NHTSA Complaint #10416667 — 2006 MERCEDES BENZ C230

I WAS INVOLVED IN AN AUTO ACCIDENT (REAR-ENDED) ON DEC 21ST 2010. THE COLLISION RESULTED IN MY VEHICLE BEING PUSHED IN TO ANOTHER VEHICLE (TRUCK) IN FONT OF ME. THE RESULTING CRASH PRODUCED DAMAGES TO THE FRONT AND REAR OF THE CAR TOTALING 15K. I NOTICED THAT MY DASHBOARD WAS LIT UP WITH WARNING SIGNALS AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AT THE SEEN OF THE COLLISION. THE REAR LIGHT WAS EXPLAINABLE AS THE LIGHT WAS KNOCKED OUT IN THE CRASH. THE ENGINE LIGHT HOWEVER WAS A BIT OF A MYSTERY. I TOOK THE CAR IN FOR REPAIRS THREE DAYS LATER AFTER CONSULTING WITH THE DRIVER AT FAULTS' INSURANCE COMPANY. THE REPAIR COMPANY NOTED THE LIGHT ALSO. I COULD ARRIVE AT NO OTHER CONCLUSION BUT THAT THE COLLISION WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR MY ENGINE LIGHT SUDDENLY COMING ON. THE INSURANCE COMPANY ARGUES THAT THE COLLISION HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THAT PARTICULAR LIGHT COMING ON. THE MATTER IS BEING DEALT WITH IN COURT. IN THE MEANTIME, I DID SOME RESEARCH AND RAN ACROSS HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS ON LINE, BY MERCEDES BENZ DRIVERS, COMPLAINING OF A CAM SHAFT PROBLEM THAT IS IDENTIFIED BY AN ENGINE LIGHT INITIALLY. IT APPEARS THAT A PART WAS DEFECTIVE YET NO RECALL HAS BEEN ISSUED BY MERCEDES. I'VE REACHED OUT TO MERCEDES BENZ OF AMERICA. AFTER SEVERAL CALLS RESPONDING TO MY INQUIRY, THEY STOPPED INFORMING ME OF ANY FURTHER FINDINGS. THIS AFTER PROMISING TO APPRISE ME OF THE STATUS OF MY COMPLAINT. MY ISSUE IS TWO FOLD. HOW MUCH EVIDENCE IS NECESSARY BEFORE IT IS CLEAR THAT THIS PRODUCT AND THE SERIES OF CARS THAT ARE IMPACTED BY IT, WARRANTS A RECALL? SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE ABOUT THIS WIDE-SPREAD ISSUE? I MUST TELL YOU THAT AS A CONSUMER, IT IS NO MYSTERY WHAT MOST HAVE LOST TRUST IN GOVERNMENTS ABILITY TO SERVE AND PROTECT IT'S CITIZENS IN THESE MATTERS. I FOR ONE AM DISAPPOINTED IN THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE PROCESS. I INITIALLY CONTACTED THIS OFFICE EIGHT MONTHS AGO AND HAVE HEARD NOTHING. REGARDS,[XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) *KB