1998 MERCEDES BENZ E430 — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data

The contact owns a 1998 Mercedes-Benz E430. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH, the passenger’s side front coil spring collapsed. The contact referenced NHTSA Action Number: PE07021. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The vehicle was then taken to a dealer but was not diagnosed due to a possible safety risk. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and opened a case. The failure mileage was 170,000.

STALLING, ABRUPT ENGINE FAILURE, FAIL TO OR DELAYED START: FREQUENCY - 6 TIMES PER YEAR, NO WARNING. 1/YR - FAIL TO START AND DELAYED STARTING FOR SEVERAL MINUTES; 5/YR ENGINE STOPPED/ STALLED WHILE OPERATING AT SPEEDS FROM 35 TO 65 MPH. 1. DURING THE DELAYED STARTED THERE WAS NO ENGINE NOISE, I.E. NO GENERATOR/TURNOVER OCCURRED, EVEN DASH LIGHTS FAILED TO LIGHT; THEN STARTED - NO ERROR MESSAGE NOR CHECK ENGINE APPEARED. 2. DURING THE STALLS AT SPEED IN GEAR, THE ENGINE DIED WITH NO WARNING AND EVENTUALLY STARTED AGAIN WITH REPEATED KEY-TURNS. MULTIPLE INCIDENTS OF ENGINE FAILURE SINCE 2008. WITHOUT WARNING OR ANY SIGN OF A PROBLEM, THE ENGINE COMPLETELY SHUTS OFF. THIS OCCURS: WHILE STARTING - NO RESPONSE , WHILE STOPPED, DRIVING AT SURFACE STREET AND HIGHWAY SPEEDS, TURNING AT LOW SPEEDS AND EVEN BACKING UP. HAVE REPLACED/REPAIRED OR INSPECTED PLUGS&WIRES, WIRING HARNESS, K40 RELAY, FUSES, BATTERY, MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR, CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR, EGR VALVE, FUEL FILTER, ECU CHIP, FUEL PUMP/RELAY/LINES, VACUUM LINES, AIR FILTER, TENSIONER, HARMONIC BALANCER, VIBRATION DAMPER, IGNITION CONTROL UNIT, SOLENOID, TEST OF COIL PRIMARY AND SECONDARY RESISTANCE, O2 SENSORS, IGNITION SWITCH, IDLE AIR SLIDE, HARMONIC DAMPER ... AND THE SEARCH CONTINUES...THIS IS AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN (AND ACCORDING TO SEVERAL POSTS ON THIS SITE, IT ALREADY HAD) NOTE THAT SEVERAL DIAGNOSTIC SCANS OVER THE 7 YEARS SHOWS NO ERROR CODES AND THE MECHANIC HAS BEEN UNABLE TO REPLICATE THE PROBLEM. AFTERWARD, THE CAR STARTS ALMOST IMMEDIATELY OR WITHIN A FEW MINUTES. HISTORY: BOUGHT THE CAR USED IN 2005 WITH 92,000 MILES IN FLORIDA, NO ACCIDENTS, NO HX OF DAMAGE, FLORIDA (NO WATER DAMAGE), REGULARLY SERVICED AND ROUTINE MAINTENANCE IS UP TO DATE. THANK YOU FOR THE MEANS TO REPORT THIS SERIOUS PROBLEM.

STALLING, ABRUPT ENGINE FAILURE, FAIL TO OR DELAYED START: FREQUENCY - 6 TIMES PER YEAR, NO WARNING. 1/YR - FAIL TO START AND DELAYED STARTING FOR SEVERAL MINUTES; 5/YR ENGINE STOPPED/ STALLED WHILE OPERATING AT SPEEDS FROM 35 TO 65 MPH. 1. DURING THE DELAYED STARTED THERE WAS NO ENGINE NOISE, I.E. NO GENERATOR/TURNOVER OCCURRED, EVEN DASH LIGHTS FAILED TO LIGHT; THEN STARTED - NO ERROR MESSAGE NOR CHECK ENGINE APPEARED. 2. DURING THE STALLS AT SPEED IN GEAR, THE ENGINE DIED WITH NO WARNING AND EVENTUALLY STARTED AGAIN WITH REPEATED KEY-TURNS. MULTIPLE INCIDENTS OF ENGINE FAILURE SINCE 2008. WITHOUT WARNING OR ANY SIGN OF A PROBLEM, THE ENGINE COMPLETELY SHUTS OFF. THIS OCCURS: WHILE STARTING - NO RESPONSE , WHILE STOPPED, DRIVING AT SURFACE STREET AND HIGHWAY SPEEDS, TURNING AT LOW SPEEDS AND EVEN BACKING UP. HAVE REPLACED/REPAIRED OR INSPECTED PLUGS&WIRES, WIRING HARNESS, K40 RELAY, FUSES, BATTERY, MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR, CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR, EGR VALVE, FUEL FILTER, ECU CHIP, FUEL PUMP/RELAY/LINES, VACUUM LINES, AIR FILTER, TENSIONER, HARMONIC BALANCER, VIBRATION DAMPER, IGNITION CONTROL UNIT, SOLENOID, TEST OF COIL PRIMARY AND SECONDARY RESISTANCE, O2 SENSORS, IGNITION SWITCH, IDLE AIR SLIDE, HARMONIC DAMPER ... AND THE SEARCH CONTINUES...THIS IS AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN (AND ACCORDING TO SEVERAL POSTS ON THIS SITE, IT ALREADY HAD) NOTE THAT SEVERAL DIAGNOSTIC SCANS OVER THE 7 YEARS SHOWS NO ERROR CODES AND THE MECHANIC HAS BEEN UNABLE TO REPLICATE THE PROBLEM. AFTERWARD, THE CAR STARTS ALMOST IMMEDIATELY OR WITHIN A FEW MINUTES. HISTORY: BOUGHT THE CAR USED IN 2005 WITH 92,000 MILES IN FLORIDA, NO ACCIDENTS, NO HX OF DAMAGE, FLORIDA (NO WATER DAMAGE), REGULARLY SERVICED AND ROUTINE MAINTENANCE IS UP TO DATE. THANK YOU FOR THE MEANS TO REPORT THIS SERIOUS PROBLEM.

STALLING, ABRUPT ENGINE FAILURE, FAIL TO OR DELAYED START: FREQUENCY - 6 TIMES PER YEAR, NO WARNING. 1/YR - FAIL TO START AND DELAYED STARTING FOR SEVERAL MINUTES; 5/YR ENGINE STOPPED/ STALLED WHILE OPERATING AT SPEEDS FROM 35 TO 65 MPH. 1. DURING THE DELAYED STARTED THERE WAS NO ENGINE NOISE, I.E. NO GENERATOR/TURNOVER OCCURRED, EVEN DASH LIGHTS FAILED TO LIGHT; THEN STARTED - NO ERROR MESSAGE NOR CHECK ENGINE APPEARED. 2. DURING THE STALLS AT SPEED IN GEAR, THE ENGINE DIED WITH NO WARNING AND EVENTUALLY STARTED AGAIN WITH REPEATED KEY-TURNS. MULTIPLE INCIDENTS OF ENGINE FAILURE SINCE 2008. WITHOUT WARNING OR ANY SIGN OF A PROBLEM, THE ENGINE COMPLETELY SHUTS OFF. THIS OCCURS: WHILE STARTING - NO RESPONSE , WHILE STOPPED, DRIVING AT SURFACE STREET AND HIGHWAY SPEEDS, TURNING AT LOW SPEEDS AND EVEN BACKING UP. HAVE REPLACED/REPAIRED OR INSPECTED PLUGS&WIRES, WIRING HARNESS, K40 RELAY, FUSES, BATTERY, MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR, CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR, EGR VALVE, FUEL FILTER, ECU CHIP, FUEL PUMP/RELAY/LINES, VACUUM LINES, AIR FILTER, TENSIONER, HARMONIC BALANCER, VIBRATION DAMPER, IGNITION CONTROL UNIT, SOLENOID, TEST OF COIL PRIMARY AND SECONDARY RESISTANCE, O2 SENSORS, IGNITION SWITCH, IDLE AIR SLIDE, HARMONIC DAMPER ... AND THE SEARCH CONTINUES...THIS IS AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN (AND ACCORDING TO SEVERAL POSTS ON THIS SITE, IT ALREADY HAD) NOTE THAT SEVERAL DIAGNOSTIC SCANS OVER THE 7 YEARS SHOWS NO ERROR CODES AND THE MECHANIC HAS BEEN UNABLE TO REPLICATE THE PROBLEM. AFTERWARD, THE CAR STARTS ALMOST IMMEDIATELY OR WITHIN A FEW MINUTES. HISTORY: BOUGHT THE CAR USED IN 2005 WITH 92,000 MILES IN FLORIDA, NO ACCIDENTS, NO HX OF DAMAGE, FLORIDA (NO WATER DAMAGE), REGULARLY SERVICED AND ROUTINE MAINTENANCE IS UP TO DATE. THANK YOU FOR THE MEANS TO REPORT THIS SERIOUS PROBLEM.

4.11.15//1233HRS (MT) -- 1998 MERCEDES BENZ E430 STALLING, ENGINE FAILURE PROBLEM: MULTIPLE INCIDENTS (MORE THAN 15 IN 7 YEARS) OF ENGINE FAILURE SINCE 2008. WITHOUT WARNING OR ANY SIGN OF A PROBLEM, THE ENGINE COMPLETELY SHUTS OFF. THIS OCCURS: WHILE STARTING - NO RESPONSE , WHILE STOPPED, DRIVING AT SURFACE STREET AND HIGHWAY SPEEDS, TURNING AT LOW SPEEDS AND EVEN BACKING UP. HAVE REPLACED/REPAIRED OR INSPECTED PLUGS&WIRES, WIRING HARNESS, K40 RELAY, FUSES, BATTERY, MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR, CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR, EGR VALVE, FUEL FILTER, ECU CHIP, FUEL PUMP/RELAY/LINES, VACUUM LINES, AIR FILTER, TENSIONER, HARMONIC BALANCER, VIBRATION DAMPER, IGNITION CONTROL UNIT, SOLENOID, TEST OF COIL PRIMARY AND SECONDARY RESISTANCE...NONE OF THE REPAIRS CORRECTED THE STALLING PROBLEM. CURRENT MILEAGE = 135,000. PLAN TO INSPECT/REPLACE O2 SENSORS, IGNITION SWITCH, IDLE AIR SLIDE, HARMONIC DAMPER ... AND THE SEARCH CONTINUES...THIS IS AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN (AND ACCORDING TO SEVERAL POSTS ON THIS SITE, IT ALREADY HAS) WHAT IS DAIMLER/CHRYSLER DOING ABOUT IT ? NOTE THAT SEVERAL DIAGNOSTIC SCANS OVER THE 7 YEARS SHOWS NO ERROR CODES AND THE MECHANIC HAS BEEN UNABLE TO REPLICATE THE PROBLEM. AFTERWARD, THE CAR STARTS ALMOST IMMEDIATELY OR WITHIN A FEW MINUTES. HISTORY: BOUGHT THE CAR USED IN 2005 WITH 92,000 MILES IN FLORIDA, NO ACCIDENTS, NO CARFAX HX OF DAMAGE, (NO WATER DAMAGE), REGULARLY SERVICED AND ROUTINE MAINTENANCE IS UP TO DATE. THANK YOU FOR THE FORUM TO REPORT THIS SERIOUS PROBLEM. *TR