NHTSA Complaint #10621381 — 2006 MERCEDES BENZ ML350

WHILE TRAVELING IN THE CENTER LANE ON A MAJOR PARKWAY AT THE POSTED SPEED LIMIT, OUR 2006 MERCEDES-BENZ ML350 EXPERIENCED A COMPLETE ENGINE FAILURE. THE CAR WOULD NOT ACCELERATE; STEERING WAS COMPROMISED, AS WAS BRAKING. BRAKING AND STEERING WERE VERY DIFFICULT, BUT POSSIBLE ALLOWING THE CAR TO BE GUIDED TO THE SHOULDER. ALL FOUR FAMILY MEMBERS WERE PRESENT INCLUDING OUR TWO YOUNG SONS. AFTER BEING TOWED TO A LOCAL AUTHORIZED DEALER REPAIR SHOP, 4 DAYS AFTER THE INCIDENT...THE PROBLEM WAS REPORTED AS ?ENGINE JUMPED TIME? AND THE REPAIR DEPARTMENT WOULD HAVE TO ?REMOVE ENGINE AND TEAR DOWN TO FIND CAUSE OF FAILURE?MOST LIKELY NEEDS ENGINE ASSEMBLY?. AS THAT THE QUOTED PRICE OF THE DIAGNOSTICS AND REPAIR EXCEEDS THE CURRENT VALUE OF THE CAR BY SEVERAL THOUSAND DOLLARS, THE CAR WAS RETURNED WITHOUT FURTHER DIAGNOSTICS OR REPAIRS. AT NO TIME IN THE PAST 4 YEARS HAS THERE BEEN A ?CHECK ENGINE? LIGHT NOR WERE THERE ANY INDICATORS OF ANY SERIOUS MECHANICAL ISSUES AS PER THE CAR?S ONBOARD COMPUTER REPORTING SYSTEM OR IN GENERAL DAILY OPERATIONS. AGAIN, IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE, THAT THERE WERE NO INDICATOR LIGHTS OR WARNINGS PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. IT IS ALSO IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT IN JANUARY OF 2010, THE SAME AUTHORIZED DEALER REPAIR DEPARTMENT MENTIONED ABOVE CONDUCTED THE FOLLOWING REPAIRS: ?REMOVED ENGINE, REPLACED BALANCE SHAFT, REPLACED OIL PUMP, REPLACED CAM SOLENOIDS, REPLACED GASKETS?? IN RESPONSE TO A PERSISTENT ?CHECK ENGINE? LIGHT. OUR RECORDS INDICATE THAT THE 2010 ?CHECK ENGINE LIGHT? OCCURRED AT 55,395 MILES. THIS RECENT FAILURE HAS OCCURRED, MINUS THE ?CHECK ENGINE LIGHT? OR ANY OTHER INDICATORS, AT 99,424 MILES. OUR RESEARCH INDICATES THAT THIS MAY BE A KNOWN ISSUE WITH THIS PARTICULAR ENGINE. *TR