NHTSA Complaint #11111487 — 2017 MERCEDES-BENZ E300

AFTER ABOUT 1-2 MIKES OF DRIVING MY 2017 MB E300 STARTED JERKING AND ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON WHEN I DROVE TOWARD THE FIRST LANE FOR A LEFT TURN ON A BUSY HIGHWAY INTERSECTION. I ALSO FOUND THE GEAR WAS CHANGED TO NEUTRAL. I TRIED TO CHANGE THE GEAR TO DRIVE WHILE WAITING FOR THE TRAFFIC LIGHT BUT I COULDN'T. I STOPPED THE ENGINE TO RESTART BUT COULDN'T RESTART AT ALL. I PRESSED THE MB ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE BUTTON. THEY SAID A TOW TRUCK WOULD BE THERE WITHIN 20 MINS. IN THE MEANTIME SOMEONE HELPED PUSH THE CAR TO MOVE IT TO THE SIDE BUT THE GEAR DIDN'T STAY ON NEUTRAL. IT KEPT GOING BACK TO PARK. THEN IT DIDN'T GO TO NEUTRAL ANYMORE. I GOT STUCK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. THERE WAS NOTHING ELSE I COULD DO BUT PATIENTLY WAITED FOR TOWING WITH MY LITTLE KID INSIDE THE CAR WITH AN EMERGENCY LIGHT ON AND 4 WINDOWS OPEN. THE CAR WAS HEATED UP WITH THE OUTSIDE TEMP OF OVER 90F. MY KID WAS GETTING EXHAUSTED AND DROWSY DUE TO A HIGH TEMP OF 110F INSIDE THE CAR. I PRESSED THE ASSISTANCE BUTTON AGAIN AFTER WAITING ALMOST 40 MINS AND EXPLAINED ABOUT AN URGENT SITUATION. THEY SAID THEY WERE STILL SEARCHING FOR A PROVIDER AND WOULD TEXT ME ETA OF A TOW TRUCK ONCE THEY LOCATED IT. COULDN'T BELIEVE WHAT THEY SAID. MY KID WAS ALMOST PASSING OUT FROM THE HEATSTROKE. I STARED LOOKING FOR OTHER WAYS TO TOW MY CAR WHEN I FINALLY GOT A TEXT FROM THE ROADSIDE SERVICE SAYING A TRUCK WOULD BE THERE IN 50 MINS. OMG! THEN A LADY STOPPED HER CAR NEXT TO ME. SHE GAVE US WATER, LET ME MOVE MY KID INTO HER CAR WITH COOL AIR, CALLED HER AAA, AND LET ME USE THE SERVICE. AAA SHOWED UP IN 15 MINS AND TOWED MY CAR TO THE MB DEALERSHIP. I WAS MORE DISAPPOINTED WITH MB ROADSIDE SERVICE THAN THE CAR BREAKDOWN. WHAT'S THE PURPOSE OF THE BUTTON? WHY DID THEY INSTALL THE USELESS BUTTON IN THE CAR? IF IT WASN'T THERE I WOUNDN'T PRESS IT AND WASTE ALMOST 1 1/2 HRS ON THE STREET! MY KID COULD HAVE DIED IN THE CAR!