2004 MERCEDES-BENZ C CLASS Complaints

WILE DRIVING, THE CONSUMER NOTICED STEAM COMING FROM THE HOOD AND BLACK SMOKE COMING FROM THE BACK OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE DRIVER TRIED TO RESTART THE VEHICLE ,BUT WAS UNABLE TO DO SO. THE CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. PLEASE FILL IN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *JB

WHILE DRIVING 30-35 MPH CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A COLLISION, VEHICLE WAS HIT ON THE SIDE, AND THE SIDE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. *AK

NEW 2004 C230K COUPE. DRIVERS SEAT HAD SLIGHT ROCKING MOTION FORWARD AND BACK FROM THE DAY OF PURCHASE. NOTIFIED DEALER - SAID WAS NORMAL. ROCKING MOTION GOT WORSE AND AGAIN NOTIFIED DEALER AT 5000 MILES ON ODOMETER. DEALER SAID SEAT ADJUSTER WAS COMING LOOSE FROM SEAT FRAME, APPARENTLY THE BOLTS HAD "WALLOWED OUT" IN THE HOLES AND THE TWO PIECES COULD HAVE COME APART FROM EACH OTHER. MY WORRY WAS THAT IN THE EVENT OF AN ACCIDENT IT COULD HAVE SEPARATED AND A SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH COULD HAVE OCCURED SINCE THE PART I WAS SITTING IN WAS NO LONGER ATTACHED TO THE FRAME OF THE CAR...SEATBELTS, AIRBAGS, ETC WOULD HAVE BEEN TOTALLY USELESS. DEALER ORDERED NEW SEAT ADJUSTER AND ATTACHED IT TO SEAT FRAME.*MR

THE RIGHT REAR TIRE HAS A SPLIT ABOUT 1.5 INCHES LONG PROCEEDING DIAGONALLY THROUGH THE TREAD TO NEAR THE SIDEWALL. THERE IS NO OTHER DAMAGE ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE TIRE NEAR THE SPLIT OR EVIDENCE OF CONTACT WITH ANYTHING. I DRIVE LONG DISTANCES OFTEN AND WONDER IF THIS IS SOME TYPE OF DANGEROUS DEFECT.*AK

THIS DEFECT/CONCERN IS A GENERAL SAFETY COMPLAINT WITH RESPECT TO ALL VEHICLES WHICH SHOULD BE ADDRESSED BY ENACTMENT OF STANDARDS TO BE USED BY ALL MANUFACTURERS. MAINLY THE STANDARDIZATION OF THE LOCATION AND FUNCTION OF KEY CONTROLS AND SWITCHES ON ALL AUTOMOBILES. IN TODAYS DRIVING, DRIVERS ARE PLACED BEHIND THE WHEEL OF UNFAMILIAR VEHICLES ALL THE TIME AS TRAVEL AND BUSINESS PUTS THEM IN RENTAL CARS. WITH EACH VEHICLE HAVING DIFFERENT LOCATIONS FOR LIGHT SWITCHES, FLASHERS, WINDSHEILD WIPERS/WASHERS, DIMMERS AND CRUISE CONTROLS. DRIVERS CAN END UP HAVING ACCIDENTS, ESPECIALLY IN HURRIED SITUATIONS, WHEN TRYING TO FIND THE LOCATION OF THE CONTROLS IN AN UNFAMILIAR CAR. ONE MIGHT ARGUE THAT IF YOU ARE DRIVING A NEW VEHICLE YOU SHOULD FAMILIARIZE YOURSELF WITH ALL THE CONTROLS BEFORE STARTING TO DRIVE... BUT OFTEN TIMES IN AN EMERGENCY SITUATION, (WINDSHIELD SPLASHED WITH MUD), YOU INSTINCTIVELY RESPOND TO WHERE YOUR EVERYDAY VEHICLES CONTROLS ARE. THIS NOT ONLY DELAYS RESOLUTION OF THE SITUATION BUT TAKES YOUR ATTENTION AWAY FROM DRIVING. SETTING A STANDARD WOULD MAKE AUTO MANUFACTURES PUT ALL THESE CONTROLS IN A STANDARD POSITION SO WHEN YOU GO FROM ONE CAR TO THE NEXT THEY ARE ALWAYS WHERE YOU WOULD EXPECT THEM! *AK