NHTSA Complaint #10239926 — 2001 MERCEDES BENZ 600

1. THIS PROBLEM STARTED IMMEDIATELY AFTER I PURCHASED THE AUTO. SOMETHING IN THE FRONT PART OF THE AUTO MAKES A THROBBING NOISE. IT CAUSES EITHER THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL OR THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL TO LOSE ITS BALANCE. THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN ALL THE TIME. IN A ONE HOUR TRIP, IT WILL HAPPEN AT LEAST ONCE AND FOR A PERIOD OF FROM 5 MINUTES TO 20 MINUTES. 2. ONE OF THE FRONT WHEELS OR BOTH LOSE THEIR BALANCE. IT FEELS AS IF THE SOME OF THE LUGS HOLDING THE WHEEL ARE LOSE. I WAS STOPPED ONCE BY THE POLICE BECAUSE THE POLICE THOUGHT IT WAS DANGEROUS. I WAS ON MY WAY TO THE AUTO DEALER. IT OCCURS WHEN I CHANGE LANES AND GO OVER THE LANE MARKERS. THE WHEELS START VIBRATING. IT CAUSES EITHER THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL OR THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL TO LOSE ITS BALANCE. THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN ALL THE TIME. IN A ONE HOUR TRIP, IT WILL HAPPEN AT LEAST ONCE AND FOR A PERIOD OF FROM 5 MINUTES TO 20 MINUTES. THE CONSEQUENCE IS THAT THE PROBLEM CAUSES THE FRONT TIRES TO BE EATEN UP FROM JUST THE SIDE AND NEED TO BE REPLACED EVERY 5,000 MILES. ALSO THE RIMS BECOME BENT AND I HAVE TO REPLACE THE RIM AT MY EXPENSE EVEN THOUGH MY AUTO WAS UNDER ORIGINAL WARRANTY. I HAVE LEARNT SINCE FROM THE DEALER THAT THERE IS A COMPUTER THAT HAS SOFTWARE THAT BALANCES THE TIRES, THAT THE SOFTWARE WAS MADE FOR GERMANY WHERE THERE ARE NO LANE MARKERS, AND SO HERE IN THE USA, THE LANE MARKERS TRIGGER THE SOFTWARE. HOWEVER, THE SOFTWARE CANNOT KEEP UP, BECAUSE THE SOFTWARE WAS NOT WRITTEN FOR SUCH A HAPPENING ( GOING OVER LANE MARKERS ), SO WHEN IT HAPPENS, THE COMPUTER GOES BESERK, AND THE TIRES LOSE COMPLETE BALANCE. DEALER INFORMED ME THAT THE PROBLEM WAS CORRECTED ON FUTURES YEARS OF S600. MY 2001 S600 WAS THE FIRST YEAR MAKE. 3. *TR