NHTSA Complaint #10923832 — 2009 MERCEDES BENZ C300

ON 21 OCT 16 I WENT OUT OF TOWN AND SHOPPING AT A LOCAL MALL WHILE THERE. I CAME OUT OF THE MALL AND THE CAR WOULD NOT START. I COULD READ THE TIME, SEE THE MILEAGE, AND TEMPERATURE ON THE GAUGE; HOWEVER, THE CAR REFUSED TO START. AAA CAME AND THOUGHT IT WAS THE BATTERY BUT THAT WAS NOT THE CASE. AFTER 3 HOURS OF SITTING IN A PARKING LOT IN ATLANTA A TOW TRUCK ARRIVED. THE CAR WOULD NOT GO INTO NEUTRAL SO I HAD TO WAIT ANOTHER 2 HOURS FOR ANOTHER TYPE OF TRUCK. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED IT AS STEERING LOCK ISSUE. I ASKED THAT THE CAR BE TOWED TO A LOCAL MERCEDES BENZ DEALERSHIP AND HAVE A DIAGNOSTIC COMPLETED AGAIN. MERCEDES BENZ OF MARIETTA "CLAIMED" TO HAVE DONE A DIAGNOSTIC BUT FOUND NOTHING. I ASKED FOR A COPY OF THE DIAGNOSTIC MERCEDES BENZ OF MARIETTA HAD RUN AND THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO ASSIST. SEE ATTACHED EMAIL. TO-DATE, MERCEDES BENZ HAS BEEN NONRESPONSIVE TO THE STEERING LOCK ISSUE WITH THIS YEAR/MODEL CAR; DESPITE KNOWLEDGE THIS ISSUE HAS BEEN GOING ON REPEATEDLY. MARTY, AT MY LOCAL MERCEDES BENZ DEALERSHIP STATES THEY HAVE TO REPLACE A STEERING LOCK AT LEAST ONCE A MONTH WITH REPAIR COST RANGING FROM $1200-$1700 PER CAR. THIS WILL BE MY FIRST AND LAST MERCEDES AND BECAUSE OF THEIR POOR CUSTOMER SERVICE AND LACK OF RESPONSIVENESS TO THIS ISSUE I COULD NOT EVEN REFER FRIENDS/FAMILY TO THEM.