NHTSA Complaint #10467188 — 1990 MERCEDES BENZ 560

2001 MERCEDES BENZ S600 - OIL LEAK AND CAR FIRE - THAT IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THIS CAR. DOES THERE HAVE TO BE A DEATH OR INJURY BEFORE MERCEDES IS HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR THE PROBLEM. JUST BECAUSE THERE ARE NOT AS MANY OF THESE CARS ON THE ROAD, IS THAT THE REASON THERE HAS NOT BEEN A RECALL? I WAS SITTING IN THE CAR WHILE PARKED, WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING, PICKING UP MY GRANDSON FROM SCHOOL. WITHIN MINUTES I NOTICED WHITE SMOKE AROUND THE CAR. I THOUGHT IT WAS EXHAUST FROM THE CAR EITHER IN FRONT OR IN BACK OF ME, AS THEY WERE BOTH WAITING FOR CHILDREN, MOTORS IDLEING AS MINE WAS. SUDDENLY, MY CAR WAS COMPLETELY ENGULFED IN SMOKE AND I COULD SMELL SOMETHING AND THOUGHT IT WAS COMMING FROM MY CAR AND THAT I SHOULD GET OUT AND SEE FOR SURE WHERE IT WAS COMMING FROM. AT THAT MOMENT, BEFORE I COULD EXIT THE CAR, FLAMES SHOT OUT OF THE DRIVER SIDE OF THE HOOD OF MY CAR. STILL SITTING IN THE DRIVERS SEAT, THEY SHOT UP HIGHER THAN I COULD SEE. I FLEW OUT OF THE CAR AND RAN FAR FROM IT, AS THE GAS TANK WAS FULL AND I FEARED AN EXPLOSION. UPON EXITING THE CAR, THE FLAMES CONTINUED TO SOAR, ABOUT 13 TO 15 FEET INTO THE AIR AND FLAMES WERE ALSO SHOOTING DOWN, UNDERNEATH THE CAR AND ON TO THE PAVEMENT. PEOPLE HAD IMMEDIATLY CALLED 911 AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED WITHIN A FEW MINUTES AND PUT OUT THE FLAMES. THEY THEN TOOK A HUGE SAW AND CUT THE HOOD OPEN, FROM ONE SIDE TO THE OTHER. THE ENGINE WAS A MASS OF MOLTEN METAL. THE CAR WAS TOTALED. IF I HAD BEEN ON THE FREEWAY AND ALL OF THE FLAMEW HAD BEEN SWEPT BACK AND UNDER THE CAR TOWARDS THE GAS TANK OR FUEL LINES, I MAY NOT HAVE BEEN SO LUCKY. AFTER MY INCIDENT, I SEARCHED THE INTERNET AND FOUND NUMEROUS POSTS, PICTURES AND VIDEOS OF S600 CAR FIRES AS A RESULT OF OIL LEAKS!!! *TR