NHTSA Complaint #10454147 — 2000 MERCEDES BENZ ML320

THE BATTERY FAILED AND REQUIRED REPLACEMENT. A "GROUP 49" BATTERY IS SPECIFIED BY THE BATTERY MANUFACTURER'S CATALOG. A GROUP 49 BATTERY WAS PURCHASED, BUT DID NOT FIT. RESEARCH INDICATES THAT THE SUBJECT BATTERY WAS ACTUALLY A GROUP 93 BATTERY, WHICH IS APPROXIMATELY 1/2 INCH SHORTER. RESEARCH ALSO INDICATES THAT SEVERAL MANUFACTURERS ARE NO LONGER MAKING GROUP 49 BATTERIES BUT ARE EITHER RECOMMENDING GROUP 93 BATTERIES AS THE REPLACEMENT OR, AS I FOUND, APPLYING GROUP 49 LABELS TO THE GROUP 93 BATTERY. IN MY CAR INSTALLING A GROUP 93 BATTERY IS UNSAFE, FOR TWO REASONS. FIRST, THE BATTERY HOLD-DOWN STRAP IS A NON-ADJUSTABLE, SNAP-FIT TYPE INSTALLATION THAT WILL NOT FUNCTION WITH THE LOWER BATTERY HEIGHT. SECOND, THE POSITIVE BATTERY TERMINAL MUST CONNECT TO TWO HEAVY CABLES (MAIN POWER AND ACCESSORY POWER CABLES) WHICH MUST BE FORCED DOWN TO INSTALL ON THE REPOSITIONED (LOWERED) POSITIVE BATTERY POST. FORCING THE CABLES DOWN CAUSES THEM TO RIDE HARD ON NEARBY INSTALLATIONS AND MAY CAUSE FAILURE OF THE INSULATION WHICH COULD LEAD TO A SHOCK HAZARD OR FIRE. THE INITIAL INFORMATION ON THE TRANSITION FROM GROUP 49 TO GROUP 93 BATTERIES CAME FROM THE AAA REPRESENTATIVE WHO ATTEMPTED TO ASSIST ME WITH THE FAILED BATTERY. THE MIS-LABELED BATTERY WAS PURCHASED AT O'REILLY AUTO PARTS ON BEACH BOULEVARD IN WESTMINSTER, CALIFORNIA. *TR