NHTSA Complaint #10553115 — 2003 MERCEDES BENZ SL CLASS

MY WIFE WAS DRIVING ABOUT 1/2 MILE FROM OUR HOUSE WHEN THE BRAKES COMPLETELY FAILED. SHE WAS ON A BACK ROAD AND HAD TO BRAKE FOR A STOP SIGN. SHE WAS ABLE TO PULL OFF ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, TO AVOID REAR ENDING A CAR STOPPED AT THE STOP SIGN, AND FINALLY BRING THE CAR TO A STOP. THE BRAKES STARTED TO WORK WITH ABOUT 1" OF PEDAL FROM THE FLOOR. SHE SAID IT WAS SO HARD TO PUSH ON THE PEDAL THAT SHE COULD BARELY DO IT. LUCKILY SHE WAS NOT HURT. HAD THIS HAPPENED ON A MAJOR ROAD OR HIGHWAY THE RESULTS COULD HAVE BEEN CATASTROPHIC. APPARENTLY THIS WAS THE FIRST YEAR FOR A NEW BRAKING SYSTEM REFERRED TO A "DRIVE BY WIRE". EURO MOTORCARS IN MD INFORMED ME THAT BECAUSE MERCEDES HAD SO MUCH TROUBLE WITH THIS NEW SYSTEM THAT THEY EXTENDED THE WARRANTY FOR THIS PROBLEM FOR 10 ADDITIONAL YEARS. THE NEW EXTENDED WARRANTY ON THIS BRAKE FAILURE ISSUE WAS FOR COMPLETE PARTS AND LABOR. I WAS NEVER NOTIFIED OF THIS EXTENDED WARRANTY. NO ONE AT THE DEALERSHIP, WHERE I HAVE HAD THE CAR SERVICED EXCLUSIVELY, NOTIFIED ME OF ANY WARRANTY EXTENSION FOR THIS VERY SERIOUS BRAKING FAILURE ISSUE. I FIND THIS REPREHENSIBLE! MY WIFE COULD HAVE KILLED. WHY WAS SUCH A SERIOUS BRAKING ISSUE NOT MADE A RECALL INSTEAD OF "IF YOU HAVE A PROBLEM WARRANTY EXTENSION"? AT THE VERY LEAST MERCEDES SHOULD HAVE RECALLED ALL CARS WITH THIS POTENTIAL BRAKING FAILURE. THE PROBLEM LIES WITH THE SBC HYDRAULIC BRAKING UNIT. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO EURO MOTORCARS WHERE IT WAS REPAIRED. I ASKED THE SERVICE WRITER IF IT COULD BE COVERED UNDER THE EXTENDED WARRANTY AND HE TOLD ME THAT THE EXTENDED WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED THIS PAST FEBRUARY 2013. MERCEDES TOLD ME THE SAME THING. TOUGH LUCK! IN ADDITION TO HELPING RECOVER THIS EXPENSE OF $1593.81 PLEASE EXPLAIN TO ME WHY THIS WAS ALLOWED TO HAPPEN. NO RECALL AND NO NOTIFICATION. SOMEONE COULD HAVE KILLED! *TR