NHTSA Complaint #10542684 — 2007 MERCEDES BENZ C230

I PURCHASED MY 2007 C230 NEW FROM THE DEALERSHIP. MY CAR HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING TRANSMISSION ISSUES OF THE CAR NOT DOWN SHIFTING INTO THE NEXT GEAR AND THE CAR'S SPEED DECLINING WHILE DRIVING. THIS HAS HAPPENED DRIVING ON SURFACE STREETS AT 20MPH AND ON THE FREEWAY GOING 65MPH. I'VE EVEN ATTEMPTED TO TAKE IT OUT OF AUTOMATIC DRIVE AND INTO MANUAL SHIFT AND THE CAR WILL NOT RESPOND. THE ONLY WAY TO "REBOOT" IT IS IF I PULL OVER AND TURN THE VEHICLE OFF AND RESTART IT AFTER A FEW MINUTES. THIS IS A MAJOR MECHANICAL/MANUFACTURER DEFECT AS MY VEHICLE HAS BEEN WELL MAINTAINED AND ONLY HAS 40,000 MILES!!! TO HAVE TO PULL OVER ON A MAJOR INTERSTATE IS NOT SAFE BY ANY MEANS. WHEN TAKING IT TO THE DEALERSHIP THEY INSPECTED IT AND DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS A TRANSMISSION VALVE FAILURE THAT WILL NEED REPLACEMENT AT A COST OF $1300. FOR A VEHICLE THAT ONLY HAS 40,000 MILES, WELL MAINTAINED WITH REGULAR SERVICE THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE. I PURCHASED A MERCEDES BASED ON THEIR RELIABILITY AND WHEN CONTACTING CORPORATE FOR REVIEW IN THE MATTER THEY SAID THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO OFFER ME A 10% DISCOUNT. I DO NOT HAVE A PROBLEM PAYING FOR REGULAR UP KEEP AND IF OTHER ITEMS NEED TO BE UPDATED/REPLACED TO KEEP THE CAR IN GOOD CONDITION BUT TO HAVE TRANSMISSION ISSUES AT 40,000 MILES IS ABSOLUTELY UNACCEPTABLE AND IS A MANUFACTURE DEFECT THAT NEEDS REVIEW AND RECALL. *TR