NHTSA Complaint #10558099 — 2003 MERCEDES-BENZ AMG E55

TOOK MY CAR INTO DEALERSHIP TO GET CHECKED FOR A KNOWN ISSUE IN WHICH THE RADIATOR WOULD MIX THE ENGINE COOLANT WITH TRANSMISSION FLUID. DEALER CONFIRMED I HAD THE FAULTY RADIATOR AND THAT THE TRANSMISSION FLUID HAD GLYCOL IN IT. I WAS TOLD THEY CAN NOT COVER THE REPAIRS NOR REPLACE THE PARTS AND THAT I WOULD HAVE TO PAY ALL COSTS EVEN THOUGH IT'S A KNOWN ISSUE. SO I DECIDED TO FLUSH THE FLUID OUT AND INSTALL A SEPARATE COOLER TO AVOID FLUID FROM GOING THROUGH RADIATOR IN HOPES I COULD SAVE THE TRANSMISSION FROM BEING DAMAGED BY THE CONTAMINATED FLUID SINCE I DID NOT HAVE THE FUNDS TO REPLACE THE COMPONENTS. I WAS DRIVING ON A BUSY EXPRESSWAY ALONG WITH FOUR OTHER COWORKERS WHEN MY CAR'S ENGINE OVER REVVED AND THE CAR BEGAN TO LOSE MOMENTUM. NEARLY GETTING REAR ENDED BY VEHICLES BEHIND ME, I GOT OUT OF THE LANE AND MERGED ONTO THE SHOULDER. THINKING THE CAR MAY OF HAD SOME ELECTRIC FAULT IN THE TRANSMISSION WHICH MIGHT OF CAUSED THE ISSUE, I BEGAN TO CAUTIOUSLY DRIVE THE CAR BACK TO WORK WHEN IT DID THE SAME THING AGAIN. NEXT DAY I WAS TAKING VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP WHEN IT COMPLETELY STOPPED MOVING. THE ENGINE WOULD RUN PROPERLY, BUT WHEN PLACED IN DRIVE OR REVERSE, THE CAR WOULD NOT MOVE. TOLD DEALERSHIP MY ISSUE AND WAS TOLD THAT THE TRANSMISSION WENT OUT. THEY WOULD NOT COVER THE COSTS EVEN THOUGH IT WAS CAUSED BY EQUIPMENT FAILURE, SO I PAID ALL THE COST OUT OF POCKET IN ORDER TO GET VEHICLE BACK UP AND RUNNING SINCE IT IS MY ONLY CAR. AFTER TALKING WITH SERVICE MANAGER AT DEALER AND THEIR TECH'S, THEY HAVE KNOWN ABOUT THE ISSUE SPECIFICALLY WITH MY VEHICLES YEAR AND THAT IT IS NOT A RECALL NOR SOMETHING THE DEALER CAN COVER. THIS ISSUE NEARLY CAUSED ME TO HAVE AN ACCIDENT THREE TIMES AND IT IS AN ISSUE THAT THE DEALER MUST TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR AND COVER AT NO COST TO OWNER SINCE THEY HAVE KNOWN ABOUT THE ISSUE. *TR