NHTSA Complaint #10243988 — 2003 MERCEDES BENZ E500
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION issue reported to NHTSA
Complaint Details
| ODI Number | 10243988 |
| Vehicle | 2003 MERCEDES BENZ E500 |
| Component | POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION |
| Date of Incident | |
| Date Filed | |
| Mileage | 40,000 miles |
| Crash | No |
| Fire | No |
| Injuries | 0 |
| Deaths | 0 |
| Vehicle Towed | No |
| State | GA |
Consumer Description
I HAVE A MERCEDES-BENZ 2003 E500 THAT HAS A DEFECTIVE VALEO RADIATOR THAT CAUSED GLYCOL CONTAMINATION LEAKAGE INTO THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FLUID. MY UN-DRIVABLE CAR NOW HAS TRANSMISSION FAILURE BECAUSE OF POWER LOSS WHILE TRAVELING AT HIGH SPEEDS. INABILITY TO ACCELERATE OR KEEP UP THE MINIMUM SPEED OF THE POSTED HIGHWAY SIGNS IS COMMON. I ASKED MBUSA ABOUT THE PROBLEM AND INITIALLY THEY REFUSED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROBLEM EXISTED. AFTER FINDING TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN P-B-27.55/50F DATED MARCH 24, 2006 THEY ACKNOWLEDGED THE DEFECT BUT DENIED ANY ASSISTANCE TO ME, LEAVING IT UP TO A LOCAL DEALER TO HANDLE THE MATTER. THE LOCAL DEALER WOULD NOT ASSIST ME EXCEPT PERFORMING THE $200 GLYCOL BULLETIN TEST AND DESCRIBED THE COST FOR REPAIRS. MY CAR GLYCOL CONTAMINATION TEST RESULT COMPARED TO THE CHART WAS DEEP PURPLE AS A RESULT OF THE GLYCOL AND TRANSMISSION FLUID CONTAMINATION LEVEL BEING ABOVE 400 MG/LITER WHICH IS THE WORST CASE SCENARIO OF RUSTED TRANSMISSION AND SHOWING GLYCOL CONTAMINATION STARTED MONTHS EARLIER TO THE NOTICEABLE PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR. ALSO THE BULLETIN OUTLINES TEST KITS SOLD TO DEALERSHIPS IN PACKS OF 30'S. THE BULLETIN ALSO SAYS THAT THE PROBLEM IS NOT INTERMITTENT AND CAN BE REPRODUCED AT ALL TIMES. THIS PROBLEM IS WIDE SPREAD AND NEEDS TO BE A RECALL DUE TO POWER LOSS WHILE DRIVING. *TR
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