NHTSA Complaint #10093127 — 2003 MERCEDES BENZ E320

PURCHASED 2003 MERCEDES E-320 ON 1/10/04 FROM LEITH MERCEDES IN RALEIGH, NC, TWO HOURS FROM MY HOME. WHEN I PICKED UP THE CAR, THE TELE-AID DID NOT WORK - MODULE REPLACED - OLD PART NOT AVAILABLE; ADJUSTING MOTOR FOR OUTSIDE MIRROR DID NOT WORK - MOTOR REPLACED - OLD PART NOT AVAILABLE. IN MAY, 2004, DASH MESSAGE SAID CONTACT DEALER. CONTACTED DEALER WHO SENT FLATBED FOR CAR. HAD CAR FOR 3 WEEKS. NO EXPLANATION OF FAILURE. FINALLY ARRANGED A RENTAL CAR FOR ME. CAR IS CURRENTLY AT DEALER FOR A/C FAILURE (DROVE 1,400 MILES WITH NO A/C!) LEAKY TRUNK (PART OF THAT TRIP WAS IN THE RAIN, AND MY LUGGAGE AND OTHER ITEMS IN THE TRUNK GOT WET) "GROANING NOISE" IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT, WHISTLING SUNROOF( WHICH HAS ALREADY BEEN REPLACED BECAUSE OF WHISTLING - OLD PART NOT AVAILABLE) WHISTLING FAN;AMBIENT LIGHTING AND WINDSHIELD WIPERS COME ON AT WILL; REAR OVERHEAD LIGHT DOES NOT WORK; CLOCK LOSES TIME. THIS TIME, UNDER DURESS, THEY ARRANGED A LOANER VEHICLE FOR ME. HAVE HAD ONE CALL FROM DEALER SINCE CAR WAS BROUGHT IN ON 9/12/04 TO CLARIFY AN ITEM ON MY LIST. THEY "DID NOT KNOW" WHEN MY CAR WOULD BE READY. TODAY IS 9/22 AND I HAVE NOT HEARD FROM THEM. WHEN I ASKED DEALER ABOUT BRAKE RECALL, THEY SAID THEY HAD NO KNOWLEDGE OF IT, EVEN THOUGH IT WAS ON THE FRONT PAGE OF USA TODAY. I HAVE ASKED FOR A FREE EXTENDED WARRANTY AS THE CAR HAD 5,000 MILES ON IT WHEN PURCHASED - (IT NOW HAS 18,000+ - SO MY WARRANTY IS FOR 1 YEAR OR 50,000). THEY WILL "GET BACK TO ME" ON IT. SO FAR, I HAVE NOT HEARD A WORD. I TRAVEL ALOT ALONE, AND THE CAR IS MAKING ME UNEASY. MY HUSBAND REFUSES TO DRIVE IT. I BELIEVE THE CAR IS A LEMON! ALSO, WHEN I ARRANGED TO PURCHASE THE VEHICLE, THEY TOLD ME THE CAR WOULD BE A NEW ONE, THEN CALLED ME TO TELL ME IT WAS, IN FACT, A "DEMO" MODEL. IT LOOKS AS IF THEY WERE TRYING TO UNLOAD IT AND I BOUGHT IT! *AK