NHTSA Complaint #10535616 — 1999 MERCEDES BENZ C230

THE RIGHT SUSPENSION APRON RUSTED, SNAPPED UPWARD, AND THE SPRING FELL OUT THE BOTTOM OF THE CAR. IT IS NOT DRIVABLE BECAUSE THE RIGHT FRONT OF THE CAR IS ALMOST ON THE GROUND. I BROUGHT THE CAR TO THE DEALER, AND ASKED THEM TO INVESTIGATE WHY THIS HAPPENED. THEY SAID THAT THERE IS DANGER OF THE OTHER SPRING ALSO FALLING OUT. THE DEALER BELIEVES THAT THE APRON FAILED DUE TO THE AGE OF THE CAR AND THE MILEAGE ON THE VEHICLE. THEY STATED THAT IT WAS NOT THEIR RESPONSIBILITY TO FIX THE VEHICLE, AND THEY DID NOT BELIEVE IT WAS A SAFETY ISSUE. I, HOWEVER, DISAGREE. THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE COMPLAINING ON-LINE OF THE SAME SUSPENSION PROBLEM WITH THE E-CLASS FROM 1994 TO 1999 AND THE C-CLASS FROM 1998 TO 2000, THE YEARS WHEN THIS PARTICULAR SUSPENSION DESIGN WAS USED. MERCEDES NO LONGER USES THIS SUSPENSION DESIGN ON NEWER VEHICLES. I BELIEVE THAT THIS IS A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF THE SUSPENSION DUE TO IT POOR DESIGN, AND THAT THE PUBLIC NEEDS TO BE AWARE OF THIS SIGNIFICANT SAFETY PROBLEM. I BELIEVE THAT MERCEDES SHOULD TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS PROBLEM. THERE ARE CARS ON THE ROAD THAT ARE MUCH OLDER, WITH MUCH HIGHER MILEAGE, THAT HAVE INTACT SUSPENSIONS. LUCKILY, MY CAR WAS NOT RUNNING AT THE TIME. IF I HAD BEEN ON THE ROAD, ESPECIALLY ON THE HIGHWAY, LIVES COULD HAVE BEEN LOST. I COULD JUST QUIETLY REPAIR THE VEHICLE. HOWEVER, I FEEL IT IS MY DUTY TO REPORT WHAT I BELIEVE IS A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY PROBLEM FOR THE YEARS THIS SUSPENSION DESIGN WAS USED. I HAVE PICTURES OF THE DAMAGED PARTS/SUSPENSION IF YOU NEED TO SEE THEM.