NHTSA Complaint #11046668 — 2006 MERCEDES BENZ ML350

WHILE DRIVING AT MOST ANY SPEED,TRANSMISSION PERIODICALLY GOES INTO NO GEAR OR A SINGLE GEAR (LOW OR A HIGHER GEAR) AND 'LIMP MODE' WITHOUT WARNING....SOMETIMES A "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT. VERY SCARY ESPECIALLY IN TRAFFIC ON THE FREEWAY. BOUGHT THE VEHICLE EARLIER THIS YEAR WITH 60,000 MILES ON IT...I AM 72 AND WIFE IS 71...SHE IS AFRAID TO DRIVE IT BECAUSE OF THE UNCERTAINTY OF THE DRIVE TRAIN. I FINALLY TOOK IT TO MERCEDES BENZ AS THE WOULD NOT SELL MY MY INDEPENDENT MECHANIC THE PARTS TO REPAIR PROBLEM. MERCEDES SAYS THAT I NEED TO HAVE THE 722.9 TRANSMISSION VALVE BODY REPLACED AT $3,000 PERIOD. I HAVE READ OF A MYRIAD OF SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITH OTHER OWNERS OF CARS WITH THIS TYPE OF TRANSMISSION....EVEN CLASS ACTION SUITS. I BELIEVE THAT THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS CONDITION THAT MUST BE RESOLVED AND REPAIRED BY THE MANUFACTURER. I EVEN CALLED MERCEDES BENZ OF NORTH AMERICA AND THEIR REPRESENTATIVE SAID HE KNEW OF NO PROBLEMS WITH THIS MODEL OF TRANSMISSION. I ALSO READ THAT THEY ARE NOT CHANGING ANY PARTS....JUST REPROGRAMMING THE TRANSMISSION TO NOT GO INTO LIMP MODE AND NOT ACTIVATING THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT.....HOW CAN I INSURE THAT MY VEHICLE WILL BE REPAIRED CORRECTLY AND BE SAFE TO DRIVE?