN 5TH (OR WHATEVER THE SENSOR CHOOSES) GEAR, AND NO POWER STEERING- THERE IS A REASONABLE USER PRESUMPTION THAT THE CAR WOULD ACCELERATE NORMALLY AND BE ABLE TO SAFELY JOIN TRAFFIC....INSTEAD IT CRAWLS FORWARD AT A FEW MILES AN HOUR INTO POTENTIAL HARMS WAY WITH NO WAY TO ACCELERATE THE VEHICLE NORMALLY, THEREBY LEAVING THE DRIVER AND OUR CHILDREN IN DANGER. I SPEAK FROM PERSONAL EXPERIENCE, AND WOULD NOT WISH THIS TERROR EXPERIENCE ON OUR WORST ENEMY. MERCEDES MONTVALE NJ WILL NOT PARTICIPATE ON FIXING THE CAUSE OF THIS SAFETY ISSUE.
NHTSA complaint #10553464 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I TOOK MY CAR 2005 E500 FOR REGULAR MAINTENANCE AT THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THE BALL BEARINGS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED IN JULY 2011. THEN AFTER CHECKING EVERYTHING OUT, THE DEALER TOLD ME THE FUEL RING UNDER THE SEAT NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. COST USD 600. ALSO THERE WAS GASOLINE SEEPING OUT OF CAR ONTO THE DRIVEWAY WHEN CAR WAS PARKED. I STARTED SMELLING GASOLINE SMELL IN MARCH 2012. I TOOK THE CAR AGAIN TO THE DEALERSHIP IN JULY 2012 AND THIS TIME THEY REPLACED THE FUEL SYSTEM. COST USD 2100. THERE WERE PUDDLES OF GASOLINE IN MY GARAGE AFTER THE SERVICE. I WAS TOLD THERE MIGHT BE GASOLINE SMELL. AFTER THE SMELL LINGERED AFTER EVERY FILLUP I TOOK THE CAR BACK TO DEALERSHIP. THE DEALERSHIP AGAIN WANTED TO CHARGE ME USD 3000 FOR THE FUEL LEAK BUT I TOLD THEM I JUST FIXED THE FUEL LEAK PROBLEM. THIS WAS IN SEPT 2012. THIS TIME THE DEALERSHIP DIDN'T CHARGE ME ANYTHING. I AGAIN TOOK MY CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT THAT CAME ON IN SEPT 2013 TO MERCEDES BENZ IN GRAPEVINE, TX. I WAS TOLD THERE IS A LEAK IN THE FUEL TANK AND THE COST IS USD 2115. I TOLD THE DEALER ABOUT THE NHTSA INVESTIGATION, CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT FOR THE FUEL SYSTEM ON MERCEDES E500 VEHICLES AND THE SERVICE ADVISOR, MATT PINECREST, TOLD ME THE CASE WAS SETTLED AND MERCEDES WON. THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A FALSEHOOD. THIS PROBLEM HAS NOW TAKEN AN EMOTIONAL TOLL ON ME SINCE I CAN'T DRIVE MY CAR PROPERLY WITHOUT WORRYING. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
NHTSA complaint #10550436 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
BACK IN JULY OF 2012 MY CAR STARTED TO GET SLUGGISH , MISSING AND JERKING I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER THEY TOLD ME THEY COULD NOT GET THE CAR TO REPEAT THE PROBLEM, THEN AFTER TALKING WITH THEM THEY SAID YES THEY COULD FEEL IT THEN TOLD ME IT WAS SUSPENSION ALMOST 5K TO REPAIR , SO I DECIDED TO DO SOME RESEARCH AND TO FIND OUT THIS CAR HAD TRANS PROBLEMS WHERE THE RADIATOR WAS LEAKING INTO THE TRANS , (A PROBLEM THEY KNOW ABOUT) SO I CALLED MY SERVICE ADVISER TO DISCUS THE PROBLEM TO HEAR THEM SAY OH YEAH ITS A PROBLEM , REALLY? YOU WERE JUST GONNA CHARGE ME 5K TO FIX SOMETHING THAT WASN'T A PROBLEM NOW ITS THE TRANS REALLY, WELL IT TURNS OUT IT WILL COST 10K PLUS TO FIX THIS AND BENZ USA WILL NOT PAY FOR THIS OR THE DEALER FIRST YOU CANT TRUST ANY DEALER THEY WILL TRY TO RIP YOU OFF ALSO THE DEALER OR BENZ USA SHOULD BE FIXING THIS PROBLEM ITS A HAZARD WHEN DRIVING THEN WILL LEAVE YOU STRANDED AND THEY WANT TO MAKE YOU PAY BIG DOLLARS THAT IS A BENZ PROBLEM NOT THE CONSUMER , WHAT CAN WE DO TO MAKE THESE GUYS FIX THIS / THESE CARS?? PLEASE HELP
NHTSA complaint #10492397 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
RECENTLY PURCHASED THIS 2003 MB E500 WHILE DRIVING ALONG THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO STUTTER AND SHAKE @ AROUND 1500 RPM, THIS OCCURRED CONTINUALLY. MADE IT HOME AND GOOGLED THIS PROBLEM AND FOUND OUT THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM FOR THIS VEHICLE DUE TO A LEAK IN THE COOLANT SYSTEM THAT SOMEHOW GETS INTO THE TRANSMISSION,CAUSING IT TO BECOME CONTAMINATED WHICH PRODUCES THIS FIERCE/POTENTIAL DANGEROUS STUTTER/JERKING. TO MY SURPRISE, MERCEDES BENZ IS FULLY AWARE OF THIS HAZARD AND HAS NOT HAD A RECALL/BULLETIN TO FIX THIS COMMON PROBLEM, LEAVING THIS EXPENSIVE REPAIR COST ON THE CONSUMER. THE VEHICLE COST IS EXPENSIVE ENOUGH AND TO HAVE TO MAKE THIS COSTLY REPAIR IS UNFAIR.
NHTSA complaint #10468407 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
AFTER COMING TO A STOP AT AN ENTRANCE TO A BUSY HIGHWAY, MY 2005 E500 JUST BARELY MOVED ONTO THE BUSY HIGHWAY, AND WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. THE TRANSMISSION WAS "STUCK" IN ONE OF THE HIGHER GEARS. I PULLED THE CAR TO THE SHOULDER, TURNED OFF THE IGNITION, AND RESTARTED IT. AFTER RESTARTING, IT WORKED NORMALLY. THIS HAS OCCURRED NUMEROUS TIMES SINCE THEN. THERE SEEMS TO BE SOME SORT OF ELECTRICAL PROBLEM WITH THIS TRANSMISSION. THIS IS SEEMS PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS WHEN TRYING TO MERGE INTO TRAFFIC FROM A STOP, OR CROSSING A BUSY INTERSECTION. A LITTLE BIT OF INVESTIGATIVE WORK HAS REVEALED THAT THIS IS VERY COMMON WITH THE MERCEDES 722.9 SEVEN SPEED AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION.
NHTSA complaint #10450273 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I HAVE AN 03 MERCEDES E500. AT ABOUT 65000 ML I HAD GLYCOL IN MY TRANSMISSION DUE TO RADIATOR FAILURE. I TOOK IT TO MERCEDES SARASOTA AND THEY SAID IT WILL COST $5000 AND THEY HAVE TO CHANGE THE RADIATOR AND THE TRANSMISSION. I WAS READING THE MERCEDES WORLD FORUM AND I SEE THAT LOT OF PEOPLE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM. AT THE AND COST ME $3000 AT AAMCO. I HOPE MERCEDES WILL ISSUE A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM.
NHTSA complaint #10435280 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
MY MERCEDES E500 2004 RANDOMLY LOSES POWER AFTER COMING TO A STOP. I HAVE TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE AND STOP. I TURN THE ENGINE OFF AND BACK ON AND IT THE POWER IS OK. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT GOES OUT AFTER RESTARTING. THIS WOULD HAPPEN ONE OR TWICE A MONTH. I ONLY HAVE 45K ON THE CAR. NOW IT'S HAPPENING QUITE OFTEN. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WOULD COME ON AND THAN GO OUT AFTER RESTARTING. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES AND THEY HAVE FOUND NO TROUBLE. THEY GIVE ME THE GAS CAP , BAD GAS, ECT. TODAY I LOST POWER TOOK IN TO THE DEALER AND NOW THEY ARE STATING A POWER TRAIN PROBLEM. I GET NERVOUS ON THE ROAD WAY WHEN I LOSE POWER BECAUSE I CAN NOT SPEED UP AND GET AWAY FROM ON COMING TRAFFIC. THE DEALER IS STATING 2 TO 5 THOUSAND DOLLARS FOR THE REPAIR. THIS CAR HAS LESS THAN 45K AND I KEEP IT IN MINT CONDITION AND ONLY DRIVE IT ON WEEK ENDS. I SEE THAT SEVERAL E500 2004 OWNERS HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM VIA AN ON LINE FORUM FOR 2004 E500.
NHTSA complaint #10405366 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
IN JUNE OF 2010 I PURCHASED A 2003 MERCEDES BENZ E500. THE CAR AT TIMES WOULD SHIFT HEAVY AND AT TIMES WOULD SHIFT DOWN SUDDENLY OR ACCELERATE SUDDENLY AND DRAMATICALLY WHEN THE ACCELERATOR WAS PRESS LIGHTLY FROM A STOP. THE PROBLEM CONTINUED TO THE PRESENT TIME AND HAS GOTTEN WORSE NOW IN THE WINTER MONTHS. I KNOW THE CAR IS A POTENTIAL DANGER BUT HAVE NO OTHER ALTERNATIVE BUT TO DRIVE IT. PLEASE HELP!
NHTSA complaint #10372340 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
THE ORIGINAL RADIATOR FOR THE 2003 MERCEDES BENZ E500 LEAKS COOLANT INTO THE TRANSMISSION AND TORQUE CONVERTER, CAUSING THE CAR TO JERK AND JUMP. THE COOLANT IN THE TRANSMISSION ACTS AS AN CONTAINMENT AND RUINS THE TRANSMISSION AND TORQUE CONVERTER, WHICH LATER WILL NEED TO BE REPLACED, ALONG WITH THE RADIATOR. THESE THREE MAJOR PART INCLUDING GASKETS, HOSES, AND LABOR ARE EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE. NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM. THE DEALERSHIP IS STATING THAT THE ONLY THING THAT CAN BE DONE TO FIX THIS PROBLEM IS TO REPLACE ALL THREE COMPONENTS AT OWNER'S EXPENSE.
NHTSA complaint #10253997 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I HAVE A MERCEDES-BENZ 2003 E500 THAT HAS A DEFECTIVE VALEO RADIATOR THAT CAUSED GLYCOL CONTAMINATION LEAKAGE INTO THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FLUID. MY UN-DRIVABLE CAR NOW HAS TRANSMISSION FAILURE BECAUSE OF POWER LOSS WHILE TRAVELING AT HIGH SPEEDS. INABILITY TO ACCELERATE OR KEEP UP THE MINIMUM SPEED OF THE POSTED HIGHWAY SIGNS IS COMMON. I ASKED MBUSA ABOUT THE PROBLEM AND INITIALLY THEY REFUSED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROBLEM EXISTED. AFTER FINDING TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN P-B-27.55/50F DATED MARCH 24, 2006 THEY ACKNOWLEDGED THE DEFECT BUT DENIED ANY ASSISTANCE TO ME, LEAVING IT UP TO A LOCAL DEALER TO HANDLE THE MATTER. THE LOCAL DEALER WOULD NOT ASSIST ME EXCEPT PERFORMING THE $200 GLYCOL BULLETIN TEST AND DESCRIBED THE COST FOR REPAIRS. MY CAR GLYCOL CONTAMINATION TEST RESULT COMPARED TO THE CHART WAS DEEP PURPLE AS A RESULT OF THE GLYCOL AND TRANSMISSION FLUID CONTAMINATION LEVEL BEING ABOVE 400 MG/LITER WHICH IS THE WORST CASE SCENARIO OF RUSTED TRANSMISSION AND SHOWING GLYCOL CONTAMINATION STARTED MONTHS EARLIER TO THE NOTICEABLE PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR. ALSO THE BULLETIN OUTLINES TEST KITS SOLD TO DEALERSHIPS IN PACKS OF 30'S. THE BULLETIN ALSO SAYS THAT THE PROBLEM IS NOT INTERMITTENT AND CAN BE REPRODUCED AT ALL TIMES. THIS PROBLEM IS WIDE SPREAD AND NEEDS TO BE A RECALL DUE TO POWER LOSS WHILE DRIVING.
NHTSA complaint #10243988 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I PURCHASED A 2003 MERCEDES BENZ E500 WHICH WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASING THE CAR MY TRANSMISSION STARTED LOSING POWER ON THE EXPRESSWAY AND MAKING A LOUD ROAR FROM THE BACK OF THE CAR. THE CAR THEN STARTED STUTTERING WHILE AT 60MPH WHICH POSED A DANGER TO MYSELF , MY FAMILY, AND CARS AROUND ME. THIS PROBLEM ALMOST CAUSED CARS BEHIND ME TO HIT ME BECAUSE OF THE SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER. I IMMEDIATELY TOOK MY CAR TO THE SHOP AND IT TURNED OUT THAT GLYCOL LEAKED INTO MY TRANSMISSION DUE TO A FAULTY VALEO RADIATOR IN MY 2003 MERCEDES E500. I WAS TOLD THE TRANS WAS COMPLETELY SHOT AND HAD TO PAY OVER 10K FOR THE TRANS, TORQUE CONVERTER, AND THE RADIATOR. THE MECHANIC ALSO SHOWED ME A TECH BULLETIN P-B-27.55/50F AND THAT THIS PROBLEM IS WIDESPREAD. WHEN I BROUGHT THIS TO THE ATTENTION OF THE MERCEDES DEALER THEY WANTED TO CHARGE ME DOUBLE OF WHAT MY MECHANIC CHARGE ME AND I COULDN'T AFFORD IT. THEY DID NOT OFFER TO FIX THE PROBLEM FOR FREE EVEN THOUGH THEIR RADIATOR WAS FAULTY. MY CAR ONLY HAD 30,000 MILES AT THE TIME OF THE TRANS GOING OUT ON ME. THIS WAS A DANGEROUS MECHANICAL FAILURE AS THE CAR LOOSES POWER AND CAN CAUSE SERIOUS DAMAGES IF THERE IS NOT A RECALL ACTION TAKEN.
NHTSA complaint #10244054 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.