NHTSA Complaint #740739 — 1984 MERCEDES BENZ 380

IN 1993 I HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE ENGINE SHUTING DOWN WHILE DRIVING IF AT ANY SPEED. I WOULD STEP ON THE GAS AND THE VEHICLE HAD NO POWER. IT WOULD RESTART AND I COULD PROCEED. IT WAS VERY DANGEROUS AND SOMETIMES I WAS MAKING A LEFT TURN AND ONCOMING TRAFFIC WAS APPROACHING. THE VEHICLE WAS UNDER WARRANTY BY MERCEDES-BENZ AND I TOOK IT IN. THEY REPLACED THE INGNITION CONTROL MODULE AND OVERLOAD PROTECTION RELAY. IN JULY 2000, I HAD THE ENGINE SHUTTING DOWN AGAIN. IT WAS VERY INTERMITTEN BUT FINALLY I HAD IT TOWED TO THE DEALER IN NASHVILLE ON AUGUST 7, 2000. IT WAS IN SEVERAL TIMES AS IT WAS HARD TO DUPLICATE TO PROBLEM. VARIOUS PARTS WERE CHANGED BUT THE INTERMITTEN PROBLEM CONTINUED. WHEN IT WAS STILL CONTINUING IN SEPTEMBER I GOT ANOTHER APPOINTMENT AND HAD A FRIEND GO IN WITH ME. HE WATCHED THE INSTRUMENTS DURING THE FOUR TIMES IT STALLED AND NOTICED THAT THE TEMPATURE GUAGE WAS RISING WHEN IT SHUT DOWN. I HAD THE AIR CONDITIONING ON. I TURNED OFF THE AIR CONDITIONER AND IT DID NOT STALL DURING THE NEXT 25 MILES. I TURNED ON THE AIR AND WITHIN TWO BLOCKS THE CAR STALLED AGAIN. I PASSED THAT INFORMATION AND THE DEALER KEPT THE CAR FOR 3 DAYS. THEY REPLACED THE IGNITION CONTROL MODULE AND AT AN EARLIER APPOINTMENT REPLACED THE OVERLOAD PROTECTION RELAY. THEY TEST DROVE THE VEHICLE AND IT DID NOT FAIL AGAIN. I HAVE NOT HAD THE PROBLEM SINCE. I APPEARS THAT THE UNITS BREAK DOWN DURING HOT WEATHER WHEN THE AIR CONDITIONING IS ON. POSSIBILITY DUE TO INCREASED HEAT IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT . IT IS VERY DANGEROUS BECAUSE IT REQUIRES THAT YOU GET THE ENGINE RESTARTED WHILE DRIVING ON THE OPEN ROAD. COULD RESULT IN SERIOUS ACCIDENT. IN DECEMBER 2000, I WROTE MERCEDES-BENZ AND THEY TOLD ME TO GO THRU THE DEALER FOR ANY ASSISTANCE. THEIR SERIAL NO. IS 107045-1A-008030. I FEEL THAT THIS PROBLEM IS SIMILAR TO THE FORD RECALL FOR THE IGNITION CONTROL MODULE. I HAVE KEPT THE PART THAT WERE REPLACED SHOULD YOU LIKE THEM. *AK