2004 MERCEDES-BENZ SL500 Complaints

ACTIVE BODY CONTROL FAILURE ON MERCEDES BENZ SL (MODEL R230) CAUSES THE CAR TO LOWER ALL OF A SUDDEN, LOSS OF CONTROL AND STEERING LOCKING. CAR'S ABC SUSPENSION IS PRESSURIZED, AND IT HAS A HISTORY OF FAILURES. DOCUMENTED ON NHTSA SITE. THE ABC HOSE HAS A RECALL ALREADY, BUT THE ABC PUMP ITSELF CAN GO BAD ANYTIME WITHOUT WARNING. THERE ARE MANY DOCUMENTED CASES, WHICH I HAVE FROM OTHER MERCEDES OWNERS. MINE OCCURRED TRAVELING 35 MPH IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA IN A NEIGHBORHOOD ROAD, AND LUCKILY I PULLED OVER BUT NOTICED MY CAR'S REAR WAS DROPPED 4 INCHES NEARLY TOUCHING THE GROUND. SOME SL OWNERS HAVE BEEN DRIVING AT HIGHWAYS SPEEDS AND SUDDENLY ABC MALFUNCTIONS CAUSING SERIOUS DAMAGE AND POTENTIALLY DEADLY RESULTS IF IMMEDIATE PRECAUTION IS NOT TAKEN. MERCEDES BENZ USA AND IT'S DEALERS ARE WELL AWARE OF ABC ISSUES EFFECTING THEIR LINE OF MODELS INCLUDING: SL, S CLASS, AND CL CLASS. NO RECALLS ON THE ABC PUMP HAS BEEN ISSUED, BUT THE DEALERS POLITELY TELL OWNERS IT'S A KNOWN ISSUE AND IT WILL COSTS $5000.00 TO FIX. THAT'S UNACCEPTABLE. I BEG THE NHTSA TO INVESTIGATE AND IF NEED BE, I CAN GATHER MORE DATA AND FACTS FROM OWNERS AND TESTIMONIALS FOR DEALER SERVICE ADVISORS WHO KNOW OF THIS ISSUE. *TR

ADDENDUM INFO TO ORIGINAL COMPLAINT #10308437 SHOWS THAT MB SERVICE ADVISOR J. STEACH ADVISED M .B. NOT RESPONSIBLE AS DRIVER SHOULD "MISS" POTHOLES. ENGINEERING ANALYSIS SHOWS THAT IT IS NOT POSSIBLE FOR DRIVER TO STEER AROUND POTHOLES. AT 70MPH MB SL500 TRAVELS 103 FT/SEC AND IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO OBSERVE THE POTHOLE HAZARD AND CATEGORIZE AS SAFETY RISK AT SPEEDS OF 70MPH(103FT/SEC) REACT PHYSIOLOGICALLY AND ACTUATE STEERING SYSTEM -ALL IN LESS THAN ONE SECOND-ONE HALF SECOND EACH FOR HUMAN RESPONSE AND SAME FOR MECHANICAL ACTUATION-INSUFFICIENT TIME TO AVOID POT HOLE HIT. DARK OR LOW LIGHT CONDITIONS RENDER POTHOLE MISS IMPOSSIBLE. IN ANY CASE, THE IMPROPERLY ENGINEERED SOFT LOW STRENGTH ALLOY WHEEL DESIGN LEADS ANY PRUDENT VEHICLE DRIVER INTO A CRASH TRAP. WHEEL,TIRE, SUSPENSION DAMAGE EVIDENT-NEEDS CORRECTED IMMEDIATELY AT EXPENSE OF MERCEDEZ-BENZ.. WIFE WHIPLASH DUE TO SEVERE ABRUPT UNANTICIPATED FORCES IN BRINGING VEHICLE TO SAFE STOP. I HAVE NECK SORENESS AND AGGRAVATION OF PREVIOUS NECK INJURY LIKELY. *TR

MY MERCEDES BENZ SL 500 2004 CAME WITH CAR NEW ALLOY WHEELS ARE IMPROPERLY DESIGNED AND ENGINEERED TO MEET MINIMUM SAFETY REQUIREMENTS. RECENTLY AT NEAR SPEED LIMIT HIT A 2-3" POT HOLE IN ROAD. SOFT METAL ALLOY RF WHEEL BENT, "Z" RATED MICHELAN TIRE BLEW, FOLLOW-ON CONTROL PROBLEM PLACEDWIFE AND ME IN SERIOUS RISK OF ROLL-OVER AND WORSE BEFORE MY MB SL500 COULD BE BROUGHT TO SAFE STOP. RIGHT REAR ALLOY WHEEL ALSO SIMILAR FAILURE RECENTLY. THIS MB FAILURE WILL KILL MANY LESS SKILLED DRIVERS. NEEDS CORRECTED ASAP. THIS CAR UNSAFE TO DRIVE AT HIGH SPEED OR OUT OF TOWN REMOTE AREAS. OLD PART AVAILABLE. SATISFACTORY SAFETY FIX NOT KNOWN TO ME. TORRANCE CA. MB DEALER REFUSED CORRECTION. THIS CAR IS A DEATH TRAP!! *TR

THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FAILED TO UPSHIFT BEYOND THIRD GEAR WHILE DRIVING DOWN HIGHWAY. COULD ONLY GO 30MPH AS REVS HIGH. HAD TO TAKE VEHICLE TO DEALER TO REPAIR TRANSMISSION. ONLY 39,000 MILES ON CAR. NOT ABUSED. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MERCEDES BENZ SL500. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH, THE BRAKES FAILED. THE CONTACT DROVE THE VEHICLE UP A HILL IN ORDER TO STOP AND THEN PULLED INTO HIS DRIVEWAY. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 3,200.