NHTSA Complaint #10725603 — 2003 MERCEDES BENZ E320

VEHICLE ENGINE SUDDENLY AND WITHOUT WARNING STOPPED RUNNING WHILE BEING DRIVEN. THIS COULD HAVE CAUSED A SERIOUS OR FATAL ACCIDENT IF IT HAD OCCURRED ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY. MERCEDES BENZ OF WEST CHESTER REPLACED THE CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR. THE OCCURRENCE WAS STORED IN VEHICLE ELECTRONICS. THE FAULT WAS AN ELECTRICAL SHORT IN THE CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR. MERCEDES DETERMINED THE CRANKSHAFT SENSOR GETS HOT WHEN ENGINE RUNNING AND CAUSES INTERNAL RESISTANCE TO RISE TO THE POINT OF SHORTING OUT. MERCEDES BENZ STATED THAT A FAILURE OF THIS PART SHOULD NOT HAVE SHUT THE VEHICLE OFF COMPLETELY BUT RATHER SHOULD HAVE RESULTED IN THE VEHICLE NOT BEING ABLE TO BE RESTARTED ONCE IT WAS STOPPED IN ORDINARY OPERATION. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS!