NHTSA Complaint #10152690 — 2003 MERCEDES BENZ M CLASS

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT 30 MPH GOING AROUND A CURVE THE STEERING BECAME DIFFICULT AND THEN LOCKED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR INSPECTION AND DETERMINED THERE WAS NHTSA RECALL #03V121000 FOR THE STEERING HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST HOSE, PIPING AND CONNECTIONS. THE HOSE CLAMP ON THE POWER STEERING HOSE WAS REPLACED. UPDATED 5/2/2006 - THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN RECALLED AND REPLACED IN 2003 FOR THE HOSE CLAMPS. *NM CONTACT WAS TOLD BY MERCEDES THAT THIS FAILURE DID NOT INVOLVE THE CLAMP BUT THE HOSE WORE OUT. ALSO, WAS TOLD THAT THE STEERING FAILURE HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THE MECHANIC WHO HAD SERVICED THE VEHICLE 2 DAYS PRIOR. IT WAS JUST SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED, AND THAT THERE ARE NO PROBLEMS WITH THE CURRENT CLAMP/ HOSE IN THE STEERING COLUMN. WHEN THE CONTACT PICKUP THE VEHICLE FROM DEALER NOTICED A CHARGE FOR REPLACING THE STEERING HOSE CLAMP AND LOWER HOSE. THE CONTACT WAS TOLD IT WAS ONLY A BILLING CODE FOR THE WORK DONE BY THE MECHANIC. THE NEW CLAMP WAS ALSO DEFECTIVE. SIMPSON MERCEDES REIMBURSED THE CONTACT WITH $1,950.00 BECAUSE IT WAS FELT THIS SHOULD NOT HAV EHAPPENED. CONTACT UNEASY ABOUT THE STEERING IN THE VEHICLE. *AK