NHTSA Complaint #10759272 — 2009 MERCEDES BENZ ML63

WHILE MY WIFE WAS DRIVING OUR 2009 MERCEDES BENZ ML63, AT APPROX 65 MPH, ON THE 101 LOOP IN SCOTTSDALE AZ, SHE EXPERIENCED COMPLETE ENGINE FAILURE. THE ENGINE COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN ON HER. SHE LUCKILY WAS ABLE TO COAST OVER TWO LANES TO HER RIGHT TO AN EXIT RAMP. THE CAR CAME TO REST AT THE BOTTOM OF THE RAMP W/ NO ENGINE POWER WHATSOEVER. MY WIFE WAS PETRIFIED. THE CAR WAS TOWED FIRST TO AAA AND THEN TO SCHUMACHER EUROPEAN, LTD (A MERCEDES-BENZ DEALERSHIP) IN PHOENIX, AZ. ACCORDING TO SCHUMACHER EUROPEAN, LTD THE CAUSE OF THE ENGINE FAILURE WAS A BLOWN HEAD GASKET DUE TO BROKEN HEAD BOLTS. THE REPAIR ESTIMATE WE RECEIVED FROM SCHUMACHER WAS BETWEEN $6,000 - $25,000 DEPENDING ON THE AMOUNT OF DAMAGE DONE TO THE ENGINE. MERCEDES-BENZ USA HAS HAD A KNOWN ISSUE W/ DEFECTIVE HEAD BOLTS. THEY ISSUED TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETINS BACK IN 2011 ADDRESSING THE ISSUE. ALSO IN 2011 A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT WAS BROUGHT AGAINST MERCEDES-BENZ USA CLAIMING THEY WERE AWARE OF FAULTY ENGINE DEFECTS, AND WERE DOING NOTHING ABOUT THEM TO PROTECT CONSUMERS. MY WIFE & I WERE COMPLETELY UNAWARE THAT OUR SUV HAD AN ISSUE W/ DEFECTIVE HEAD BOLTS. AND WHEN THESE DEFECTIVE HEAD BOLTS BREAK, NOT ONLY CAN THEY CAUSE CATASTROPHIC ENGINE DAMAGE BUT THEY CAN CAUSE A MAJOR PUBLIC SAFETY PROBLEM. WE THOUGHT WE OWNED A SAFE CAR. BUT THE TRUTH IS OUR SAFETY, AS WELL AS THE SAFETY OF OUR DAUGHTER (NOW 5 YRS OLD), HAS BEEN IN JEOPARDY SINCE WE STARTED DRIVING THIS SUV. HOW MANY OTHER MERCEDES-BENZ DRIVERS ARE DRIVING AROUND THIS COUNTRY IN CARS & SUV'S THEY THINK ARE SAFE BUT ACTUALLY HAVE DEFECTIVE ENGINES THAT CAN FAIL AT ANY TIME? ALSO TO NOTE: MERCEDES-BENZ USA HAS AN F RATING AT THE BBB.