1998 Mercedes Benz SL CLASS problems and owner complaints

HYDRAULIC BRAKE FAILURE, TOTALLY UNEXPECTED. CAR IS A MARCEDES BENZ SL500, 2003. ONLY 8,500 K. ON 6-24-04, MB ISSUED A SAFETY BULLETIN (NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NO. 04V296000)MB HAS NOT NOTIFIED OWNERS LIKE ME. I RUN A 4-WAY STOP SIGN AND A LARGE PICK-UP TRUCK WAS WITHIN 1 OR 2 FEET FROM HITTING ME ON THE DRIVERS' SIDE. IWAS ABLE TO STOP THE CAR ABOUT 50 YARDS AFTER THE STOP SIGN. MESSAGGE --IN RED LETTERS IN THE DASHBOARD-- WICH SAID "REDUCED BRAKE EFFECT. VISIT WORKSHOP".. I WAS NOT INJURED PHYSICALLY, BUT THIS WAS A NEAR DEATH EXPERIENCE. THIS H…

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RECALL CAMPAIGN: RECALL 2004 050014 NOTICE RECEIVED FOR DEFECTIVE SENSOTRONIC BRAKE. *BF THE SERVICE DEALER COMPUTERS DISENGAGED THE CONSUMERS BRAKING SYSTEM, THEREFORE THE VEHICLE WAS INOPERABLE. 2004 MERCEDES BENZ SL500 ROADSTER. *SC *JB

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1R SIGNAL WIRE HAD A BAD CONNECTION CAUSING THE PHONE NOT TO WORK, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TO COME ON, LOW FUEL LIGH TO BLINK, AND THE DOOR LOCKS TO MALFUNCTION.

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THE VEHICLE (2003 MB SLK320) WAS PURCHASED ON 4/14/2004 IN AZ AND BEGAN NOTICING PROBLEMS ON THE DRIVE BACK TO NM. THE MOST SIGNIFICANT SAFETY PROBLEM INVOLVES THE TRANSMISSION, WHICH HAS BEEN SERVICED BY THE MANUFACTURER 8 TIMES WITHOUT RESOLUTION. THE VEHICLE SLIPS IN AND OUT OF GEAR AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. THE VEHICLE HAS SPENT A TOTAL OF OVER 68 DAYS IN THE SHOP FOR UNSATISFACTORY REPAIRS IN A ONE-YEAR PERIOD. TO THIS DATE, THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN UNCOOPERATIVE IN RESOLVING THESE PROBLEMS FORCING ME TO SEEK LEGAL SERVICES.*AK

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SOMETHING CALLED AN ABC PUMP AND BLOCK HAS FAILED AND CAR DROPS DOWN ON FRAME. SPENT $3200 ON THE PUMP TO DRIVE 2 MONTHS BEFORE THEY WANT $3800 TO REPAIR THE VALVE BLOCK. BOTH TIMES THE VEHICLE DROPS AND IS DANGEROUS TO DRIVE. THIS IS IN ADDITION TO A BAFFLE COMING LOOSE IN THE GAS TANK THAT HAS METAL BASHING METAL INSIDE THE GAS CELL. *TR

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DURING VEHICLE COLLISION SEAT BELTS DID NOT RESTRAIN PROPERLY (BETTER HARNESS CONTROL) AND NO DEPLOYMENT OF AIR BAGS. MJS

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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MERCEDES SL600. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE PRECEDING VEHICLE STOPPED ABRUBPTLY. THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL; HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE DID NOT SLOW DOWN OR STOP. THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE, AND THE FRONT AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. HE SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES TO HIS FACE. THE VEHICLE SUSTAINED $14,000 WORTH OF DAMAGE TO THE FRONT END. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 34,581 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 34,592. UPDATED 12/10/08 *CN

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TRUNK LOCK FAILED. *YC

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MY 1996 MERCEDES SL600 FAILED EMISSIONS TESTING BECAUSE THE OBDII SYSTEM CHECK REPORTED 5 MONITORS WERE "NOT READY". AFTER GREAT EXPENSE ATTEMPTING TO FIX THE PROBLEMS INDICATED BY THIS OUTPUT, I DISCOVERED THROUGH INTERNET SEARCHES AND COMMUNICATIONS WITH ILLINOIS EPA THAT THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH EARLY 1996 V12 EQUIPPED AUTOMOBILES (I WAS TOLD THAT MY CAR WAS MANUFACTURED IN NOVEMBER 1995). ON THESE EARLY 1996 CARS, THE GENERIC OBDII PORT DOES NOT ACCURATELY REPORT THE STATUS OF THE ENGINE SYSTEM MONITORS. THE PROPRIETARY MERCEDES PORT…

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WHILE DRIVING AT 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED. THE DRIVER TRIED TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. THE DRIVER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR ANALYSIS. THE MECHANIC REPLACED GASKET AND OTHER PARTS.

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PURCHASED 1998 MERCEDES BENZ SL 600 FROM MBZ SAN FRANCISCO DEALERSHIP ON 4/22/09. IMMEDIATELY REPORTED EXCESSIVE AND DANGEROUS BOUNCING OF FRONT END. REPORTED DEFECT DEALER TOOK NO ACTION. TOOK CAR TO MBZ OF OAKLAND WHERE THEY DIAGNOSED BAD FRONT SUSPENSION PRESSURE CELLS WHICH CLEARLY EXISTED AT TIME OF SALE. OAKLAND MBZ COMPED DIAGNOSTIC. HAVE MADE SEVERAL ATTEMPTS TO HAVE SF MBZ CORRECT PROBLEM, BUT THEY WANT ME TO PAY FOR THE WORK AND HAVE IGNORED MY LETTERS. *TR

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2005 MERCEDEZ BENZ C230 SPORT TYPE HAS A LOW FRONT END. IN FLORIDA WHEN YOU PARK IN A PUBLIC PARKING LOT THE FRONT OF THE CAR IS AGAINST A CONCRETE TIRE STOP. YOU ARE GOING OUT FOR THE EVENING WITH ANOTHER COUPLE YOU DROP OFF THE 3 PEOPLE AT THE DOOR AND PARK AGAINST THE CONCRETE PIECE STOP. AFTER YOU LEAVE AND ALL FOUR PEOPLE GET INTO THE CAR THE WEIGHT OF FOUR PEOPLE WILL LOWER THE CAR SO THE FRONT END DRAGS OVER THE CONCRETE STOP AND YOU BACK UP AND SHEAR OFF THE FRONT END. CAUSING DAMAGE IN THE TUNE OF $$$$ *JB

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PURCHASED NEW MICHELIN SPORT TIRES DOT GUDL 275/35 ZR 18 ON11/3/2010 AND FOUND OUT THAT THE MANUFACTURING DATE WAS 1107. THESE TIRES WERE OVER 3 YEARS OLD AND SHOULD HAVE NOT BEEN SOLD AS NEW. THE TIRE DEALER ACCEPTED MY COMPLAINT AND REPLACED THEM WITH 0909 TIRES. THE OLD ONES WERE BEING RETURNED TO THE DISTRIBUTOR BUT I HAVE NO WAY OF KNOWING IF THEY ARE GOING TO BE RESOLD OR DESTROYED. SHOULDN'T THERE BE GUIDELINES MAKING SURE 3 YR OLD TIRES ARE DESTROYED AND NOT SOLD AS NEW? *TR

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THE VEHICLE (2003 MB SLK320) WAS PURCHASED ON 4/14/2004 IN AZ AND BEGAN NOTICING PROBLEMS ON THE DRIVE BACK TO NM. THE MOST SIGNIFICANT SAFETY PROBLEM INVOLVES THE TRANSMISSION, WHICH HAS BEEN SERVICED BY THE MANUFACTURER 8 TIMES WITHOUT RESOLUTION. THE VEHICLE SLIPS IN AND OUT OF GEAR AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. THE VEHICLE HAS SPENT A TOTAL OF OVER 68 DAYS IN THE SHOP FOR UNSATISFACTORY REPAIRS IN A ONE-YEAR PERIOD. TO THIS DATE, THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN UNCOOPERATIVE IN RESOLVING THESE PROBLEMS FORCING ME TO SEEK LEGAL SERVICES.*AK

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2003 MERCEDES BENZ SLK 320 EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS WITH HESITATION WHEN THE ACCELERATOR IS DEPRESSED.*MR ON ONE OCCASIONS WHEN THE CONSUMER ATTEMPTED TO APPLY THE GAS THE VEHICLE DID NOT MOVE FOR A FEW SECONDS AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THE VEHICLE LURCHED FORWARD AND THE CONSUMER HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE THERE WAS ALSO A RATTLE IN THE EXHAUST. *JB

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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MERCEDES SL600. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, THE PRECEDING VEHICLE STOPPED ABRUBPTLY. THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL; HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE DID NOT SLOW DOWN OR STOP. THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE, AND THE FRONT AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. HE SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES TO HIS FACE. THE VEHICLE SUSTAINED $14,000 WORTH OF DAMAGE TO THE FRONT END. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 34,581 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 34,592. UPDATED 12/10/08 *CN

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