NHTSA Complaint #749508 — 2002 MERCEDES BENZ 240

ON JULY 19, 2001, I PURCHASED A NEW MERCEDES BENZ C240 FROM VALLEY MOTORS, INC. AT 9800 YORK ROAD, COCKEYSVILLE, MARYLAND 21030. BY THE MORNING OF JULY 29, 2001, I HAD PUT APPROXIMATELY 700 MILES ON THE CAR WITHOUT INCIDENT. AT ALL TIMES I OPERATED THE CAR ACCORDING TO LAW AND ACCORDING TO THE SUGGESTIONS IN THE HANDBOOK THAT CAME WITH THE CAR. AT APPROXIMATELY 7 A.M. ON THE MORNING OF JULY 29, 2001, I AND MY 71 YEAR OLD FATHER AND 66 YEAR OLD MOTHER WERE TRAVELING ON I-95 NORTH ON OUR WAY TO MARTHA'S VINEYARD FOR VACATION. I WAS DRIVING 60 TO 65 MPH IN THE "SLOW LANE" WHEN I FELT A SLIGHT PULLING FEELING THAT SEEMED TO BE COMING FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE CAR. I CHECKED TO SEE IF ANY WARNING LIGHTS WERE ON AND THEY WERE NOT. BECAUSE IT DIDN'T FEEL RIGHT, IN AN ABUNDANCE OF CAUTION, I TURNED ON MY RIGHT BLINKER AND HEADED FOR THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD. AS I MADE MY WAY TO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD, THE CAR BEGAN TO DECELERATE VERY RAPIDLY UNTIL IT CAME TO A VERY ABRUPT HALT. APPROXIMATELY 10 TO 20 SECONDS ELAPSED BETWEEN THE TIME I FIRST FELT THAT SLIGHT PULLING FEELING AND THE TIME THE CAR WENT COMPLETELY DEAD ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. WHITE SMOKE THEN BEGAN TO BILLOW OUT OF THE BACK OF THE CAR AND AND, AT THAT TIME, THE ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. I TRIED TO MOVE THE CAR FURTHER OFF THE ROAD FOR SAFETY REASONS (CARS AND TRUCKS WERE PASSING BY JUST INCHES FROM THE CAR AT HIGH RATES OF SPEED CAUSING THE CAR TO SHAKE), THE CAR WOULD NOT MOVE. I COULD NOT EVEN PUT IT IN NEUTRAL SO THAT THE CAR COULD BE PUSHED. I ALERTED THE MERCEDES BENZ ROADSIDE SERVICE CREW VIA TELE-AID. WHEN A MERCEDES BENZ MECHANIC CAME TO THE SCENE APPROXIMATELY TWO HOURS LATER, HE SAID THERE WAS A "COMPLETE MECHANICAL FAILURE" AND HE HAD NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE IT. THE CAR WAS TOWED AWAY. AL RIGGIO, THE MAN AT VALLEY MOTORS WHO SOLD ME THE CAR, INFORMED ME ON JULY 31, 2001, THAT INSPECTION OF THE CAR REVEALED THAT THE ENGINE WAS "SHATTERED INTO 100 PIECES."