NHTSA Complaint #10583902 — 2001 MERCEDES BENZ E320

WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED TO SLOW DOWN THE CAR WATER FROM A CUP IN THE CUPHOLDER DIRECTLY ABOVE THE CENTER CONSOLE WHERE THE GEAR SHIFTER IS LOCATED SPILLED AND SEEPED DOWN INTO AN ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT BOARD THAT WAS LOCATED BENEATH THE CUP HOLDER. THE CAR CAME TO AN ABRUPT STOP AND WAS INOPERABLE. THE CIRCUIT BOARD SHORT CIRCUITED. THIS WAS THE SECOND TIME THIS OCCURRED WHERE LIQUID WAS SPILLED AND SEEPED INTO THE CIRCUIT BOARD. I SUSPECT THAT THE LOCATION OF THE CIRCUIT WOULD BE THE SAME FOR SEVERAL MODEL YEARS AND IS A DESIGN FLAW IN THAT IT MAKES NO SENSE TO LOCATE A CIRCUIT BOARD IN A PLACE WHERE LIQUID IS LIKELY TO BE SPILLED AND CAN CAUSE A SHORT CIRCUIT THAT RENDERS THE VEHICLE INOPERABLE. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AS IT LEFT THE CAR INOPERABLE IN THE MIDDLE OF A 3 LANE HIGHWAY. THE DRIVER AND PASSENGERS WERE EXPOSED TO THE POSSIBILITY OF THE CAR BEING STRUCK BY ANOTHER VEHICLE ON THE HIGHWAY OR STRUCK BY A VEHICLE TRYING TO LEAVE THE VEHICLE AND SEEK SAFETY ON THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY. *TR