NHTSA Complaint #11589331 — 2007 MERCEDES BENZ C280

I am writing about this incident after finding out about the lawsuit filed against Mercedes concerning problems with the balance shaft, the soft metal they used in production, and the COMMON engine codes (P0016 & P0017). I am [XXX] and I was on the highway with my girlfriend going around 75mph and I smelled a burning smell and thought it might’ve been the truck/one of the cars in front of me. All of a sudden my power steering was gone and my car basically lost all power. Only the brakes worked. Thank god the other cars were far enough away from me and I didn’t put anyone else in danger. Due to the loss of control I was forced to pull into the breakdown lane on the LEFT side which was so incredibly dangerous since the highway was so busy. I eventually pulled to the right side of the highway when there was enough space and time to do so and opened my hood and saw that my tensioner blew and the serpentine belt came off. I was so angry because the dealer that sold me the car told me the codes were only emission related and did not affect the mechanics of the car. That’s a whole other issue. I am not so very mechanically inclined but after extensive research I’ve found that this code (which was covered up by Mercedes) was most likely the culprit and has been causing me issues throughout my experience with the vehicle. I am a broke college student. Yes, it was stupid to buy a Mercedes, but I was [XXX] and I’ve learned a lot about cars and the industry since then. At the end of the day, despite my stupidity and ignorance, Mercedes should be held responsible for this issue and everyone who has [had incidents similar to myself or have the codes that I have deserve to be reimbursed for all the repairs, time, and danger they have and will eventually put people in. Don't wait for someone to die on the highway before you consider issuing a recall. DO SOMETHING. I shouldn’t have to fear for my life going out in this car to get to work, school, and most importantly, my family. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF I