2010 MERCEDES-BENZ E350 Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2010 MERCEDES BENZ E350. WHILE PROCEEDING THROUGH A GREEN LIGHT, A SNOW PLOW SPED THROUGH A RED LIGHT AND CRASHED INTO THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE OF THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOT AND THE MANUFACTURER DIAGNOSED THAT THE CRASH WAS NOT SEVERE ENOUGH FOR THE AIR BAGS TO DEPLOY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 59,956. UPDATED 03/26/15*LJ UPDATED 06/22/2015 *JS

I PURCHASED A CERTIFIED PRE- OWNED MERCEDES-BENZ E 350 2010 ON DECEMBER 4, 2013, FROM VALLEY MOTORS MERCEDES-BENZ DEALERSHIP AT 9800 YORK ROAD, COCKEYSVILLE, MD 21030. THE DRIVER'S HEADREST HAS EXPLODED THREE TIMES, 2 DAYS AFTER A 30,000 MILE SERVICE. ON THE SECOND EXPLOSION AN ODOR WAS EMITTED AND THE SRS FAILURE MESSAGES FOR BOTH RIGHT AND LEFT HEADRESTS APPEARED ON THE DASH.THE MB SALISBURY DEALER REPLACED THE HEADREST ON THE FIRST SERVICE ATTEMPT. THE SECOND ATTEMPT THEY GUTTED THE CAR AND FOUND A FOREIGN INTRUSION AND THE WIRING HAD TO BE REPLACED AT $9000. MY OPTIONS WOULD BE TO REPAIR IT AT MY COST, GO THROUGH MY INSURANCE, OR SEEK HELP THROUGH MBUSA OR THE DEALER WHERE I PURCHASED THE CAR. SALISBURY MB TOLD ME IN THE MB RECORDS THAT THE HEADREST WAS PREVIOUSLY REPLACED IN OCTOBER 2013 AT VALLEY MOTORS. I WAS UNAWARE OF ANY REPLACED HEADREST IN THE SERVICE RECORDS AND CAR FAX THAT I RECEIVED WHEN I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE AND DOUBLE CHECKED MY PAPERWORK. MY RECORDS WAS A CAR FAX THAT SHOWED VEHICLE RECORDS TO 7/2/ 2013, THE CPO INSPECTION REPORT DONE ON 09/05/13, AND AN INVOICE FOR WORK DONE ON 9/9/13 AT VALLEY MOTORS. NO SERVICE RECORDS FOR THE HEADREST REPAIR AND WHY IT WAS DONE.I CALLED THE SALESPERSON, SHADY SAMY, AT VALLEY MOTORS ( 10/3/14) AND HE ALSO TOLD ME THE HEADREST WAS REPLACED BEFORE I PURCHASED THE CAR AT VALLEY MOTORS.HE SAID I HAVE BUMPER TO BUMPER COVERAGE AND TO CALL CUSTOMER CARE AT MB. MB WILL NOT COVER THIS. VALLEY MOTORS HAVE DECIDED TO DO NOTHING TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THEY SAID I DID THIS TO THE CAR. I DID NOT. I HAVE ASKED SEVERAL PEOPLE INCLUDING THE SALESPERSON WHY WAS THE HEADREST REPLACED AT VALLEY MOTORS BEFORE I PURCHASED IT. THEY DO NOT ANSWER. THEY DID NOT FIND THIS WHEN THEY REPLACED THE HEADREST AND NOW DO NOT WANT TO REPAIR A DEFECT THAT WAS THERE WHEN I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE. I AM FORCED TO DRIVE AN UNSAFE VEHICLE. *TR

I WAS DRIVING ON THE TURNPIKE AND THANK GOD NO OTHER CARS WERE NEXT TO ME. SOMETIMES WHEN I GO OVER 50 THE CAR TENDS TO PULL IN ANOTHER DIRECTION. I TOOK IT TO GET SERVICE A WEEK AFTER I BOUGHT IT AND GOT MY CAR BACK 6MONTHS LATER. THAN THE ACCIDENT HAPPENED. THEY JUST REPLACED COMPUTER CHIP THEY SAID. THE CAR HAS NEVER DRIVEN RIGHT SINCE I BOUGHT IT. SO WHEN THE CAR DECIDED TO PULL TO THE LEFT I WAS PULLING WITH ALL MY STRENGTH TO JUST KEEP THE WHEEL STRAIGHT BUT I HAD NO CONTROL AND SPUN AROUND 5 TIMES N LANDED BACKWARDS ON THE TURNPIKE FACING ON COMING TRAFFIC. I'M SO UPSET THAT I NEVER GOT TO ENJOY THE VEHICLE IT STILL PULLS AND THE DEALERSHIP ALWAYS SAYS ITS FINE. THE CAR RATTLES. ONE DAY I WAS DRIVING N THE SEAT I WAS SITTING ON BLEW UP FOR NO REASON. THEY REPLACE ONLY THE INSIDE PARTS AND NEVER THE STITCHING ON THE SEAT SO I HAVE A RIPPED SEAT FOR SOMETHING THAT WAS NOT MY FAULT . THIS CALL IS DEF A LEMON OR SHOULD BE RECALLED. *TR

ANOTHER CAR MADE AN ILLEGAL U-TURN AND CAUSED ME TO T-BONE ON HIS PASSENGER SIDE. FRONT OF MY CAR HIT HIS PASSENGER SIDE AND DRAGGED HIS CAR FOR ABOUT 10 FEET. AIR BAGS ON MY CAR DID NOT DEPLOY, SAFETY SYSTEM M-BRACE IN CAR FAILED AND DID NOT CALL SOS EITHER. CAR SAFETY SYSTEM DID NOT DETECT THE CRASH AT ALL. MERCEDES BENZ DID NOT DETECT A CRASH....UPDATED 09-10-14 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED SHE RECEIVED SOFT TISSUE INJURIES TO THE NECK, SHOULDERS, AND BACK, BRUISED ELBOW, AND HEADACHES AND LOUD RINGING FOR 10 DAYS CAUSED BY THE CRASH. UPDATED 12/16/2014 *JS

TWICE, RECENTLY WHILE UNDER HARD ACCELERATION OF OVERTAKING OTHER CARS THE FAULT "ESC INOPERATIVE" APPEARED ON THE DASH ALONG WITH THE WARNING LIGHTS. THIS HAPPENED ONCE DURING THE INITIATION OF AN OVERTAKING ON A TWO LANE ROAD WITH ONCOMING TRAFFIC AND ANOTHER TIME AT 75 MPH WHILE OVERTAKING ANOTHER VEHICLE ON A TWO LANE FREEWAY. IN BOTH INSTANCES, VEHICLE WAS UNDER HARD ACCELERATION, AND THE FAILURE APPEARED IMMEDIATELY. AFTER THE FAULT APPEARS, THE CAR IS SIGNIFICANTLY UNDERPOWERED AT ALL SPEEDS AND HAS DIFFICULTY ACHIEVING THE ACCELERATION NEEDED IN SUCH CONDITIONS. AT LOW SPEEDS IT IS EXTREMELY UNDERPOWERED AND HAS DIFFICULTY ACCELERATING AWAY FROM A STOP. THE PROBLEM CAN TEMPORARILY BE RESOLVED BY RESTARTING THE ENGINE. *TR

MOLDS AND MILDEW BUILD UP IN THE AIR CONDITION DUCTS PLACING PEOPLE WHO ARE SUSCEPTIBLE FOR INFECTION (PEOPLE WITH WEAK IMMUNE SYSTEM) AT RISK FOR FATAL INFECTION. THE DEALER STATED THAT THIS IS A KNOWN AND COMMON CONDITION FOR THIS CAR BECAUSE THE AC BOX DOES NOT DRAIN THE CONDENSED WATER. THIS IS BECAUSE THE WAY THE CAR WAS DESIGNED. THE DEALER RECOMMENDED TURNING OFF THE AC FOR 30 SECONDS WHILE KEEPING JUST THE FAN ON EVERY TIME BEFORE TURNING OFF THE CAR TO DRY UP THE CONDENSED WATER ON THE AC COILS, NOT PRACTICAL. THE DEALER HAS A KNOWN SERVICE TO DISINFECT THE AC SYSTEM BUT BECAUSE OF THE CAR DESIGN COULD NOT GUARANTEE THAT THE CONDITION WILL NOT RETURN. THERE IS NO WARNING OR ANY INSTRUCTIONS IN THE MANUAL REGARDING THIS POTENTIALLY FATAL CONDITION FOR SUSCEPTIBLE PEOPLE. *TR

2010 MERCEDES BENZ E350. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. *SMD THE DEALER TESTED THE BATTERY AND SAID IT WAS GOOD, BUT FOUND A PROBLEM WITH THE EVAP BLOWER AND INSTALLED A NEW ENGINE FAN AFTER TWO DAYS OF ANALYSIS. ON MAY 19, 2014, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START, FOR A SECOND TIME, AND AGAIN THE DEALER STATED THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE BATTERY, THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONSUMER, THE CABIN LIGHT WAS LEFT ON CAUSING THE BATTERY TO BE DRAINED. ON MAY 20, 2014, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START RIGHT AWAY, SO HE TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER. HE IS CURRENTLY WAITING FOR ANOTHER ANALYSIS.

THE ENGINE CEASED TO HAVE POWER AND STOPPED ON THE FREEWAY IN COMMUTE TRAFFIC. THE GAS TANK HAD MORE THAN HALF A TANK OF FUEL. THE FUEL TANK IN THIS MODEL IS UNDER THE REAR SEAT. BECAUSE THE DRIVE SHAFT AND DIFFERENTIAL ARE IN THIS AREA THE GAS TANK IS IN TWO SECTIONS BUT CONNECTED. THERE IS A PUMP IN ONE SECTION WHICH TRANSFERS FUEL TO THE OTHER SECTION WHEN THAT SECTION GETS LOW. THE PUMP FAILED AND STOPPED TRANSFERRING FUEL. THE MECHANIC HAD NEVER SEEN THIS PROBLEM. A NEW FUEL PUMP WAS ORDERED FROM MERCEDES IN LOS ANGELES AS THE CAR WAS TOO NEW TO HAVE THE PART LOCALLY. *TR

I BACKED THE CAR OUT OF THE GARAGE AT MY CONDOMINIUM BUILDING IN SARASOTA AND PLACED THE CAR IN PARK TO REMOVE SOMETHING FROM THE WINDSHIELD (I BELIEVED THE CAR WAS IN PARK -- BUT IT COULD HAVE FAILED TO ENGAGE IT OR I POSSIBLY NICKED IT ON MY WAY OUT OF THE CAR). I STARTED TO MOVE OUT OF THE CAR, WHILE MY RIGHT FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKE -- ABOUT 90% OF MY BODY WEIGHT WAS OUT OF THE CAR AND THEN I TOOK MY RIGHT FOOT OFF THE BRAKE. THE CAR STARTED TO MOVE BACKWARDS AND I WAS SANDWICHED BETWEEN THE LEFT FRONT DOOR OF THE CAR AND THE CAR ITSELF -- I DOVE TO THE GROUND TO AVOID BEING HIT BY THE DOOR, INJURING MY LEFT SIDE -- AND THEN I ROLLED ON TO MY BACK TO AVOID THE DOOR AND THEN SAW THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL HEADING FOR BOTH LEGS -- I TUCKED AND DRAGGED MY BODY AWAY -- THE CAR PASSED BY, MISSING MY TWO LEGS BY ONLY AN INCH OR TWO. THE CAR CRASHED IN TO THE FENCE OF MY CONDOMINIUM BUILDING. AFTER TALKING WITH MERCEDES BENZ USA, I LEARNED THAT THE CAR DID NOT HAVE AN AUTOMATIC PARK FEATURE -- BUT IF I HAD PURCHASED A KEYLESS GO FEATURE, THE ELECTRONIC TRANSMISSION WOULD HAVE HAD A FEATURE THAT WOULD HAVE CAUSED THE TRANSMISSION TO GO IN TO PARK AS SOON AS THE STANDING VEHICLE DOOR WAS CRACKED. NO ONE AT MY DEALER AND NO ONE AT MBUSA SERVICE KNEW THAT THIS FEATURE WAS AVAILABLE -- AND THEN ONLY IF THE BUYER HAD PURCHASED KEYLESS GO. THIS FEATURE SHOULD BE ON ALL ELECTRONIC TRANSMISSIONS FROM MB -- AT A MINIMUM, DEALERS AND PROSPECTIVE CUSTOMERS SHOULD HAVE BEEN MADE AWARE OF THIS MISSING SAFETY ITEM AND ITS AVAILABILITY AS AN EXTRA. MBUSA HAS TOLD ME THAT THIS FEATURE CANNOT BE ADDED TO MY CAR -- IT IS ONLY AVAILABLE AT THE PLANT OF MANUFACTURE. *TR

A PINT OF ORANGE JUICE SPILLED ON THE FLOOR OF THE PASSENGER SIDE BACK SEAT. IT WAS CLEANED UP, BUT APPARENTLY SOME OF THE JUICE WAS ABLE TO EVENTUALLY MAKE ITS WAY INTO THE UNPROTECTED ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR LOCATED UNDER THE PASSENGER SEAT FLOOR WELL. THIS CAUSED AN ELECTRICAL SHORT. ACTUAL BURN MARKS IN THE WIRING NEAR THE HARNESS CONNECTOR ARE CLEARLY VISIBLE. FORTUNATELY, THERE WAS NO FIRE, AND THE ONLY INDICATION OF A PROBLEM WAS THAT THE AIR BAG SERVICE LIGHT EVENTUALLY CAME ON. *TR