NHTSA Complaint #10638360 — 2001 MERCEDES BENZ SLK320

THERE IS A DEADLY ISSUE WITH THE 2001 SLK320 AND SIMILAR MODELS/YEARS, IN REGARDS TO THE LATERAL SPEED SENSOR AND THE YAW SENSOR. WHEN THESE SENSORS GO FAULTY, THEY ENGAGE THE BRAKES ON THE CAR WHILE THE CAR IS IN MOTION. THE LATERAL SPEED SENSOR TRIGGERS THE BRAKES WHILE DRIVING STRAIGHT FORWARD, AND THE YAW SENSOR TRIGGERS THE BRAKES WHEN MAKING A RIGHT OR LEFT TURN. THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS, AS THE CAR IS STOPPED WHILE IT IS IN MOTION, REGARDLESS OF SPEED. THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ME OVER A HANDFUL OF TIMES FROM DECEMBER 2013 WHEN I PURCHASED THE CAR, UP UNTIL YESTERDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2014. THIS IS ALSO A KNOWN ISSUE ACROSS MERCEDES CAR FORUMS, SO IT IS EXTREMELY UNSETTLING THAT THE ISSUE HAS NOT BEEN ADDRESSED. IN REGARDS TO MY EXPERIENCE: WHILE DRIVING STRAIGHT, THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE BRAKE IS SPORADICALLY ENGAGED DUE TO THE LATERAL SPEED SENSOR. THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ME AT VARIOUS SPEED LIMITS, AND IT IS VERY SCARY AS THERE IS NO WARNING. WHEN THE BRAKE ENGAGES, THE CAR SKIDS TO THE RIGHT AS A RESULT OF THE BRAKE LOCKING. THE FIRST TIME THIS HAPPENED TO ME I WAS ON A BUSY HIGHWAY IN THE RAIN AND ALMOST SKIDDED INTO OTHER CARS. YESTERDAY, THE BRAKES ENGAGING ALMOST CAUSED ME TO DRIVE UP A CURB AND INTO A FENCE. THIS HAS EVEN OCCURRED WHILE I HAVE BEEN DRIVING UP TO 60MPH, WHICH IS INCREDIBLY DANGEROUS. AS PREVIOUSLY STATED, THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF OTHER DRIVERS THAT HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS SAME SAFETY ISSUE. THE LATERAL SPEED SENSOR COSTS SEVERAL HUNDRED DOLLARS TO REPLACE, WHILE THE YAW SENSOR COSTS ALMOST $1,000 TO REPLACE. CONSUMERS SHOULD NOT HAVE TO COME OUT OF POCKET TO PAY FOR A POORLY PRODUCED PRODUCT, BUT WITH THE ISSUE BEING POTENTIALLY FATAL, OWNERS HAVE HAD NO CHOICE. I ADAMANTLY BELIEVE THAT MERCEDES NEEDS TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE, AND RECALL THESE SENSORS. LIVES ARE LITERALLY AT STAKE. *TR