2016 MERCEDES-BENZ GLE300D Complaints

WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT THE VEHICLE HEADLIGHTS ARE VERY DIM. ON A DESERTED ROAD SUCH AS THE ROAD THROUGH DENALI NATIONAL PARK VISIBILITY IS APPROXIMATELY 40 TO 50 FT. AT NIGHT. ALSO BECAUSE OF THE NATURE I IF THE BEAM SEEING MORE THAN 15FT. IN FOG OR SNOW IS EXTREMELY IMPEDED. THE BEAM CREATES A HALO STARTING AT 15FT. FROM VEHICLE THAT REFLECTS IN THE FOG AND CREATES AN OPTICAL ILLUSION.

SINCE THE TIME I PURCHASED THIS CAR, THE BRAKES HAVE REPEATEDLY MADE LOUD SQUEALING NOISES. MERCEDES HAS REPEATEDLY EXAMINED THE CAR AND TOLD US IT IS FINE AND NOT DANGEROUS. THEY HAVE NEVER FIXED THE NOISE. HOWEVER, MORE RECENTLY IN DECEMBER 2019, THE CAR DEVELOPED A STRONG FUEL ORDER IN BOTH THE CABIN AND OUTSIDE THE VEHICLE. WE BROUGHT IT TO A MECHANIC WHO SAID IT WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE CLAMP AND THE FUEL LINE. HE CALLED THE LOCAL MERCEDES DEALER WHO TOLD HIM TO ADJUST THE CLAMP. THAT HAS NOT FIXED THE PROBLEM. THE SMELL IS VERY STRONG, AND I AM SCARED TO DRIVE THIS VEHICLE. FROM ONLINE SEARCHES, I HAVE FOUND OTHER PEOPLE SEEM TO BE EXPERIENCING THE SAME TYPE OF PROBLEM WITH MERCEDES CARS.

THE REAR COLLISION ALERT SYSTEM HAS A DESIGN FLAW. THE SOUND ADJUSTED BY TECHNICIAN TO 100% IS BARELY AUDIBLE BY THE DRIVER, AND TYPICALLY AT OR AFTER IMPACT. IT IS ALSO NOT LINKED TO THE CAR DASH SOUND SYSTEM, SO THE RADIIO DOES NOT SHUT OFF ITS VOLUME. IN THIS INSTANCE, THE AUDIBLE ALARM IS INAUDIBLE. I HAVE HAD TWO ACCIDENTS WITH THE VEHICLE WHILE IT IS IN MOTION. THE DEALER DOES NOT ARGUE WITH MY ASSESSMENT, BUT SAYS THE SYSTEM IS FUNCTIONING AS DESIGNED. ATTACHED IS MY MERCEDES SERVICE RECORD DATED 10-23-2018 EXPECTING THE PROBLEM TO BE CORRECTED BY DEALER PROGRAMABLE TECHNOLOGY. I ADVISED THE SERVICE MANAGER THAT HE MIGHT WANT TO DISCUSS THIS WITH MERCEDES BEFORE I FILED THIS REPORT. HE DECLINED. THIS IS NOT A SAFE CONDITION AND COULD RESULT IN SERIOUS INJURY OR DAMAGE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 MERCEDES-BENZ GLE300D. WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH, THE ENGINE BEGAN MAKING A LOUD NOISE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION MOUNTS FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO MERCEDES-BENZ OF EL DORADO HILLS (1000 MERCEDES LN, EL DORADO HILLS, CA (888) 773-3154) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION MOUNTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE FAILURE WAS COMMON WITH MERCEDES-BENZ VEHICLES; HOWEVER, THERE WAS NO EXTENDED WARRANTY. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 35,000.

AFTER STOPPING, WHEN THE CAR TRANSMISSION IS IN DRIVE MODE. IF THE DRIVER PRESSES THE KEYLESS IGNITION BUTTON TO OFF, THE CAR TRANSMISSION SWITCHES TO NEUTRAL MODE. THIS CAUSES ROLLOVER RISK. IF THE DRIVER DOES NOT SEE THAT THE CAR IS IN NEUTRAL, THE CAR CAN ROLL AND CAUSE COLLISION AND RISK TO PEOPLE AROUND. THE CAR SHOULD EITHER STAY IN DRIVE MODE OR SWITCH TO PARK MODE WHEN THE OFF BUTTON IS SWITCHED WHEN THE CAR IS IN DRIVE MODE.

THE LEFT SIDE EXTERIOR MIRRORS DO NOT PIVOT OUT FAR ENOUGH TO ALLOW THE DRIVER TO SEE THE BLIND SPOT BESIDE THE REAR SECTION OF THE VEHICLE IF THE DRIVER HAS HIS SEAT MOVED IN THE REAR-MOST POSITIONS. THIS HAS CAUSE SEVERAL NEAR-HIT SITUATIONS WITH ME WHEN MERGING INTO TRAFFIC. EVEN THOUGH A VEHICLE WAS PRESENT IN THE BLIND SPOT NOTHING WAS VISIBLE IN ANY OF THE MIRRORS NOR WAS THERE ANY INDICATION FROM THE BLIND SPOT MONITOR. THE MIRROR NEEDS TO PIVOT ABOUT 10 DEGREES FARTHER TO ALLOW THE DRIVER VISIBILITY OF THE BLIND SPOT OR THE MIRROR NEEDS TO BE CONVEX TO INCREASE THE FIELD OF VIEW OF THE MIRROR.