NHTSA Complaint #11181281 — 2012 MERCEDES-BENZ E350

TOTAL STEERING FAILURE. THE STEERING LOCKED UP SOLID, AND TRYING TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL WAS MET WITH A HAMMERING NOISE FROM UNDER THE FRONT OF THE CAR. FORTUNATELY, THIS OCCURRED IN OUR DRIVEWAY - HAD IT HAPPENED ON THE HIGHWAY THERE WOULD DEFINITELY BEEN AN ACCIDENT. WE TOOK THE CAR TO OUR LOCAL REPAIR SHOP (THE MERCEDES DEALER IS A 1-1/2 HOUR DRIVE FROM WHERE WE LIVE) AND THEY DETERMINED THAT THE ALUMINUM BOLTS HOLDING THE ELECTRIC DRIVE MOTOR TO THE STEERING RACK HAD CORRODED THROUGH AND MOTOR HAD FALLEN OFF. I FOUND THAT THERE IS A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM IN CANADA, BUT OUR DEALER (BURLINGTON VERMONT) SAID THERE IS NO RECALL IN THE U.S.