NHTSA Complaint #10182491 — 2001 MERCEDES BENZ C320

AT 55,178 MILES (ONLY 5,000 OVER WARRANTY) I HAD TO HAVE MY FAULTY ELECTRONIC IGNITION SYSTEM REPLACED. DURING THIS REPAIR AT AN AUTHORIZED DEALERSHIP, THE TECHNICIANS BLEW OUT THE REAR SAM (COMPUTER CONTROLLING DIRECTIONAL SIGNALS, HAZARD LIGHTS, ETC), WHILE THE CAR WAS IN THEIR SHOP. THEY ATTEMPTED TO MAKE ME BELIEVE THAT THE REAR SAM FAILURE WAS AN UNDERLYING FAILURE THAT THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO DETECT WITH THE FIRST INSPECTION. HOWEVER, THIS REAR SAM FAILURE WAS NEVER DISCLOSED TO ME UNTIL AFTER THEY HAD INSTALLED THE ELECTRONIC IGNITION SYSTEM, APPROXIMATELY ONE WEEK LATER. IN OTHER WORDS, THE INITIAL INSPECTION WAS 100% ABOUT THE FAULTY ELECTRONIC IGNITION SYSTEM. IRONICALLY, THE IGNITION DID TURN ON DURING THE INITIAL INSPECTION AND I WAS THERE TO OBSERVE THE SERVICE MANAGER SCROLL THROUGH THE DISPLAY, FIND MY MILEAGE, ETC. THERE WAS NO INDICATION OF REAR SAM FAILURE ON 9/19/06, IE, VISIT WORKSHOP ON DISPLAY. NO MATTER WHAT THE CIRCUMSTANCES, HAVING ELECTRONIC ISSUES OF SUCH A MAGNITUDE (BOTH IGNITION AND REAR SAM) ON A CAR THAT HAD ONLY 55,000 MILES ON IT, INDICATES THAT MERCEDES BENZ HAS TREMENDOUS ELECTRONICS PROBLEMS. FURTHERMORE, WHILE I WAS WILLING TO PAY FOR THE ELECTRONIC IGNITION PROBLEM THAT I CAME TO THE DEALERSHIP TO FIX, I EXPECTED THE DEALERSHIP TO TAKE CARE OF THE REAR SAM FAILURE THEY CAUSED. THEY WOULD NOT OFFER TO TAKE CARE OF THIS PROBLEM. I HAVE SINCE LEARNED THAT THEY COULD HAVE AVAILED THEMSELVES OF M-B'S GOOD WILL REPLACEMENT PARTS PROGRAM FOR THE PART AND THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN OUT VERY LITTLE TIME AND MONEY. THE DEALERSHIP SUBSEQUENTLY SAID THEY DID OFFER TO TAKE CARE OF THE PROBLEM, WHICH IS A LIE! I HAVE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH BOTH THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS AND WITH MY CREDIT CARD CUSTOMER SERVICE DEPARTMENT TO SEEK REDRESS FOR THE DEALERSHIPS HANDLING OF THIS MATTER. THE CA DEPARTMENT OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS RECOMMENDED THAT I FILE A COMPLAINT WITH THE NHTS. *NM