2009 MERCEDES-BENZ C350 Complaints

TAKATA RECALL: I RECEIVED A NOTICE OF RECALL # 16V-08, STATING THAT A DEFECTIVE DRIVER'S SIDE AIRBAG COULD RUPTURE AND CAUSE SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH IN MY 2009 MERCEDES-BENZ C350. AFTER CONTACTING THE MANUFACTURER, I WAS TOLD THAT THE REPLACEMENT PARTS ARE UNAVAILABLE AND THAT THE WAIT FOR RECALL REPAIRS WILL BE CONSIDERABLE. MEANWHILE I'M LEFT DRIVING A CAR THAT CAN SERIOUSLY INJURE OR KILL ME IN THE EVENT OF AN AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT. I TOLD THE MANUFACTURER'S REPRESENTATIVE THAT THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE AND ASKED REPEATEDLY FOR EITHER A LOANER CAR WHILE WAITING FOR PARTS, OR FOR MERCEDES TO BUY BACK MY CAR. IN NO UNCERTAIN TERMS I WAS TOLD THAT NO SUCH ACTION IS POSSIBLE. WHY SHOULD I PUT MY LIFE IN DANGER FOR AN UNSPECIFIED LENGTH OF TIME FOR A DEFECT THAT MERCEDES IS RESPONSIBLE? ALL AFFECTED OWNERS SHOULD BE OFFERED NO-CHARGE LOANERS, REIMBURSEMENT FOR RENTAL CARS OR A BUY-BACK OF THEIR VEHICLES.

CAR WAS PARKED IN A PARKING LOT. I WAS 120 MILES FROM HOME WHEN THE ENGINE WOULD NOT START -- EVEN THOUGH THE BATTERY, LIGHTS, STEREO, GAUGES, ETC. ALL WORKED FINE. STILL, THE ENGINE WOULDN'T EVEN CRANK, HAD CAR TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MERCEDES REPAIR FACILITY (IT WAS A SUNDAY AND THE LOCAL MERCEDES SERVICE DEPARTMENT WAS NOT OPEN). THE ELECTRONIC IGNITION SWITCH (EIS) AND OTHER PARTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF $1526.94. MONTHS LATER I VISITED THE NHTSA WEBSITE AND LEARNED THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS MODEL OF MERCEDES AND THAT THE MANUFACTURER IS REFUSING TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR. WITH A PROBLEM THIS WIDESPREAD -- WHICH CAN OCCUR MULTIPLE TIMES DURING THE LIFE OF THE CAR -- MERCEDES SHOULD FOOT THE BILL. I WOULD HAVE COMPLAINED EARLIER BUT ONLY NOW LEARNED THAT MANY OTHER OWNERS ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME DEFECT. MY CAR HAD ONLY 37,110 MILES AT THE TIME. I SHOULD BE REIMBURSED MY MERCEDES.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 MERCEDES-BENZ C350. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED WITHOUT WARNING WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL MECHANISM LOCKED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE FAILURE WAS NOT REMEDIED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 68,000.

RECEIVED THE LETTER OF RECALL #15V711 IN DECEMBER 2015, ACCORDING TO WHICH SRS CONTROL UNIT SHALL BE REPLACED BY AUTHORIZED MB DEALER OR MBUSA WITHIN 60 DAYS FREE OF CHARGE, IT'S MARCH 10TH 2016 NOW, NOTHING HAPPENED, MB DIDN'T MAKE THE REPAIR OR EVEN CONTACT ME.

VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. KEY TURNS IN INGNITION BUT DISPLAY INDICATES TO REMOVE KEY. WINDOWS/SUNROOF DID NOT WORK. CALLED AAA TO CHECK BATTERY. BATTERY FULLY CHARGED. TOWED TO MB AUTHORIZED REPAIR SHOP STEERING LOCK MECHANISM $980.00 TO REPLACE

POWER STEERING LEAKS AT 60,000 MILES. DEALER SAYS THEY HAVE TO REPLACE THE POWER STEERING PINION. IT WILL COST $2,500 TO REPAIR.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 MERCEDES BENZ C350. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE KEY FAILED TO START THE VEHICLE AFTER NUMEROUS ATTEMPTS AND THE STEERING COLUMN DID NOT LOCK. IN ADDITION, CERTAIN ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS, SUCH AS THE RADIO, DOOR LOCKS, INTERIOR LIGHTS, AND EXTERIOR LIGHTS DID NOT FUNCTION. THE TAKE KEY OUT OF THE IGNITION INDICATOR ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT ELECTRONIC STEERING CONTROL MODULE MALFUNCTIONED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 113,000. UPDATED 04/07/16*LJ *JS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 MERCEDES BENZ C350. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V711000 (AIR BAGS) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 MERCEDES BENZ C350. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTIFICATION FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V711000 (AIR BAGS) AND STATED THAT THE PART NEEDED WAS UNAVAILABLE TO PERFORM THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE VIN WAS INVALID. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.

CARS SRS LIGHT WENT ON IN RED ON DASH AFTER GASING AND WASHING VEHICLE. TOOK TO NERVEDES DEALER AND TOLD SRS UNIT MALFUNCTIONING $800 ATTACHED DIAGNOSES PAID FOR FIX AND NOW THERE IS RECALL. WILL I BE REIMBURSED FOR THIS SAME ISSUE