NHTSA Complaint #10369383 — 2002 MERCEDES BENZ SLK

2002 MERCEDES SLK320 FAILS TO ACCELERATE RANDOMLY AND AT CRITICAL MOMENTS. GAS PEDAL CAN BE PUSHED ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR BUT THE CAR REMAINS AT IDOL SO THE CAR DOESN'T HAVE ENOUGH POWER TO GET OUT OF THE WAY OF ONCOMING TRAFFIC. NO WARNING OR CHECK ENGINE DIAGNOSTICS ARE GENERATED. POWER IS SLOW TO RECOVER BUT LEAVES THE CAR LIMPING ALONG AT IDOL UNTIL IT RESPONDS AGAIN. SEVERAL OWNERS HAVE SAID THAT THEY HAD TO REPLACE THE PEDAL POSITION SENSOR OR THE ENTIRE GAS PEDAL ASSEMBLY TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. THIS CAN COST $100 TO $400 EACH TIME THE PROBLEM HAPPENS. THE UNPLANNED OPERATIONAL FLAW CAN CAUSE AN ACCIDENT WHEN THE CAR RANDOMLY WILL NOT ACCELERATE. I PERSONALLY HAVE HAD SEVERAL NEAR MISSES WHEN MERGING OR TURNING IN TO TRAFFIC ONLY TO FIND MYSELF LIMPING IN FRONT OF A LARGE SUV BEARING DOWN ON ME. THERE IS A 5 SECOND OR MORE LAG UNTIL THE CAR STARTS TO RESPOND AGAIN. RESPONSE DOESN'T COME ON RIGHT AWAY BUT SLOWLY RAMPS UP TO THE NEEDED SPEED. *TR