2003 MERCEDES-BENZ G500 Complaints

I PURCHASED THIS CAR IN NOVEMBER OF 2012 AS THE 2ND OWNER. IT ONLY HAD 60,000 MILES ON IT AND SEEMED LIKE A GREAT CAR. ONE DAY I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY APPROXIMATELY 65MPH, WHEN I HAD TO BRAKE SLIGHTLY AND THE BRAKE PEDAL FELT KINDA MUSHY AND MY BRAKING WAS SLOWER THAN NORMAL. NEXT THING I SAW WAS MY DASHBOARD HAD A RED MESSAGE ON IT (BRAKE REDUCED BRAKING EFFORT) AHHHHHH I WAS FREAKED OUT AND GOT OFF THE FREEWAY AND PULLED INTO A GAS STATION. I CALLED A TOW TRUCK (I WAS AFRAID MY BRAKES WERE NOT GOING TO WORK AND I DIDN'T WANT TO PUT MY YOUNG SON OR ANYONE ELSE IN DANGER. THE BENZ DEALERSHIP DID A FULL INSPECTION AND FOUND THAT THE SBC (SENSOTRONIC BRAKE CONTROL SYSTEM) NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE ALSO STATED THAT MB HAD A RECALL ON THIS PARTICULAR PART, HOWEVER THAT I MISSED THE THE FRAME TO GET IT REPLACED. I CALLED THE MB CORPORATION AND SPOKE TO SEVERAL SERVICE REPS AND THEY ALL TOLD ME I SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN IT REPLACED WITHIN THE RECALL TIME FRAME OF 10 YEARS. I EXPLAINED HOW COULD I HAVE KNOWN THIS WHEN I PURCHASED THE CAR AND I WOULD LIKE FOR MB TO REPLACE MY SBC UNIT OR AT LEAST GIVE ME A DISCOUNT. ANYWAY, AFTER 3 MONTHS OF CALLING AND RECEIVING NO ASSISTANCE, I GAVE UP. I DO NOT THINK THIS IS A WAY TO RUN A BUSINESS, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT A MAJOR SAFETY CONCERN. THEY KNOW THAT THIS SBC UNIT CAN AND DOES DEFAULT TO BASIC HYDRAULIC MODE, WHICH MAKES BRAKING SLOW AND UNSAFE. NEEDLESS TO SAY THE CAR IS USELESS TO ME AND HAS SAT IN MY DRIVEWAY AS THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM GOES OFF AND ON AS I AM DRIVING. I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER MERCEDES BENZ, I BOUGHT IT FOR THE SAFETY OF MY FAMILY AND NOW I SEE HOW MUCH THEY STAND BEHIND THEIR PRODUCTS...I WILL ALSO NEVER PURCHASE ANOTHER CAR AGAIN WITHOUT CHECKING THIS SITE FOR RECALLS.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED ONE OF CONTACT'S CLIENTS SUFFERED 3RD DEGREE BURNS ON THE CALF OF THE LEG WHILE EXITING THE VEHICLE FROM A STAINLESS STEEL PORTION OF THE RUNNING BOARD. THE RUNNING BOARD WAS VERY HOT FROM THE SUN SHINING INSIDE THE VEHICLE RESULTING IN THE CLIENT'S LEG BEING BURNED. THE DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED.

WHILE DRIVING, THE STEERING WHEEL STARTED SHAKING UNCONTROLLABLY. THE CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND DROVE IT TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THE STEERING RACK PINION SHAFT NEEDED REPLACEMENT. THE CONSUMER INFORMED THE MECHANIC THAT THE THIS PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED MORE THAN ONCE AND HAS NOT BEEN RESOLVED. PLEASE FILL IN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *JB

I HAVE 2003 MERCEDES BENZ G 500. WHEN I AM DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AND I HIT A BUMP IN THE WHOLE ROAD THE WHOLE STEERING UNIT IN THE TRUCK SHAKES AND ALMOST LOST CONTROL BECAUSE OF IT. THIS HAS HAPPENED A FEW TIMES AND THE PROBLEM IS DOCUMENTED BY OTHER OWNDERS AT WWW.BENZWORLD.ORG HTTP://WWW.BENZWORLD.ORG/FORUMS/FORUMS/THREAD-VIEW.ASP?TID=1124269&POSTS=16&FID=30&NP=1128200. *AK

ESP BRAKING SYSTEM ON THE 2003 G500 GOING DOWN HILL AROUND CURVES PAST 40 MPH IS A SERIOUS DRIVING HAZARD. AUTOMATIC BRAKING ON THE LEFT TIRE TURNING TO THE RIGHT CAN THROW YOU INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC. ESP NEEDS TO BE ADJUSTED. *JB